Live - Independence of the Seas - 15 June 2019 - 29 June 2019

[Tntt]

On 6/20/2019 at 1:05 PM, jaz33 said:

Hi all

 

We’ve been on the Independence of the Seas now for 6 days of a 14 night Western Mediterranean cruise.  I thought that I would offer my impression of the cruise so far.

 

We have cruised RCCL and Celebrity many time before but unfortunately, due to illness, we have not been able to cruise for the last three years. 

 

Ok, so embarkation was a breeze.  I was concerned about this because we had about 70kg of medical supplies as well as luggage to get onto the ship.  After much liaising with RCCL Special Services we were met outside the terminal in Southampton by a porter who unloaded the luggage from the car and took it straight to our stateroom.  The time was 10.10am.  I then parked the car and went to check in.  I had completed our set sail passes online and had expedited check in which was a breeze.  A quick scan of the Royal app on our phones, a few questions and straight through security and into the lounge to wait for boarding to commence. By 10.35am we were in the Schooner Bar.  Well done to all involved for such a smooth boarding process. 

 

After a quick drink in Schooner we went to Guest Relations to ask if we could make sure our medical supplies had arrived in the room.  Usually you can’t go to the stateroom until 1pm but they allowed us to go early to check everything. All had been delivered so now time to relax and enjoy the next 14 nights and days.

 

Neither Tracy or myself are big drinkers but the drink package was included in our cruise fare, I won’t say it was free because we all know that you get nothing for free.  The first evening of the cruise was crowded. Two things stood out, after the late seating dinner had finished you could not get a seat in any of the bars, and there was a distinct lack of bar servers.  This may be because there is the impression that the Brits will go to the bar if they want a drink, which I suppose is not wrong, but if you are trying to encourage people to go to the bar for there drinks it might be a good idea to remove the seating from around the bar so people can get to it.  Personally, I prefer to be served my drink when I am on a cruise so maybe I’m not a ‘typical Brit’.

 

The other thing that we discovered was that our stateroom was directly over the Pub!!!!  This is by no means a criticism of Royal Caribbean, I should have done my research first.  Let’s just say that if you don’t anticipate being out until around 12.30am then try to avoid the rooms over the Pub.

 

The second day was the first sea day and as the ship was crossing the Bay of Biscay it wasn’t really outside pool/Sunbathing weather.  Everyone was inside.  Once again the bars were full and finding a seat was difficult.  Not only that but there was a distinct lack of drink menus in any of the bars.   There are now drinks men’s on most tables but the bar servers are still missing. Perhaps they abandoned ship before the started its season in Southampton knowing what some Brits are like with tipping!!!

 

We’re going to dinner now, I’ll update tomorrow. Any questions? Ask away.

I have been looking into the independence,does the independence do the welcome balloon drop on day 1?

[Static events]

On 6/20/2019 at 6:39 PM, loveheart said:

We will be jumping on as you are disembarking. I hope you have a great time. I want to know more too....

 

Same. 

[jaz33]

15 hours ago, loveheart said:

We were on Reflection in the Caribbean last year and Silhouette for 3 nights this May. Where are you sailing to in  September?

 

Azores and Canaries in September. 

[jaz33]

7 hours ago, Tntt said:

I have been looking into the independence,does the independence do the welcome balloon drop on day 1?

 

I don’t think so.  If they did we missed it. 

[jaz33]

Naples today. I wanted to go to Pompeii but all tours were booked so I missed out. I’ll hopefully get there next year as we will be doing a similar itinerary on Anthem. 

 

The port is in the city so if you just want to get off and walk then it is easy to do so.

 

The entertainment has been somewhat eclectic but I think that is the same for most cruises. The usual quizzes, bingo and lots of karaoke, some silent disco’s, pool parties and dance classes.  The headliner shows have been interesting.  There have been a lot of complaints about one particular show which was a comedic string quartet. As I said, eclectic. Many walked out, some stayed.  I stayed and enjoyed the originality of the performance. Apparently it won an award at Edinburgh festival. Not everyone’s taste but full credit to Royal for trying something different. 

 

We’ve also had a juggler, a comedy/variety entertainer a swing vocal group and the usual music/dance shows.  Tonight is a London West End singer.  It is also formal night so I’d better sign off and get spruced up and the tax on. 

 

All the best 

 

Ian. 

[loveheart]

9 hours ago, Static events said:

 

Same. 

Have you been on Indy before? Are you driving down Saturday morning.?

[loveheart]

3 hours ago, jaz33 said:

Naples today. I wanted to go to Pompeii but all tours were booked so I missed out. I’ll hopefully get there next year as we will be doing a similar itinerary on Anthem. 

 

The port is in the city so if you just want to get off and walk then it is easy to do so.

 

The entertainment has been somewhat eclectic but I think that is the same for most cruises. The usual quizzes, bingo and lots of karaoke, some silent disco’s, pool parties and dance classes.  The headliner shows have been interesting.  There have been a lot of complaints about one particular show which was a comedic string quartet. As I said, eclectic. Many walked out, some stayed.  I stayed and enjoyed the originality of the performance. Apparently it won an award at Edinburgh festival. Not everyone’s taste but full credit to Royal for trying something different. 

 

We’ve also had a juggler, a comedy/variety entertainer a swing vocal group and the usual music/dance shows.  Tonight is a London West End singer.  It is also formal night so I’d better sign off and get spruced up and the tax on. 

