independence review 12/7/08

[cruiseray1]

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[cruiseray1]

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[cruiseray1]

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[The Big Booper]

Great pictures. The interior shots of the Promenade, nobody gets true colors, not even the pros. Too many different light sources of different Kelvin scale colors, it even fools manual white balance. I had a nice talk with one of the pros shooting portraits when nobody was there.

At least we have the impulsive trip on the Explorer next week, or I would be bummed out looking at the photos and saying " I want to go back"

What online source are you using for the photos? My advice post last night talked about Webshots.

[cruzobsessed]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=red]your pictures are fabulous:)[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[cruiseray1]

[quote name='The Big Booper']Great pictures. The interior shots of the Promenade, nobody gets true colors, not even the pros. Too many different light sources of different Kelvin scale colors, it even fools manual white balance. I had a nice talk with one of the pros shooting portraits when nobody was there.

At least we have the impulsive trip on the Explorer next week, or I would be bummed out looking at the photos and saying " I want to go back"

What online source are you using for the photos? My advice post last night talked about Webshots.[/QUOTE]

yes thank you BB I followed your instructions. webshots....

[vikqueen]

Great photos! Thank you so much for taking the time to share with us, I can't wait to be there!

[blazerjan]

Tim
Thanks for taking the time to write the review of Indy.. we are booked in Feb and you answered a lot of our questions. Can't wait!

[cruiseray1]

[quote name='blazerjan']Tim
Thanks for taking the time to write the review of Indy.. we are booked in Feb and you answered a lot of our questions. Can't wait![/QUOTE]

you are welcome.
I wish I was on the Indy now! I'm home in Montana and its 16 degrees below zero! Burrrrr!

[freve1]

Thank You for the great pictures. We can't wait to go. we've started our count down to get out of the cold. We've got more cold weather coming and snow after midnight. so the trip can't come soon enough.

[Baglady34]

[quote name='cruiseray1']I[SIZE=4]ndependence of the Seas review December 7-13, 2008[/SIZE]

