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There’s a firm NO to FOMO onboard Independence of the Seas®. Hang ten on the FlowRider® surf simulator. Go head to head in a glow-in-the-dark laser tag clash in Battle for Planet Z®. And score game-changing grub at Playmakers℠ Sports Bar & Arcade. From next-level thrills to lowkey chill, celebrate each day at sea exactly how you want.
I'm basing this review mostly on the service from our cabin steward (Ferdinand - 'The Bull') and the concierge customer service woman, May. Both of these people went above and beyond their duties to help my husband and myself enjoy the cruise. Ferdinand was as welcoming and helpful as anyone I've ever encountered on a ship (I've been cruising 40+ years). The cabin was impeccably kept and we are kind of slobs! May helped us with reservations and answered every question we asked. If she didn't know the answer, she would investigate and get us the information needed. As to the ship? Our cabin was quite nice as it was an upper class suite with a large balcony and a bathtub1 But, when it came to food? This ship is missing the boat.... The Windjammer food was...well...edible but that's about it. There was ONE station that was always good and that was the noodle bar. We had our dinner at Chops refunded as the meal was sub par. We ordered medium rare steaks - a skilled vet could have brought that meat back to life. We didn't ask for the refund but it was just given to us. A nicety we didn't expect. The casino was nice and fairly large although we hated the smoke. Most cruises we've been on lately are non-smoking except for certain open air areas....not the casino. In closing, Ferdinand and May made the trip! I'm not certain we will cruise on the Independence again though.
My husband and I had a great time on IOTS! We live in Ohio so the sunny Caribbean weather was awesome. Unfortunately we came home to about 3.5 inches of snow! We flew down a day early and had no issues with air travel. We did have a car rented in Atlanta (our layover) in case our flight to Miami was canceled due to the government shutdown or air traffic issues. We were notified by Delta in advance that our flights were not impacted so we canceled the car! Stayed close to the port at ALoft by Marriott in Brickell. It is a great location, walking distance to lots of restaurants and bars. Caught an UBER to the port in the morning for $15. We left on a Sunday and there were 8 boats in port that day and the traffic was HORRENDOUS! It took us an hour to go about 8 miles. Our UBER driver said it was worse than normal. We actually left about an hour late because people were late getting to port and they were loading luggage! We decided to book this cruise only 2 months in advance so we ended up in an Oceanview which is fine for us. However, the few times we've done oceanview it's been on much larger boats (Oasis Class). We were in room which was pretty good size, it didn't have a couch, just a small table and chair. Didn't have any issue with noise until we were docking back in Miami. We must of been right over the anchor or something because we had a nice wake up around 6 am! The location of the room was close to the elevators, one flight up and you were at the Royal Theater, 2 flights up you were at the Schooner Bar and a quick walk to the Casino and Playmakers. The dining is on the other end of the ship but it's not that big of a ship so the walk is easy. Our room steward Charles was awesome! Very accommodating. We did anytime dining and had a reservation every night at 6:45 at the same table since we really liked our server, AMIR. We thought the food in the dining room was very good. We could always find something we liked and didn't have a bad meal. My husband loves escargot and it was on the menu almost every night. We didn't do any specialty restaurants this trip. There is a Johnny Rockets on the boat but they don't offer breakfast, apparently that's only on the Oasis Class ships. We liked the set up for Playmakers. It was larger than what was on Oasis, took up the who "width" of the ship with plenty of TVs and tables/booths. Everyone we spoke with said the food was really good (chicken wings, burgers, etc all for an added cost). Had breakfast in the dining room a couple times it was always very good. The Windjammer had a large selection of foods at lunchtime when we went (which was only a few times) and they were very good. We ate breakfast there once and it was good. The Diamond lounge