seannyice81

I'm not a fan. I enjoy calypso for about an hour then I want them to stop. I couldn't stand listening to them day after day!

Its all about a proper rotation of entertainment on the ship. Carnival knows this, but often some of the music isn't where it should be at the right time.

Per John Heald, current entertainment options are being (re)considered by "the beards" (those in charge).

I may be mistaken, but I think I read here that there have been one or two calypso bands making appearances across the fleet over the past month or so. I wouldn't be surprised to see some more too. After he asked for people's opinions on it on Facebook, there was a large percentage of those who wanted them back.

there was something similar for Barbados it was $99 per person and it was advising that camouflage clothes are illegal in Barbados. looking at it now it is also $.01

 

http://www.carnival.com/Activities/Excursion/413052

Just saw that. Good to know if true, I have a couple camo shorts.

The flow rider is a shoulder injury waiting to happen...

I watched the people on the Flow-rider on occasion. It looked really fun. I did climb the rock wall and it was pretty cool. I was talking to the ship's nurse (friend banged foot pretty bad on reef) she mentioned most injuries do come from it and the rock climbing wall. I never did see anyone injure themselves on either though.

I haven't sailed Carnival yet (9 weeks I will though). I am sad Carnival doesn't do the photo CD like RCI does. Small thing maybe but paper pics make no sense to me in this day and age.

I have a couple theories on why, but I'm not sure at all.

I'm sure CDs or emailed photos will come in time.

We were also on this cruise....Thanks for the review.

 

We loved everything about The Independance, so much that we booked it for next year.

 

Couldn't have asked for better weather....

The weather really was awesome! Could not have been better!

-Entertainment- RCI was so much better! LIVE REGGAE/CARIBBEAN MUSIC on the Lido Deck!!!

I am going on the Dream at the end of the month. Do they have a Reggae band by the pool? I was on the legend a few years ago and they did. Not as good as Royal Caribbean though.

From what I've read here, they stopped with the bands in 2010 or so. Only DJs on my Liberty and Glory cruises.

I haven't considered jumping fences, but would like to try another line just to have something to compare to. The others are just so much more expensive!!! :eek::eek::eek:

My RCI cruise was more expensive and a balcony cabin was absolutely out of the question. It was tough justifying the additional cost, but I spent less in other areas.

I've kinda considered jumpin the fence...maybe one day.

 

What was the atmosphere like on the RCI cruise? Less of a party atmosphere?

Atmosphere is a little less party and a slightly more upscale. That said, people do have a pretty good time on the lido deck.

Also, the guests nationalities varied quite a bit more than my CCL cruises. Overheard many different languages/accents from other passengers.

Just back from my RCI Independence of the Seas cruise. Pretty good! Some surprises though. Heres a couple quick comparisons

-Food- Carnival was so much better. I would have killed for a Blue Iguana burrito! The dining room service took longer and they had more staff! Anyone who complains here would be surprised with how it compares.

-Entertainment- RCI was so much better! LIVE REGGAE/CARIBBEAN MUSIC on the Lido Deck!!!

-The ship was awesome! and HUGE! RCI Doesn't have slides or a ropes course, but they do have flowriders and rock walls!

-Bow thrusters caused earthquakes in the front half of the ship! I wondered if one was about to come loose!

-No secret decks, but you can walk out on the bow!

I go more into depth on the RCI board.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1800736

I'll probably sail both lines again at some time. Its good to see if the grass really is greener across the street once in a while. In this case it was just as green.

I'm sorry you did not enjoy the food in the main dining room. Would you happen to know whether the menus were the new ones that have been promised for a while or were the old offerings still in place?

From what I've read here, I believe they were the old ones and that they're going to be new this current cruise or the next.

Great comparison!

 

Every Royal ship I've been on have had ship shaped magnets. Usually a few styles as well. I have Oasis, Liberty, and Explorer.

 

Towels can be pre ordered to your room through gifts and gear. They are huge!

 

Just trying to help out.

