LivetoCruise412 Posted April 15, 2015 #1 Share Posted April 15, 2015 We have booked a group/family cruise of 8 cabins and growing going on Independence of the Seas in August. I keep reading not good reviews about the ship all of a sudden, I don't understand because it is the sister ship and newest in the freedom class. Can anyone give me some more insight on the ship, we are looking forward to it but wondering if I should try to move us all to another ship. Also do they have freestyle coke soda machines or plans on them soon. Thanks for the help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarea Posted April 15, 2015 #2 Share Posted April 15, 2015 No Freestyle on Indy, and have not heard any plans for any. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb at sea Posted April 15, 2015 #3 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Stop reading reviews!!! The ship is fine and you will have a blast!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LivetoCruise412 Posted April 15, 2015 Author #4 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Thanks we usually do on whichever boat we sail. I always say a vacation is what you make of it and we usually have a great time :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiggleBee Posted April 15, 2015 #5 Share Posted April 15, 2015 I personally love the Independence, sailed on her 3 times and am going again next year. She's a fantastic ship, there is loads to do and the staff are always so lovely. You'll have a fab time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smiley620 Posted April 15, 2015 #6 Share Posted April 15, 2015 There is no freestyle coke machine on Independence. We sail on it Saturday and look forward to a wonderful trip. Don't go in with a negative mindset and you will be fine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NICruisers Posted April 15, 2015 #7 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Independence is a fantastic ship with some of the best staff in the fleet. It's possible the reviews you've read are from people who've cruised with other lines and are making comparisons between the different styles of ship/cruise line; perhaps it may have been their first cruise with RCCL and they're unused to the format/style of cruising with Royal. My advice would be to enjoy your cruise and make up your own mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggercat Posted April 15, 2015 #8 Share Posted April 15, 2015 We just got back from a trip on Independence. There were 40+ in our group ranging in age from 8 years old to 70 years old. Everyone had a blast!!! The ship was awesome and the service outstanding! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
depplep Posted April 15, 2015 #9 Share Posted April 15, 2015 It's been 5yrs since we were on Indy, but it was my favorite ship hands down. So much to offer, never a dull moment. The ship was beautiful, service was great and never felt crowded. I almost wish we hadn't booked Oasis this fall and did Indy for the 8nt again instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaniel Lover Posted April 16, 2015 #10 Share Posted April 16, 2015 I'm currently onboard Independence of the Seas... my second Royal Caribbean cruise after many with Carnival and a few with Princess and Norwegian. I'm one of those weird people that eats all meals in the buffet restaurant and never sets foot in the main dining room of a cruise ship anymore. I have to say that lunch and dinner in the Independence Of The Seas buffet restaurant is the best cruise ship food I've had in all 29 of my cruises. There's lots of choices, and plenty that fits my particular taste in food. I can't honestly say I like their breakfast options... but lunch and dinner have been fantastic. Here's the thing that's a disappointment to me, though: the entertainment. It hasn't been good, and it's also been sparse. A lot of the music acts don't even get going until after 9:30 PM. Comedy has been almost non-existent. Carnival just completely blows Royal Caribbean out of the water when it comes to comedy. Also, no waterslides, and no self-service laundry facilities. It's weird how their is little to no entertainment until later in the evening. When you have a 8 AM call for a shore excursion the next day, you really can't attend an 11 PM musical performance. Not to imply we're having a bad time... we love to cruise and can have a good time on just about any cruise. But this is weird how little entertainment there is at night here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
depplep Posted April 16, 2015 #11 Share Posted April 16, 2015 Interesting about the entertainment. In 11 cruises, I have yet to attend any entertainment venue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisevv Posted April 16, 2015 #12 Share Posted April 16, 2015 I'll be boarding Indy this weekend and I very much look forward to my first journey onboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare shipshape sam Posted April 16, 2015 #13 Share Posted April 16, 2015 Stop reading reviews!!! The ship is fine and you will have a blast!!! We had a great time on Indy last December. Enjoyed the big screen on pool deck enjoying a beer and watching NFL. Could it get better than that......donuts maybe? :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KMagz Posted April 16, 2015 #14 Share Posted April 16, 2015 (edited) We've sailed on Oasis, Allure, Freedom, Independence, several Voyager-class ships, etc... Last year's Independence cruise