"Live" (its my plan) from Independence of the Seas February 9th 2014

[clwnmt2]

Well I am so glad CC figured out their problem or whatever they were doing. I missed your review and since I will be on the Indy in a couple weeks I was hoping to pass the time by reading your posts. Thanks again. We have so much snow here it makes me feel warm just seeing your pictures of people in the pool and such.

[LBumb]

great job

[niksmom630]

Basically agree that tower rooms are the best.

 

 

 

We actually had a top floor room with an amazing view of Port Everglades (including all the ships). Super view from up there.

 

 

Yes, we tried for a tower room, but the hotel was at full capacity, so no upgrades were available. We were in one if the tower buildings on the 4th floor, which at least had a marina view. Fingers crossed that photo bucket and CC cooperate tomorrow. Have lots if picks of labadee. It was an awesome day, and I am enjoying a sunset photo op with a glass of wine right now, the end to a perfect day!

 

 

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[CRUISEFAN0001]

Yes, we tried for a tower room, but the hotel was at full capacity, so no upgrades were available. We were in one if the tower buildings on the 4th floor, which at least had a marina view. Fingers crossed that photo bucket and CC cooperate tomorrow. Have lots if picks of labadee. It was an awesome day, and I am enjoying a sunset photo op with a glass of wine right now, the end to a perfect day!

Cool Beans!

 

Many of us are following the info and pics daily.

[ohlalalaur]

Thanks so much for taking your precious vacation time to post your daily experiences. I am super excited to come along, we've booked this same itinerary in December. Happy Cruising!!!!!

 

I'm on that sailing too! If you haven't joined the roll call yet, come and join it!

[BoxerLuver]

We are traveling on IOS on Feb. 23rd. (first time cruisers). I enjoyed Darth's review and look forward to yours! (We will be visiting the same islands).

Enjoy your trip

 

We are from NH and will be on the 23rd sailing too, after the snow storm today, can't wait to get out of this weather!!!

[GoNCruisnFamily]

Had to repost this question; realized it had gone into the ether when CC was down the other day.

Internet rates below, less your c & a discount of course...

 

What kind of C&A dissent is available? I have only sailed on RCCL once before, so I do have a C&A number. Is it progressive, so the discount gets bigger after more sailings?

 

Just want to have a firm idea of internet costs beforehand. My teens will want internet, so they need to know beforehand how much they can budget to buy.

 

Thanks.

[Clarea]

Had to repost this question; realized it had gone into the ether when CC was down the other day.

Internet rates below, less your c & a discount of course...

 

What kind of C&A dissent is available? I have only sailed on RCCL once before, so I do have a C&A number. Is it progressive, so the discount gets bigger after more sailings?

 

Just want to have a firm idea of internet costs beforehand. My teens will want internet, so they need to know beforehand how much they can budget to buy.

 

Thanks.

As a Gold C&A member, you will get a 10% discount on internet rates. As you cruise more and move up the C&A ladder, the max discount becomes 25% at the Diamond Plus level.

[niksmom630]

Good morning and welcome to Day 6! The weather is not looking too promising this morning. We just had a good downpour, as I am sitting up at the pool deck. The chair hogs will be greeted with soaking wet towels and books upon their return.

 

We really enjoyed our cabana on Labadee yesterday. It was a bit confusing when we first arrived-we couldn't find Nellies beach on the signage, but we tracked down a crew member, and were then directed to board one of the shuttles. I had wanted to arrive as early as possible, thinking we would have a better opportunity to change our assigned cabana location if we wanted. As it turned out, that was a good plan, because we did indeed wind up changing to a different cabana. The first one we were assigned was on the end, with a mostly interior view. The cabana we passed on....

 

 

And the cabana where we would ultimately spend the day....

 

 

 

Photos from Labadee throughout the day....

 

 

 

 

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[niksmom630]

 

 

This was the interior view from the original cabana we were assigned...

 

 

Loved these flowers...

 

 

 

 

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[LBumb]

great pics

wish I were on Labadee right now

[donnaandtim]

Great Job

 

If you don't mind me asking what cabana number did you pass on and which one did you get. We already have ours booked for March 2015, we can't wait just over a year to go.

[countess5]

Hi, would like to know more about the Hilton Marina hotel. We are booked there on April 11 pre-Indy cruise and again on April 20th for one day post cruise. We have a tower room that overlooks the intracoastal. Are there other rooms that are not in a tower? We have requested an upgrade for early check in on Sunday the 20th but will not know until that morning if we can get it. Thanks.

 

Never get tiered of the Labadee pics! Only been there once but what a great place.

 

I have to chime in on the Hilton Marina. The location is great so close to the pier but I have to say I would not stay there again. I always stay at Pier 66 but after mrfuninthesun posted about the Marina I had to try it. We booked a Jr. Suite with the breakfast and transportation to the pier. Got to the hotel around one and the front desk said the room was not ready but would rush it for us. I had asked for a room on the port side. Went to G for lunch (Fish tacos great) and a few drinks.

Room was not ready until 4:30 was put on the backside corner room in the tower over looking the marina. There are no amenities, only an empty refrigerator, no bottle water to even purchase, no mini bar. Room service had about five items on it so you had to go downstairs to a little bar where you stand in line to order something. Very unorganized! There was an ice machine on the floor but no machines with soda or water.

Went down the next morning for coffee and a large was $5, I don't usually pay that much for coffee (not a Starbucks guy), but I could not believe I had two coffees ( one for DW) for $10 plus tax.

Breakfast that morning was a buffet, the usual selection so nothing to crow about. The service was good however.

