28th July 2012 Independence of the Seas Review, followed by pics/video

[littlesteelo]

Ok, so I just got back last week from the 28th July sailing on the fantastic Independence of the Seas, and thought I would write a bit of a review of sorts, and follow that up with some photos and videos I took.

 

Now if you are expecting a day by day account with a million photos, you aren't going to get it. I am not a huge picture taker, and I can't remember what I did during most of the sea days. I did take some nice photos though, so hopefully that will be good enough. Also, I have no plan for this, so sorry if it seems a bit unorganized. I will try and cover different points about the cruise, rather than each day.

 

I think I will also write a little bit about each photo too, so if the review seems a bit unfinished, there will be more detail in the pictures.

So a bit of background. There are 4 of us, with 2 kids age 16 and 18. This is our 3rd cruise overall, our second with Royal and 2nd on IOTS. The itinerary for this cruise is as follows:

 

Day 1: Southampton

Day 2: At Sea

Day 3: At Sea

Day 4: Gibraltar

Day 5: At Sea

Day 6: Toulon

Day 7: Livorno

Day 8: Civitavecchia

Day 9: Ajaccio

Day 10: At Sea

Day 11: Cadiz

Day 12: Lisbon

Day 13: Vigo

Day 14: At Sea

 

 

-Embarkation/Day before

We spent the night before at the Premier Inn City Centre, and the hotel overall was comfortable and reasonably priced. We had a look around town, went to WestQuay, and got a bite to eat, then got the free bus to Town Quay to watch Ventura and Queen Elizabeth leave. QM2 was a little bit late leaving, so we decided not to stay, and headed back to watch the Olympic Opening Ceremony in the hotel.

The P&O Cruises ship Ventura, at Ocean Terminal

 

Queen Mary 2 at the QEII Terminal

 

A video of Queen Elizabeth making her way down from the Mayflower Terminal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIkn53sOuJI

 

We headed to the terminal the next day at around half 10, and was greeted with a huge queue of cars waiting to drop off luggage, so we had to sit around for a good half hour, not like our experience in 2010, or our experience at the Ocean Terminal last year. Once we were in the terminal, we got to skip the entire huge check-in queue since we were gold members, which was fantastic. Check-in and embarkation was nice and smooth, and we were on the ship at around 12:30, which is the latest we have got on the ship. Lunch was some nice pizza at Sorrento’s, seeing as we didn’t fancy the crowds in the Windjammer.

 

Also docked in Southampton on the 28th were Grand Princess, Azura and Oriana.

 

The huge Independence of the Seas at the City Cruise Terminal, taken from the car queue.

[littlesteelo]

-The Ship

Independence of the Seas is a stunning ship. I will not go into all the features, since most of you will know what a Freedom Class ship has to offer. There is literally so much to do onboard, and it definitely has the wow factor, with the huge open spaces and the Royal Promenade. The ship is also great for kids, and there were 1400 on our sailing, so that shows how popular it is with families.

 

I also like the fact that although it is an American ship, it has a British feel to it, which I like. A lot of the entertainment staff are from the UK, and the menus are definitely British influenced. That and the majority of the passengers are from the UK.

 

There have been some reviews recently saying that Independence is looking tired. That simply is not true. The ship is 4 years old and in stunning condition. I was really impressed by how good it looks. Staff were constantly painting and cleaning. In fact, there is only one thing which stood out, which was the carpets in the lifts. They were worn, they smelled, and in dire need of replacement. Even one comedian made a joke about the lifts smelling like wet dog. However, what were they doing the next day in Ajaccio? Replacing the carpet in the lifts. So that leaves nothing in terms of the condition of the ship which I noticed.

 

-The Cabin

The two staterooms we booked were 1673 and 1677, which are inside rooms on Deck 10 aft. The location was great, only one deck up to the Windjammer and pool areas, and they were close to the lifts/stairs. Our stateroom attendant kept the room looking nice as well, although I didn’t appreciate him moving my things around.

 

There was only one problem, and a major one. 1677 is right next to a crew stairwell/lift area. And it was noisy. During the day and early in the morning you could hear banging metal and other noise, and this sometimes occurred into the night. The noise did not bother me, as I am a heavy sleeper, but I can imagine others would be kept awake, or woken up by the noise. So be aware.

