All things Independence of the Seas

[blackpool belle]

Will do! :)

 

I am going to post my question in general on the RCI thread.

 

I am hopping mad at the moment because of the big price drop on our cruise. I phoned our TA to ask if we could change our inside and balcony cabins to 2 guarantee balconies but the answer was NO. This was because apparently when I booked initially it was as a "group booking" but what is galling me is that I was never told that by the TA which I think is just a little bit sneaky. Surely I should have been told that or at least offered an individual booking. Now somebody is going to book last minute and get a higher catagory balcony than me for £800 less :mad: TA's are always banging on about booking early to get the best discounts which is a complete contradiction to what has happened.

[alphakitty]

Did everyone see this video:?

 

 

Pretty Kool. I put it on the main page and then remembered this thread.

 

Hey Liz, do you like Indy better than Liberty?? Is the art neater??

 

I have a hunch about the names, but your Ken has one of them...good luck AlphaKitty

 

Thanks Becci! Win or lose, we had an amazing time on Indy and that's a big win to me! :) I like Oasis too! ;)

[tomko2]

Will do! :)

 

I am going to post my question in general on the RCI thread.

 

I am hopping mad at the moment because of the big price drop on our cruise. I phoned our TA to ask if we could change our inside and balcony cabins to 2 guarantee balconies but the answer was NO. This was because apparently when I booked initially it was as a "group booking" but what is galling me is that I was never told that by the TA which I think is just a little bit sneaky. Surely I should have been told that or at least offered an individual booking. Now somebody is going to book last minute and get a higher catagory balcony than me for £800 less :mad: TA's are always banging on about booking early to get the best discounts which is a complete contradiction to what has happened.

 

 

Ouch! Doesn't a TA have to tell you if you are part of a group booking?

[Chia Chonga]

Hiya

 

my husband is a big Chelsea fan

 

Wouldn't a "BIG" Chelsea fan be in Moscow?:D:p;)

[blackpool belle]

Ouch! Doesn't a TA have to tell you if you are part of a group booking?

 

You would have thought so wouldn't you. Definitely a lesson learnt and it's the last business this particular TA gets from me.

[nerysj]

You would have thought so wouldn't you. Definitely a lesson learnt and it's the last business this particular TA gets from me.

 

I'm on a bit of a learning curve here...........so if you book through a TA (as I have, here in the UK) and I have had quite a bit off the RCI brochure price, where would I find a reduced price (if there was one) Unlikely on our 26th July cruise, but I am just curious?!!

[Cazz]

Please excuse my first attempt at uploading photos. They are small as per the rules, hope they are not too small to see.

 

Wonderful time! Mum said she had a once in a lifetime wonderful experience, so I'm pleased about that.

I was disappointed in a few small things overall - the comment earlier about running out of champagne may explain the first disappointment - I had preordered champagne and dipped strawberries for the stateroom as a surprise on arrival for Mum's 80th, but they weren't there and we had them the following day.

 

Food in the dining room was excellent, and food in Windjammer was very good too, but oh dear the effort of finding a table, and no help from the attendants, for the many less than able guests, to carry plates etc.

 

But please, my cruise critic fellows, dont get the wrong idea, we had a wonderful time on the inaugural, and almost everything was very well organised and delightful. We were surprised every evening to see a new special inaugural gift at turndown, pic of one attached (the chocs in boxes of course not the towel animal!).

 

The shows are spectacular, especially the last night, top class entertainment.

[Cazz]

Well, the pics did not appear as attachments - so I'm off to read the help to see what I did wrong.

[Cazz]

Well, the pics did not appear as attachments - so I'm off to read the help to see what I did wrong.

 

second try

[blackpool belle]

I'm on a bit of a learning curve here...........so if you book through a TA (as I have, here in the UK) and I have had quite a bit off the RCI brochure price, where would I find a reduced price (if there was one) Unlikely on our 26th July cruise, but I am just curious?!!

 

You can actually track the prices on the RCI website but on this occasion I was alerted to the price drop by receiving an e-mail from a different TA who are always sending me e-mails. (Don't know how these people get your e-mail addresses)

[Hope2havefun]

Wouldn't a "BIG" Chelsea fan be in Moscow?:D:p;)

 

Ha Ha. Well, that has been suggested by him to cancel cruise and go!!!! I said that if I could find a hunky enough man to take his place in 2 weeks he can!! :D

[Hope2havefun]

Thanks Liz and Albert. Hopefully he will be in luck. Cant believe its our first night though, of course, as I said earlier, if I can find a dishy enough replacement for him he can go to watch it live in Moscow!! :D

[debs1505]

My mum and dad boarded the IOS this afternoon. Said it is amazing! They have done lots of cruises before (Carnival & RCCL) and she said it is the height of the ship that has amazed her. They have a balcony cabin on the 14 deck - average size cabin but a huge balcony. They are going off for the muster now and she will report back after their first dining experience!

[timespliters]

Independence of the Seas sets sail from Southampton from May 2008 and will remain sailing from Southampton in 2009.

[MrsShash]

WOW... Mountains of information on this post :eek:

 

Booked to head out on the IOS on the 29th November and can't wait... thank you all for the info... keep it coming!!

