All things Independence of the Seas

[4everafter]

wow i found us all the way back on page 5:eek:

 

can someone answer my question regarding wireless cabins? is it true and if yes...how does it work?

 

I can only speak for myself but on the last 3 RCCL cruises I've been on I haven't had any problems using my laptop in our room the whole time. Navigator, Sovereign & Liberty. You have to go to their internet cafe and get a user name & password and swipe your sea pass and then you are good to go. when you turn on the lap top it goes straight to one of those "hotel" pages where you have to sign in on their service with your user name / password but thats it. Its cool when you sign off because it shows a generic view from the back of the ship looking at the water...as if you were moving on I guess.

[Hope2havefun]

Am sure this question has been asked before, sorry. But does anyone know what voltage/plug type there will be on the Indie. More to the question, will my hair straighteners work........ Also are their hairdryers in the staterooms, and if so, are they any good. Is it worth bring my own. Not that I am hair obsessed of course......:D :D

 

(First ever cruise May 08 on the Independent:) )

[Merion_Mom]

Am sure this question has been asked before, sorry. But does anyone know what voltage/plug type there will be on the Indie. More to the question, will my hair straighteners work........ Also are their hairdryers in the staterooms, and if so, are they any good. Is it worth bring my own. Not that I am hair obsessed of course......:D :D

 

(First ever cruise May 08 on the Independent:) )

 

RC puts a hairdryer in each of its staterooms.

 

The voltage/plug type is standard American, whatever that is. :D

 

Some of the hairdryers are better than others. Many have an on/off button that does not stay "on" by itself - you must continuously hold it. A piece of duct tape can take care of that problem nicely. ;)

[Merion_Mom]

It askes around 2 hours to drive from Southampton to Gatwick (by car). Poor Liz must have been in a very slow bus! You will need a 3 hour check in at Gatwick if flying transatlantic, so the earliest flight I would be is around 1230 to 1300 as you can disembark around 0730 if you prove that you have an early flight. Personally I would prefer a more 'comfortable' disembarkation without the panic and would chose an afternoon flight if possible. I know all of this as we own a chauffeur company and do many many transfers to and from Southampton and all other ports and airports.

 

As for hotels in London, check out expedia.com as they have most of them listed in order of budget. It's very difficult to recommend places to people you don't know as everyone is different. Try and find one centrally located which shouldn't be too difficult.

 

Pre-cruise in Southampton if anyone is staying the best hotel is the DeVere Grand Harbour (very expensive), the next best is the Holiday Inn followed by the Novotel, the Ibis and there is a new one on the same complex as the Novotel and the Ibis but I can't remember it's name at present, it's only just opened and looks very much like a 'budget' hotel. It is advertising rooms for just £35 per night for any night which is extremely cheap! I'll take a look next time I'm in town and let you know if anyone is interested.

Why don't you like Jurys?

[Andrew9999]

Am sure this question has been asked before, sorry. But does anyone know what voltage/plug type there will be on the Indie. More to the question, will my hair straighteners work........ Also are their hairdryers in the staterooms, and if so, are they any good. Is it worth bring my own. Not that I am hair obsessed of course......:D :D

 

(First ever cruise May 08 on the Independent:) )

 

On the assumption that Indy will be the same as other RCI ships (and I'm sure it will be), it will use US voltage (110 volts). You will need a travel adapter to use UK electrical items. If you have several items, e.g. phones, ipods, hair straightener etc. I recommend bringing a 4-way extension socket. This means you will only need one travel adapter and it also means you don't have to swap plugs regularly.

 

There are hairdryers in the rooms. My wife and daughters have used them regularly and never complained so I expect they are fine. If you are very fussy, may be best to bring your own.

 

We are on Indy in August - so you owe us all a full review of your May cruise!

 

Andrew.

[English Rose]

Why don't you like Jurys?

I never said I didn't like the Jury's Inn.....

 

The Jury's Inn is not in the most central location, but it's a good hotel and often the prices are OK. It's just that the others are very central to every location in Southampton.

[PamUK]

Pam :D

 

An Alpha is "Alpha Alpha Alpha" the announcement made on the ship when there is a medical emergency.

 

With regard to the tips...dont worry,if you did the prepaid gratuities then you were fine. A lot of Brits removed them and didn't tip in any way,hence the unhappy crew. We didn't have that many kids on our sailing but they still were allowed to run free it seemed and upset pax by jumping in the hot tubs and splashing people,the parents being too busy topping up their tans and watching the footie to notice what was going on.

