CelticMCO

Suggest you inhale before you enter a standard cabin - they are that small....

Nonsense; there is not a thing wrong with Nassau - been going for 30 plus years. How about a warning about travel to Chicago - 664 murders in 2017...

Agree they are getting too pricey; also if not free Sabor should be a minimal up charge similar to Johnny Rockets - there is no simpler/cheaper food on the planet than Mexican.

Cruise Directors are a throw back to the "good ole days" of cruising when Julie Mccoy and Doc Bricker were crusing the Mexican Riviera with Captain Stuebing; give the lines time they will be replaced with robots and touch screens.

Agree wholeheartedly why? We book on schedule, ports, value - plus if you think the Millennials will care one whiff who the CD is your kidding yourself...

Absolutely worked easily at Port Everglades in December; blew right by 150 plus people in line and went to Mobile Passport line with 1 person in front of us; out by curb in minutes....

Gross. No simple hot dogs, no drinks, barely any sides. They should give free tums with each

"Dog". Plus they have the nerve to upcharge Mexican, the cheapest/easiest food on the planet.

The only thing you missed was your own private armored truck backing up to the pier to pay for all of this...

Was not a suggestion on Indy in December it was written in Compass and spoken by CD - 830 period out!

Port Everglades also has an app you can get at app store; lists all ships/piers 30 days out. Super easy to use and free...

First world problems...good grief

Hmm. Water bottles in luggage usually get sent to the naughty room as there are a lot of the younger folks who put vodka into those water bottles hoping they do not get caught. I was summoned down at 10 pm to the naughty room on deck 4 to retrieve my missing bag as my teenage sons had filled up water bottles with vodka. A lesson learned back then, never leave you bags unattended even in your hotel room!!!! (when teens are around). Of course, just recently on Harmony of the Seas, I had two water bottles in my carry on and they passed right on through together with two bottles of wine (even though we are only allowed one per person). We expected to pay the corkage fee on one of them. But nadda, they just let it through. My husband also had a bottle of wine in his carry on bag. Seemed they were being a little lax but maybe they were tired as we boarded at 2:30 pm and they must have had enough of the previous 6000 passengers.

This makes no sense on so many levels. Your rascally teenagers went out and bought vodka and bottled water and somehow managed to empty the water bottles after illegally buying vodka and refilled the water bottles and then put said vodka/water bottles in your luggage, all in a hotel room? Wow - I wanna party with these kids - never too early to begin that road to drinking too much. How did they buy the vodka? Corkage fees only apply if opened/consumed in a public area and may or may not be enforced. How would the security people know if you were together and why would they care if you had two and he had one bottle of wine? You are the one that is supposed to know it is two bottles of wine per cabin/2 adults in cabin; actually you likely had adult/teen, adult/teen in two cabins on the booking - so why would the security people care if you had one or two bottles of wine? Newsflash - no one cares of you bring some bottled water in your carry on luggage or even you checked bags - ever! This is the most over done subject ever and the water onboard is just fine; just refill bottles and chill overnight.

Excellent point above we live in Orlando and head over and see launches for free from numerous sites. I guess the NASA Tours (contract/private company) are taking a page from the cruise lines and charging to watch launches now. Unreal - plus the launches "scrub" all the time at the last second and you are screwed - why would you buy a ticket?. On a side note - I personally think Elon Musk is a fraud/carnival barker (Tesla cars/aka Deloreans in 10 years, will turn a profit about the same time he lands on Mars); he has built his fortune on government subsidies and tax credits. Plus, Amber Heard? Really?

I felt an impacted tooth coming a week before my last cruise and literally ran to the dentist that day and had it taken care of; if it goes "nuclear" you are going to be in a world of hurt (swelling, fever, pain and they may not be able to work on it until antibiotics get it under control). Get to the dentist before boarding!

Balcony for parents and inside/interior across the hall would be way cheaper than connecting balcony rooms. They sound old enough that there is no need for connecting rooms; book early enough can be right across from each other. You can get a key only card for their room also.

RCCL has their own mobile pass or you can upload your documents to your mobile pass on your built in IPhone App?

Pretty sure talking about the Customs and Border Protection Mobile Passport App; yes it is fantastic! Only used at certain ports right now of which Port Everglades is one. You scan your passports (all for your family travelling together) and answer a few questions (it is basically an E-Customs Declaration/I94) - you get a bar code (4 hour window to use once you send data) you scan while exiting and showing passport (dedicated line). We did self assist in December and I swear from cabin door to curbside at 715 am was done/thru in 10 minutes.

Also - go to the Port Everglades website for the link or to the app store - they have a great app that shows all cruises ships and their berths/docks for arrivals/departures for 30 days. Easy to use and free!

