Independence of the Seas & General RC questions

Hey everyone - we're cruising in the Indie (Indy?) in November. It's our first time on RC. (We've done Princess & Norwegian.) I have some questions, please.

Is there smoking in the casino?

How's the drink package? We like both Princess & Norwegian's packages.

I've been reading some reviews and there seems to be a general consensus that the MDR food is not excellent. Any thoughts on this?

We're staying on the bulge - are these rooms shaped weirdly? Any pros or cons to these rooms?

Can a 19 year old drink while in International waters?

On one review I read, the writer said, "It took until day 5 before we learned that we could ignore the "Diamond and above only" sign outside King Lear and get the full table service with poached egg option. " Is this true? Are there other secrets that I should be aware of?

Any help is appreciated. Thank you!

There is smoking in the casino, unless the cruise is based in the UK or Australia.

Hump staterooms are shaped the same as other side-facing non-hump staterooms in the same category.

19-year olds cannot drink if the cruise is based out of the US.

Hey everyone - we're cruising in the Indie (Indy?) in November. It's our first time on RC. (We've done Princess & Norwegian.) I have some questions, please.

 

 

 

Is there smoking in the casino?

 

 

 

How's the drink package? We like both Princess & Norwegian's packages.

 

 

 

I've been reading some reviews and there seems to be a general consensus that the MDR food is not excellent. Any thoughts on this?

 

 

 

We're staying on the bulge - are these rooms shaped weirdly? Any pros or cons to these rooms?

 

 

 

Can a 19 year old drink while in International waters?

 

 

 

On one review I read, the writer said, "It took until day 5 before we learned that we could ignore the "Diamond and above only" sign outside King Lear and get the full table service with poached egg option. " Is this true? Are there other secrets that I should be aware of?

 

 

 

Any help is appreciated. Thank you!

First off, NO a 19 can't drink even in international waters, since the ship's policy is 21.

There is smoking in casino and on pool deck, one side only.

Cabins on bulge have a little bigger balconies but room is not wiered.

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... Cabins on bulge have a little bigger balconies but room is not wiered.

Hump staterooms have the same size balcony other side-facing non-hump staterooms in the same category.

Thank you for the responses. Are there smoke free days/nights in the casino? We love to gamble, but it gets pretty stinky.

Thank you for the responses. Are there smoke free days/nights in the casino? We love to gamble, but it gets pretty stinky.

More often than not, we no longer see smoke free nights in the casino since they have disallowed smoking on balconies. The casino has become the defacto smoking lounge.

Thank you for the responses. Are there smoke free days/nights in the casino? We love to gamble, but it gets pretty stinky.

Not sure what you like to play but there are a few non-smoking blackjack tables, near the entrance by the photo gallery, that weren't bad in terms of smoke.

Not sure what you like to play but there are a few non-smoking blackjack tables, near the entrance by the photo gallery, that weren't bad in terms of smoke.

That will do perfectly! Thank you.

Hey everyone - we're cruising in the Indie (Indy?) in November. packages.

 

 

 

On one review I read, the writer said, "It took until day 5 before we learned that we could ignore the "Diamond and above only" sign outside King Lear and get the full table service with poached egg option. " Is this true? Are there other secrets that I should be aware of?

Why would you give any credence to a reviewer who ignores the private event sign and then sneaks in. His jealousy and inability to cope with someone getting more them him is disgusting. Perhaps he also lurks in the background trying to figure out how to get a free cocktail.

If it is posted Diamonds only I wouldn't go in. However, you can go to the main dining room on the bottom floor and get made to order breakfast.

The drink packages depend on what and how much you may drink. The deluxe (premium or what ever they call the top package) covers pretty much everything under $12 and includes fresh squeezed juice, bottled water, and soda.

