Altogether we had an excellent cruise starting from check-in at Southampton which was quick and easy, the only issue here being that our suitcases didn't arrive at the cabin till after 4 p.m. Our cabin was clean and spacious and we had treated ourselves to a balcony which was lovely but only really worthwhile during the warmer days. 'Independence' certainly has the wow factor and we walked down the Royal promenade for the first time. However because this was a winter cruise it became very crowded at peak times being the major inside space.
The dining room is a magnificent 3 floor area with each floor having its own entrance. We were travelling with our daughter, son-in-law and grandson and at first they were placed on a different table. However a visit to the head waiter soon sorted this out. We were not able to change sittings though, as the first sitting was very full. If this is your preferred choice make sure to book it early enough.
The only disappointing part of the cruise was the entertainment. During the evenings there were a number of good cabaret artists but a couple were poor and there were only 2 big production shows during the eleven nights. The highlight of the cruise was the Ice show which was terrific and the fact that we had to get tickets meant everyone could get to see it. The day entertainment was let badly down because most of it was aimed around the outside spaces, a problem because we only had 3 good days. The entertainment team either were not able or did not have the imagination to provide alternatives. The staff were fantastic; we were looked after at dinner by Hazel and Maria and Alfina did a magnificent job keeping our cabin ship-shape.