 

All the best 

 

Ian. 

We did Pompeii on our own. It is really easy and a lot cheaper than doing it through the ship. 

[Cru1s1ng2009]

On 6/22/2019 at 1:43 PM, little britain said:

I hate to say this as I’m not a buffet person, but the quality of the food in the WJ at night on recent cruises has been excellent!

The Indian night and the fish night where I ate my body weight in crab 🦀  and prawns 🦐 ....delicious and recommended !   If only they would set the tables like they used to to which would give it a little ambience... but I digress! 

Great review

LB  

I have never eaten in the WJ for dinner but I want to for the seafood night. I guess I will ask what night that is on my upcoming cruise. When you say crab, what exactly do you mean? I am from Maryland so a bit of a crab junkie. What other kinds of seafood did they have?

[tayviss]

Hi Ian! 

 

Were drink cards being offered on your cruise? 

Edited June 23, 2019 by tayviss
Typo

[Static events]

1 hour ago, loveheart said:

Have you been on Indy before? Are you driving down Saturday morning.?

 

Yes I have been a number of times and we always drive down Saturday morning. It doesn’t normally take longer than 1.5hrs, it has taken around 4 hours once. 

[loveheart]

16 minutes ago, Static events said:

 

Yes I have been a number of times and we always drive down Saturday morning. It doesn’t normally take longer than 1.5hrs, it has taken around 4 hours once. 

It depends on the traffic really. I prefer to go the day before and stay in a hotel but we can't this time. This will be our 3rd cruise on Indy. 🙂

[Static events]

34 minutes ago, loveheart said:

It depends on the traffic really. I prefer to go the day before and stay in a hotel but we can't this time. This will be our 3rd cruise on Indy. 🙂

 

 

What time will you leave?

[loveheart]

13 minutes ago, Static events said:

 

 

What time will you leave?

We're dropping the mutt off at the dog sitters house at 9.00am then head down to Southampton. My OH picked someone up from the docks at 10.30 a couple of weeks ago and didn't get home till 2,30 as there was a hold up on the M25. How about you?

[Static events]

2 minutes ago, loveheart said:

We're dropping the mutt off at the dog sitters house at 9.00am then head down to Southampton. My OH picked someone up from the docks at 10.30 a couple of weeks ago and didn't get home till 2,30 as there was a hold up on the M25. How about you?

 

I think we will leave around the same time. 9 to 9.30am. 

[loveheart]

9 minutes ago, Static events said:

 

I think we will leave around the same time. 9 to 9.30am. 

Give us a wave if you pass us 🙂 

[Static events]

19 minutes ago, loveheart said:

Give us a wave if you pass us 🙂 

 

 

Ha will do 

[jaz33]

3 hours ago, loveheart said:

We did Pompeii on our own. It is really easy and a lot cheaper than doing it through the ship. 

 

Thanks for the tip. 

[jaz33]

2 hours ago, tayviss said:

Hi Ian! 

 

Were drink cards being offered on your cruise? 

 

Do you mean the coffee drink cards?  If so, I believe they were but I don’t know the cost I’m afraid. 

[loveheart]

2 minutes ago, jaz33 said:

 

Thanks for the tip. 

We took the train from which was only a few euro's and then it was a short walk to Pompeii. Lots of people from the ship were doing the same so we just followed the crowds to the station.

[tayviss]

15 minutes ago, jaz33 said:

 

Do you mean the coffee drink cards?  If so, I believe they were but I don’t know the cost I’m afraid. 

I was talking about the alcoholic drink cards. I know some cruises offer them 

[jaz33]

10 hours ago, tayviss said:

I was talking about the alcoholic drink cards. I know some cruises offer them 

 

I haven’t seen alcoholic drink cards. 

[little britain]

On 6/23/2019 at 6:51 AM, Tntt said:

I have been looking into the independence,does the independence do the welcome balloon drop on day 1?

The only RCI ship I have ever seen this on is Symphony.  

[little britain]

15 hours ago, Cru1s1ng2009 said:

I have never eaten in the WJ for dinner but I want to for the seafood night. I guess I will ask what night that is on my upcoming cruise. When you say crab, what exactly do you mean? I am from Maryland so a bit of a crab junkie. What other kinds of seafood did they have?

They had mussels.  And lobster.

 

 

[jaz33]

Cagliari yesterday.  There was a free shuttle into town for those that wanted to do their own thing.  

 

Unfortunately I feel that the food quality in the main dining room has deteriorated as we get to the latter end of the cruise. I had the New York Strip yesterday as there was nothing I fancied on the main menu, and although I like it medium rare , it was very tough and somewhat inedible.  To be honest the last three nights in the main dining room has lacked menu variety and imagination and also quality of food served.  It is a real shame as we enjoy our main dining room experience. 

 

At sea today and the sea is like a mill pond. It is warm but a little overcast.  There are two performances of Grease tonight, the first at 5.45pm and the second at 8.45pm. There will also be a matinee performance on the last sea day.

 

All the best

 

Ian

[h20skibum]

Did you have to put in at Gibraltar, on your way to Cadiz?  The ship’s track appears you did.

Sorry to hear about the decline in the MDR food later in your cruise.  Maybe we will be ordering the Chops filet on some of the nights with entrees we don’t care for.

 

Also, what night was seafood night in the WJ?