Independence of the Seas

[dorlor]

We are booked on our first Royal Caribbean cruise next May. We are on deck 7, inside stateroom near the library. I just noticed that the staterooms either side of us are family rooms. We are not young ! and I wondered if anyone had any observations ! I also wondered if there is any problem getting a table for 2. I have requested it, we are one 1st sitting. (We really aren't unsociable ! We just aren't comfortable eating with strangers)

[cb at sea]

There shouldn't be any noise because of the library...and the "family" rooms shouldn't be an issue, either. There is always noise that comes thru the hallway door, and that's true of any cabin, anywhere! Can't be helped!

 

Yes..there are tables for 2...(and if you happen to be seated with others, simply introduce yourselves...no longer "strangers"!!) The 2-tops are rather close together, tho.

Edited August 8, 2015 by cb at sea

[tinkertoy9000]

We are booked on our first Royal Caribbean cruise next May. We are on deck 7, inside stateroom near the library. I just noticed that the staterooms either side of us are family rooms. We are not young ! and I wondered if anyone had any observations ! I also wondered if there is any problem getting a table for 2. I have requested it, we are one 1st sitting. (We really aren't unsociable ! We just aren't comfortable eating with strangers)

 

 

The only issue you may have with the cabins is if there are teens who come in and sit around talking or horsing around before the go to bed. We were in a balcony cabin next to a suite once and had that issue a couple night; the kids sitting around talking loud about the fun they had that day.

 

As far as a table for two, just be sure to go to the main dining room as soon as you board the ship, or at least by 1:00 PM, and check to see if they did give you a table for two. If you are not satisfied with your table THAT is the best time to request a change. The MatrD or head waiters will be there to assist passengers and there may be a line.

[delirious9876]

Great ship, good quality cruises and services but for personal reasons I hate Indy and would never travel Indy again

[robin13]

I was on deck 7 near the library on my cruise in April 2014 and had no problem at all with noise. Going on Indy again in 5 weeks and I chose deck 7 again near the library as it is a great location. Love this ship as it is not to big or too small! Never got lost or had to stand in line and at times was wondering where all of the people were. You will have a great time.

[papcx]

Great ship, good quality cruises and services but for personal reasons I hate Indy and would never travel Indy again

 

 

Please do tell!

[Paulette3028]

There shouldn't be any noise because of the library...and the "family" rooms shouldn't be an issue, either. There is always noise that comes thru the hallway door, and that's true of any cabin, anywhere! Can't be helped!

 

Yes..there are tables for 2...(and if you happen to be seated with others, simply introduce yourselves...no longer "strangers"!!) The 2-tops are rather close together, tho.

 

My kind of philosophy....people who are seated at my table in MDR will only be strangers for a minute....once everyone is introduced to each other.....we are like family....and our common bond is cruising -- often times much better than blood.

[Mark-Sheffield]

We are booked on our first Royal Caribbean cruise next May. We are on deck 7, inside stateroom near the library. I just noticed that the staterooms either side of us are family rooms. We are not young ! and I wondered if anyone had any observations ! I also wondered if there is any problem getting a table for 2. I have requested it, we are one 1st sitting. (We really aren't unsociable ! We just aren't comfortable eating with strangers)

 

We are sailing on the 14.5.16 on Indy.

 

We sailed on Indy a few years ago and in the main dining room we saw many tables for two passengers and the ones near our table didn't seem too close to each other.

[dorlor]

Many thanks to all you Indy cruisers who replied to my post re our cabin

and table for two. We are really looking forward to our cruise and it was great to

get all the info from you. First hand experience of deck 7 and the library from Tinkertoy was

really reassuring. Cheers :)

[Mark-Sheffield]

What date in May 2016 are you sailing?

[Iron-Maiden's-No1-Fan]

We have cabin 7648 when we sail on Indy and it's a great location. Next to library and not far from the lifts. Noise has never been an issue ,you will love her ☺we sail on her next October

[dorlor]

We are sailing on the 14.5.16 on Indy.

 

We sailed on Indy a few years ago and in the main dining room we saw many tables for two passengers and the ones near our table didn't seem too close to each other.

 

The 14th May ! :)

[jennywren46]

We're on that sailing and in a cabin on deck 7 near the lifts and library. This will be our 5 th time on Indy and deck 7 is our preferred deck , it's quiet and so easy to walk down to the dining room and Royal Promenade.

