Independence... We're Here!!

[MrZoey]

BTW......how is the WI-FI working?

[keishashadow]

ON our sailing the 2 formals where the first sea day and on thursday (labadee)

 

Rick

okay, either works for me:)

 

No, but Portofino did.

 

i'm surprised Chops doesn't offer Lobster.

 

OP good to know re the tendering off the ship. We're doing Capt Marvins this time since we wanted to hit 7 mile beach vs the nativeway 3 stop we did last time. Wondering approx what time you hit that long tender line. We like to be back aboard approx 1/2 hour before all aboard time

[Lady Chew]

thanks for the review and the pictures. We're on the 8-day cruise next month, and can't wait!!

[goldgirl2]

Thank you so much for this great LIVE review! Have you seen any shows?

[Expar]

I was wondering if Falmouth's Margarittaville is open yet?

[RCCL Fan]

All I have to say is.... WHOOOOO HOOOOO!!!

 

I have been so nervous about this ship. We're bringing 40 family and friends with us for our wedding. Most are non-cruisers, a few who "don't do cruise ships" but are coming anyway for us.

 

I promised them an amazing experience and was really thinking I screwed up not listening to the soon to be wife and picking Liberty.

 

Your pics of pier 29 are amazing, not what I expected at all. It looked empty.

 

Great news about the service and I'm really eager to hear what you think of Portofino.

 

We rented out the restaurant for our reception. I'd love to hear about service, food quality, and if there's any way you could cost some pics inside I'd be very grateful!

 

Thanks for the wonderful review, you're really putting some worried minds at ease. Whew!

[phabric]

We have not been on a RCI ship for awhile.

 

Would like to know what is on the room service menu. We might use that a few times this time.

[Topo Gigio]

We have not been on a RCI ship for awhile.

 

Would like to know what is on the room service menu. We might use that a few times this time.

 

two things I can recommend is the steak sandwich. It comes with onion rings and french fries and I love the spinach dip.

[whitshel]

BTW......how is the WI-FI working?

 

Hey Everyone,

 

Sitting on my balcony in Falmouth and sorry to report before that wifi doesn't work in the staterooms, it actually does. You have to create an account in the online center then you will be able to log on. I still had problems finding the signal but I went to guest relations and the gentleman made a manual network and it works great. It seems pretty fast too.

 

Its very windy today and last night, after dinner we noticed the dreaded umm, how do it put it nicely? I cant , barf bags out on every stairwell, we were a rock n and a roll n last night but never any signs of of the actual stuff:D.

 

Once again a great trip so far, nothing planned today so I will try and post later as well.

 

and the internet is still only .65 a minute here on Indy:cool:

[Clarea]

Hey Everyone,

 

Sitting on my balcony in Falmouth and sorry to report before that wifi doesn't work in the staterooms, it actually does. You have to create an account in the online center then you will be able to log on. I still had problems finding the signal but I went to guest relations and the gentleman made a manual network and it works great. It seems pretty fast too.

 

Its very windy today and last night, after dinner we noticed the dreaded umm, how do it put it nicely? I cant , barf bags out on every stairwell, we were a rock n and a roll n last night but never any signs of of the actual stuff:D.

 

Once again a great trip so far, nothing planned today so I will try and post later as well.

 

and the internet is still only .65 a minute here on Indy:cool:

I forgot about that. Indy is the only ship in the fleet that does not broadcast the SSID for wireless. They are working to fix this, but in the interim you have to manually create a profile on your device using the SSID of "royal-wifi", without the quotes. Lowercase is essential. On Windows XP you also have to check a box that says "Connect even if this network is not broadcasting". Don't know about other devices.

[whitshel]

I was wondering if Falmouth's Margarittaville is open yet?

 

Haven't been down to the pier yet, but I will let you know. I'm interested too. Had to stop at Jimmy' in Grand Cayman for a couple shirts after our tour yesterday.:D

[whitshel]

okay, either works for me:)

 

 

 

i'm surprised Chops doesn't offer Lobster.

 

OP good to know re the tendering off the ship. We're doing Capt Marvins this time since we wanted to hit 7 mile beach vs the nativeway 3 stop we did last time. Wondering approx what time you hit that long tender line. We like to be back aboard approx 1/2 hour before all aboard time

 

We arrived back at the pier about 3pm with a 5 pm departure. For the whole process it took a good hour. Like i said the line moved pretty fast but it does take a while to load up the tenders. Also when we got back to the boat, it was pretty choppy so they would only let 10 people off the tender at a time. Thank goodness we were one of the first groups off because if not it was going to be a long time on that tender.:eek:

[whitshel]

All I have to say is.... WHOOOOO HOOOOO!!!

 

I have been so nervous about this ship. We're bringing 40 family and friends with us for our wedding. Most are non-cruisers, a few who "don't do cruise ships" but are coming anyway for us.

 

I promised them an amazing experience and was really thinking I screwed up not listening to the soon to be wife and picking Liberty.

 

Your pics of pier 29 are amazing, not what I expected at all. It looked empty.

 

Great news about the service and I'm really eager to hear what you think of Portofino.

 

We rented out the restaurant for our reception. I'd love to hear about service, food quality, and if there's any way you could cost some pics inside I'd be very grateful!

 

Thanks for the wonderful review, you're really putting some worried minds at ease. Whew!

 

RCCL Fan, dont worry about a thing, you guys will have great time. Especially the newbies, this is great ship and crew. I like you was a little worried, but nuth n worry about mon!!!:D

 

Did quest last night and had a blast.

 

I will certainly try and get you some photos of Portifinos.

 

And no, we havent seen any shows--no time for shows...:p

[Jkbcws]

Grand Cayman has great deals on RUM! So, make sure you leave room to buy some in the duty free stores!

