Live from Independence of the Seas - bit of a blog

[NorbertsNiece]

Hi Linda, Just wanted to say 'Thank you' for such a fantastic blog. I have waited impatiently for each update to come through. Me & my Dh are not on the Indy until June next year & cant wait!

Having 'Cruisers' coming back from the ship and giving us their reviews gives us all waiting to go a great incite to what is to come & what to expect. Thank You somuch.

 

Marie

 

That is so sweet. I've been amazed how many people have read this and commented on it. Thanks everyone.

We had a fabulous holiday despite the niggles. We loved the balcony, the room, the food, would have spent much more time in the gym if I hadn't had problems... the gym is awesome..... it's worth working out for the view alone!! The ability to pick up fruit as walking past an array of fruit at odd places, the food, the guests, the crew, the food, playing Wii, playing trivia, the food, room service, the bed, the fridge, Monaco (when the sun shone not when it bucketed down), Lisbon, Barcelona, the monkeys, Pisa, Florence, sand sculptures in Vigo, oysters in Vigo, the food, Portofino's, playing Trivial Pursuit so that I could stay awake long enough for the midnight buffet! The Captain's little talks (when we could hear him over the tannoy!) he has a great sense of humour! The food, watching the GP on the room TV, chocolate milk (until they ran out), Twinings English Breakfast Tea (until they ran out) and the food.

Carmelo.... MDR waiter.... what a lovely chap and his assistant David whose confidence grew and who worked so hard. Rod, our room steward, such a decent chap. And then there's the room service guys and the pursers who had to put up with us with such patience and good humour. And the waiters in the Windjammer bringing drinks all the time; and the chaps out on deck trying to flog the drink of the day. We had a great time. Thank you guys. :D :D :D

[ur_calvin_klein_guy]

Thanks for the review. Just booked the March 7th, 2009 cruise for myself and my 3 teen daughters. Can't wait.

[NorbertsNiece]

I shall be on Jewel then :D

You're all going to have a great time.

[Kruzeagain]

Linda, I stumbled across your blog when I should have been staring at the insides of my eyelids...and read every word straight through (unlike others who had to wait for postings). So now I am well and truly snockered, but I won't stagger off bedward 'til I thank you for all the work you did posting--and paying--your blog.

A truly wonderful and entertaining review...

 

Mom and I (I'm 46--sniffsniff) are doing a bit of a "get-to-know-this-person-that-I-am-supposedly-related-to" eastbound transatlantic cruise on IOS next April 12. Eagerly looking forward to it now, as it appears that she has a happy crew. Well, either that or you are simply a very happy person. A clothing company in Canada makes pickpocket-resistant clothing (Tilley's Endurables). Hidden, secret, velcroed/sippered internal pockets that gobble up and protect your essentials. I don't leave home without my Tilley's...

 

You mentioned a possible case of sciatica. Not fun. In fact I was scheduled for back surgery for disc problems when I found a technology called spinal decompression therapy. Amazing stuff, and their success rate with sciatica is somewhere north of 80%, with no side effects. Probably explains why facilities with this high-tech equipment is popping up all over Toronto Canada these days, in spite of the fact that our "socialized" medical system doesn't cover the costs at all. The equipment used for my problem is manufactured by SpineMed of the States. I don't dare post their site here but a quick Gooogle should help.

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences with us.

Alan

[NorbertsNiece]

Linda, I stumbled across your blog when I should have been staring at the insides of my eyelids...and read every word straight through (unlike others who had to wait for postings). So now I am well and truly snockered, but I won't stagger off bedward 'til I thank you for all the work you did posting--and paying--your blog.

A truly wonderful and entertaining review...

 

Mom and I (I'm 46--sniffsniff) are doing a bit of a "get-to-know-this-person-that-I-am-supposedly-related-to" eastbound transatlantic cruise on IOS next April 12. Eagerly looking forward to it now, as it appears that she has a happy crew. Well, either that or you are simply a very happy person. A clothing company in Canada makes pickpocket-resistant clothing (Tilley's Endurables). Hidden, secret, velcroed/sippered internal pockets that gobble up and protect your essentials. I don't leave home without my Tilley's...

 

You mentioned a possible case of sciatica. Not fun. In fact I was scheduled for back surgery for disc problems when I found a technology called spinal decompression therapy. Amazing stuff, and their success rate with sciatica is somewhere north of 80%, with no side effects. Probably explains why facilities with this high-tech equipment is popping up all over Toronto Canada these days, in spite of the fact that our "socialized" medical system doesn't cover the costs at all. The equipment used for my problem is manufactured by SpineMed of the States. I don't dare post their site here but a quick Gooogle should help.

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences with us.

Alan

 

Hi Alan,

Thanks for your kind words.

Turned out to be bursitis, not sciatica.....

Whereabouts in Europe are your family? You're going to have a great trip.

Take care,

Linda

[Kruzeagain]

Mom has relatives in England, up north in Lancashire. Nobody's left from my Dad's side (Germany). We're a very very small family, which is why this trip is all the more significant.

Don't think I can get the extra time off to stay in England much beyond a day or two, but I am really looking forward to being on a ship for more than a single jam-packed week of port-hopping.

 

Happy Cruising,

Alan

[MAZANDSTEVE]

Hi Alan,

 

Thanks for your kind words.

Turned out to be bursitis, not sciatica.....

Whereabouts in Europe are your family? You're going to have a great trip.

