This is the first time that we had been on a cruise during Christmas. We had been warned to expect lots of kids onboard.
Boarding: We drove our car to Fort Lauderdale and used the services of Park and Go. After leaving our car there, they loaded our luggage and gave great service for my husband who had to use a transport chair for boarding. This was a nice feature in that we had requested help for boarding. My husband cannot stand or walk for too long and this helped tremendously.
The ship: The Independence of the Sea ship is larger than other ships we have been on but we found it easy to manuever.The ship itself was nice but the decor was not what I would call beautiful. More practical would be appropriate; especially since it has to accommodate so many passengers. It is nice, and although the carpet a little worn, it is kept clean.
Cabin was great. Good location and plenty of space.