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The majority of the ship's five-night Western Caribbean cruises visit CocoCay and Cozumel, Mexico, while a handful go to Nassau, Grand Cayman Island or Falmouth, Jamaica instead. The four-night Eastern Caribbean sailings call on Royal Caribbean's private beach in Labadee, Haiti, with two days at sea. On such a short cruise, I did not spend much time on my balcony, other than to dry wet bathing suits. It has two upright chairs (with one level of recline) and a round table that could easily accommodate a room service breakfast order.
RCI-Royal Caribbean unveils 2025-2026 Caribbean deployment (7 liners)
The Deck 11 smoking area is adjacent to the seating for Fish & Ships. The casino does offer nonsmoking tables, but the cigarette smoke from the smoking section tends to waft throughout the entire space, and even into the Playmakers Sports Bar next door. The room stewards and dining staff on Independence of the Seas are friendly and helpful and deserve an extra thank-you. Royal Caribbean makes that easy by charging you an automatic gratuity of $16 to $18.50 per person per day, depending on your cabin category, added to your onboard account and final bill. You are allowed to adjust this amount at the Guest Services desk before disembarking, but please don't — even if you are disappointed by the service.
Service history
Because of their smaller sizes, ACL ships can visit smaller ports to offer their guests exceptional tours to little-known scenic sites and most charming places in the USA. All ACL cruise ships are US-flagged and built by the company-owned Chesapeake Shipbuilding Yard in Salisbury (Maryland USA). On my cruise, the themes were resort casual, dress-to-impress and tropical. Specialty restaurants state their dress codes are smart casual (Giovanni's and Izumi) or formal (Chops), but on a three-night cruise, the only dress code is nearly anything goes. If you're over 18, don't miss the late-night Quest game show, which is decidedly not PG and is absolutely hilarious.
ALL CRUISE LINES (1543 SHIPS)
I'm not a big drinker, but I love a craft cocktail — partly because they're interesting and partly because I can never think of what drink to order and I prefer to select from a preset menu. I've been loving going to bars on ships like Carnival Celebration and Oceania's Vista and checking out all the creative drink options. You can get a good preview of the cruise ahead of you by lingering at the pool deck buffet on embarkation day.
American Independence Review
Acupuncture, medispa treatments (such as Restylane fillers), men's shaves, waxing and teeth whitening are also on offer. For free stress relief, you'll find saunas and steam rooms in the men's and women's locker rooms. Independence Dunes, the mini-golf course on Deck 13 forward, has a fun seaside theme with a lighthouse, whale's tail and VW bus selfie spot. Lounge chairs cover nearly every available surface on decks 11, 12 and 13, with many in the direct sunlight. The round shower has two sliding doors, and I didn't hurt myself when I dropped my conditioner bottle and had to retrieve it off the floor mid-shower. Opposite is a large desk/vanity with a lighted mirror, six medium and three shallow drawers (one for the hair dryer) and an empty mini-fridge.
American Independence Features a Choice of Five Cabin Categories
Watch the river go by on your private balcony for unparalleled views of your surroundings. Essential toiletries, including a hairdryer, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, and plush towels, cater to your needs. Embrace relaxation and convenience in our Veranda Suite, where every detail is designed to enhance your stay. The 4000-passenger ship Independence OTS underwent a US$7 million drydock upgrade in April 2013 as part of RCI's bigger USD 300 million fleet renovation program. The new features included the Italian Trattoria "Giovanni's Table", a cupcake shop, Royal Babies and Tots Nursery, new digital signage boards, shipwide Wi-Fi, large poolside movie screen. During vacation periods, kids make up more than one-third of the passengers, and a significant number are teens.
Pricing ranges from $54.99 to $59.99 per person ($14.99 for kids) depending on your protein selection. What did bother me was the connecting door to the cabin next door. It was not open but sound carried — and this included my neighbor hacking and coughing loudly whenever I was trying to go to sleep. To compare, I couldn't hear anything from the cabin on the other side without a connecting door. The breakfast options had everything you'd expect to find, as well as an unexpected international station with Indian breakfast dishes.
Cruise ship kids clubs offer independence on family vacations. Here's everything to know. - Yahoo Canada Shine On
Cruise ship kids clubs offer independence on family vacations. Here's everything to know..
Posted: Fri, 19 Apr 2024 04:02:28 GMT [source]
I ate at Chops Grille on dress-to-impress night, and I can say that Royal Caribbean cruisers have varied notions of how to impress with their fashion. In Chops, I saw men wearing both shorts and jeans though most were wearing collared polo or button-down tropical-style shirts. Independence of the Seas does not offer self-service launderettes.
Sorrento's is the late-night pizza parlor, open until 2 or 3 a.m. Cheese and pepperoni are always available, with a third flavor that changes daily. You can always request vegetarian, gluten-free or dairy-free pizzas to be made special for you. Independence of the Seas has three marquee, extra-fee specialty restaurants and a host of fee-free and a la carte casual options.
If you're looking for a quiet space away from all the hubbub, sneak away to the library on Deck 5 aft. It's hidden within the Star Lounge lobby, but once inside, you can borrow a book, check email on the computer stations or hide out from the crowds (or your kids, you never know). By day, Studio B offers both open ice skating sessions and glow-in-the-dark laser tag (both require advance signups). Sign up for the Escape Room, which has a scientific observatory theme. It's pricy at $35 per person (minimum age 12), and there weren't as many puzzles to solve as in commercial escape rooms on land. It is a fun way to meet and interact with other guests, but I wouldn't prioritize it.
Entrees might be a lamb pita, BBQ pulled pork sandwich, butternut squash risotto or roasted Atlantic cod. Royal Caribbean excels at passenger flow on its ships, which makes its megaships feel manageable. Independence of the Seas is easy to navigate, and I rarely had the "you can't get there from here" experience I've had on other cruise lines. They all had one thing in common — a desire to have the most fun possible on a quick three-day trip. The ship and its smiling crew were happy to accommodate, serving up drinks, leading wild competitions and doling out cone after cone of soft-serve ice cream on hot Bahamian afternoons. Indulge in a freshly brewed cup of coffee or tea with the in-room single-serve coffee brewer, complete with provided pods.
The room has two twin beds that can be pushed together into a queen-sized bed. Bedside lamps with focused reading lights and one-drawer, one-shelf nightstands flank the beds. The living area features a long sofa that could seat three or four (and transform into a bed) and a glass coffee table. My room on Independence of the Seas was just down the hall but facing the sea. I had a balcony cabin, the most popular room type on most ships. It offered plenty of room for two people, and I don't think it would be a problem with an extra person sleeping on the pullout sofa.
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