Independence of the Seas - several questions from essentially a first time family

[Cmessier]

Hello all! 

 

My family and I are sailing on the Independence next week. I was on a cruise when I was a kid almost 40 years ago, remember loving it. My wife and 3 kids have never cruised. We can't wait! 

 

I would REALLY appreciate any insight from you experienced cruisers! 

 

My first question is - we will be driving in from Savanah the day of departure (an unfortunate necessity given work schedules and PTO). We selected a 2pm check-in time at Port Canaveral, that was the latest available and we wanted to give ourselves as much time as possible just in case, especially since we don't know what to expect with getting there, parking, etc. If we get there early, should we wait until 2 to walk into the terminal? Savanah is about a 4.5 hour drive and barring any delays that puts us there around 12:30 if we leave at 8. Ive seen conflicting info regarding check in times. 

 

Next question would be - if we check in at 2, will we be too late to book shows? I'm already a little disappointed that it looks like the Windjammer closes at 3 so we probably can't make it there for lunch when we get on board as most people seem to like to do. (Ive been watching a lot of vids and this seems to he kind of a rite of passage- the chaotic Windjammer lunch for the first on board food). 

 

Yet another question - if my wife gets the surf and stream package under my name (we are all under the same reservation but in 2 connecting rooms) we CAN both use it, just not at the same time, correct? We don't all need to be online at once but it would be great if we could each use it as needed. 

 

Annnd yet ANOTHER question. We all have passports EXCEPT my adult daughter, whose passport is supposedly on the way but has not yet arrived. She has her driver's license and birth certificate,  will this cause a delay in boarding? 

 

And finally - Ive read back through the forums for about 50 pages and hardly see the Independence mentioned. Is this bad??? Lol it seems to be an amazing ship but the lack of feedback about it has me wondering what I'm missing. From what I can see the food quality varies from ship to ship. I LOVE to eat. I dont drink alcohol so having endless pizza and butter chicken and smoked salmon and ice cream and whatever other random goodies available at all hours is going to be my vice. Im not a food snob, if its tasty Im happy. Is the food quality decent on Independence? Is there anything to be aware of about it in general? 

 

OH! Sorry, one LAST question - we are on deck 2. My wife booked as low as she could get as she was told that the motion is not as noticeable lower down. We've got 2 Oceanview rooms down there. One of my daughters is a little concerned its going to feel like the bowels of the ship down there (looks great to me from what I can find online). Is this a bad choice?? From what I can see it looks nice and quiet down there. 

 

Thank you to anyone who actually reads all this and offers some feedback! Appreciate it! 

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, Cmessier said:

If we get there early, should we wait until 2 to walk into the terminal?

Welcome to CC.

No, just go when you get there.

Booking shows should not be an issue.

You can share the internet package with anyone.

Popularity or lack thereof on CC does not say anything about the ship.

[simon.hed]

Independence is a great ship, you will enjoy it.

 

Specifically the food. In my experience the windjammer on Freedom/Voyager class ships have been better than other classes. Particularly if you dont consider yourself a food snob, you will find it more than acceptable. 

 

Izumi and Chops are great venues if you are doing specialty dining.

[cruisegirl1]

Usually after the initial rush, they will let you check in early. Go to the port as your schedule permits.

 

Entertainment reservations are not need for Independance of the Seas.

 

Windjammer thins out at 1PM or after the cabins open so if  you get on board on time to eat, you should have fewer crowds. Sorry you won't  get your chaotic lunch but the next day on the pool deck should make up for it.🙂

 

If you buy a single devise internet package, just log off and let the next person log in on their devise.  You  can share, but just one person can log in at a time. 

 

Lask of passport should not case a delay in boarding, but may case a delay in the customs process as you disembark on the last day.  There are several super fast lines face recognition for those with passports and another slower process for those will birth certificates. 

 

My last cruise on Independance was in November and that was the old menu.  I trust there will be lots of good choices for you. 

 

Deck 2 will be convenient when you return for port.   As for the bowels of the ship - No difference in that hallway from a hallway on a higher deck.