The food is subjective. I have never had anything that I didn't like except I can't understand for the life of me why I keep ordering eggs Benedict when 9 out of 10 times the egg is too hard. The main thing with the food is they have to pre cook some of it and then finish it as you order. That means it will be on par with a banquet. A good banquet but a banquet none the less. They have to feed 3,000 or more people in a very short period of time.

Never had a problem with MDR food. I think the main issue is that if you have been on 10+ cruises the food is the same so I guess you could get tired of it and looking for something else.

The buldge rooms are bulged because of the elevators. Only issue is that the inside and outside walls aren't squared. So there might be a little wasted space but the view from the balcony makes up for it.

Why would you give any credence to a reviewer who ignores the private event sign and then sneaks in. His jealousy and inability to cope with someone getting more them him is disgusting. Perhaps he also lurks in the background trying to figure out how to get a free cocktail.

That could very well be a point I hadn't considered. On Princess, you can't get into perk level events without showing your room key, which is colored depending on what loyalty level you are. People in suites get an extra place to have breakfast, for example, but you can't get in without showing your suite card.

If they go on the trust system for their events on RCI, he indeed was sneaking in.

The drink packages depend on what and how much you may drink. The deluxe (premium or what ever they call the top package) covers pretty much everything under $12 and includes fresh squeezed juice, bottled water, and soda.

How about special coffee?

How about special coffee?

The Deluxe package includes specialty coffees, such as espresso, cappucino, and latte.

Can i just check staterooms have both Euro and US power sockets please and also you can bring a power strip on board, have read elsewhere they take these off you now ?

Thanks

Can i just check staterooms have both Euro and US power sockets please and also you can bring a power strip on board, have read elsewhere they take these off you now ?

 

Thanks

Yes, Indy staterooms have one 100V US outlets and one 220V Euro outlet near the vanity. There is also a combo US/Euro outlet in the bathroom for shavers only. Can't help with the power strip policy out of Southampton.

We were one the TA last month. There is smoking in the casino and there was a strong cigarette odor in the casino.

I had the eggs benedict and this was the first time I did not like them. Eggs were fine but very little canadian bacon or hollandaise sauce.

Never had a problem with MDR food. I think the main issue is that if you have been on 10+ cruises the food is the same so I guess you could get tired of it and looking for something else.

 

The buldge rooms are bulged because of the elevators. Only issue is that the inside and outside walls aren't squared. So there might be a little wasted space but the view from the balcony makes up for it.

Have had hump cabins on several ships and not understanding your comment about the elevators. Have never noticed elevators having anything to do with hump cabins. Elevators are in their own lobby area and hump cabins are down a corridor.

Can i just check staterooms have both Euro and US power sockets please and also you can bring a power strip on board, have read elsewhere they take these off you now ?

 

Thanks

I used a power strip on Indy last October and plan to take when next month when I sail on her again

first off, no a 19 can't drink even in international waters, since the ship's policy is 21.

 

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wrong!

19-year-olds definitely cannot drink on a cruise that originates from a US port. Different rules for other countries; depends where cruise originates from.

wrong!

Answer based upon what?

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Answer based upon what?

 

 

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The drink policy on cruises from Southampton UK is 18 and over. Parents/guardians have to sign a waiver agreeing to this.

First off, NO a 19 can't drink even in international waters, since the ship's policy is 21.

There is smoking in casino and on pool deck, one side only.

Cabins on bulge have a little bigger balconies but room is not wiered.

 

 

 

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Don't think this is correct, my son is 20 and it allowed us to add a Premium Drinks Package for him but we couldn't for a 16 year old (not that we were going to i might add). We sail from Southampton this weekend and it did state that Under 18's could not add the drinks package but Over 18's can, obviously complying with UK Licensing Laws. I would therefore presume an 18 year old would be able to order alcoholic drinks even if they didn't have the package.

drinking age is the licensing law of the port you originally set sail from. from Southampton parents have to sign a waiver for under 21. then they can buy the drinks package or order individual drinks as required. You can not drink under 21 on any cruise originating from a us port