 

:)

[Gixer]

Hello everyone -

 

Do you mind if I share my excitment with you? nobody else is home at the moment and Im about to burst.....I just switched our Grand suite to Owners suite 1340 - centre hump! Its my dream cabin and I am very, very lucky to be able to book it :D

[Elizanessie]

Hello everyone -

 

Do you mind if I share my excitment with you? nobody else is home at the moment and Im about to burst.....I just switched our Grand suite to Owners suite 1340 - centre hump! Its my dream cabin and I am very, very lucky to be able to book it :D

 

Wow congratulations on your new cabin choice :D tell me are you dancing around with a grin on your face? :D

[Legalneen]

:D Well that smile says it all - what a great weekend we've just had. This is my first cruise so I have nothing to compare it with. However I just can't see how any other ship or cruise line could live up to the vastness, glitz and glamour of the Independence - that's my opinion anyway! I really don't have any negatives about the weekend. There was champagne at the Captain's reception, although I did only have one glass, perhaps the early diners had drunk it all ;) !! The freebies were a nice touch - we watched the DVD earlier and found my husband on it while he was on the climbing wall!!! Caz, after seeing your towel animal, I think our attendant must have been in "towel animal training" - I think they were an elephant and snake, but possibly could have been other things - they made me smile anyway!!! We didn't get chocs though!! I think I need to go back!!! I really didn't want to get off the ship this morning, luckily we weren't the first to get off and managed to get in yet another "round of golf"! I did wake up at around 4.30 a.m. and watched from our balcony as we came back into port.

 

I must apologise to my fellow CCers who I was supposed to meet up with on Saturday afternoon - well, I got lost!!! I really hadn't got my bearings at that time and as we were just coming into Cobh at the same time, I just couldn't drag myself away from being outside and watching it all! Next time, I will know where I'm going!!!

 

Nina

[timespliters]

more about IoS

 

http://www.travelmole.tv/watch_vdo.php?sid=62&id=1429

[timespliters]

a bit more

 

http://www.travelmole.tv/watch_vdo.php?sid=62&id=1429

[Lisa-UK]

Hi

 

Thanks for posting the vids. Looks even more amazing that I had ever imagined. Great to hear everyone's reviews and this is certainly a brilliant thread.

 

Many thanks to those who have posted.

 

Gixer: WOW you will certainly be living the high life. I bet you can't wait now. :D

[frannie]

Hello everyone -

 

Do you mind if I share my excitment with you? nobody else is home at the moment and Im about to burst.....I just switched our Grand suite to Owners suite 1340 - centre hump! Its my dream cabin and I am very, very lucky to be able to book it :D

Gixer Congrats on your new cabin I went on the RCCL web site and all the suites show as N?A does that mean they are all sold out . I am very curious as to what RCCL were charging for the large suites . The RCCL book I picked up at the TA did not have any pricing tables like most cruise lines . I do not think I would be able to afford such luxury . Glad to know it will not be empty on the cruise

[Gixer]

Gixer Congrats on your new cabin I went on the RCCL web site and all the suites show as N?A does that mean they are all sold out . I am very curious as to what RCCL were charging for the large suites . The RCCL book I picked up at the TA did not have any pricing tables like most cruise lines . I do not think I would be able to afford such luxury . Glad to know it will not be empty on the cruise

 

I had a quick look at an online travel web site -

 

At the moment there are 4 owners suites left and available on my sailing (25th Apr 09) $6468.00 pp. We have our 2 kids sailing with us and they paid a reduced rate.

 

There are also 7 Grand suites available to book and they come out at $5118.00 pp

 

Are you on the same cruise as me Frannie? If so please come up to our cabin for a look around and a glass of wine you will be most welcome :D

[frannie]

I had a quick look at an online travel web site -

 

At the moment there are 4 owners suites left and available on my sailing (25th Apr 09) $6468.00 pp. We have our 2 kids sailing with us and they paid a reduced rate.

 

There are also 7 Grand suites available to book and they come out at $5118.00 pp

 

Are you on the same cruise as me Frannie? If so please come up to our cabin for a look around and a glass of wine you will be most welcome :D

 

Gixer Thank you so much for the info . I am sorry to say I will not be able to take you up on your most generous offer. We will be on the Feb7th sailing . All the suites seem to show N/A for our sailing so I was just curious as to the cost . I am sure you will have a wonderful time with all the extra room

[Gixer]

Gixer Thank you so much for the info . I am sorry to say I will not be able to take you up on your most generous offer. We will be on the Feb7th sailing . All the suites seem to show N/A for our sailing so I was just curious as to the cost . I am sure you will have a wonderful time with all the extra room

 

Wow Frannie its not just the suites that are a no show for your 7th Feb sailing, I ran a search and couldnt find anything! Zilch! not even a stowaway cabin in steerage! :D I guess that must mean that the entire cruise is sold out?! I wonder if your sailing at a school break time in the UK? either way Im sure your going to have a fantastic cruise.

 

I did read somewhere about a website where you can find out how full your ship is, much the same way as you can find out how full your flight is, it would be interesting to find out if your sailing really is totally booked out. Id quite like to know how mine is doing too, Im the only person on the roll call so far :(