 

Enjoy the ship, the entertainment and your return to sailing. 

Edited March 30, 2023 by cruisegirl1

[Homosassa]

Your wife is correct that low down (and hopefully, amidship) is the way to go to lessen any motion.

 

Oceanview on deck 2 will give you an amazing view of the water from your cabin window.  You will be able to see things that passengers up on higher decks will miss.

 

Don't count on having endless goodies available at all hours.  The Windjammer and other food venues will be closed up tight at times.

 

Room Service (with a fee) is available.

[Cmessier]

1 hour ago, Biker19 said:

Welcome to CC.

No, just go when you get there.

Booking shows should not be an issue.

You can share the internet package with anyone.

Popularity or lack thereof on CC does not say anything about the ship.

Thanks! Really appreciate you taking the time!

[Itchy&Scratchy]

1 hour ago, Cmessier said:

Savanah is about a 4.5 hour drive and barring any delays that puts us there around 12:30 if we leave at 8. Ive seen conflicting info regarding check in times. 

I would leave a lot earlier than that.

[Cmessier]

43 minutes ago, cruisegirl1 said:

Usually after the initial rush, they will let you check in early. Go to the port as your schedule permits.

 

Entertainment reservations are not need for Independance of the Seas.

 

Windjammer thins out at 1PM or after the cabins open so if  you get on board on time to eat, you should have fewer crowds. Sorry you won't  get your chaotic lunch but the next day on the pool deck should make up for it.🙂

 

If you buy a single devise internet package, just log off and let the next person log in on their devise.  You  can share, but just one person can log in at a time. 

 

Lask of passport should not case a delay in boarding, but may case a delay in the customs process as you disembark on the last day.  There are several super fast lines face recognition for those with passports and another slower process for those will birth certificates. 

 

My last cruise on Independance was in November and that was the old menu.  I trust there will be lots of good choices for you. 

 

Deck 2 will be convenient when you return for port.   As for the bowels of the ship - No difference in that hallway from a hallway on a higher deck.

 

Enjoy the ship, the entertainment and your return to sailing. 

Thank you! Very helpful! I really appreciate you reading all of that amd taking the time to respond!

[Cmessier]

3 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

I would leave a lot earlier than that.

Ok, you have my attention lol

 

Should we plan for it to take a lot longer? 

[Cmessier]

41 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

Your wife is correct that low down (and hopefully, amidship) is the way to go to lessen any motion.

 

Oceanview on deck 2 will give you an amazing view of the water from your cabin window.  You will be able to see things that passengers up on higher decks will miss.

 

Don't count on having endless goodies available at all hours.  The Windjammer and other food venues will be closed up tight at times.

 

Room Service (with a fee) is available.

Great to know! We are a bit after, bit not all the way. 

 

And I know the buffet closes but it looks like at least Sorrento's is open very late, and I do love pizza lol

[Itchy&Scratchy]

19 minutes ago, Cmessier said:

Ok, you have my attention lol

 

Should we plan for it to take a lot longer? 

yes, driving with kids always takes longer. Plus, you have to account for all sorts of traffic delays/accidents/road work...

[Itchy&Scratchy]

18 minutes ago, Cmessier said:

Great to know! We are a bit after, bit not all the way. 

 

And I know the buffet closes but it looks like at least Sorrento's is open very late, and I do love pizza lol

Promenade cafe should be open as well.

My kid loves Sorrento's pepperoni pizza.

[garywatson]

50 minutes ago, Cmessier said:

Ok, you have my attention lol

 

Should we plan for it to take a lot longer? 

 

If the GPS is saying 4.5 hours, you have to add an hour for pee stops etc so that has you getting there at 1:30 assuming zero traffic disruptions/accidents/congestion.  That's cutting things too close in my opinion.  If you are going to be late you might as well turn around and go back home and kiss goodbye all your money and potential happiness. One thing you should do is starting at 6am at the latest, re-do the navigation to see if the 4.5 hours prediction is still holding (and leave the app open so it continually re-calculates.) I once re-did the nav on a trip to Vegas and instead of 3 hours is was suddenly showing 7 hours, because of a fatal wreck on I-15, and it took us longer than 7 hours to actually get there - luckily Vegas never sails away and most stuff is open 24x7.

