Independence of the Seas - last minute questions!!

[lovetravel1114]

I am sailing this weekend on Independence of the seas to celebrate my dad's 70's birthday with my family of 4 incl 2 small kids,

my parents and a brother, total 7 of us.

We had cruises with other cruise lines but all first time with RCCL. 

I have done some research but couldn't find all the answers and would like to get some help. 

Your comments on any of following will be greatly appreciated! 

 

1. We are staying in suites and just got a message from concierge as a reply of my question, if there are any specific nights that MDR is recommended

over specialty restaurants (because my parents are not huge fan of buffet and probably will go either specialty restaurant of MDR for dinners).

The concierge recommended MDR on formal nights which is 3, 10 and 13th day. 

I was wondering if there is any difference in themes or ambiance on each formal nights or is it pretty much the same?

Any other nights do you recommend to stay in MDR ? 

 

2. I am trying to arrange celebration dinner in one of the specialty restaurants or on chef's table (I guess it is table in MDR?) 

Which one would you recommend and do they do birthday cakes or anything for the special occasion?

 

3. Concierge said that there are reserved seats in the shows for suite and diamond/pinnacle guests and advised to arrive 15mins before the show.

Is it usually competitive or easy to get a seat?  I wonder how early I should arrive to get a seat safely. I guess it is full ship on this sailing

as in the middle of school hols. 

 

4. Concierge confirmed that there are no bed guards available.

I am planning to put my 2 kids(4 and 8) in the king bed to share or one each in single beds, but little bit worried about 4 yrs old

as I will be sleeping in different room.

I have fordable bed guard at home, would it be worth to carry it? 

 

Thank you! 

 

Edited July 22, 2019 by lovetravel1114

[Biker19]

6 minutes ago, lovetravel1114 said:

Any other nights do you recommend to stay in MDR ? 

The night lamb shank is on the menu.

[kernow]

In a suite you usually get a copy of that days dinner menu delivered (if not there is one in the suite lounge) so you can decide if you want to go to MDR or speciality. Formal nights on sailings from Southampton are usually well observed so feel free to dress up on all of them!

 

Speciality restaurants are a personal preference but my favourite would be Giovannis. Chefs Table is nice but you share one table with other people so maybe not what you would want for a family celebration. You can order a birthday cake to be delivered, there is normally a charge but as you are in a suite do it through the concierge and you never know.

 

On Indy reserved seats are on the upper balcony, not our favourite position so we would go early to get seats lower down. The reserved seats are held until 10 mins before performance then open to anyone. When we were on in May seats for Grease were very popular, we got there 30 minutes early as the doors opened as did many others. Other shows were not so full. The reserved seats in the ice rink are in a good position.

 

Sorry I have no idea about bed guards.

[lovetravel1114]

28 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

The night lamb shank is on the menu.

Oh..I love lamb shank..Thanks for the useful information..

[Clarea]

39 minutes ago, lovetravel1114 said:

 ...

😎I was wondering if there is any difference in themes or ambiance on each formal nights or is it pretty much the same? ...

 

 

No significant difference that I've noticed.

[jmnathan]

I'm on this cruise too, just planning what to pack and trying to decide quite how formal to go on the formal nights. I am trying to decide between suit and tux, I assume suit is allowed in the MDR.

[Clarea]

1 minute ago, jmnathan said:

 ...  I assume suit is allowed in the MDR.

 

No problem.

[lovetravel1114]

21 minutes ago, kernow said:

In a suite you usually get a copy of that days dinner menu delivered (if not there is one in the suite lounge) so you can decide if you want to go to MDR or speciality. Formal nights on sailings from Southampton are usually well observed so feel free to dress up on all of them!

 

Speciality restaurants are a personal preference but my favourite would be Giovannis. Chefs Table is nice but you share one table with other people so maybe not what you would want for a family celebration. You can order a birthday cake to be delivered, there is normally a charge but as you are in a suite do it through the concierge and you never know.

 

On Indy reserved seats are on the upper balcony, not our favourite position so we would go early to get seats lower down. The reserved seats are held until 10 mins before performance then open to anyone. When we were on in May seats for Grease were very popular, we got there 30 minutes early as the doors opened as did many others. Other shows were not so full. The reserved seats in the ice rink are in a good position.

 

Sorry I have no idea about bed guards.

Thanks very much for the details. I am in charge of planning and so much things to think of!

I saw the reviews about Southampton departure more formal in formal nights and all of us are taking tux and dress!

[kernow]

You will not be out of place in a tux on Indy, many men (including DH) wore them.

[vickiw0318]

The beds aren't all that high off the ground.  There's no box spring and the mattress isn't as thick as mine here at home.  Perhaps, you could just take the cushions off the couch/sofa and place them on the ground on either side your 4 year old's bed.  

[loveheart]

2 hours ago, jmnathan said:

I'm on this cruise too, just planning what to pack and trying to decide quite how formal to go on the formal nights. I am trying to decide between suit and tux, I assume suit is allowed in the MDR.

You can be as formal as you like. On our cruise 3 weeks ago it was pretty much half and half, tuxedo's and normal suits. I only saw 1 guy in the MDR in jeans.

Women were in long dresses, cocktail dresses, trousers with smart tops etc.

[taglovestocruise]

5 hours ago, lovetravel1114 said:

 2. I am trying to arrange celebration dinner in one of the specialty restaurants or on chef's table (I guess it is table in MDR?) 