[TBone2K]

If you request a 2-top I don't think there is really any way to know until you get your table assignment at check-in. I would suggest go and see the maitre'd. Find out what your table is and ask them to switch it if you don't like it. Failing that, change to My Time and (optionally) go make a reservation for the same time/table every night.

[Mark-Sheffield]

Don't forget to sign up for the meet and mingle for the cruise next year.

[TBone2K]

I wasn't allowed to edit my post yesterday, so I wanted to add one more thing.

 

We have been in the same situation as the OP, but we always try our assigned table for at least the first night and plan to change later. We never have changed. We always seem to get matched up with good people with whom we can find something in common.

[Cleo1611]

We were on a cruise last August, requested a table of 8 (we are two females) and were seated at a table of 8 with a couple who spoke a different language and a single older male who appeared to have a neurological problem + 3 empty seats. The ship was not full. We asked to be moved the next nite, and were told to go to a table at the back near a window - another table of 8 with only one couple at it - turns out they were a couple from Brazil who spoke Portuguese - she spoke a little bit of English but he spoke almost completely no English. We managed to get through the meal with gestures and the wife translating for the husband, and it was pleasant enough. The next nite we tried the free-style dining.

The following night was a formal night and we decided to sit with the Brazilian couple - we sat down and my girlfriend ordered a salad, no dressing, then abruptly got up and said she was unwell and needed to lie down. That left me alone with the other couple for the remainder of the formal dinner - From then on we did the free-style dining and have been doing free-style ever since.

[Grandma Dazzles]

We were on a cruise last August, requested a table of 8 (we are two females) and were seated at a table of 8 with a couple who spoke a different language and a single older male who appeared to have a neurological problem + 3 empty seats. The ship was not full. We asked to be moved the next nite, and were told to go to a table at the back near a window - another table of 8 with only one couple at it - turns out they were a couple from Brazil who spoke Portuguese - she spoke a little bit of English but he spoke almost completely no English. We managed to get through the meal with gestures and the wife translating for the husband, and it was pleasant enough. The next nite we tried the free-style dining.

 

The following night was a formal night and we decided to sit with the Brazilian couple - we sat down and my girlfriend ordered a salad, no dressing, then abruptly got up and said she was unwell and needed to lie down. That left me alone with the other couple for the remainder of the formal dinner - From then on we did the free-style dining and have been doing free-style ever since.

 

 

I thought on RC you could not switch between traditional and my time dining. Have always been under the impression that you had to choose one or the other. When you say freestyle dining are you referring to MTD or did you decide to go to a specialty restaurant?

[Paulette3028]

We were on a cruise last August, requested a table of 8 (we are two females) and were seated at a table of 8 with a couple who spoke a different language and a single older male who appeared to have a neurological problem + 3 empty seats. The ship was not full. We asked to be moved the next nite, and were told to go to a table at the back near a window - another table of 8 with only one couple at it - turns out they were a couple from Brazil who spoke Portuguese - she spoke a little bit of English but he spoke almost completely no English. We managed to get through the meal with gestures and the wife translating for the husband, and it was pleasant enough. The next nite we tried the free-style dining.

The following night was a formal night and we decided to sit with the Brazilian couple - we sat down and my girlfriend ordered a salad, no dressing, then abruptly got up and said she was unwell and needed to lie down. That left me alone with the other couple for the remainder of the formal dinner - From then on we did the free-style dining and have been doing free-style ever since.

 

I am sorry to hear of your experience with the dining set up by the food and beverage department. The people who are setting up the table arrangements, have limited knowledge of what languages people speak when they assign tablemates.

 

I can speak only from my own experiences, but we have had wonderful tablemates when I send an email to rcldining@rccl.com and ask them to put DH and I at a table of 8-10 people. Yes, we sometimes do get people who are more fluent in other languages than English. But yet we still manage to have a good time. Often it is a blend of many backgrounds and we all seem to get along.

 

Of course no one could have predicted that your friend would become ill and leave you all alone with the Brazilians.