I asked about the magnets... and the clerk looked at me like I had no idea what I was talking about. They had Magnets for all the stops, but none for the ship.

The towels... dang! All the planning for the cruise and I never looked at that page.

Just back from my 6 day Independence of the Seas cruise which sadly came to an end yesterday. I had a great time on the ship, in Grand Cayman, Falmouth, and Labadee. This was my first Royal Caribbean cruise following 2 cruises with Carnival. I obviously couldn't help comparing the two lines. While some may think theres no comparison, I found it just about a draw. I'll give you a run down on how it went.

Embarkation- We (4 of us) arrived at FLL around 12:30 in the afternoon. We gathered our things and met up with the transfer staff near the baggage claim. We waited about 5 mins and we were taken to the bus where we waited another 5 mins and then took off for Port Everglades. Once at Port Everglades, we were dropped off at Terminal 29. Imagine a plain wharehouse with security and RCI check-in desks. I noticed a few signs that said "pardon our dust, were working on..." Thing is though, is that it didn't seem like any work was being done. It just seemed like they'd move the temporary walls when needed. No biggie. We were through the check-in process VERY FAST and on the boat in no time! I loved that. Carnival's terminals at Miami are much, much nicer, but waiting for "Zones" to be called seemed to take an eternity. I can't really discriminate here because this is more about the terminals than the lines. Honestly though, I'll take being hearded in a wharehouse and getting right on the boat, over having to wait for zones anyday.

The Ship - The Independence of the Seas was BIG and gorgeous. Everything was very clean, if not spotless, and kept that way. The ship is about 1/3 bigger than Carnival's Conquest Class ships and its obvious from the interior promenade to the 3 main pool areas. It was huge. I found I could navigate it fairly easily, though the others I was with said the Carnival Liberty had a much easier lay-out. I agreed, but realize its mostly due to the size. One thing I appreciated was how the interior promenade was above the Casino. This meant I wouldn't have to smell cigarettes walking along the ship. Speaking of promenades, I've very torn in which I like better. Carnival's had nice seating along the very large windows looking outside. RCI's was like a European market street, complete with a Morgan (car). The Schooner Bar is much nicer than Carnival's piano bars. The thing I liked most was being able to stand on the bow of the ship and the overhangs outside the dining room windows. The Flowrider, rock wall, tons of things to do. My biggest pet peeve? The HATEFUL revolving doors for deck 11 near the Windjammer entrance. Overall, this one goes to RCI. What a ship!

Cabins - We had a 4 guest interior cabin, in the middle of deck 7, forward. It was fairly spacious, mostly comfortable, and well kept by housekeeping. In comparison to the balcony cabins on the Carnival Liberty and Glory though, I prefer the Carnival cabins. Even mentally visualizing them as inside cabins. Why? The closet storage was better, the beds (especially the bunks) and linens were more comfy. Additionally, Carnival provides "gift baskets" with toiletries/extras, shelves in the bathroom offered more storage than IOS's cabinet which needed new hinges, the bath towels felt like sandpaper (lack of softener?), The "interactive" TV's operation was awkward (if it worked). I preferred RCI's shower doors to Carnival's curtain, but Carnivals shower head would stay put if you cranked up the shower.

Service/Crew - The staff on IOS was very professional with exception of 1 instance (I'll get there later). They did everything I asked them to mostly with smiles, no issue. Not much to really complain about. The cabin steward introduced himself and happily obliged my needs/request for our cabin. Bartenders were good, but very, very busy. It was better/faster to flag-down a waiter on the outside decks. Dining room staff were good, not great. They would occasionally step on one another's toes while taking orders, doing more than one person's job. The reception desk/excrusion staff was nice except for one lady. I was given attitude when I asked for additional Customs forms. None of us in the cabin were related and it was lost on her as to why we requested more than one. To the opposite, the spa staff (particularly Jessica of South Africa) were best that I interacted with over the course of the whole trip. Our CD, Joff, was rarely seen outside of Quest/Alhambra. In contrast, the Carnival CDs were everywhere. Especially Karl of the Liberty. The staff on my Carnival Liberty sailing trumped the IOS staff. They were just as professional, faster, more outgoing and (what I liked best) easier to interact with. They had a better sense of friendliness. The same for the staff on the Carnival Glory, even considering a couple hiccups with housekeeping. I prefer the Carnival staff.

