Bav

Is there an ironing board in a grand suite on Indy ? if not do they offer an ironing service ?

I wonder if crew have a preference in relation to tipping (probably for room service), and how much would they expect ? two euros ? three ?

Thankyou:)

If you book tours in advance (on line) does it cost less/or more than booking on the ship ? Also do the cruise ship charge for shuttle bus from ports to the respective towns ? (Barcelona,Palma etc) Thankyou

When served drinks in the Concierge Lounge, can you take them back to your cabin ?

I have read post which state the the concierge lounge in the Indy is small and dark.....and at times crowded. Does anybody have experience of this ? Is there a period when it is quieter ?:rolleyes:

Is there a DVD player in a Grand Suite on the Indy ?

Any knowledge please.

Are these voucher given out to suite passengers ?

We just returned from the 8 night Independence of the Seas cruise, and while the cruise itself was fantastic, the ship was in great shape, and we had an amazing time, we couldn't help but notice a few things that were concerning. Over the 15+ cruises we've done with Royal Caribbean, these issues were the worst we've ever experienced on a cruise.

 

1) Windjammer Café: By far, the area where we experienced the greatest examples of complete lack of manners. People pushing, butting in front of lines, and generally doing whatever they could to ensure they were first at the trough. People grabbing food with their bare hands was a common event, and I don't know about you, but I lose my appetite in a hurry when I watch people scooping out handfuls of pineapple, salad, hashbrowns, etc... rather than using the available tongs, or waiting a few seconds until the tongs were available. Nope, they'd just reach around the person in front of them, dig their hand in, and scoop out what they wanted. It was disgusting! It's no wonder there were cases of GI illness with behaviour like this. By the second half of the cruise, RC finally stepped in and the Windjammer was no longer a self-serve buffet. RC staff were given the responsibility of dishing out the food. This was good in one aspect, but created a whole other level of chaos as it slowed service down, a mass of people would form waiting for food, resulting in people pushing their way in front of others to make sure they got their food first. It was survival of the fittest, and not at all a relaxing experience having to deal with that. Thank goodness there are other options for food on the ship.

 

2) Deck chair hogs: Common problem, I know, but I can't stand watching the prime deck chairs sitting vacant for the entire day with nothing but a towel placed on them, where someone had claimed the chair early in the morning, then never bothered to return. The "half-hour rule" is non-existent. Not once did I ever see RC staff remove towels to free up these chairs. Perhaps I'm just too polite, and I should have just done it myself, and grabbed whatever seat I felt like, whenever I felt like it. That's just not my style. Similar to my experience in the Windjammer, I believe manners and proper etiquette are important. Sadly, I seem to be in the minority nowadays.

 

3) Smokers: This one isn't entirely their fault, as RC only has certain designated smoking areas. Just once though, it would be nice to walk through the high-traffic areas on the pool deck and not be subjected to walking through a cloud of cigarette and cigar smoke. Great example they're setting for the children swimming nearby. RC really needs to find them a better location to smoke.

 

As I said, we thoroughly enjoyed the actual cruise, it's just a shame that when some people go on vacation, they leave their manners at home. Sadly, this is a reality with cruising, but it seems this cruise was worse for this than we'd previously experienced. Hopefully the next one will be better.

Can I ask, was this the School Holiday period and were these uncouth beings in the Windjammer adults or children ? It beggars belief !

thank you that's great....could you be kind enough to post the e-mail address for me......thanks again

Please see e mail address below, also the e mail they sent to me

JCowley@rccl.com

09/08/2013

Dear Peter,

Further to your email, yes you can collect the 5 bottles from the main dining room , all at once or one at a time as you so wish and drink them on board or take them home

i am soon to go on independence of the seas and my booking includes a wine package , after discussing this with her who must be obeyed we have decided to take a drinks package....will I be able to bring my wine package (5 bottles) home with me

I e mailed RC and I received a reply which stated you can have all five bottle delivered to your room.....and take them all home if you do not open them..

I always take a bottle opener with me !!

We have:) a grande suite for our next cruise. (on Indy) I know we can use concierge lounge. If there is a Diamond Lounge on the Indy ? ,if so, can we use that as well ? We are not ' Diamond' .....yet.

Thankyou

Is the Diamond Lounge the same as the Concierge Lounge ?

Use them in your checked bags - no worries!

Sorry to be a bit thick( or a thick brit) but what do you Americans call checked bags ?

It is the cases that the porters take or your hand luggage ?