[SIZE=4]What follows is my review of my family’s incredible first time experience with Royal Caribbean onboard the new Independence of the Seas.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=4]Months before our cruise I spend many hours reading the Cruise Critic boards and the 50 or so Independence reviews posted there. I have to say that I am amazed at what people complain about and the many examples of disinformation therein. I’ll explain below.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=4]Each year I like to treat my nieces (11 and 13) and their parents to a week long vacation. Last year we sailed the Disney Wonder and had a blast. The Wonder was a great ship and we were wondering how Royal Caribbean would compare. I have also sailed with Celebrity before, so this was my third cruise.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=4]We stayed in Fort Lauderdale for two nights before embarkation at the Lago Mar hotel and resort. The Lago Mar is a family run non-corporate paradise from days gone by, right on the sea at Harbor Beach. We were given a lovely room on the fifth floor overlooking the ocean where we were able to watch the ships come and go right from our balcony. I requested a rollaway bed and slept on the balcony under the warm Florida breeze and the girls slept on the comfy double pullout couch in the living area, while their parents slept in the bedroom. This worked out well for the five of us. The Lago Mar is just beautiful with lots of things like tennis, great pools, mini golf, good food etc. It was around $300 a night and worth every penny. Way better than the corporate vibe of the Marriot and their like at $400 plus.... If you can afford it this is the place to stay prior to sailing.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=4]We took the 10 minute taxi ride to the pier and arrived at 11 am. Embarkation was a breeze and we were onboard before noon. At first sight the Independence is enormous and the Royal Promenade majestic. The whole ship was decked out for Christmas with a huge tree in front of Sorrentos pizza. We had a bite to eat at the Cafe Promenade and headed up to our cabins on the seventh deck which were ready at exactly 1pm.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=4]I choose the seventh deck forward close to the elevators and stairs and this proved to be a perfect location for the week. We had two adjoining balcony cabins and the girls were across the hall in a promenade room. The rooms are just gorgeous, comfy and well laid out.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=4]Our cabin attendant Maria from Nicaragua was amazing, unobtrusive and efficient. When I’m on vacation I like to tip people who work hard and make our vacation so enjoyable. I gave Maria ten dollars a day. On the first day I asked her if she could bring two robes for the girls and within minutes she brought two beautiful terry-cloth robes with Royal Caribbean logos on them for the girls. Normally they are provided to suite quests only. We were off to a good start. Maria made the most beautiful towel animals for us every night. One evening I came back to my cabin and Maria left two baseball caps with the Royal logo on my bed for me. So treat you attendant well and they will do the same for you. Contrary to what has been posted here, chocolate is placed on your pillow every night.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=4]My family then went off to explore and I went to the dining-room to check our table assignment. Months before sailing I emailed Royal Caribbean and requested a specific table....MacBeth level, in the center, along the railing and a six-top for just our family. When I entered the beautiful dining room and checked my seapass table number I found that the amazing crew of the Independence had granted our family the exact table I had requested. Another great sign of things to come![/SIZE]
[SIZE=4]And now for the “subjective” subject of food. For those of you who read these threads you are aware of peoples’ complaints with Royal’s food. You hear all kinds complaints and nit picking about food. To which I have one word of response. BULL.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=4]Every single meal in every single venue we ate in was very good to outstanding! Windjammer was often busy but we were always able to find a table for the five of us, often a window table. The crew in Windjammer is amazing, clearing,cleaning and offering juice and water to your table. If you are not able to find something you like to eat then you are a very hard person to please. Jade serves delicious Asian and Indian dishes in addition to the regular faire. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are just great. So enjoy.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=4]Now for the main dining room. We ate four nights in the main dining room. Every night our waiter Sergio and assistant Edwar greeted us as soon as we arrived at 6pm sharp. Their service and professionalism is like nothing I have experienced in my 50 years on planet Earth and I’ve eaten in some of the best restaurants anywhere. The order was taken as soon as we were ready, the food arrived promptly, it was hot, well presented and it was very good to excellent! Every single dish! Every single night! [/SIZE]
[SIZE=4]Now on to the Lobster controversy. In-spite of the misinformation I’ve read on these boards, Royal has NOT done away with lobster night. On our second formal evening, lobster was served. It is a medium size tail and it is delicious. It was served hot, and cooked to perfection. And if you want to eat 10 of them they will bring you 10 of them. As soon as the lobsters arrived our head waiter, waiter and assistant surrounded us like Royals and offered to remove the shell. Drawn butter was immediately offered.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=4]For a crew that serves thousands and thousands of meals every day..our food and service was nothing short of remarkable. Every single meal in every venue was outstanding. The food on Royal in my honest opinion blew Disney and Celebrity out of the water and over the moon. Oh, and yes there IS bar service in the main dining room. The bar waiter arrived as soon as I sat down and after the first night he knew my name and what I like to drink. He was so friendly and professional it boggles the mind.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=4]Every single crew member that my family encountered the entire week was incredibly friendly, polite, helpful, patient and kind. Every single one of them, from guest services to the guys that vacuum and clean. This is a truly amazing thing and a testament to this company’s understanding of the importance of good service. Sure we ran into a few pushy, demanding passengers. The crew is trained to deal with them. They just let them pass so as not to ruin the experience of other passengers.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=4]We ate at Portofinos and Chops and both were excellent. I thought Portofinos was a notch or two better than Chops, but both were great.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=4]In Belize I booked a snorkel/beach day from Hammerhead which I found online thru Coral Breeze tours. These guys were so fantastic I can’t even tell you how much fun we had on Bannister Island and exploring the reefs. On the way back from a wonderful day we wandered thru the mangroves and discovered two manatees. There were just 10 of us on the comfortable boat and the Hammerhead crew were super.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=4]In Costa Maya I booked with Native Choice. Ivan and David took our small party of 8 to the Mayan ruins. His family once owned all the land where the ruins stand until the Mexican government kicked them off it in the early 1990s. Ivan and David were the highlight of our vacation. Words cannot describe these fantastic and knowledgeable people. After the ruins Ivan took us to his family’s village where a traditional Mayan dinner was served. The only thing touristy about this visit was us. It was a very special day we will always remember. Some of us cried when we left the company of these beautiful people. If you go to Costa Maya you will be missing something special if you don’t contact Ivan at Native Choice.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=4]Back on the ship the girls and I often had the whole pool area to ourselves, with the reggae band setting the mood just right. The ship never felt crowded even at full capacity. The elevators were never hard to get, never, not forward or aft ...except on disembarkation day...big deal..take the stairs down a few flights, work off the belly...People gravitated to their favorite places... shopping on the promenade, casino, quiet game rooms, the pool areas, flow rider...its just amazing. One evening at 11:30 a buffet was set up on deck 11...fresh mussels, beautiful salads, wonderful cheeses, a roast pig, fantastic deserts, ice carvings and on and on. So much for doing away with midnight buffets. Its just smaller and less wasteful.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=4]The entertainment onboard was top notch. Full live orchestra with a brilliant drummer who was the musical director.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=4]The ice shows, the music, the little cozy bars where live music was performed...all great. So much to see and do....just not enough time.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=4]All the ships bartenders were spectacular. Super friendly and they know how to pour a drink believe me. They free hand pour and if you are pleasant to them they will return it in spades. I was often given my drink at the pool bar in a special glass, not plastic, and at the cost of regular drinks. Contrary to the complaints I’ve read on these boards drink prices are reasonable. A beer is $4.50 and a pina colada is $6.50 (including gratuity) and like I said if you are a pleasant person and tip a little you just might get the special glass for free as I did several times.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=4]In summary, my family’s first experience with Royal Caribbean was unbelievable. The ship, the crew, the food all rate a 10+...[/SIZE]
[SIZE=4]I’m not joking it totally blew my mind and exceeded my expectations 100%...Not one single issue the entire 7 days. Not one.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=4]For a ship with 4,000 plus passengers and 1,400 crew this is an amazing accomplishment. If you are one of these people who go looking for something to complain about and to be miserable about I’m sure you’ll find imperfection somewhere. I’m not one of those type of people. We had a freaking blast and I would sail with Royal Caribbean again in a heartbeat! They blew us away. I hope you experience the same if you sail the Independence.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=4]Tim[/SIZE]






