Home

Cruise Lines

Ports of Call

Reviews

Answers

News

Photos

Spirit of Adventure Cruises | Holland America Cruises | Yachts of Seaborne Cruises | Voyages of Discovery Cruises | Other Cruise Lines

Independence Of The Seas Med 14 Nts 9th August
Reviewed By: Whitehouse, Gosport on 27th Aug 2008
Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean Cruises	Times cruised before: 6-10
Cruise Ship: Independence of the Seas	Sailed: August, 2008
Destination: Mediterranean	Age: 26-35

We booked this cruise over a year ago and had been looking forward to it ever since. We are are young couple with no children and we cruise for the ships rather than the destinations (the are just a nice bonus sometimes!). We have sailed on large ships before but Independence of The Seas is absolutely enormous! There seemed to be a lot more families and teenagers on this ship than normal but the layout of the ship meant you only really saw them at the street parties on the Promenade. Despite the size, the food was of very high standard (better than on other Royal Caribbean ships) and the menu has been tweaked to better suit British taste - the sheperds pie in the Windjammer is top notch! The Windjammer is always really busy, but there is also Jades Asian restaurant which made first rate currys and offered lots of vege food. The main restaurant ran very smoothly and managed to be quite intimate and relaxing despite being 3 decks high. On the promenade there are another two good eateries for snacks or light lunch - the Cafe (cakes, pastries and good sandwiches) and Sorentos (Pizza, tapas, and superb individual pots of desserts like Pistachio mousse and macaroons). The entertainment was better than what we have previously experienced (which we could never fault). They appear to have picked the best people from the rest of the fleet for the entertainers and this was reflected in superb production shows that genuinely made you go Wow! The ice shows must be seen to be believed but you have to reserve seats in advance so be quick. The wide range of bars and clubs meant there is always the right number of people in each place for a good atmosphere and something to suit every one. The Spa is very very good. We have both been involved in sports for most of our lives and the gym is probably the best equipped we have seen on land or water! The climbing wall is a little higher than normal and the routes up it can become very difficult and scary! The Flowrider is fantastic but do expect to queue for 15 or 20 minutes to use it. The area around it is well designed for this though with seating to watch others crashing off! The pools are large and at just the right temperature. There are plenty of sun loungers and the seperate H2O zone means the young children do not get everywhere. The jacuzzis that overhang the top[ deck are big enough to swim in and are a must use feature. If you can take your camera for the fantastic views of the ship! The cabins are very good quality and addresses some nice touches that people always ask for. There is a little more space and storage than normal. The beds on Royal Caribbean ships have always been good and this ships are even better. DOnt be fooled by the Promenade balcony rooms. They seem a nice touch but everybody can always see in to them because you have to have the lights on. Everybody always kept their curtains shut! This ship was very difficult to fault if you want a fun exciting holiday, Some people said it was not like traditional cruises they had been on but that is the point. We were on for 14 nights and still didn't find everything and probably needed two or three more days at least. I would recommend this ship for young couples who enjoy a nice night out with good food, good quality bars and good music and dancing of all types. It is ideal for families with young children and those with teenagers. Parents were all commenting on how good the facilities and activities for children and teens were. Teenagers all absolutely loved it! I hope this review has been helpful and gives you a good idea of what to expect
Quality of Food

Entertainment

Shore Excursions

Staff

Children's Facilities	n/a

Onboard Activities

Cabins

Overall Rating

Report this review

ASK A QUESTION

COMMENT ON THIS REVIEW

Question by Braines, Broadstairs (28 Aug 08 09:01) about this REVIEW.

Hi, having been on several other cruise lines, my favourite food is smoked salmon. Could you please tell me if they had this in the buffets during the day & evening? Also you mentioned cakes and pastries, are these included in the afternoon tea (ice creams?) & included with the cost of the cruise? I do like to have late night snacks etc so do they just have sandwiches & pizzas or could you order something more substantial? Glad you enjoyed you cruise, we booked for next August early this year and going with our daughter and family.

ANSWER

Report this comment