The Good, the Fab and the never Ugly TR – Independence of the Seas 27 Aug to 6 Sep

[Lisa-UK]

:D Hi all – having recently sailed on the Independence and after reading so much invaluable advice and tips posted on the boards, I thought it should write my thoughts down on our fabulous trip. I am sure that the the regular RCI cruisers or anyone who has cruised before, will already have knowledge of what I have written – but for anyone who hasn’t sailed in the Indy, I am hoping that this information will give you some insight into what to expect.

So what about me?? I am easily pleased and easily impressed, so my report is glowing. I love holidays and to travel and this is our second cruise. We love Disney/Orlando and Vegas – so if you are that way inclined also, I think this is gonna be your kind of trip! I appreciate that every traveller has a different experience, but here goes with mine!

We travelled as a party of 7 – my parents, my hubby and I (41), our friend and her son (13) and our son of 13.

Where do I start? Mmmmm– being an organised person, I will briefly, (or sort of briefly) go through the highlights – please feel free to ask away if you have any questions:

Southampton check-in – a breeze a doddle – easy peezy! We stepped out of the car and loaded our cases onto the tram literally 2 steps away – lovely! From entering the building to checking-in to being onboard it took around 40 minutes. We were up in the Windjammer by 1:00pm stuffing ourselves – a pattern emerged from thereon!

Our cases were outside of our cabin by 5pm – some folks did wait until 8pm for theirs to be delivered and so don’t forget to pack a bag with your swimming stuff and anything else that you may need during that first day/evening.

The ship – I had seen so many photos and read so much, I wondered if I had spoilt it for myself? I felt that I intimately knew every nook and cranny of the Independence and with my vast knowledge would be able to direct lost folks in need. I had scrutinised each and ever deck plan over and over! However, I was not disappointed and probably did not see everything Indy had to offer by the end of our journey. My first impression was that the ship was magnificent, so clean and tidy. I felt that overall, it had the Disneyesque feel – all themed and precise but very OTT in places. There are some very strange and some very beautiful pieces of artwork/ sculpture around the ship – truly fascinating.

Cabin: we were deck 8 – 8254 and close to the lift (elevator). First impressions were good, the room was fresh, nice and clean and cosy! The bed was super and as many others have said, it was really comfortable. I had bought extra hangers for the wardrobe, but needn’t have bothered, there were loads. The safe is allocated inside of the wardrobe along with extra shelving too. We had 3 large cases and they all fitted easily under the bed. The bathroom was good – obviously not huge. Soap and shampoo is supplied, but no other lotions or potions. The shower was a little bit tight (one at a time, definitely no sharing!) – water pressure was good.

Fittings – I loved that the cabin had lots of useful storage space – don’t forget to check everywhere when you leave!!! The Samsung flat-screen tv was a good size and there was a kettle with tea/coffee/milk plus a hairdryer in the vanity drawer.

I was impressed that all purchases could be checked via the interactive tv – this was a brilliant bit of kit! Worked especially well when we learned on day 3 that our son was having a jolly spending spree in the arcade and racking up the $$$ A trip to the front desk soon put and end to that – sorry Son, that is what Mum and Dads do!!!

For those who are 2+ in the cabin, each night the bunk bed was pulled down from the ceiling compartment and made up by our Attendant. This was stowed during the day. I didn’t realise the bed was up in ‘the roof’ and wondered how our poor chap was going to fit onto the tiddly sofa J

Each night the Cruise Compass was placed on the bed with choccies – Mmmm – only the one Compass though – you can get more copies from the front desk, (not sure about the chocolate though!)

The balcony was very nice – 2 chairs and a table. However, the seating could not be adjusted and so you did have to sit bolt upright! Just a word of caution – the balconies when locked from the inside cannot be unlocked from outside – ok you may be thinking; that makes sense. Indeed it does – however, my dear hubby got locked out on the balcony one day for an hour!! :mad: Our darling son had absent-mindedly lifted the catch to lock position in his hurry to get out for his FlowRider lesson – forgetting poor Dad was admiring the view! After hollerin’ for nigh on an hour, the lady 3 cabins down did hear and sent the Attendant to let him out…………he was not happy as you can imagine! Where was I – errrmmmm – in the Casino losing my $$

Dining:

Windjammer – a wonderful array of choice – I could not complain about the selections. My only grumble would be that at peak times, it did get BUSY and it was difficult to grab a table – however, one always seemed to materialise somewhere!