[/quote]

great review.. thanks so much. We did the Freedom when it was in its first season and loved it. Seems like they have worked out some of the kinks.

Question.. how do you contact the tour company that you used: Native Choice.

we sail on 3/29

Thanks

[bigmohes]

Thanks Tim for the great review! We are booked for the 1/10 8 night cruise I can hardly wait.....We have done the FOS two times and thoroughly enjoyed both of those trips. Our service with RCI so far has been consistently outstanding. And I am thinking you must be up for uncle of the year:)

[cruiseray1]

[quote name='Baglady34']great review.. thanks so much. We did the Freedom when it was in its first season and loved it. Seems like they have worked out some of the kinks.

Question.. how do you contact the tour company that you used: Native Choice.

we sail on 3/29

Thanks[/QUOTE]

just go to thenativechoice.com and you can email Ivan or call or just book and deposit online.....you won't regret it....nicest people in the world...please tell Ivan I said Hi (tim Tracy/Pevar family from Independence on december 10th)
have fun...I wish I was you...its freezing outside!

[slivergal]

The pictures are awesome! Thank you so much for sharing.:) The snow is coming down as I type and more is forecasted every other day til Christmas. :eek: This will be my second cruise on RC and Indy looks like a dream! 31 days and counting! :p

[cruiseray1]

[quote name='slivergal'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=navy][B]The pictures are awesome! Thank you so much for sharing.:) The snow is coming down as I type and more is forecasted every other day til Christmas. :eek: This will be my second cruise on RC and Indy looks like a dream! 31 days and counting! :p[/B][/COLOR][/FONT][/QUOTE]

ohhhh
can I come?
16 below zero here in Bigfork Montana!

[JBoshears]

Great review, and aswsome pictures. Do you mind sharing your name on Webshots so I can look at all the pics?

Thanks.

[cruiseray1]

[quote name='JBoshears']Great review, and aswsome pictures. Do you mind sharing your name on Webshots so I can look at all the pics?

Thanks.[/QUOTE]

All the pictures on Webshots are the ones I posted on CC starting on post #38
in my review "independence review 12/7/08"...
the rest of all the shots and video I took are of my family and prefer to keep
em private...so they are not on webshots..sorry

[cruiseray1]

[quote name='cruiseray1']I[SIZE="4"]ndependence of the Seas review December 7-13, 2008



[/SIZE][/QUOTE]

Well after dreaming last night and missing Indy I woke up this morning and decided to book Oasis for early 2010. They rates are high but the ship looks amazing! I thought I wouldnt enjoy such a huge ship as Indy but I was way wrong. Just loved loved it! If they can pull Freedom class off a perfect ten..I just gotta see oasis! hopefully the price will come down as the economy tanks and they lower fares and honor them until sail day like they did on Indy. I saved over $900 from the time I booked until sail day. What do you all think out there about Oasis?
Tim