Which one would you recommend and do they do birthday cakes or anything for the special occasion?

 

Chef's table on Indy was a pretty good experience.  There is a Romeo and Juliet bump out balcony in-between the second and third level of the MDR. One table that holds about 14.    And OH YEA to biker19, I to love the lamb shank.  happy cruising

[h20skibum]

We are currently on Indy, and this is night 10. Lamb shank was on tonight’s menu.  

 

This is our second formal night, and maybe 80% have been in tuxes, and cocktail dresses.  The difference is night and day, from what you find in a typical Caribbean cruise. I always have my tux, and I am glad I packed it. 

 

We are waiting for Grease to start, and seats would be hard to find at 15 minutes before the show 

 

as as far as dinner in the MDR, just order a Chops filet if you don’t find something you like.  It is only a $20 up charge, and no different than you would get there. 

[Merion_Mom]

16 minutes ago, h20skibum said:

We are currently on Indy, and this is night 10. Lamb shank was on tonight’s menu.  

 

This is our second formal night, and maybe 80% have been in tuxes, and cocktail dresses.  The difference is night and day, from what you find in a typical Caribbean cruise. I always have my tux, and I am glad I packed it. 

 

We are waiting for Grease to start, and seats would be hard to find at 15 minutes before the show 

 

as as far as dinner in the MDR, just order a Chops filet if you don’t find something you like.  It is only a $20 up charge, and no different than you would get there. 

 

I experienced the same thing on my Independence cruise out of Southampton a few years ago:  The shows are VERY well attended, and seats fill EARLY and COMPLETELY.

[lovetravel1114]

19 hours ago, vickiw0318 said:

The beds aren't all that high off the ground.  There's no box spring and the mattress isn't as thick as mine here at home.  Perhaps, you could just take the cushions off the couch/sofa and place them on the ground on either side your 4 year old's bed.  

I think I will do that..thanks for sharing. 

[brillohead]

Other ideas for kids' bedding:

--Push king bed up against the wall on younger child's side of the bed, and put older child on other edge. 

--Ask room steward to roll up towels into a long tube and put under fitted sheet to form a "hump" at the edge of the bed. 

[lovetravel1114]

22 hours ago, brillohead said:

Other ideas for kids' bedding:

--Push king bed up against the wall on younger child's side of the bed, and put older child on other edge. 

--Ask room steward to roll up towels into a long tube and put under fitted sheet to form a "hump" at the edge of the bed. 

Thanks for the ideas. I might ask the room steward to make bumps in between the children as well as the edge

so they don't get to kick and wake up each other..:)

[brillohead]

4 hours ago, lovetravel1114 said:

Thanks for the ideas. I might ask the room steward to make bumps in between the children as well as the edge

so they don't get to kick and wake up each other..:)

Or a couple extra pillows, end-to-end, from head to toe, might work even better.  A "bump" might just deflect the limb up like a ramp, whereas a pillow would be more inclined to absorb the kick.  

[wirral36]

On 7/22/2019 at 12:32 PM, lovetravel1114 said:

I am sailing this weekend on Independence of the seas to celebrate my dad's 70's birthday with my family of 4 incl 2 small kids,

my parents and a brother, total 7 of us.

We had cruises with other cruise lines but all first time with RCCL. 

I have done some research but couldn't find all the answers and would like to get some help. 

Your comments on any of following will be greatly appreciated! 

 

1. We are staying in suites and just got a message from concierge as a reply of my question, if there are any specific nights that MDR is recommended

over specialty restaurants (because my parents are not huge fan of buffet and probably will go either specialty restaurant of MDR for dinners).

The concierge recommended MDR on formal nights which is 3, 10 and 13th day. 

I was wondering if there is any difference in themes or ambiance on each formal nights or is it pretty much the same?

Any other nights do you recommend to stay in MDR ? 

 

2. I am trying to arrange celebration dinner in one of the specialty restaurants or on chef's table (I guess it is table in MDR?) 

Which one would you recommend and do they do birthday cakes or anything for the special occasion?

 

3. Concierge said that there are reserved seats in the shows for suite and diamond/pinnacle guests and advised to arrive 15mins before the show.

Is it usually competitive or easy to get a seat?  I wonder how early I should arrive to get a seat safely. I guess it is full ship on this sailing

as in the middle of school hols. 

 

4. Concierge confirmed that there are no bed guards available.

I am planning to put my 2 kids(4 and 😎 in the king bed to share or one each in single beds, but little bit worried about 4 yrs old

as I will be sleeping in different room.

I have fordable bed guard at home, would it be worth to carry it? 

 

Thank you! 

 

I took my bed guards last time. U can also buy some of the blow up bed guards to take with u. So that’s another option 

[lovetravel1114]

On 8/1/2019 at 9:23 PM, wirral36 said:

I took my bed guards last time. U can also buy some of the blow up bed guards to take with u. So that’s another option 

Thanks for your comments. I am on Independence now, already 1of 2 weeks passed. 😭

So far well managed with pillow bumps. Didn't know there is blow up bed guards! Something to consider for next holiday. 

[cb at sea]

Or, bring a "pool noodle"...they aren't heavy and will wrap around the inside of a suitcase....Put THAT under the sheet....some are bigger in diameter than others, so find a larger one, if needed.