[MichaelCMTX]

We were on a cruise last August, requested a table of 8 (we are two females) and were seated at a table of 8 with a couple who spoke a different language and a single older male who appeared to have a neurological problem + 3 empty seats. The ship was not full. We asked to be moved the next nite, and were told to go to a table at the back near a window - another table of 8 with only one couple at it - turns out they were a couple from Brazil who spoke Portuguese - she spoke a little bit of English but he spoke almost completely no English. We managed to get through the meal with gestures and the wife translating for the husband, and it was pleasant enough. The next nite we tried the free-style dining.

The following night was a formal night and we decided to sit with the Brazilian couple - we sat down and my girlfriend ordered a salad, no dressing, then abruptly got up and said she was unwell and needed to lie down. That left me alone with the other couple for the remainder of the formal dinner - From then on we did the free-style dining and have been doing free-style ever since.

 

Might have you beat. First RCL trip on Voyager with us and a family of 9 Spanish Speakers with a herd of small children at a 10-top table. Regardless of the language issues, we didn't come on a cruise to just 'squeeze in and make it work.' However, we had a happier ending: Saw a couple we'd met in the CL that evening and they had the Maitre'd put us all at a 4-top.

 

They sure put away the wine (and wouldn't share :( ), but nice, nice folks.

[Cleo1611]

I thought on RC you could not switch between traditional and my time dining. Have always been under the impression that you had to choose one or the other. When you say freestyle dining are you referring to MTD or did you decide to go to a specialty restaurant?

 

It was actually a Norwegian cruise - I suppose they allowed us to switch from freestyle to DR-set-time as there were only 3000 people aboard in a capacity of 4000.

My point only was to demonstrate our experience at a table of 8 in the main dining room. In previous cruises, my husband and I had lovely table mates at tables of 6 or 8.

[Paulette3028]

Might have you beat. First RCL trip on Voyager with us and a family of 9 Spanish Speakers with a herd of small children at a 10-top table. Regardless of the language issues, we didn't come on a cruise to just 'squeeze in and make it work.' However, we had a happier ending: Saw a couple we'd met in the CL that evening and they had the Maitre'd put us all at a 4-top.

 

They sure put away the wine (and wouldn't share :( ), but nice, nice folks.

 

When they were setting up table assignments they should never have put a twosome with an entire family of 9, regardless of the language spoken. That family should have had their own table. That was poor arrangements by whomever was doing it.

 

No one should feel like they had to be 'squeezed in and make it work'.

[Paulette3028]

I thought on RC you could not switch between traditional and my time dining. Have always been under the impression that you had to choose one or the other. When you say freestyle dining are you referring to MTD or did you decide to go to a specialty restaurant?

 

I don't think that Royal would force a cruiser to stay in traditional dining if they really were unhappy with it. What they won't want a cruiser to do, is go back and forth....if you change to MTD from traditional -- then that is where you remain for the rest of the cruise.

 

The flip side also happens.....we met people through our Roll Call that were doing MTD, but after 2 nights they really did not enjoy it. So I spoke to our Maitr D' and asked him if we could fit them at our table, since 4 of the people assigned had never shown up. He made some phone calls to the people who were not 'coming to dinner' and then viola, our Roll Call friends were not included at our table. Fun and good times for all.

[Grandma Dazzles]

It was actually a Norwegian cruise - I suppose they allowed us to switch from freestyle to DR-set-time as there were only 3000 people aboard in a capacity of 4000.

 

My point only was to demonstrate our experience at a table of 8 in the main dining room. In previous cruises, my husband and I had lovely table mates at tables of 6 or 8.

 

 

Ok. As you are posting on a RC board assumed it was a RC cruise not Norwegian. As I posted, I don't think on RC you can switch back and forth.

[Grandma Dazzles]

I don't think that Royal would force a cruiser to stay in traditional dining if they really were unhappy with it. What they won't want a cruiser to do, is go back and forth....if you change to MTD from traditional -- then that is where you remain for the rest of the cruise.

 

 

 

The flip side also happens.....we met people through our Roll Call that were doing MTD, but after 2 nights they really did not enjoy it. So I spoke to our Maitr D' and asked him if we could fit them at our table, since 4 of the people assigned had never shown up. He made some phone calls to the people who were not 'coming to dinner' and then viola, our Roll Call friends were not included at our table. Fun and good times for all.

 

 

Agree. Original poster now clarified that it was a Norwegian cruise not RC. I think I am correct in saying that you cannot switch back and forth on RC.