 

This is what I love about these boards, I learn something new every day:D Todays lesson - I now know what an Alpha is:)

 

I'm curious about the tips though, I thought that if you didn't pre-pay the gratuities they were automatically added to your seapass account? Is this not the case or do people take them off their seapass account after they've been added? Also, even though I pre-pay my grats, should I also cash tip bartenders/waiters who are not covered under the pre-pay vouchers? I'm aiming to 'get it right' this time as I hadn't found these boards before we had our 1st cruise:)

 

Thanks

 

Pam

[Hope2havefun]

Thanks guys on the info for voltage/hairdryers etc.

 

Andrew will definitely post you all the lovely details of our voyage in May!!

 

Pam, although we are first time cruisers I am under the impression (though please those of you who are experts feel free to correct me!) that there is a 15% service charge added to all your drinks and I am assuming that is the tip for the bar staff???? so wasnt planning on adding anything extra (right/wrong???)

 

We are planning on taking some extra cash for room service etc, but am assuming as we are pre-paying our gratuities most other things are covered>

 

:)

[MJL]

This is what I love about these boards, I learn something new every day:D Todays lesson - I now know what an Alpha is:)

 

I'm curious about the tips though, I thought that if you didn't pre-pay the gratuities they were automatically added to your seapass account? Is this not the case or do people take them off their seapass account after they've been added? Also, even though I pre-pay my grats, should I also cash tip bartenders/waiters who are not covered under the pre-pay vouchers? I'm aiming to 'get it right' this time as I hadn't found these boards before we had our 1st cruise:)

 

Thanks

 

Pam

 

When you purchase a beverage on board the tip is included in the total amount billed to your SeaPass account, so no additional tipping is required. If you do not pre-pay gratuities for waiters, cabin steward, etc., you have the option of obtaining vouchers during the cruise. They will provide a form in your cabin. You complete it, return it, and they will provide you with envelopes and vouchers to give to the appropriate crew member. You can always add more cash if you would like.

 

Mike

[PamUK]

Whew! Thanks everyone for your help & advice, no need for me to worry about tipping now. I'm doing the pre-pay grats thing which to me is paying for an integral part of my cruise I don't see it as an additional 'extra' that I'm having to pay for.

 

On the question about voltage, on the Navigator I think there were 2 different types of plug socket, one needed a US adaptor, the other a Europe adaptor. I found that my hair straighteners heated up faster on one than the other but I can't remember which way round it was:rolleyes: . Will the Indy have dual sockets as well?

 

Pam

[Elizanessie]

Sorry haven't posted last couple of days...computer probs :(

 

With regard to the WIFI ..I found this thread which might help out-

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=12929725&highlight=wifi#post12929725

 

Haven't seen anything new on the Independence but perhaps some of you would be interested to read this review about the original Independence....remember our ship wont be anything like this :p :D

 

http://www.maritimematters.com/independence.html

 

If you click on the link within this link you can do a online tour of the old SS Independence.. I wonder if this is where RCCL got the idea for the Surf Rider:D

 

I was sent a recent item on the Independence but it is in Norwegian...trying to translate it at the moment haha

[Angie1961]

Apologies if this has been posted previously

 

http://www.shipspotting.com/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=573674

 

 

We are on the 2nd May sailing and cannot wait :D :D

 

Angie

x

[cruzobsessed]

thanks liz.....i already knew all that.......i was specifically asking about "being wireless in the cabin".:) i was watching a travel show all about the freedom and i thought i heard them say that all cabins were wireless. that's the question:p

angie.....that shot of the independence was bigger than my screen. awesome.

how are your roll call threads going? my thread has myself...english rose and maybe 2 others who post so sporadically that i find myself here and on my old brilliance thread.:eek:

[Elizanessie]

Ooops Sorry Cheryl #2 :o

 

Yes all the cabins are wireless.

 

When we were on the Freedom,my son would take my laptop all over the ship and as long as he found a power socket and a chair then whoosh he went online :D He would be online when sitting in WJ..he would be online sat in the Royal Promenade outside Sorrentos I think it was and the staff would refill his soda etc for him haha and later at night he would be online in the cabin....wireless in a great thing but next time I am leaving my laptop or my son behind!

 

Angie :D

Thanks for posting that pic...coool, haven't seen that one before.

[millymollymoo]

Hi i'm a newbie to this site and just wanted to say hello.:)

 

I will be sailing on Independence 9th august 08 and cannot wait. :D :D

Can anyone give me some good hotels close to the port of southampton to stay in on the 8th .

