Glad we took the leap of faith that RCL and their protocols would keep us safe because we really needed a break from living in a box. Appreciate how smoothly everything went and how hard everyone worked to keep things clean and safe. Stop thinking about it and JUST GO!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
As long as you have your documents in hand (and there are lots of friendly reminders along the way!) checking in is smooth sailing. Little to no waiting (just while they are calling boarding groups) and lots of people on hand to answer questions and give direction.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
The food is not the most exciting (the only "specialty" place we tried was Johnny Rockets--I mean, burgers and milkshakes, who could resist?)--very mainstream but substantial. Variety was a little lacking, but no complaints because we found plenty to eat.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Honestly, aside from a couple of shows and an on-board movie, we kept things low-key. While we didn't purposely remain anti-social, we tried to maintain our distance from crowds and concentrated more on relaxing--keeping inert was priority!
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Shows were as good as expected--gave the comedian a miss because we saw his recorded performance from the previous evening and he really didn't click with us. Loved the first-run movie (James Bond) in the Royal Theatre--very uncrowded.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Love the staff and crew--everyone seemed happy to be working and tried to engage with us every time we crossed paths. From "good mornings", "have a good evening" to "are you enjoying your cruise?" the workers we encountered were all upbeat, friendly and willing to answer questions or give directions.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Loved this "smaller" class--have been on the Harmony before and it was huge, lots of walking and so much activity. The Independence was perfect for the relaxing break we were looking for and desperately needed.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Amazing cabin--book it if you have chance! We enjoyed it more than we did balcony cabins in the past. The space, the amazing floor to ceiling windows--we loved just sitting and watching the water in complete privacy. While balconies are great with fresh air and ocean sounds, they can be lacking in privacy. Panoramic rooms offer privacy and views that are great for relaxing.
Ship tip
Relax--don't allow other guests' actions ruin your trip. Don't judge their behavior, dress, or obvious flouting of safety protocols--just move on and avoid them as best you can, which is pretty easy since the guest capacity is still light.
Decided against getting off the ship when we saw that there were three other ships that pulled in right after us. Did not want to risk the crowds during this time and since we were mainly cruising to enjoy the sun and ship, we were fine staying on board.
Quick and painless! I'm sure it's because there are less people sailing now, but it was breeze--just waited in our cabin until our group was announced on the TV and "sailed" through. Bags were easy to find and we parked at the terminal so we were out in a flash.
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