[Cmessier]

11 minutes ago, garywatson said:

 

If the GPS is saying 4.5 hours, you have to add an hour for pee stops etc so that has you getting there at 1:30 assuming zero traffic disruptions/accidents/congestion.  That's cutting things too close in my opinion.  If you are going to be late you might as well turn around and go back home and kiss goodbye all your money and potential happiness. One thing you should do is starting at 6am at the latest, re-do the navigation to see if the 4.5 hours prediction is still holding (and leave the app open so it continually re-calculates.) I once re-did the nav on a trip to Vegas and instead of 3 hours is was suddenly showing 7 hours, because of a fatal wreck on I-15, and it took us longer than 7 hours to actually get there - luckily Vegas never sails away and most stuff is open 24x7.

I mean, you're not wrong. Can't argue with that. Im not super familiar with that area so yeah, I dont know what to expect. 

[Ferry_Watcher]

Better to arrive earlier for your cruise than later.

Please make sure the the birth certificate being used is one that was issued from a gov't agency (city, county, state), and not hospital issued (often times will have footprints on it).

[garywatson]

22 minutes ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

Better to arrive earlier for your cruise than later.

Please make sure the the birth certificate being used is one that was issued from a gov't agency (city, county, state), and not hospital issued (often times will have footprints on it).

 

I was going through my mom's things and found my original birth certificate from 60 years ago. Still in the stamped envelope.

[Sobro]

Not only must the birth certificate be government issue, but it has to be an official "original", sealed, stamped, what have you. A photocopy of a BC won't work.

[Sobro]

The Frredom class are great ships. Don't miss the ice show and Flowrider, even if you don't participate the wave is fun to watch. 

[OCSC Mike]

3 hours ago, Cmessier said:

it looks like at least Sorrento's is open very late, and I do love pizza lol

 

Many people will tell you Sorrento's pizza is bad. I'm not picky and I also love to eat on cruises. It's definitely not great, but I've always found it edible. Typically you just go up to the counter and ask for however many slices you want of what type (they had plain, pepperoni, and veggie during my 3 Indy cruises this past July and October). However, if you plan to eat a lot (by yourself or sharing), they will happily make you your own pizza however you want it (based on their limited available toppings; it's not Pizza Hut).

 

As an example, my wife and I like our pizza well done/crispy and we're not huge fans of red sauce. We've asked them to make a sauceless pizza extra crispy on multiple occasions. After looking at us like weirdos for not wanting sauce, lol, they run it through the machine twice and it comes out like crispy cheesy flatbread.

 

Not telling you to order the above unless it sounds appealing, just a heads up that they can make you a whole pizza to order (they're not very large).

[Cmessier]

3 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

Many people will tell you Sorrento's pizza is bad. I'm not picky and I also love to eat on cruises. It's definitely not great, but I've always found it edible. Typically you just go up to the counter and ask for however many slices you want of what type (they had plain, pepperoni, and veggie during my 3 Indy cruises this past July and October). However, if you plan to eat a lot (by yourself or sharing), they will happily make you your own pizza however you want it (based on their limited available toppings; it's not Pizza Hut).

 

As an example, my wife and I like our pizza well done/crispy and we're not huge fans of red sauce. We've asked them to make a sauceless pizza extra crispy on multiple occasions. After looking at us like weirdos for not wanting sauce, lol, they run it through the machine twice and it comes out like crispy cheesy flatbread.

 

Not telling you to order the above unless it sounds appealing, just a heads up that they can make you a whole pizza to order (they're not very large).

Ive been to some of the biggest names in NYC, loved them (Joe and Pat's is my favorite), I regularly eat at local places to me that make real Margheritas with imported ingredients, and yet sometimes on the weekends a frozen Tombstone is on the menu. I had target frozen pizza for the first time last week and really liked it. 