Main Dining Room Dinner – we chose the My Time Dining option which worked well for us – I have replied to a Q re this and so if you want to know more, please link to: http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=846042

I felt there was a good selection of options each night – never had a bad meal there once and the service was exemplary. I know that much has been debated on the boards about food quality, but I cannot think of a single thing to complain about. My Mum noted one night that she didn’t seem to have any veggies. We asked for some and 60 seconds later – a nice selection arrived – just ask for anything you need, the wait staff bend over backwards to ensure you are happy.

Breakfast – Romeo & Juliet – waiter service or buffet style. After tasting the buffet selection, I felt that the Windjammer fare was far superior. However, if you want a relaxed brekkie this is the place for you.

Chops Grille – we had an Anniversary Dinner there. Ambience was nice and the restaurant was hardly full (I don’t know why?). The steaks were extremely yummy. Would recommend for a special evening out.

Royale Promenade cafes:

Sorrentos. Lovely selection of salad and pizza/garlic bread etc.

Café Promenade: speciality coffees served here (payable) – cakes and pastries aplenty and the sandwich selection was very good.

Ben & Jerry’s – looked good, but although I promised myself a nice ice-cream during the holiday – I was always too full each time I passed!!!

Jonny Rockets – good fun, nice burgers. We only went as our 13yr old loved the place, but otherwise would have skipped this (cover is $3:95 – but you can have several choices). Drinks extra $

Room Service Dining – you can order using the TV or by leaving your selection outside of the door. We had RS breakfast several times and it was great – especially for port days when we felt we needed to get out and about as early as possible.

Bars:

My fave was Boleros: great service and bar-tenders – yummy Mojitos! I did the Mojito Cocktail Clinic one day $15 – what a great experience and highly recommended. On busy nights it can be hard to find a table and so that was disappointing. The nightly Latin band were very good.

Olive or Twist:– nice bar with music and a great view over the ship.

Champagne Bar – lovely furnishings and refined atmosphere, (until we arrived!). A tad too small though and some nights there wasn’t a table to be had.

Vintages:

Bedecked with bottles and books. We did the Champagne Cocktail tasting here and would recommend that – it costs $21 for 4 large samples and a delicious plate of yummy sweets.

Dog & Badger: Looked very much in keeping in the style of an Olde English drinking establishment. We never drank here – no reason, just seemed to head for the Champagne bar!

There are other themed bars too – but my memory fails me now! All looked impressive though.

Entertainment:

:D Overall, I felt the RCI entertainment was top class. Unfortunately, I didn’t see ‘each and every’ show, but the production performances were really ‘all singing and dancing’. The 3 comedians, (separate nights) were very good too and it was all family orientated. Each night there is some sort of headliner act and all I can say is ‘GO’ !

The ice shows were very good – the performers were slick and some of the moves were incredible. PLEASE get your tickets early – these were available outside of Sorrentos (pizza café in Promenade).

Parades- don’t miss these – there were 3 during our cruise. The Promenade is where it all happens and there is singing and dancing and general merriment!

Shopping Onboard: there are a really good selection of shops ranging from expensive jewellery and watches, clothes – from formal to sporty; souvenirs and toiletries. You can buy duty-free perfume and makeup and the prices whilst not mega-cheap are reasonable.

Each day in the Promenade they would set up shopping stands and bring out different merchandise. This ranged from bags, to watches, the obligatory jewellery, trinkets etc. The best buy was duty-free cigarettes. For us folks from the UK I can advise that the current price for a carton of 200 cigs was $21.00. Yup you read right $21 – all major brands. I am not advocating smoking, so don’t beat me up, but this was the best bargain on board. I did not see a cheaper price in any of the Ports.:eek:

For Kids:

Heaven on earth! - or should that be ‘Heaven at Sea’!

The pools were fantastic for children and there were always a lot of happy kids there!

Our son (13) raved about the teen Club where they really put a lot of effort in for the kids. Each night, along with the Cruise Compass the teen programme was delivered. Activities went on until after 1:00am most nights!!! This ranged from parties, discos, competitions and Wii events – plus much more. We actually never saw much of our son at all!

I can’t comment about other age groups, but from seeing the clubs, can vouch that RCI have every age catered for.

On Deck 12 there is also a very large games room, (payable) which is a magnet for kids of all ages. There is also the sports court, ping-pong, Mini-golf on this deck, the Rock-Climbing Wall and of course the fantastic FlowRider.