was our best cruise ever. Period. I scratch my head when I read those bad reviews. We've booked Indy again. Edited April 16, 2015 by KMagz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peeker28 Posted April 16, 2015 #15 Share Posted April 16, 2015 Glad to hear so many positive reviews. My first time on Indy will be next year and just like the OP I was thinking of changing ships after reading bad reviews Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccletzgo Posted April 16, 2015 #16 Share Posted April 16, 2015 do the dividers open between cabin balconies on Indy? THANKS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarea Posted April 16, 2015 #17 Share Posted April 16, 2015 do the dividers open between cabin balconies on Indy? THANKS! Yes, on the side facing balconies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccletzgo Posted April 16, 2015 #18 Share Posted April 16, 2015 Yes, on the side facing balconies. Thank you! Just put my kiddo's and there spouses in connecting cabins on deck 6 port side. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KMagz Posted April 16, 2015 #19 Share Posted April 16, 2015 do the dividers open between cabin balconies on Indy? THANKS! They do. I've heard they sometimes won't open them (for safety reasons) but we've been like 5 for 5 on our cruises on RCCL. They've always opened them for us. (Including Indy.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nednrom Posted April 16, 2015 #20 Share Posted April 16, 2015 We have booked a group/family cruise of 8 cabins and growing going on Independence of the Seas in August. I keep reading not good reviews about the ship all of a sudden, I don't understand because it is the sister ship and newest in the freedom class. Can anyone give me some more insight on the ship, we are looking forward to it but wondering if I should try to move us all to another ship. Also do they have freestyle coke soda machines or plans on them soon. Thanks for the help We've also been on the Indy 3 times and will be on her again in November. I can't really comment on the entertainment since we dont go to the shows, but we like the staff and the openness of the deck plans of the Freedom class . This time cruise director will be different but I still like Quest and other games onboard. As someone said, a cruise or a vacation is what you make of it. I hope you have an awesome time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinlife Posted April 16, 2015 #21 Share Posted April 16, 2015 Sailed last month on Indy and had some of the best service ever on RC and we are almost D+. Our stateroom attendant Asep was tremendous and he opened our balcony divider for us as well. Go see Matica and Owens in Olive or Twist, they are a BLAST!!! The Ice Show was the best we have seen on RC. We were fortunate that Beatlemania was one of our Headliner Shows, what a Fantastic show. We are booked again in October on Indy and cannot wait. Go and have a wonderful time!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
takevtr1 Posted April 16, 2015 #22 Share Posted April 16, 2015 We have booked a group/family cruise of 8 cabins and growing going on Independence of the Seas in August. I keep reading not good reviews about the ship all of a sudden, I don't understand because it is the sister ship and newest in the freedom class. Can anyone give me some more insight on the ship, we are looking forward to it but wondering if I should try to move us all to another ship. Also do they have freestyle coke soda machines or plans on them soon. Thanks for the help What date are you sailing on the Indy? My group will be on the Aug. 9th. sailing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allezbob Posted April 17, 2015 #23 Share Posted April 17, 2015 I too, just sailed on the Indy (4/5). Service and the staff were great. MDR food was overall good. A couple of spotty things, but it was fine. Specialty restaurants were excellent! Can't say enough about those meals. The ship was clean and I thought the ice show was the bomb. Very entertaining. Trivia was fun with Kevin from Canada. Labadee was wonderful as was Jamaica. Don't worry, you will have a great time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulette3028 Posted April 18, 2015 #24 Share Posted April 18, 2015 I too, just sailed on the Indy (4/5). Service and the staff were great. MDR food was overall good. A couple of spotty things, but it was fine. Specialty restaurants were excellent! Can't say enough about those meals. The ship was clean and I thought the ice show was the bomb. Very entertaining. Trivia was fun with Kevin from Canada. Labadee was wonderful as was Jamaica. Don't worry, you will have a great time. We enjoyed trivia with Kevin from Canada when we sailed on Indy back in February. You had Gordon Travis as Activity Manager -- for the cruise we were on Gordon was filling in as the CD that week, with Ricky Matthews as CD -- Ricky should have been great, we had him as CD on a different ship on a previous sailing. Tom (from Croatia) was another member of the Indy entertainment staff that did a terrific job. We love the Freedom class of ships and had a fabulous time on Indy when we sailed on her! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kcjarvis Posted April 18, 2015 #25 Share Posted April 18, 2015 Here is a good review from last week http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2195748 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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