Independence of the Seas Review

First time cruising and it will be the last time too

Review for the Western Mediterranean Cruise on Independence of the Seas
User Avatar
weathermanUK
First Time Cruiser • Age 50s

Rating by category

Value for Money
Embarkation
Dining
Public Rooms
Entertainment
Fitness & Recreation
Service
Cabin

Additional details

Sail Date: Jul 2012
Cabin: Oceanview Stateroom
Traveled with children

This was our first ever cruise and it was booked by my parents to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary;as well as my two parents we were travelling with my sister and her two children plus myself, my wife and our two children. To be honest nobody but my mum and dad were looking forward to the cruise as it just isn't the kind of holiday the rest of us would normally choose. Sadly it lived up to our expectations!

We took our car and had a wait of about 30 minutes to drop off our bags; once dropped off we had to move the car to the nearby car park and walk to the terminal (not valet parked as expected). Then the queuing started in earnest -- a queue to get in the building, then a queue to check-in (even though we had checked in online which apparently means nothing); then a queue for customs/security, then a queue to get on the boat.

Once on-board our cabin was ready but we were shocked at the size of it -- we were on deck 3 in an outside cabin with a porthole. The room was tiny, just the width of a double bed, then a small area with a 2-seater sofa, a dressing table and chair, a small wardrobe and the integral shower/toilet room. The kids beds pulled down from the ceiling above our bed but the attendant told us the kids under 6 could not use the bunk beds meaning that, had we abided by the rules, either myself our my wife would have had to use the bunk and the other share a bed with our son. With the beds down it was very claustrophobic. The attendant put the beds up and down each day for us though. We could not fit all our clothes in the wardrobes/drawers and although we squeezed one case under the bed there was no storage space for the other, further reducing the space in the room. We also got noise from drunks using the open deck above ours to smoke until the early hours of the morning, often shouting or singing. The sheets were not changed during the 14 days were there.

Cabin Review

Oceanview Stateroom

Tiny room - too small for a family of four for 14 days in my opinion.

previous reviewnext review

Find an Independence of the Seas Cruise from $236

Any Month

Get special cruise deals, expert advice, insider tips and more.By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

© 1995—2024, The Independent Traveler, Inc.