American Independence (formerly Independence) Review

Terrible

Review for the USA Cruise on American Independence (formerly Independence)
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LizLibrarian
2-5 Cruises • Age 60s

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Sail Date: Oct 2015

When we first got on the ship, I thought, "This must be an old ship that they retrofitted". There were duct tape repairs in the dining room. The cabin looked like something out of the 1970s. Then the captain told us it had been built in 2010. Wha? When we arrived at Chelsea piers, we went where we were told to go. Nothing. We had to get out & ask. They told us to go to another pier. Nothing. Finally, we found someone with an ACL shirt, and he said, "No, you need to go to Pier XX". Did I mention it was, windy, cold, and my father-in-law is disabled? Did I mention that the porter almost dumped all of our luggage into the river on the very narrow gangway to the ship? Ugh.

When we got to the ship, they had to transfer my FIL to a smaller wheelchair. I said "Are they making you move to another chair?" The captain turned and snapped at me, "Do you have a better idea?" I was totally shocked. Great way to start the cruise with the captain yelling at me. I didn't know that the gangway was too narrow for his wheelchair. Snapping at me was uncalled for. We got there at the time we were told to be there, and then staff told us we were way too early. The rooms weren't ready (I get it) so we sat in the lounge, which was filled with sofas. Does anyone know how difficult it is for elderly people to get up and down from a sofa?

Some of the dining staff were great, helping my FIL when he fell out of his chair ... others, not so much. I saw unwashed hair, sloppy clothes, and one actually said, when we told him our food was cold, "Hey, I just deliver the food!" and did nothing to remedy the situation. The food was sub-cafeteria quality (and I use the word "quality" loosely). We kept seeing the same thing over and over in one shape or form. One of our excursions was riding on a bus for 2 hours, going around in circles. The stop at a "farm" to have apple cider was at a grocery store. The cruise director (after I realized there was one!) was shy and Missing in Action. The guest speaker was the only bright spot on the cruise, and I could tell she felt bad and was trying to make up for the cruise line's weaknesses. Information was not disseminated at all ... It was awful, awful, awful. One cruiser, who had been on the ship before, said "If this had been my first cruise I never would have come again." I can't say enough how I want those 7 days back again.

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