 

Take care,

Linda

 

 

Hi Linda, cant believe I just found this blog today, sounds amazing, glad you had a great time, report is fab.

Bursitis, I have that too, flames up now and again, I have had a few cortisone (sp?)injections lately to ease it and t does the job.;)

[NorbertsNiece]

Hi Linda, cant believe I just found this blog today, sounds amazing, glad you had a great time, report is fab.

Bursitis, I have that too, flames up now and again, I have had a few cortisone (sp?)injections lately to ease it and t does the job.;)

 

Hey :D

I'm managing.... had a bit of a problem on Jewel which responded to anti inflammatory tabs. Happy to be back in my own bed though..... love the beds on RCI but there's nothing like your own eh ? ;)

[ayesha90]

hi im going on this ship on 27th may and im found excursions suitable for me as i use a whleechair for everyport aprt from vigo through RCI I was wondering at the port adn accesible taxi's available?

ayesha

xx

[NorbertsNiece]

Hi Ayesha,

You dock at the port in Vigo and the town is right there..... there's a mall as well as shops and craft stands. Taxis are right there too. You can get a ride around the town or to the beach. Have a wonderful holiday.

Linda

[suvicki]

hi im going on this ship on 27th may and im found excursions suitable for me as i use a whleechair for everyport aprt from vigo through RCI I was wondering at the port adn accesible taxi's available?

ayesha

xx

 

 

Hi Ayesha

Which ports are you going to?

I am researching our for our cruise in July, Italian Med and trying to find accessible tours, hubby uses electric wheelchair. If you could pass on any info I would be grateful.

;)

[ayesha90]

Hi Ayesha

Which ports are you going to?

I am researching our for our cruise in July, Italian Med and trying to find accessible tours, hubby uses electric wheelchair. If you could pass on any info I would be grateful.

;)

hi I'm stopping at lanzarote tenerife las palmas funchal vigo. I use a electrci chair thats fairly small and the backrest can collaspe and my family can lift it i sent the measurements to RCI and they have said it can be acomadated in most of the moitor coaches and I can walk a bit my legs are fine I use a wheelchair due to a lung condition. I am only 15 and have not always been in a wheelchair so i wanted to beable to go on excursions with the rest fo the children in my family If you E-mail shorexaccess@rccl.com I think thats the right address they will help alot.

If he is totally wheelchair bound you can look at the tours that have easy in the name these can only be booked onboard.

ayesha xx

[mollymoo]

Great Blog.....

 

Looking at this and another blog about the indy two week med cruises, it appears that the formal nights are on days 2, 6 and 10 or 11. Is this the general rule or is it different for each sailing date???? We are off on the Med treasure on the 20th June Cant wait!

 

Thanks!

[NorbertsNiece]

Wow. I can't believe this blog is still being read! Awesome.

Is your itinerary the same? Seriously jealous. Formal nights do tend to be on sea days; when we boarded and I booked our meals at Porotofino's/Chops I confirmed the formal nights with their reservations staff.

[mollymoo]

We have found your blog really usefull.

 

Think our itenerary is pretty much the same as yours just a different way around, we also call at cannes and not villefranche.

 

We have cruised on the Navigator previously and visited Portofinos (which we reserved whilst on board), so we were going to try out Chops this time, however quite a few posts advise that you need to book before you board to get a reservation?? we didn't really want to do this as we didn't want to miss out on one of the formal nights.

[NorbertsNiece]

You'll be fine to go to Chops as soon as you've boarded to suss out the best day for your meal there.

[mollymoo]

:pThanks for your prompt response Linda! Any more tips that you may have for us please let us know!

[djmutters]

NorbertsNiece,

 

Have read your blog twice now :) wish I had remembered to thank you in person when I met you at the cruise show.........

 

Hope you and SO are both well

 

Nigel & Rob

[NorbertsNiece]

:pThanks for your prompt response Linda! Any more tips that you may have for us please let us know!

 

You just have to sit back and enjoy the ride really. You can't do everything but what you will do will be a blast!

 

NorbertsNiece,

 

Have read your blog twice now :) wish I had remembered to thank you in person when I met you at the cruise show.........

 

Hope you and SO are both well

 

Nigel & Rob

 

Hi guys,

We're ok. You leave so soon!! Am soooo jealous.

[djmutters]

You just have to sit back and enjoy the ride really. You can't do everything but what you will do will be a blast!

 

 

 

Hi guys,

 

We're ok. You leave so soon!! Am soooo jealous.

 

Hiya Norbetsniece (Linda)

 

We are travelling to Southampton today and I have booked us the ferry tommorrow to go to Isle of Wight for a day trip.

 

Rob just made us a lovely cocktail to remind us how relaxing it is to sit outside in the sun sipping cocktails.

 

will be leaving at 3pm :)

 

Speak soon and take care

 

Nigel & Rob x

[NorbertsNiece]

Bon voyage!! Love the Isle of Wight. Osborne House is something special.

[BOARDTALKER]

Dear

[Shaz1970]

Wow, I've just been reading your blog. It was brilliant, so well wrote, I can't wait to experience it too!! Thanks for all the time and effort you spent during your hols writing it. It may be some time ago, but it is still all relevant to me!! :)

50 days to go for me!!

:cool:

[jns]

thanks for the great report

[Frenchlu]

Hi Linda, Excellent review. I thought it worth resurrecting. My first Indy cruise coming up in a month, Ultimate Med, 18 nights. Can't wait. Hoping it is not too rough.