 

So....yeah....as long as Sorrento's is better than Papa John's (can't stand the stuff) Im gonna be a pretty content customer lol. 

 

And we will need to be ordering whole pizzas for my wife who will get sick if she eats gluten....good to know they can also throw other toppings on!!!

[S.A.M.J.R.]

4 hours ago, Homosassa said:

Your wife is correct that low down (and hopefully, amidship) is the way to go to lessen any motion.

FWIW, we try to go as high as possible and we've never noticed any motion.  We've been on Deck 10 for Freedom (Sister to Independence) and Mariner with no issues. 

4 hours ago, Homosassa said:

Oceanview on deck 2 will give you an amazing view of the water from your cabin window.  You will be able to see things that passengers up on higher decks will miss.

I'm curious what things you'd see "down low" that you miss from "up high"

 

2 hours ago, garywatson said:

 

If the GPS is saying 4.5 hours, you have to add an hour for pee stops etc so that has you getting there at 1:30 assuming zero traffic disruptions/accidents/congestion.  

I've found my GPS to be pretty accurate, even accounting for stops.  I think the GPS uses miles/60 to estimate time and if you're on an interstate, you can rapidly get 70-80mph, which, after you account for stops, averages down to 60.  Now, if you're stopping for a sit down meal, that's different.  

 

Personally, arriving at 12:30p would be making me nervous to start with.  I'd target arriving around 11.  Allow 5 hours for drive (budgeting extra time is good, but I disagree that you HAVE to), would have us leaving at 6, so I agree with that. My wife would probably make me leave at 7. 😛 

[taglovestocruise]

Fantastic burgers in Playmakers. No shows on Indy need a reservation, just get there 10 -15 minutes early.  I have seen Sorrento's open until 3am. Promenade cafe is open 24/7.  Indy is in great shape and a awesome ship. As soon as you board go to main dining room and check your table assignment, you can just walk right in, easy to make a change if you need to. Your dining room name and table number will be on your sea pass card, assuming you do not have MTD. happy cruising. 

[Ret MP]

Keep an eye on NASA launches.  Traffic around the port can get bad on the day of a scheduled launch or a rescheduled launch.  Try to arrive accordingly.  I'm close enough to drive in on the same day as debarkation, but I always arrive a day early and stay in a hotel the night before.  AND I don't want my arrival time to be too late as the parking can be an issue.  My last cruise in Oct/Nov last year had a launch scheduled on our embarkation date.  Fortunately, it go scrubbed, the night before and all was well. But, there was still a lot of traffic but not bad.

[Cmessier]

27 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

Fantastic burgers in Playmakers. No shows on Indy need a reservation, just get there 10 -15 minutes early.  I have seen Sorrento's open until 3am. Promenade cafe is open 24/7.  Indy is in great shape and a awesome ship. As soon as you board go to main dining room and check your table assignment, you can just walk right in, easy to make a change if you need to. Your dining room name and table number will be on your sea pass card, assuming you do not have MTD. happy cruising. 

We do have MTD, but I have no issue with that as I like to eat dinner late anyway. First thing we intend to do on board is go to the MDR anyway to double check that they're aware of my wife's gluten I tolerance (we did email but I've read to do this to make sure). 

[Cmessier]

2 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

Keep an eye on NASA launches.  Traffic around the port can get bad on the day of a scheduled launch or a rescheduled launch.  Try to arrive accordingly.  I'm close enough to drive in on the same day as debarkation, but I always arrive a day early and stay in a hotel the night before.  AND I don't want my arrival time to be too late as the parking can be an issue.  My last cruise in Oct/Nov last year had a launch scheduled on our embarkation date.  Fortunately, it go scrubbed, the night before and all was well. But, there was still a lot of traffic but not bad.

Good to know! 

 

There IS a launch potentially scheduled for our embarkation day (April 7th), but looks like the window is at 1:30 a.m