Blew off the transportation, was too many people and again not very well organized. Holland America had a rep there and that was about it. Grabbed a cab to the ship.

 

I would say if you are looking for a clean place to lay your head and nothing more but location it would be a place to stay. Just not my type of hotel with what it offers.

 

Back to Pier 66! :D

[chukli]

We sailed Indy last week, and I believe that they had a Pets at Sea. It was listed in the Cruise Compass, but I can't recall where it was. Never heard of it before the cruise, but it's a cute idea for little ones!

 

Yes, this store carries the cutest friends to take home. My daughter only asks for a special friend from this store on the cruise.

[dayzees13]

We did this exact cruise last February and loved it. Labadee was our favorite port. Thank you for the gorgeous pics! Hope you're having a great time.

[niksmom630]

Well, wifi time in dwindling. The sun has made an appearance, and I am off to do a bit of relaxing on this final day! I have many more photos to post, and will also attempt to backtrack for any questions I missed.

 

More of Labadee....

 

 

Barefoot beach cabana area...

 

 

Zip line....no thank you......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[niksmom630]

 

Leaving Labadee.... A gorgeous sunset

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[niksmom630]

We have ourselves a little rainbow this morning....

 

 

Sailing along side the Princess ship this morning...

 

 

 

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[Retiredprofessor]

Really enjoying sailing along with you. Thank you for including all of us on your cruise. Can I ask a couple of questions about your cabana on Nellies beach? First, I thought the cabanas on Nellies were on a first come basis. I know Barefoot cabanas are preassigned. How did you get an assigned cabana? We have a cabana booked for our Indy cruise but no specific number. And second were you able to eat at the buffet at Barefoot? Thanks in advance for a reply.

[niksmom630]

These were coming into Labadee yesterday...

 

 

 

Well, I have ALOT more photos from around the ship. I will be posting many more upon my return tomorrow. Thanks for following along!

 

 

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[niksmom630]

Really enjoying sailing along with you. Thank you for including all of us on your cruise. Can I ask a couple of questions about your cabana on Nellies beach? First, I thought the cabanas on Nellies were on a first come basis. I know Barefoot cabanas are preassigned. How did you get an assigned cabana? We have a cabana booked for our Indy cruise but no specific number. And second were you able to eat at the buffet at Barefoot? Thanks in advance for a reply.

 

 

We were told when we arrived that the cabanas were assigned that morning. When we arrived, they had a manifest of sorts with cabana numbers and names. I could not see the actual number on the page. When we were escorted to our cabana, I asked to be moved to a different one, and first was told that they could move us, but then said we might have to move back to our original location if the people whose cabana we switched to wanted it back! Huh??

 

Interestingly enough, our cabana attendant told us when we were ready for lunch to let him know, and he would escort us to the area. We wound up just going to the lunch area at Nellies, and then he came by later and dropped off special wristbands for the barefoot lunch buffet!

 

 

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[smmountaingal]

Never get tiered of the Labadee pics! Only been there once but what a great place.

 

I have to chime in on the Hilton Marina. The location is great so close to the pier but I have to say I would not stay there again. I always stay at Pier 66 but after mrfuninthesun posted about the Marina I had to try it. We booked a Jr. Suite with the breakfast and transportation to the pier. Got to the hotel around one and the front desk said the room was not ready but would rush it for us. I had asked for a room on the port side. Went to G for lunch (Fish tacos great) and a few drinks.

Room was not ready until 4:30 was put on the backside corner room in the tower over looking the marina. There are no amenities, only an empty refrigerator, no bottle water to even purchase, no mini bar. Room service had about five items on it so you had to go downstairs to a little bar where you stand in line to order something. Very unorganized! There was an ice machine on the floor but no machines with soda or water.

Went down the next morning for coffee and a large was $5, I don't usually pay that much for coffee (not a Starbucks guy), but I could not believe I had two coffees ( one for DW) for $10 plus tax.

Breakfast that morning was a buffet, the usual selection so nothing to crow about. The service was good however.

Blew off the transportation, was too many people and again not very well organized. Holland America had a rep there and that was about it. Grabbed a cab to the ship.

 

I would say if you are looking for a clean place to lay your head and nothing more but location it would be a place to stay. Just not my type of hotel with what it offers.

 

Back to Pier 66! :D

Thanks for your input on the Hilton Marina. How long ago did you stay there?

[murphy4]

thanks for the review, am planning on booking IOS for next March, my only RCCL ships to date are Allure and Oasis, aside from the size of the ship do you think there are many differences?

[CRUISEFAN0001]

thanks for the review, am planning on booking IOS for next March, my only RCCL ships to date are Allure and Oasis, aside from the size of the ship do you think there are many differences?

Having sailed on OASIS before....yes...there are some differences.

 

Still, INDY is a nice large ship with plenty to offer.

 

- You won't have the AquaTheater on the back like Oasis or Allure.

- You won't have the open Central Park area or Boardwalk areas or inside balconies near each.

- You won't have access to the Zipline.

- You won't have a few other lesser things.

 

- You will have the next largest RCI ship with this Freedom Class vessel.

- You will have a similar large Promenade area.

- You will availability of numerous places to eat in addition to the MDR.

- You will have access to 1 Flowrider (as opposed to 2 on Oasis/Allure).

- You will have access to many other similar common features.

 

We're looking forward to sailing INDY next month.

Edited February 15, 2014 by CRUISEFAN0001

[CRUISEFAN0001]

Watching INDY return to Port Everglades on their WEBCAM is always fun.