[north29]

Grand Cayman has great deals on RUM! So, make sure you leave room to buy some in the duty free stores!

 

With the booze buying on GC, they seem to have the best prices and best, variety anywhere on that Cruise route. It must be the money thing, the high rollers from all over the world like their particular types of alcohol LOL

[MrZoey]

Hey Everyone,

 

Sitting on my balcony in Falmouth and sorry to report before that wifi doesn't work in the staterooms, it actually does. You have to create an account in the online center then you will be able to log on. I still had problems finding the signal but I went to guest relations and the gentleman made a manual network and it works great. It seems pretty fast too.

 

Its very windy today and last night, after dinner we noticed the dreaded umm, how do it put it nicely? I cant , barf bags out on every stairwell, we were a rock n and a roll n last night but never any signs of of the actual stuff:D.

 

Once again a great trip so far, nothing planned today so I will try and post later as well.

 

and the internet is still only .65 a minute here on Indy:cool:

 

 

Thanks for the info....DH was very cranky last year with the WI-FI issues!

[keishashadow]

We arrived back at the pier about 3pm with a 5 pm departure. For the whole process it took a good hour. Like i said the line moved pretty fast but it does take a while to load up the tenders. Also when we got back to the boat, it was pretty choppy so they would only let 10 people off the tender at a time. Thank goodness we were one of the first groups off because if not it was going to be a long time on that tender.:eek:

 

getting green just thinking about it, that rocking & rolling is worse when tender isn't moving.

[phabric]

Did you have to take your life jackets for the Muster drill?

[Clarea]

Did you have to take your life jackets for the Muster drill?

Not any more.

[RCCL Fan]

Since this is becoming our go to Indy thread right now...

 

if anyone recent past and future has any reviews of the adventure ocean staff onboard, I'd love to hear them

 

and whitshel, if you happen to chat with Joff Eaton, ask him when in March his vacation starts.

 

Thanks!!!

[missamy]

I am also delighted to be reading your reviews, I am booked for the 2/24 departure & was not thrilled @ the other reviews. The excursion you mentioned in GC, was that a ship sponsored or private? Trying to figure out as a solo cruiser how best to both spend time & money on port days. Would love any suggestions, the cruise goes to GC, Falmouth & labadee (spelling??). Amy

[whitshel]

Day I’m not sure but it was Labdeeeeee….

 

Definitely the best day of the cruise for us. We love beach days and Labadee for us does not disappoint. So far traveling east around Cuba has been very very windy. Not a lil windy, very windy. Since GC all the way to Labadee has been very very breezy to say the least. I looked at the TV screen last night on the bridge channel ant it showed a direct head wind and the apparent wind speed at 91kph. Now im not sure what that is in MPH but I’m guessing around 60mph. The boat has been rock n. We actually arrived in Labadee 45 minutes late due to the head wind. But again, noting you can do so you just go with it….

 

The Enchantment was also in port, Hey Radio….. and it was a very cool site to come into Labadee with the Enchantment already docked there. We had 2 cabanas rented on Nellies Beach for the 10 of us. I went down to the explorations desk the 1st day to ask about getting them side by side and I was told to come back on Thursday, as they could do nothing on the 1st day. I was worried being the second ship in that day that we would just get whatever they had left. I went to book my daughter an excursion for Labadee the next day so I asked again about getting them together and this time they took our room #’s down and told us when they received their allotment they would try and get us together.

 

I wasn’t too confident so my DFIL and I went down as soon as we docked and were about the 20th people off, went and found the golf limos and Willie took us to Barefoot beach where the concierge was, we asked him if we could get them next to each other and he looked at his paper and said we would have #7 and #8 on Nellies. So Willie drove us to the cabanas and we couldn’t have asked for anything better, side by side, stairs going all the way down to water, absolutely perfect. My wife took a line from the movie “Six Days and Seven nights” and said “I’m never leaving”….still windy everywhere else, but on Nellies and Barefoot Beach, only a light breeze, PARADISE!:D

 

The downside for the day was my daughter and wife’s jet ski tour was canceled due to the wind and rough waters, so I gave up my ticket for the zip line so that both my daughters could at least do that. When we arrived in port we watched the zip liners come down but when it was our turn (3:30pm) they had been canceled. Again oh well, nothing you can do. I will do a more in depth review of Labadee with pics when we get home.

 

Dinner at Portifinos the night before was very good, but as most have said the dinner takes a long time, too long I think. We finished our appetizer’s waited about 10 minutes and then the waiter came over and said “now that you’re done with your appetizers I will have the chef start your dinner”. We were all like what? He’s just going to start them now….. So anyway it was too long of a process in my book, reservations at 6:30, didn’t leave til 9:00… ouch!

 

So all in all a great day, I can’t imagine a better private island than Labadee, and there is no way you can beat Labadee with and over the water Cabana. You can never convince me otherwise. I urge anyone who is on the fence or there are 2 ships in port, just rent a cabana, you won’t be sorry…..

[whitshel]

I am also delighted to be reading your reviews, I am booked for the 2/24 departure & was not thrilled @ the other reviews. The excursion you mentioned in GC, was that a ship sponsored or private? Trying to figure out as a solo cruiser how best to both spend time & money on port days. Would love any suggestions, the cruise goes to GC, Falmouth & labadee (spelling??). Amy

 

GC not a ship sponsored excursion. Worth it tho....

[whitshel]

No signs up for Margaritaville, I think I know where its going, lots of construction. No where near completion tho.....:(

[Sunshine101]

Glad to read a positive review, I was getting very nervous that I booked the wrong ship for my hubby's surprise birthday trip. Sounds like Indy will be good when we go in Feb!