Pools – OK so I’m not a sun lover or pool person myself, so did not gravitate to the pool deck(s). I did wander up there lots and can say that on sailing days and hot days, the pool areas were busy. Realistically though, with a captive audience and fantastic pools, you are going to find a lot of people around, so just bear this in mind.

Spa: Our friend has some treatments and a massage and reported that it was all very nice and the prices not too much dearer to those you would expect to pay in a Salon or Spa at home (UK).

Gym: Yeah, I went to the Gym on holiday- ok, so went for a look and then came out…….it was awesome though – so many state-of-the-art machines and lots going on. If you are sporty and fit (unlike me) you will love the Gym.

Casino – my fave place!!!!! What a great array of slots (I am slots mad!) over 300 of ‘em! There are smoking and non-smoking areas in the Casino. Whilst I never played the tables, I had lots of fun on the slots and the slots tournaments! You can draw cash ($) from the Cashier Desk for play.

Daily Activities: these are all listed on the Cruise Compass delivered daily. Some have a fee payable – i.e. Bingo (currently $31 for 4 cards), some sports activities and anything involving alcohol consumption. However, there are a whole host of free activities to attend from 7am until late.

Sports:

There is so much to do you will never be bored – our son looooooved the FlowRider, it was fantastic. You can also try the Rock-climbing wall, play on the sports court (basketball/football) have a go at the mini-golf or golf simulator, play shuffleboard, ping-pong and of course use the ice-rink. Speaking of which, the ice-rink is not open as much as we would have liked as they seemed to have lots of practise sessions for the shows going on.

Ports of call-

On our Med Cruise we stopped at the places listed below. I have only given a short summary as - a) I fear I have waffled for long enough now and b) there is just too much to mention! Have fun if you visit any of the following:

Gibraltar – quaint little place. We booked a private tour with Gibaltartours – costing E25pp for a Rock visit/Caves and Castle plus other places of interest. When you disembark and you will need to get a taxi or bus into the town. Best duty free bargains to be had here i.e. liquor.

Barcelona – vibrant City with lots of offer – again, you will need to get a taxi or bus into the City. RCI sell tickets for transportation, but there are plenty of buses and taxis awaiting. Outbound, we took the bus costing E4.50 one way (each). However, a return taxi journey was only E9!!!

OK, here is the Ugly bit and I was not going to mention this as it can happen anywhere and it is not RCI related BUT – my dad had his wallet stolen on the night we arrived in Barcelona. I appreciate that this can happen in any town, or any city or just anywhere! Be careful folks – he stupidly had his wallet in his back pocket!!! He realises he this was a silly thing to have done. The wallet nicking was a slick performance with a distraction man in front and it all happened very quickly. Please be aware.

Lisbon – a super town – We got the train into the town centre E1.40. The tram ride around the town was nice too and a great experience. There are cobbles everywhere – so flat shoes (ladies) are the way to go. I found this out when we walked the 2 miles back to ship. Hubby said the walk would only take 10 mins – Mmmmmmm!!!

Vigo – great as you step off the ship and you have arrived! There is a good sized shopping mall 50 steps from the ship – heaven! The town is very twee and easily navigated.

Meet & Mingle – after initial trepidation, we met up with our M&M group from the CC Board. Everyone was lovely and we all had a good chat. I did miss some people and so sorry about that. Hi to Ted & Betty, Heather and Mum, Ali and Darryl, Gill and Pete.

Tips :

Cookery Demonstration: on our last sailing day there was a brief piece in the Compass saying there was a Cookery Demo? No venue listed, so I was baffled. After brekkie and walking back through the Promenade I could not believe my eyes. Laid out were tables upon tables of yummy food and the Chefs were demonstrating how they made all these fancy things – there was an incredible cheese selection, they were carving vegetables and fruits, decorating fancy cakes, a huuuuuuge pancake bar where you could help yourself to numerous toppings, ice sculptures and lots more! As I was stuffed to the gills I just couldn’t manage another thing – what a shame! If I had known earlier, I would have skipped the Windjammer and moseyed up and down the Promenade stuffing my face with the gorgeous offerings. So – please don’t miss this!

Ice show tickets – don’t forget to send someone to collect your tickets before the shows – watch out for this published in the Compass. I would recommend arriving at least 15 mins before Showtime to get a good seat. There are obstructed views in the theatre and we turned up one time and could not sit together – so go early!