Milly XXX :)

[OPSoccermom]

Cheryl,

 

Thanks for the advice, esp. about Gatwick.

 

As far as the hotel, having never been to London, we're not sure exactly what area to consider "centrally located". We are interested mostly in historical areas. We will probably be shopped out after the cruise. What if price were no object/

 

Pam look forward to meeting you onboard!

[hazeleyez3]

Hi i'm a newbie to this site and just wanted to say hello.:)

 

I will be sailing on Independence 9th august 08 and cannot wait. :D :D

 

Can anyone give me some good hotels close to the port of southampton to stay in on the 8th .

 

Milly XXX :)

 

 

Although there may be some who can answer you, you may want to check out the ports of call board to see if there is any suggestions. You might also want to see if there is a roll call set up for your specific sail date.

[Angie1961]

Hi i'm a newbie to this site and just wanted to say hello.:)

 

I will be sailing on Independence 9th august 08 and cannot wait. :D :D

 

Can anyone give me some good hotels close to the port of southampton to stay in on the 8th .

 

Milly XXX :)

 

Hi Milly.

Lots of hotels close to the docks, depends how much you want to pay.

There is the Devere, Holiday Inn, Ibis and I believe a new budget hotel has just opened called Etap amongst many, think their rooms are aboiut £35pn, bargain !

We have always stayed at the Devere, altough it is a 5* and can be epensive, if you book early its cheaper than the Holiday Inn.

 

Angie

x

[PamUK]

Pam look forward to meeting you onboard!

 

Definitely!! Even if we don't get enough for an official M&M, I think all the people on the roll-call should get together for an unofficial social gathering one night.

 

See you in less than 20 weeks:D

 

Pam

[Elrond]

Hi there! Newcomer to the forum, and first time cruisers too! We sail on the Independence on the first Canaries trip on the 6th May...the fact that we got the final invoice this morning makes it seem nearer!

 

Some really helpful info so far in this thread, and some fascinating links -including that photo taken a couple of days of ago showing construction progress!

 

I'll keep bobbing in to the forum, and hope to encounter some of you aboard!

[English Rose]

OpSoccermom.... I am no expert in London, but a lot of my customers use London hotels before they transfer to Southampton. If money were no object it would be the Savoy, the Ritz, the Fourseasons for me. However the Kensington Forum and the Thistle Marble Arch look decent prices in good locations.

[lisafrost]

Hi everyone,

:) just wondering if anyone has any tips for us first timers. Me and my other half decided to book on the independence this year 26th July the Med-treasures.

We have a fourteen year old son, so I figured he would be well catered for. I am really excited, but also a bit apprehensive.

 

I feel that we may have jumped in at the deep end?? :confused: Friends keep saying maybe we should have started out on something a bit smaller.

Just wondering if anyone knows, will my son have to wear a tuxedo. :confused: Defo want to go to formals as it has given me an excuse to buy some nice dresses.:D

 

We will be driving to Southampton, it is only a three and a half hour drive, but I thought it would be better to travel the night before. So booked travelodge.

 

Thanks Lisa

[Elizanessie]

For those in the Southampton area at the end of April here are some details with regard the ID in port etc.:D

 

Arrives-25/04/08 at 07.00

Leaves-28/04/08 at 17.00

 

 

Arrives-30/04/08 08.00

Leaves-30/04/08 17.00

 

 

Arrives-02/05/08 08.00

Leaves-02/05/08 17.00

 

So it looks like their will be 2 x 2night Pre-Inaugurals which go out to sea,with the other nights being Dockside Pre-Inaugurals (like LB last year)

[lisafrost]

Hi everyone,

:) just wondering if anyone has any tips for us first timers. Me and my other half decided to book on the independence this year 26th July the Med-treasures.

We have a fourteen year old son, so I figured he would be well catered for. I am really excited, but also a bit apprehensive.

 

I feel that we may have jumped in at the deep end?? :confused: Friends keep saying maybe we should have started out on something a bit smaller.

Just wondering if anyone knows, will my son have to wear a tuxedo. :confused: Defo want to go to formals as it has given me an excuse to buy some nice dresses.:D

 

We will be driving to Southampton, it is only a three and a half hour drive, but I thought it would be better to travel the night before. So booked travelodge.

 

Thanks Lisa

[tomko2]

Is there an additional fee to eat in Jade? I know there is a fee for Portofino's and Chops Grille but unsure about Jade.

Thank you.

Kathy:)