It had been about 10 years since I had been on a cruise, so I was a little concerned about taking my 2 granddaughters (ages 16 & 17) on the Independence of the Sea after reading as many negative reviews as good, but we had a fantastic experience! I splurged and booked a grand suite and it was definitely worth it; not only the suite, but the extra benefits that came with it! The food for breakfast and lunch was good - the dinners, exceptional - as were the waiters & servers. They had super attitudes and made us feel special as they went out of their way each day to see that we had everything we needed. Our favorite port was Labadee - Royal Caribbean's private island! The girls loved the zip line and we all felt so spoiled with our private cabana. It was truly a dream day! The buffet for lunch was perfect for the beach, with BBQ chicken & ribs, hamburgers, hot dogs & all the fixings that would go along with an outdoor BBQ. We also climbed Dunns River Falls in Falmouth, Jamaica & we all loved that, too - although, it was crowded and they said June -July was their "slow" months - only 2 ships were in port; I can't imagine how crowded it must get during busy season when they have their average 6-7 ships in port!! I would recommend the Independence of the Sea - if you can, definitely go for a suite - you will love it; plus cocktails & appetizers in the Concierge lounge- special lounge chairs by the pool - reservations made for you by the Concierge for shows, dining, etc. - special seating & menus in "Chops" for breakfast - just a few of the benefits that come with booking a suite!
The cabin was large enough the 3 of us + our 4 suitcases & 3 tote bags.(bags fit under the bed & on the 1 of the closet floor) There was more than enough closet space. We never did fill up all of the drawers. The bathroom is amazing for a cruise ship, with double sinks, beautiful tub/shower (handy expandable clothesline for drying bathing suits). The balcony was huge, held 2 lounge chairs plus a table with 2 side chairs and still had room to move around.
We rented a cabana over the water - best decision I made for this port! it was paradise. My 16 & 17 year old granddaughters did the "Zip Line" - they said it was lots of fun - they actually said the truck ride of the mountain was as scary as the zip line!!!