Soda package – I purchased the adult package, but did not drink enough diet-coke to warrant the expense. I am not being tight, but feel that unless you slosh through at least 5+ sodas per day, you won’t get the benefit. The Windjammer had some nice lemonades, water, and fruit squashes available anytime, including tea and coffee.

Power strip – take one for the cabin if you have multiple electrical items to charge – it worked wonders for us.

TV channels – I did not realise that on Channel 10 the Cruise Director (in our case the fabulous Graham Seymour) gave a witty and helpful insight into what was happening that day! I only found this out on day 5 – derrrr.

Wetsuit – if you or your child has a wetsuit at home and are planning to use the FlowRider lots – bring it along! With the weather being not so hot on our first and last 2 days, our son was chilly waiting for his turn and so we had to hire him a wetsuit. Hire cost is $10 per day.

Also, I would highly recommend the FlowRider hour lesson – for $60 you can use and have tuition on the FlowRider for an hour. There are 4 people in each lesson.

Formal Night – ok, so not so much a tip, but as this is discussed so much on the boards, I thought I would add my two-penneth worth. On our 10 night cruise there were 2 formals. Did everyone dress up – hey yes indeed they did!!! I would say I saw 90% of people wearing formal – everyone looked really super, so if you have any doubts, I can say that people did make the effort!

In summary: our Indy cruise was the perfect holiday with everything we could have ever wanted. The food was fabulous, the ship was well – ship-shape and the staff were helpful, pleasant and efficient. There was so much to see and do, it was incredible.

Our son was in his element and this was a perfect holiday for him – it is going to be hard to find anything next year to beat it! We loved it so much that I checked availability for August 2009 Med Cruises (UK school break is Jul/Aug) and there is no availability for 3 in a cabin L

Of course, mentioning school holidays, there is the small fact that the ship was full of kids! However, we never had a problem or encountered any rudeness, prowling gangs or trouble.

My parents who are P&O stalwarts were pleasantly surprised and also had a great time. There were a few mentions of things ‘not being the same as P&O’ but overall, I believe that RCI are gearing their product towards a great ‘family experience’ where having fun is their aim.

For us, the Med Ports whilst being very nice were not of real importance, we wanted to experience this fantastic ship and it definitely delivered.

I hope that all of you with upcoming Independence cruises will have as much fun as we did – if anyone has any questions, I am very happy to reply.

Thanks all for bearing with me and reading thus far………………

Lisa :)

[Lisa-UK]

I found this out when we walked the 2 miles back to ship. Hubby said the walk would only take 10 mins – Mmmmmmm!!!

 

Quick message from your darling husband my sweet - if you'd walked a little quicker and not stopped every 10 paces, then the journey back to the ship would have been about the 10 minute mark - after all, how long does it take to walk ONE mile :-) Love your moaning really :-) :-)

[bajathree]

GREAT review....THANKS!

 

PS....you Brits must be much more into formal than here in the US.....90% dressed in formal:eek: ...SHOCKED

[nanfromatlanta]

Lisa, thanks for the very detailed trip report. I enjoyed reading every bit of it.

[grayesun]

Thanks for fine review on the Indy; we're sailing her on 1/24/09 out of Ft. Lauderdale and are of course counting down the days till we escape (if only briefly) the dreaded winter of Massachusetts. Cautiously encouraged by your upbeat review on shipboard dining, not generally a strong suit in most RCI reviews; we're certainly not fussy food folks either & are almost always more than satisfied with their offerings. Although we've sailed with RCI several times, there's always something someone writes we weren't aware of. or forgot or needn't be concerned about...you covered all bases for us here. Thanks again for reporting in on your wonderful vacation, it makes looking forward to Jan 08 on the Indy more exhillarating.

[debt]

Great, great, great review!! Is there any way you might be able to post or email the compasses from your trip?

[Lisa-UK]

Hi all

 

Wow - thanks for the positive comments.

 

Debt - I will scan the Cruise Compasses that I collected - all 10 days :D . I will make a headstart in my lunch break tomorrow and so it may take a few days to get them done as each one is 4 pages. If you send your email address through the boards- I will get them to you next week.

 

Bajathree - it was indeed 90% formal - I was surprised too that so many had really gone to town - there were some stunning outfits -and some were stunning for the wrong reasons too:D

 

Nanfromatlanta - I love your name - made me smile......

[debt]

Hi all

 

Wow - thanks for the positive comments.

 

Debt - I will scan the Cruise Compasses that I collected - all 10 days :D . I will make a headstart in my lunch break tomorrow and so it may take a few days to get them done as each one is 4 pages. If you send your email address through the boards- I will get them to you next week.