has a nice breakfast spread so we went there a lot since we aren't big eaters. Danish, bagels and lox, donuts, fruit, yogurt parfaits, lunchmeat, cheese and specialty coffee machine. This was a seven day cruise with three ports, Coco Caye was our first stop on Monday. We usually get a Cabana on Chill Beach with friends/family but since it was just the two of us we had a leisurely breakfast in the crown lounge (we're diamond) then walked off the boat around 10 am and decided to try the pool. The Star of the Seas was here too and we were worried there wouldn't be anywhere to sit, but we found a couple chairs by the pool with little effort. When we walked around the beaches we noticed lots of chairs and umbrellas even with this large boat here with us! As usual the food on the island was great, salads, mexican, burgers, hot dogs, cubans, cheese steaks, fries, fruit, ice cream, funnel cakes, and I'm sure I missed some stuff! All of it is complimentary and your drink vouchers (For Diamond and above) and drink packages all work on the island. It was a really hot day so we headed back on board around 2. Tuesday was a day at sea and Wednesday we were in San Juan. We've been a few times so we didn't go to the Fort that is right there by the Port, but highly recommend it if you've never been. We headed to Old San Juan. I wanted to check out the Umbrella street I had read about and the old Cathedral. Turns out they don't do the Umbrella's anymore so that was a disappointment, but the Cathedral was nice. Had a nice day walking around the various sites. Stopped at a small park that had a ton of pigeons. People were paying a small fee to feed them and the birds were landing all over the people/kids. Park had some nice water views. A local recommended a great Gelato place, Anita's Gelato, so we went there. Yes it was weird getting gelato in San Juan but it was very good! Thursday we were in St Maarten and did a Catamaran tour. Booked it through Shore Excursions and it was a nice time. Smaller size boat only 15 of us and 2 crew, left at 12-1230 and we were back by 4pm. We went snorkeling and hit another beach snorkel area where we all just hung out in the water. It included beer, rum punch and some small turkey sandwiches. Also had soda and water. For $119/pp it was a good tour. Ship all aboard was 5:30 so we walked the 15 minutes back to the dock with plenty of time to spare. Last two days we were at sea. We enjoy our days at sea and the weather was great for sun bathing. We prefer the top deck so we get a breeze and there were always chairs available when we'd go up there around 10 or 1030. The Solarium was usually slammed with few if any chairs available at that time. The Solarium on this ship isn't closed in so if it rains you'll get wet. Kids were having a blast in the splash pool. It had slides and water buckets etc. There were two main pools that got pretty crowded considering the heat. Entertainment was pretty good. Their production show was Grease and it was very good. It was also the last showing of it as they're replacing it with something else on future sailings. We think they had a showing of the new show, it was called Let's Dance, or something like that. It was very good, filled with a lot of dancers but it's not a "show/musical". They had a ventriloquist and comedian onboard and those shows were good too. Think we saw the ventriloquist before. We got a late departure on Sunday since we were spending the night in Miami. That process was smooth, went to breakfast in dining room then waited to be called in the Theatre. Once we got our bags we requested an UBER and it was there to pick us up in about 8 minutes. Since we had a flight monday morning at 6 AM we stayed out by the airport at the Marriott TownPlace Suites. There was a Courtyard and Residence also in the "complex". We walked to the Courtyard and had dinner at their sports bar/restaurant and it was very good. We were told the Miami Airport is usually a zoo and to get their early. We arranged for a 3:50 AM pick up and were at the airport by 4 AM. However none of the Delta ticket counters were open so everyone was standing in line waiting for them to open. TSA lines weren't open either. Delta counter opened around 4:20 and so did the TSA. We were TSA PreChecked so had no wait. The main line wasn't too long, but longer than I would expect at this early hour. Overall, it was a great week. Even won in the Casino! Next cruise is on Oasis in January 2026 with friends, can't wait!
