Our First Time on Royal Caribbean!

Independence of the Seas Cruise Review

VirgoMom9

Contributor Level: Second Mate

Cruises: 2-3 cruises

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 35

Overall rating:

5 out of 5

Verified Review

3 Night Bahamas & Perfect Day (Port Canaveral Roundtrip)

Sail date: December 17, 2021

Ship: Independence of the Seas

Cabin type: Inside

Cabin number: 1253

Traveled as: Family (older children)

Reviewed: 2 years ago

Review summary

1. There are a lot of activities included with the cruise fare. 2. I loved the Refreshment Beverage package. It was a good value compared to what we would’ve paid for individual drinks. 3. Our cabin was always clean and had fresh towels when we returned from our activities. 4. When I went to guest services to correct a charge on my account, Tisheka, was kind and went out of her way to get my account resolved. I also was able to remove the credit card on file to change it to a cash account. I also setup spending limits for the kids to stay within budget and booked reservations for the ice show there. 5. Our waiters, Syamsul & Igede, had the manger come to our table personally to discuss our special dietary needs and made sure to get us whatever we needed to enjoy our meals. The manager also came by our table to greet us and other guests every evening. 6. The water was very cold at Perfect Day so I didn’t spend much time in it, but we will definitely come back again in the Summer. 7. The chat feature in the app was great for us to communicate while doing our individual activities.

Embarkation

5 out of 5

It took us about 30 minutes from the time we parked to board the ship. Tip: Have your vaccination card and negative COVID-19 out and ready to show to staff for a quicker process. I bought clear badge holders for our vaccination card and attached it to our lanyards.

Ship experiences

Onboard Activities

5 out of 5

Tip: Get a warm towel to cover up while watching the movies by the pool at night!

Entertainment

5 out of 5

The live band by the pool was awesome. We went to the ice skating show. It was great! Tips: Make reservations for shows at guest services desk or through the app early.

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

The Windjammer was great and the staff served the food. The Mongolian stir fry and omelette station was delicious. The dining room staff was VERY accommodating and nice! The lady at the Cafe Promenade was very friendly and it was nice to grab a coffee and snack between meals. The pizza at Sorrento’s was really good.

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

Our cabin steward, Tuki, was amazing! We always came back to a clean cabin and fresh towels.

Ship tip

Don’t buy new shoes for a cruise!! Wear your most comfortable, worn-in walking shoes or sandals because nobody cares what you look like other than you!

Thumbs up

Ports of call

Nassau, Bahamas

5 out of 5

The Rum Cake Factory gave me a free shot of rum for buying 4 cakes!

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Port Canaveral, Florida

5 out of 5

Perfect Day At Coco Cay, Bahamas

5 out of 5

Disembarkation

5 out of 5

Disembarkation was very organized and quick for us in the passport holder line. They had us lower our mask to scan our face, we got a porter to help with our bags, and we were able to leave the parking garage in less than 30 minutes from the time we left our stateroom.