 

 

You are awesome! You can forward them to dstsafrir@gmail.com. THANK YOU!!

[Lisa-UK]

You are awesome! You can forward them to dstsafrir@gmail.com. THANK YOU!!

 

 

No problems - I try my best ;)

[rclcruzer]

That was a great review. Funny, honest and detailed. When I read reviews like this I always get soooooo excited for our cruise! My friend and her family returned from INDY 2 months ago and really was impressed with the ship and crew as well. Can't wait to board her sister Liberty next June :D

[taysidetwo]

Oh, thank you SOOOOO much for a fantastic review!!!! We are on Indy on 4 October 08 - not long to go now!!! Glad you had such a great time!!!!

 

Some very practical tips, so thanks for those!!!

 

Do you really think the soda package is not worth it? I probably wouldnt drink 5+ sodas a day.

 

Formal nights - when you say formal, did people do long dresses?? We are from Scotland, and my hubby was planning on taking his kilt!

 

Can you explain exactly what My Time Dining is - I have seen it mentioned here, but dont know what it is!!!

 

Many thanks!!!

 

Judi x

 

 

PS...... Loved your hubby's comment below yours!! Thats the kind of thing MINE would do and say!!!!! LOL!!!

[Lisa-UK]

Oh, thank you SOOOOO much for a fantastic review!!!! We are on Indy on 4 October 08 - not long to go now!!! Glad you had such a great time!!!!

 

Some very practical tips, so thanks for those!!!

 

Do you really think the soda package is not worth it? I probably wouldnt drink 5+ sodas a day.

 

Formal nights - when you say formal, did people do long dresses?? We are from Scotland, and my hubby was planning on taking his kilt!

 

Can you explain exactly what My Time Dining is - I have seen it mentioned here, but dont know what it is!!!

 

Many thanks!!!

 

Judi x

 

 

PS...... Loved your hubby's comment below yours!! Thats the kind of thing MINE would do and say!!!!! LOL!!!

 

Hi Judy and Kenny - in reply:

Oohh 4th October is sooo close - I really hope you have a great time, it is an awesome ship.

 

Soda Package - the adult deal is around $6+tax per day (from recollection). The cola and lemonades are from the pump - i.e. you don't get cans or bottles. While ok, I personally found the diet-cola a bit weak tasting. Some days I drank no soda, some days I thought 'ooh best get a drink as I have paid for it.' As I never purchased a 'real' bottled/can of soda or coke I could not tell you how much they charge.

 

If you are considering a soda package, I would recommend you check out the price for a can/bottle and compare this against the package price and what you might reasonably drink and what would be the best value . If you drink a 'lot' of soda, the package would work well, but for me I don't think I guzzled enough! Sorry for long explanation, but hope that makes sense?

 

Formal - oooh yes, for ladies - there were lots of long dresses, cocktail dresses, fancy trouser suits and bling going on. I saw quite a few kilts - so no worries for your husband taking his kilt. Lots of men wore tuxedos and a few were real James Bond jobbies - all in white. I really felt people made the effort for formal nights, I was quite impressed.

 

The My Time Dining is a newly introduced option where diners can choose to attend the restaurant at any time between 6pm and 10pm (I think that is the latest time). If you have already booked your seating slot i.e. 'early or late' you can opt out of this and go My Time. As your cruise is close, it may be best to call RCI or your Agent. We only received a letter 10 days before our cruise with the MTD details and advising that if we wished to change to this, to phone RCI/TA and make the change. If you do choose MTD your gratuities will need to be paid upfront - i.e. when you call up to give the go-ahead. If you click the link in my TripReport, it goes to a page where our MTD experience is documented.

 

I couldnt believe my hubby put that comment in - and I can't believe the ruddy walk on cobbles, I had to do all the way back to the ship and I swear it was more that a mile :p

 

Lisa

[honeywell]

Yes, let me add a vote for "he should wear his kilt!" I LOVE a man in a kilt!

[taysidetwo]

Yes, let me add a vote for "he should wear his kilt!" I LOVE a man in a kilt!

 

 

LOL!!!! A very handsome figure he is too!!! He looked very dashing on our wedding day on 1 August this year!! This is our honeymoon cruise, and we just cant wait!!!!!!!

[6MonthsHere6MonthsThere]

Lisa, Great review, just one quick question, in the Casino did they charge you the 3% cover charge when you drew cash from the cage!!;) , as there has been numerous threads discussing this subject, some stating it is on every ship, others stating they did not get charged on the ship they were sailing on. Thanks in anticipation.