 

-Entertainment

The entertainment options on the ship are great. There is live music everywhere, including the fantastic Rock The Boat in the Pyramid Lounge every night, and Ian Millar in the pub. Of course there were all sorts of activities during the day to keep you occupied. The production shows on the ship were also very good. They are the same ones that Independence launched with, and hopefully they will be changed during refit. There were 3 shows:

 

Once Upon A Time – A fairytale themed show

Under The Big Top – A circus themed production

Center Stage – Sort of a mix of singing and dancing

 

I must say though, that the production shows on P&O walk all over what Independence had. They had far more shows, and they had some fantastic effects, including pyrotechnics. But like I said, the shows on Indy will probably be changed next April in refit.

 

In addition to this, they have the welcome aboard and farewell shows. I love the farewell show, when all the crew come down, and thankfully Independence still has Until We Meet Again as the farewell song, which has been removed on some of the ships. I hope they don’t get rid of that anytime soon.

 

The parades/ street parties were also good, but the Madhatter’s Ball parade was pretty poor, and needs to be improved. The brilliant cruise director Joff Eaton made sure the street parties, both the 70’s one, and Rock Britannia were fantastic though. There were also a number of outdoor parties on the pool deck, including the really nice Club Twenty nightclub in the solarium.

 

Headliners were excellent this cruise. There was a hilarious comedian in the welcome show, and he later did another performance. The fantastic hypnotist Christopher Caress, who was on Independence 2 years ago was on again, and his show was excellent. There was a hilarious show put on by Jon Courtenay, with all sorts of comedy and piano playing. Tenors Unlimited were on as well, giving a great performance too. So overall I was very impressed by the range of performers on this cruise.

 

 

-Food

The food and service in the main dining room on Independence were excellent. The choice was good, and the quality of the food was also very good. There were a few items which didn’t live up to the description, and whoever makes the Yorkshire pudding should be shot. It truly was awful. The head chef is British, which makes it ever worse. But overall I was impressed.

 

One point I would add it that there seems to be a new dining room policy since I was last onboard, of bringing loads of extra food to the table. I don’t know whether they are making too much or what, but our waiter always came round with one of the other dishes on the menu, asking if we wanted any. He also frequently brought out extra desserts and just put them down in front of us. Now, I am sure they mean well, but I found it a bit rude.

 

The quality of the other places you can eat was also excellent, especially the choice in the Windjammer. I liked the new flavoured waters which were available alongside the usual fruit punch and lemonade. P&O should take a leaf out of Royal’s book when it comes to running a buffet. However, one part of the Windjammer fell flat, which was the ‘make your own’ hot dog and burger area. They have all the things you could want, right down to sauerkraut for the hot dogs, but it is ruined by the buns. I am not one for over-exaggeration, but they are that dry that they literally crumble apart in your hands. I don’t believe they are baked on the ship, and perhaps that is the source of the problem.

 

I also gave room service a go. There is no menu in the room, and you order via the interactive tv. Room service then call you to confirm your order. The average time was around 30 mins wait. The choice was good, and the 3 items I tried during the cruise were the honey stung chicken, the beef burger, and the steak sandwich. The burger was very good, with lots of different toppings, but the best item was the steak sandwich. They even ask you how you want the steak cooked.

 

One restaurant I did try was Johnny Rockets. It was fantastic, well worth the $4.50 charge. You start off by getting onion rings, fries and ranch dressing, and if you finish them they will bring more. You can also get any of the other starter options on the menu as well. The chili is particularly good. The shakes were delicious, but I was disappointed that they had no root beer. You then get the most delicious burger ever, but watch out for the smoke house burger, I couldn’t manage it all! That can all be followed up by a sundae or apple pie. If there is one thing you need to try before you leave, this is it.

 

-Overview

I have to say, this cruise was simply fantastic. I am well and truly hooked on cruising, and intend to book with Royal Caribbean again soon. And it will probably be on Independence. I really do love the ship. It has a really great atmosphere. The crew and entertainment staff are brilliant, especially the cruise director Joff Eaton, who I cannot give enough praise to. He gets everyone going, has a brilliant British sense of humour, and he really is perfect for Independence. I hope he is on next time I am.

 

The other crew members, especially my waiters and cabin steward, will go out of their way to get anything for you, and my waiters from 2 years ago even recognized me. Even the Captain had a brilliant sense of humour in his daily address, and he gave a lovely speech in the main dining room to us all.

