OKAY Caribbean Cruise

Independence of the Seas Cruise Review to Caribbean - Western

Cruises: 4-6 cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Vote: 1

Overall rating:

2 out of 5
Independence of the Seas

5 Night Western Caribbean (Miami Roundtrip)

Sail date: November 10, 2023

Ship: Independence of the Seas

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: 8516

Traveled as: Large Group

Reviewed: 6 months ago

Review summary

I was on this cruise to celebrate my birthday with my children and family. My room was very dated, visibly dirty so apparently it hadn’t been disinfected or cleaned. I had to wipe fingerprints and unknown elements off the door, light switches, doorknobs, handles, common touched areas etc. I spoke with group services prior to our sail date to coordinate all 12 people that were coming to celebrate my birthday with me. I spent a lot of time which I can’t get back trying to resolve one issue after the next! Everyone was seated at tables that were not together. They were finally able to accommodate us the next day but not right away. The food was not good therefore some people chose to eat at the buffet to get a variety of food options. The sleeper sofa/couch had extremely noticeable wear and tear (holes, rips, stains) all through it. On or around the second night of the cruise there was “maintenance” performed on the balcony which included painting/staining of some sort and gave us less than twenty-four hours’ notice the night before. We could NOT utilize it due to the fumes and tackiness of the substance on the banister. I actually paid for a balcony suite, which is unacceptable! My stateroom attendant did not leave bag tags the night before, so I was in the GUEST service line for over an hour therefore missing “my birthday” dinner with my family on the last night. I spent most of my “vacation time” troubleshooting unresolved issues to ensure I enjoyed my vacation. Unfortunately, our cruise was marred by an unexpected and unfortunate occurrence during our stop in Jamaica, causing us to lose valuable time. We had booked an excursion, and regrettably, over an hour of the prepaid experience was lost. Moreover, our time in Nassau took a tragic turn as the boat we were on during the excursion sank, resulting in trauma, injuries, and tragically, the loss of one life. This unforeseen and distressing event made our cruise an incredibly harrowing and unforgettable experience. I was very disappointed. Due to my most recent cruise, I would most defiantly not recommend Royal Caribbean! My first cruise was in 1996 (Majesty of the Seas/7 Night Western Caribbean) and I was beyond delighted, the cruise exceeded every expectation! I cruised in 2006 (Adventure of the Seas/ 7 Night Southern Caribbean ) and was very disappointed with the food selection and quality. I will more than likely NEVER consider going with Royal Caribbean or recommending you all to friends or family in the future.

Embarkation

1 out of 5
It was fast & efficient.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

1 out of 5
It was ok, the food wasn’t great! Drinks weren’t worth the value.

Onboard Activities

1 out of 5
Pools & hot tubs were ok, just overcrowded. There were game shows, bands & live entertainment.

Entertainment

1 out of 5
Awesome!

Children's Programs

Although I took my children, they were 18+

Service and Staff

4 out of 5
Everyone besides my stateroom attendant (Floyd) was great! My room wasn’t that clean & he didn’t leave my bag tags on the last day witch caused me to have to go to guest services (long timely lines) missing my birthday celebration.

Ship Quality

4 out of 5
It was okay.

Cabin / Stateroom

1 out of 5
Not cleaned, dated stateroom, rips/tears throughout the sofa couch. The balcony was maintenanced during our stay therefore we couldn’t use or enjoy it. Banister was painted/stained (fumes/sticky).

Ports of call

Miami, Florida

3 out of 5
It was okay, we left the night before the cruise and stayed in a hotel before heading to the port to board ship. We didn't do much besides getting an Uber to the port.

Falmouth, Jamaica

2 out of 5
Our tour guide was fantastic! Unfortunately there was a medical emergency on the ship within the first few hours of being onboard had an effect of our time spent in Jamaica. The previously booked excursion regrettably, over an hour of the experience was lost. Our time in Jamaica was rushed!

Nassau, Bahamas

1 out of 5
The ferry that we boarded for our Blue Lagoon Island experience, the speakers did not work therefore we could not hear the tour guide. Our time in Nassau took a tragic turn as the boat we were on during the excursion sank, resulting in trauma, injuries, and tragically, the loss of one life.

Disembarkation

1 out of 5
Swift
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