To answer the question yes I think the bartenders hate the packages. Now RCCL has doubled down on drink packages requiring both in cabin to buy. Well I can tell you that, along with the price that was reason did not buy package on our last five day cruise on Indy in December. With 4 drinking age adults (us and 23 year old son/girlfriend) it would have been over $1200; also factor in we had a late embarkation due to a deep clean (thus cutting first day in half) and two full days off ship why would be pay that much for a drink package? There was a time you could buy a reasonably priced beer or wine package only (that included water and soda) which we liked but that is long gone. Plus we could care less about "specialty coffees" and "fresh squeezed juice" (every time someone asks for fresh squeezed juice I see the wait staff visibly sigh). I personally think fresh squeezed juice sucks and I am originally from NYC - coffee was 3 ways; regular, light or light and sweet - nuttin' else (except black). Plenty of great free coffee delivered right to room every morning.

How could the drink packages possibly not be an incentive not to tip? In ten plus years of cruising on two lines (last 6 on RCCL) we absolutely notice a change in service; less roving servers nothing in MDR except Assistant waiter, etc. I always tip a little cash and try to establish a relationship with a few bartenders - it makes a huge difference plus we do not treat them rudely like so many do (amazing the difference in service).

I do not think RCCL is done monkeying with this; Carnival limits to 15 drinks a day. Signs point to problems - last two cruises 10-drink cards pop up half way through cruise, two opportunities on last cruise for 2 dollar mimosas (two hour window); beer buckets, etc. We never went without getting a drink we wanted and never came close to the 1200 dollars the package would have cost. Some people are obviously going to "get there moneys worth" and then some - drink until the cows come home. On a seven day by day 4 or 5 I cannot imagine not getting air-lifted to the Betty Ford Clinic. Maybe raise the cost of the unlimited packages a bit and lower individual drinks - who knows but I do not think we have heard the end of this....

Not one cruise line says you are to vacate your room by 8:00 am. :rolleyes::rolleyes: Not one.... :confused::confused: heck I am not even up by 8:00 am in debark day.

Wrong - cruised 4 weeks ago specifically told by CD and compass to be out of cabin by 8 am sharp!

If your only other cruise was NCL Sky, a tugboat would be an improvement. Sky was by far the worst cruise we were ever on. Everything about that ship was awful. We have been on 100 cruises, so we have lots of experience. Also have been on Independence 3 times and loved her every time we have been on her.

As Larry the Cable Guy used to say in his act - Now that's just funny right there, I don't care who your are...:cool:

The Windjammer is a more of a zoo than usual on departure day I avoid at all costs (plus kind of tired of the food there anyway); no room service either on arrival morning. Rooms must be vacated by 8 - departure "lounges" are basically livestock holding pens. If the line could they would kick you off sooner (in their defense your cruise is over and they have to put on a happy face and do it all over again)! For us it's self assist and off by 7-730 with Global Entry and/or Mobile Passport if available off the ship in minutes....

We were on in December (16-21 cruise); ship was spotless. I think the ship is in great condition for 10 years old and no concerns regarding upkeep and overall looked great. Pool deck and solarium spacious and nice. The coming refit will only be adding cabins and other things you would likely not notice anyway (been on two ships post refit and the cabins were not touched). Would be nice if they replaced the in cabin fridges. You will enjoy your time on Independence!

Great for a family; super service, good food, drinks flow freely and the waiters run their you know what off. We have been there twice and love it - book directly as stated above, they will take a minimal deposit of like $5.00 a person (then you have a reservation) pay rest when you arrive. Easy taxi ride of about 10 minutes both ways.

Good advice above - the weather is suspect this time of year and who knows if you want a beach day until the day you get there (we had a beach day in Cozumel at Mr. Sanchos the next day, visited 12/17). Water not exactly warm in January either. We did Native Choice to see the ruins (great tour, drivers, guide at the site); hour away but they use vans with seatbelts and we never felt uncomfortable/unsafe on ride to site (plus almost two hours at site - not rushed). Any ruins tour from Cozumel is a very long day (ferry off of the Island) and limited time at the ruins. As far as the Port - I have never seen one designed as much as this one with the sole purpose of trapping you in; it is a maze to find your way out (we knew that before going).

Not sure how much they could do/add/upgrade to the old girl - there is just not enough space! We were on June 2016 after brief refit only difference was hot tubs and things you could not see. Agree with all that say best/friendliest crew around. The standard cabins are beyond small and bathrooms as well. Looking forward to getting Enchantment back in Port Canaveral. Sorry to say the days are numbered for this size ship; you can keep Cuba (do not be surprised if the current administration just ends Cuba cruise stops all together - nothing in the law/OFAC regulations regarding trade/spending money in Cuba has changed) would not spend one dime there until I can fly/disembark there and do as I please!!

Great more people on a ship that is borderline starting to feel crowded; the Windjammer is a mess and always feels crowded. Sure, lets add some slides, trampolines and continue the "Carnavalization" of RCCL. Guaranteed one thing they won't update in the refit is the 10 year old non-working/barely working mini fridges in the rooms!