 

The only problem now is that the post-cruise depression has already set in. So in the words of Captain Remo himself, ‘the only solution is to book another cruise’. And he was right, I just booked another today.

 

Right, so now I will post some of my pics and videos which I took, in the order they were taken as well.

[littlesteelo]

This photo makes the Royal Promenade look dark, but it really isnt:

 

The beautiful Alhambra Theater:

 

The very first sunset at sea, as we sailed through the English Channel. The weather really was fantastic for the whole cruise:

[littlesteelo]

Not sure if anyone is interested in this, but i'll continue anyway.

 

The first parade is 'Olympus Rocks', which is a welcome aboard parade of sorts. You can see video of that here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2kso0kEOF8

 

The first 2 days were sea days, during which Azura and Grand Princess followed us down to the med:

 

I liked this photo, with the silhouette of Azura in the distance:

 

One of my favourite spots was the walkway on deck 4 which sticks out over the side of the ship. It gives an interesting perspective, especially when leaving/entering port:

[littlesteelo]

The pool deck is lit up at night in all sorts of colours, which looks really good:

 

I enjoyed having a stroll along the outdoor prom deck at night. Notice the lights on Azura in the distance:

 

One thing I thought was interesting were these touch screens around the ship:

 

They were in most of the lift areas, but not all, and the software was sometimes buggy. I wonder if the other Freedom class ships had these before they were upgraded, or they were a precursor to the new wayfinders they have and which Independence will be getting next April.

[littlesteelo]

Day 4 was Gibraltar, and I was up to watch us come in:

 

Queen Victoria joined us, and was tendering:

 

Gibraltar offers a good opportunity for getting photos right next to the bow of the ship:

[Galloping Gladys]

Thanks for posting this, am going on the Independence a week today, the same itinerary, cannot wait! Reviews like this make me more excited!

[littlesteelo]

I love the technical aspect of the ships, and loved standing at the aft of the ship and watching the wash from the Azipods.

 

See this video of us leaving Gibraltar, and how the water is pushed right up against the dock: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xME0Mk_uZ14

 

Another beautiful sunset onboard:

 

The show that night was 'Under The Big Top', the circus themed show:

[travelling fools]

Thanks we really enjoyed seeing these.We just booked for next year.

If you have anymore photos/videos we would love to see them.

Looks like we can watch the parade right from our room.

[Gordo]

Thanks for posting a review. What great photos.

 

We look forward to reading about your port experiences.

[littlesteelo]

Day 6 was Toulon, France. We went on the 'Scenic Provence Riviera' excursion, which took us around the area, including Marseille and Cassis. The french riviera is my favourite place in the med, and it really is beautiful.

 

This was taken near Marseille, at a photo stop:

 

A beautiful church we stopped off at near Marseille:

 

 

A panorama of the fantastic view from the hilltop where the church was:

[littlesteelo]

The tour finished off with free time in the beautiful town of Cassis. It really was lovely, with lots of restaurants along the harbour area. There is also a beach nearby, which is absolutely beautiful with the huge cliff above it.

 

I really would have to recommend coming to see this area if you have the chance. It really is a beautiful area, and I wish I had more time to spend here.

 

 

 

[littlesteelo]

That night there was a pool party, with the resident rock band Rock The Boat playing. There were cocktail demonstrations, and it got really lively later on.

 

 

Here is a very short clip of early on at the party:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwnxgNApx6g

[Ren1216]

I haven't any plans for a Med cruise any time soon, but I am really enjoying your review! Lovely pictures :)

[littlesteelo]

Next day was Livorno, and we had decided against going to Florence again, so we went on a boat tour around the canals in Livorno, which I can't seem to find my pictures of at the moment, so I apologise for that.

 

The tour was really nice, and definitely worth doing if you are not going to Florence or Pisa. You get some free time after in the city centre to look around the shops and markets, and you then get taken back to the ship.

 

One thing to note is that shuttles with Royal are no longer free, and are around $12 pp return.

 

The lovely Azura joined us in Livorno:

 

And the not so lovely Grand Holiday:

 

I spent the rest of the day relaxing on the ship, which was nice and quiet:

 

I wonder how many people notice the 4 deck high opening above the entrance to the Pyramid Lounge?

