Truly a memorable vacation!
Independence of the Seas Cruise Review to Caribbean - Southern
8 Night Eastern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip)
Sail date: January 19, 2013
Ship: Independence of the Seas
Cabin type: Inside
Traveled as: Family (young children)
Reviewed: 11 years ago
Review summary
This was my first time on a cruise...I can't imagine it getting any better than the Independence of the Seas. The staff on board are exceptional, from our housekeeper to the waiters they were all so friendly and personable. In fact our waiter in the dining room each night did magic tricks for our children and made them special straws every evening for their drinks. We had a hard time saying goodbye on our eighth night..wish we could have brought them all home with us. The activities on board are numerous..our children were younger so they really enjoyed the kids club as well as the climbing wall. We didn't get enough time (believe it or not!) in our eight nights to go skating or try the mini golf...its on our list for the next cruise. The ports were enjoyable...a warning to any first-timers that the vendors can be very pushy and no one does anything for you without expecting payment. ie: some locals have monkeys they will put on your shoulder and let you take pictures with your own camera and then demand money for that privilege. IF you don't feel like dishing out mula for every monkey that passes by its best to say no from the start. There is a vast array of food and variety. We bought the pop card so we could have unlimited pop for the week, but found that it really wasn't needed as there was access to free drinks (lemonade, iced tea, flavored waters, coffee, tea) most hours...especially when the Windjammer is open. When it isn't, there is always free ice cold water at Sorrento's, who by the way, make the BEST pizza! We really really enjoyed ourselves and can't wait to book another one! This cruise is great for all ages....its luxury and fun on the sea!Ship experiences
Food and Dining
Onboard Activities
Entertainment
Children's Programs
Service and Staff
Ship Quality
Cabin / Stateroom
Ports of call
Ft. Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida
Labadee (Cruise Line Private Island)