We're from the currently frozen tundra of Ohio, so us enjoying a Caribbean cruise really isn't difficult, and we did in fact enjoy this most recent one a great deal. First time on Indy (although we were on her twin Liberty 2 yrs ago), 5th RCL cruise.

Embarkation was very smooth, the only time we stopped walking was to sign the receipt and pose for pictures for SeaPass card. Ignore the voice mail and email RCL will send you telling you certain times for certain decks; we were over 2 hours earlier than they said, and no one batted an eye. Slight snafu with getting one of our bags, which is just one of those things, and the young lady at guest services was very gracious in helping us find it. It was, however, a little disconcerting that when we did find the suitcase, it was sitting, all by itself, unattended in any way, on deck 1, free for the taking to whoever wanted my used underwear and toiletries. Fortunately no one did.

Our cruise was greatly enhanced by the company of our dinner-mates; we really won the lottery on that one! 2 other couples and us were joined at a table for 6 late seating in the main dining room (3rd deck, bottom floor of the 3 in the MDR). The service was excellent, and the food quality and variety was maybe a little better than I expected; many of the same dishes we’ve enjoyed (and a couple we’ve learned to avoid) from previous cruises, but it seemed to me done somewhat better than we experienced on Liberty. The quantity, as always, was staggering. Apparently one of the perks of the late seating is that the waiters are very eager to see the food consumed instead of wasted; on lobster night I didn’t even ask for seconds, but I received (and consumed) 2nds, 3rds, and 4ths (and yes, I still ate desert). We ate every possible meal, breakfast lunch and dinner, in the MDR. The few times our schedule forced us into the Windjammer, it was what the Windjammer always is and probably always must be; imagine your college cafeteria, only full of people in power wheelchairs running over your feet. We took refuge in Sorrentos for a snack once, decent quality and nice snack sized portions, never looked crowded. We missed lunch on Labadee, so we stopped by Johnny Rockets as we shoved off. Nearly empty, quick service, pretty good quality, well worth the small cover charge (I think it was less than $4 per person?) to enjoy the only outdoor dining venue on the ship (they have indoor seating as well). We did not try the premium restaurants on this trip as we were having too great a time with our new friends at our dinner table. For the first time ever, we tried the room service delivered breakfast on our very early St Kitts port day, and sadly that was a fail. Very few choices, and what was delivered was pretty poor, tepid and flavorless. We did take advantage of the room service for snacks a couple other times, they were quick, and although the menu was limited, what we got was well prepared and tasty. I think next year we’re just going to place a standing order for the fruit and cheese plate for 5 pm every day…. Read more