 

John.

[lizbug]

thanks so much for your really great review. We were on Indy in May for the 4 night Cork cruise and will be getting back on on 15th Oct! not long to wait now, we are so excited!

[cruiseprincesss]

That was such a lovely review! I went on Independence in July and I miss it so much! It's such an amazing ship. Everything was perfect for us. What did you think of Graham Seymour? He really made our cruise!

[Sherry84]

Thank you Lisa, your review was delightful, I enjoyed it very much! We haven't been on the larger class ships yet and after reading your review I'm looking even more forward to it :)

[bluefintuna]

Lisa, thanks so much for your review. We will be on Indy in Dec. when she comes to Ft. Lauderdale. We read all the reviews and can't wait to sail her. We found Jewel, Voyager and Explorer awesome, but I understand this ship is the mother of them all (not counting Oasis, of course).

[jst4fun715]

I have no plans to be on the Independance but just wanted to tell you I totally enjoyed your review....sounds like a great ship! You did a great job!:D

[FloridaPalms]

I hope that all of you with upcoming Independence cruises will have as much fun as we did – if anyone has any questions, I am very happy to reply.

 

Thanks all for bearing with me and reading thus far………………

 

Lisa :)

 

Thank you so much for posting this informative and upbeat review. It was entertaining and delightful reading.

 

We appreciate your tips about the flowrider and will pack a wetsuit for our grandson and look into the lesson when we sail on IOTS in just a couple of months.

 

Do you recall if the TV had inputs for a DVD player?

 

Thanks again for sharing your experience with all of us. Can't hardly wait until November 23rd! :D

[mariapd719]

Great review! Did you book another one yet :D

3 questions

 

Do the quarter slots still use quarters or is it paper now (havent cruise in 1 1/2 yrs)?

 

Do you know how long Graham will be aboard?

 

You said you didnt really swim but maybe someone else will know this, is there atleast 1 saltwater pool?

[Lisa-UK]

Hello all

 

Well - thanks for much for reading my review - I am chuffed!

 

I will reply to as many questions as poss - I apologise for not quoting everyone with your names as there seems to be a few - here goes :o

 

Firstly - Judi & Kenny - congratulations on your recent marriage - you are going to have a great Honeymoon - don't forget to tell everyone on the Indy - I am sure they will make a fuss of you x I hope the kilt is ready!!!:D

 

Cash from Casino - we were NOT charge a cover fee on our cruise.

 

Graham Seymour - I thought he was great - a natural compare and entertainer and what a busy job he has.....I don't know how long he will be on board though - soz. He never stopped me for a chat, but I did see him around the ship and he winked every time he saw me though :eek: :rolleyes: ;) NOT!

 

DVD - I don't know if the TV has a DVD input. However, one night, I could hear a high-pitched buzzing sound and thought it was coming from the TV. I pulled it forward, (as much as it would go) to see if I could turn off the power. From memory, it looked like it had some kind of connections available for something and it did pull forward enough to get a good look at the back. Not really very useful for you, but at least you know you could get to the back of it.

 

Pool - I am certain none were saltwater. They were heated though,

 

Casino money - all slots take dollar bills - no coins. There were a few of those big machines where you could put quarters in a slot, they went down a tube and onto a moving shelf. You know the ones, for every 50 coins that go in, 15 fall down the sides and you only win one back!! :D They also had a bill-breaker machine dispensing quarters for that very machine.

 

Another Cruise on Indy - I wish - I have rung the office 3 times since we came back to see if we could get an August 2009 cruise. No luck - they have no availability for a 3 berth cabin. I am determined to keep trying though. I would go back on in a heartbeat.

 

Thanks for the nice compliments everyone X

[6MonthsHere6MonthsThere]

Another question, The NEW Diamond Club where the Diamond/+ members now go, has it got the coffee machine in it and is it open during the day like the Concierge Lounge is on the smaller class ships.

Thanks in anticipation.

[cruzobsessed]

lisa....let me tell you why i loved your review.....it was extremely positive yet very genuine......you didn't sound like a typical "cheerleader" (which is what i'm accused of all the time:eek: ).

while i have no idea what you look or sound like...i was picturing you saying everything. now had you included some photos.......it would've been perfect:D

we'll be on the indy for new years and really......cannot wait. no questions just a big THANKS FOR A GREAT REVIEW