JUST BEEN ON IT AND WOULD AGREE WITH YOU APART FROM THE STAR RATING --- WOULD KNOCK AT LEAST ONE OFF EACH CATEGORY. THE EXTORTIONATE PRICE OF DRINKS AND OTHER SUPPLEMENTS TOGETHER WITH THE PROCUREMENT PROBLEMS THEY SEEMED TO HAVE (FOOD AND EVEN THE EXPENSIVE DRINKS) WAS ENOUGH TO MAKE ME OVERCOME MY FEAR OF FLYING OR PERHAPS GO BACK TO P & O. VERY POOR AND EVEN MORE ALARMING IS THE FACT THAT RCI DON'T SEEM TO CARE WHAT THE CUSTOMER THINKS (EVEN THOSE WITH GENUINE COMPLAINTS BACKED UP BY FACTS -- NOT JUST OPINIONS). THIS BASED ON TALKING TO OTHER CRUISERS, READING OTHER REVIEWS AND MY OWN EXPERIENCE.

We were also on the Independence in September, and thought the ship was fantastic, thought the same as you, the drinks prices were extortionate!!!

Was on the same cruise and will agree the drinks were well expensive. Also there were to many casual dining nights (nine in total for a fourteen night cruise) . Another thing I found annoying was the pricey shuttle buses which are free when sailing with P&O.

I agree with you. The drinks were expensive. A pint of lager worked out at £4.40 at the exchange rate of $1.74 dollars to the pound on this cruise. We did the same cruise.This compares with P and O Ventura's maiden cruise in April, where lager was only £2.60 per pint. Quite a difference!!!!!. Still it was a fabulous ship and we and our friends really enjoyed the cruise