Entertainment - NO CONTEST... ROYAL CARIBBEAN! What a difference! First off... LIVE REGGAE/CARIBBEAN BAND! Secondly, they had an orchestra! The stage shows were better! Quest was very fun! The DJ was good! The piano man was good! the Singer at the Dog and Badger Pub was good! The Synergy band that played in the Pyramid Lounge was even good and they were the ones I liked the least. Many of the events were typical cruise type things, but all of them fun. Carnival... are you reading this? Carnival's DJs on the Liberty were good, All entertainment on the Glory was ho-hum. Hasbro the Game Show is over-rated.

Food - This was a surprise. Carnival wins! I was really expecting better from RCI. The food I had on IOS was just... bland. Even Chops! Dining room service took forever, even in comparison to Carnival's reduced dining room staff! The food options and quality were just plain better on my Carnival cruises. It didn't taste as good, I never had the desire for "seconds." I would have KILLED for a Blue Iguana Cantina on the IOS! Johnny Rockets was decent, but I liked the very sloppy Guy's Burgers more (and there was no charge for that). Carnival's pizza can be hit or miss, but Sorrento's was plain weak on IOS. The pizza crust was like damp cardboard. The specialty coffee places were a draw, at good. Carnival's steak house food and service was better than IOS's Chops Grill, except for the ridiculous cheesecake dessert Carnival offers in theirs. Windjammer was a mess, though there were less people dining in bathing suits. The layout didn't do anything to help against crowding. I did like the views from the back of the ship though. I didn't have the opportunity to try the italian joint on board IOS.

Excursions/Ports - About the same, though RCI guests weren't as inclined to crowd prior to tendering or stepping off the ship. Excursions were on par with one another. The Dragon's Breath Zipline at Labadee is awesome, and everyone should try it!

Shopping/souvenirs - There are 3 things I like to bring back from cruises. 1 cool souvenir cup for parties, one ship shaped magnet for my tool box, and one beach towel. RCI just about failed to deliver on all these. There were no ship magnets, the only way I would get a towel is if I failed to return a beat-up towel to the exchange. On the last day, I lucked out and bought the "beer can" souvenir cup. Carnival has cups in the shape of funnels, disco balls, blowfish, etc... I also have the option to buy unused beach towels and ship magnets. RCI was pushing the dollar store chocolate tins with IOS stickers on them. No thanks. The sales seemed pretty good otherwise. Just like Carnival, they were pushing Invicta watches and jewelry by the inch or whatever. The girls came back with bags of stuff, so I guess they liked the sales.

Debarkation - VERY easy, back in terminal 29. A little too early, but it didn't take much time getting off the boat. Done, through customs, and on the taxi/shuttle much faster than the last cruises out of Miami.

Overall, its really hard to pick one over the other. I liked the IOS, but the food was meh'. I like Carnival's food and pricing, but the ship's aren't as nice and entertainment is lacking. I did sign-up for the Crown and Anchor Society though. I'm sure I'll cruise with BOTH Royal Caribbean and Carnival in the future. Next cruise..? Might have to try NCL.

I couldn't care less where the captain is from, so long as (s)he has a good record and they get me in and out of port safely.

I'm not sure about how it will work with the new Awesome Bar package.

If my memory serves me right, there were waiters wearing Red Frog and Blue Iguana t-shirts during the day. I only summoned a waiter once (from Blue Ig) on sail-away. I think you can have them serve you on the lido deck as well. I always just went to the bar though.

Had him as CD this last Feb. Great CD! I'm really hoping that Josh will be as good on the Glory.

Yes. Do it one night as a treat.