Embarkation and disembarkation were done very efficiently and as quickly as possible. Beautiful ship, kept very clean (yes she shows a bit of age here and there but that did not affect anyone on the ship!). Crew EVERYWHERE were terrific, very friendly. Solarium pool was clean! Food in MDR was very good, Windjammer food and organization could have been better....but then it was ALWAYS crowded....but, LOVED the folks doing the "washy-washy" at the entrance, LOTS of energy! Shows, comedians were great as were the performers. We had an awesome cabin steward, head waiter and assistant waiter and they MADE the cruise very enjoyable, very communicable and willing to do whatever we needed/wanted. Excursions were very well done and thought out for comfort and knowledge and efficient in getting us to and from the ship. We are "Loyal to Royal" since 97', cruise number 5 and we'll be back! We highly recommend it!
AWARD-WINNING AWE-INSPIRING ACCOMMODATION
Redefining the cruising experience one room at a time. Our staterooms are an alluring escape from the non-stop action that our cruise ships are known for. From our spectacular views to our deluxe amenities, a stay with us is like nothing else at sea.
TASTE THE BOLD
Savour every bite of batter fried goodness poolside at the new Fish & Ships℠ seafood spot. Take your taste buds on a trip to the Far East at Izumi, where fresh Asian-inspired flavours are literally on a roll. Or indulge in prime cuts of meat and steakhouse classics at Chops Grille℠. Whatever you’re craving, you’ll find plenty of delicious ways to fuel up between adventures onboard.
FISH & SHIPS℠
Order up batter-fried favourites at Fish & Ships℠ – the new seafood spot that’s just within splashing distance of the pool.
IZUMI
Say “Konnichiwa” to a reimagined favourite. Sushi, sashimi and more, all made to order with intense flavours, the best ingredients and impeccable presentation. Now that's fresh.
CHOP'S GRILLE℠
For more than a decade, the chefs of Chops Grille℠ have proudly presented quality, hand-cut prime steaks at this hallmark Royal Caribbean restaurant.
GO ON A WINNING STREAK OR LOAD UP ON EPIC SWEETS
You’ll find endless new surprises onboard just waiting to thrill you – whatever your age. At Playmakers℠ Sports Bar & Arcade, both kids and adults will have a blast making their own legendary plays at the arcade – all while tucking in to match-day favourites like wings, popcorn shrimp and burgers. Just make sure to save room dessert at Sugar Beach℠, where over-the-top ice cream creations and sugar-coated surprises will make even the most seasoned sweet tooths feel like kids again.
PLAYMAKERS℠ SPORTS BAR & ARCADE
It’s always game on at Playmakers℠ Sports Bar & Arcade, where you can catch your home team live on 50 screens or face off against your friends. With a menu of game day favourites and icy-cold draughts on tap, anything you order is a winner. Like the signature Playmakers Burger, the buffalo wings or the four-scoop Touchdown Sundae.
SUGAR BEACH℠
Treat your sweet tooth to every sweet under the sun – plus a few sugar-coated surprises. Sugar Beach℠ is stocked to maximum candy capacity with all your favourite confections.
Enrichment programs or classes cover a wide range of topics, from wine tasting to arts and crafts.
MAXED OUT ON THRILLS
Forget everything you thought you knew about cruising and get ready for next level thrills at every turn.
THE PERFECT STORM℠
Grab a buddy and plunge through three storeys of twisting, turning thrills to the bottom of the dual racer slides Typhoon℠ and Cyclone℠. The conditions are just right – for The Perfect Storm℠.
Treat yourself to some TLC onboard Independence of the Seas®, with an incredible selection of health and wellness options, from luxurious spa treatments to high energy workouts.
With a wealth of amazing features especially for kids and teens, plus fantastic entertainment and activities that families can enjoy together, it’s easy to see why Independence of the Seas® was voted the best cruise ship for families in the Cruise Critic Cruisers’ Choice Awards in 2015.
SPLASHAWAY BAY℠
The fun comes in gallons. This bigger, better kids' aqua park features slides, water cannons, waterfalls and more. And when the drench bucket gets full, everyone gets wet.