 

An absolutely stunning sunset that evening:

[littlesteelo]

Day 8 was Civitavecchia, and we have been to Rome many times before, so we decided to have a relaxing day onboard. Mariner of the Seas, Azura (surprise surprise), an Aida ship and an MSC ship joined us in port.

 

Mariner of the Seas:

 

The fantastic Johnny Rockets, a must-do if you are going on a ship which has one:

 

My view from my sun lounger on the relatively quiet pool deck:

[littlesteelo]

Day 9 brought us to Ajaccio, Corsica. A fantastic little port, definitely worth a look around. There was a huge market going on when we were docked, so we had an explore around there and the harbour area.

 

Early morning photos on the pool deck:

 

 

[littlesteelo]

The beautiful harbour in Ajaccio:

 

 

There's a new building in town:

 

[littlesteelo]

AidaBella decided to join us later, once the ferry had left:

 

This really shows off the scale of the ship:

 

Seeing as AidaBella docked right next to us, Joff decided to have a little fun and throw a sail away party for them, and the tenders from Azura. He managed to get some of their passengers going, and the star of the show was the 'boy in the green shirt' (previously a red shirt, until Joff told him to go change the colour :D) Remember to watch this video in full screen and HD, you might be able to see people dancing on the Aida ship:

 

http://youtu.be/pENys_KAATI?hd=1

[Realtor at Sea]

Lovely photos and commentary. Will be on the IOS on October 6th. Your review makes the waiting and anticipation fun! Thank you so much!

[littlesteelo]

Later that night was the solarium midnight buffet, with all sorts of food available, but also some fruit and ice carving demonstrations. There were these lit up ice sculptures everywhere:

 

The next day was a sea day:

 

The empty theater during the day:

 

The Royal Promenade:

 

One of our favourite places to go on an evening was the Viking Crown lounge. It had great views of the pool deck at night:

 

The piece of artwork in the aft centrum, made out of cotton spools:

[garyb(uk)]

Really enjoyed your review though I'm not on the Indy. I'm interested in your experiences in the ABP carpark though. I have a booking with a blue badge already on my windscreen pass. How easy is it to find everything in Southampton car park?

[littlesteelo]

Day 10 was our stop in Cadiz, Spain. We went on the 'White villages and countryside' tour. And quite frankly, it was awful. We set off 20 minutes late and were taken on an unnecessary drive around Cadiz. We then drove for about 45 minutes to Vejer de la Frontera, and were walked around by our guide in around 30 minutes, but were given no free time to explore the nice little village. We then were back in the coach again to go to Conil de la Frontera, where we were given a pathetic 20 minutes free time, which we could do very little in. The advertised time was much more, so we complained to the Explorations desk when we got back and received a 25% refund, which we were satisfied with.

This tour is definitely not recommended.

 

I spent the rest of the day onboard the ship, taking a few photos.

 

The schooner bar, which is a great place on the ship to have a drink:

There is a live pianist/singer here pretty much every night, and he was very good.

 

Boleros, our usual evening drinking spot. The mojitos here, especially the mango one are to die for, and the bar waiters are some of the nicest I met on the ship. I had many a good conversation with them here:

 

The entrance to the Labyrinth nightclub. I didn't go in here, but my son did, and he said that it was pretty good, although sometimes quiet:

 

The entrance to the Alhambra Theater:

[littlesteelo]

Really enjoyed your review though I'm not on the Indy. I'm interested in your experiences in the ABP carpark though. I have a booking with a blue badge already on my windscreen pass. How easy is it to find everything in Southampton car park?

 

It is pretty easy to find your car, if that is what you are asking. The car park isn't huge. At the City Cruise Terminal, where you will be, you basically drop your luggage off with the porters, then drive round to the car park, which is a very short walk from the terminal entrance. You put the sheet with the ship name and your car registration which you get in an email from ABP on you dashboard.

 

When you disembark, you can either get your luggage yourself, or get one of the waiting porters to get it for you and bring it to your car.

[littlesteelo]

View arriving into Cadiz:

 

The helipad is a great spot to sit and watch the ship come into port:

 

Swan Hellenic's Minerva was right behind us in port. I think we definitely surprised the passengers on the tiny little ship!

 

Vejer de la Frontera. A beautiful place, just not enough time there:

 

Here is a video of them letting go the lines and leaving Cadiz:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdvs2X2vLPM&feature=channel&list=UL