The Independence uses every imaginable opportunity to extract as much money from its clientele as is possible from sailing at speeds of only 10 knots to cutting the time spent ashore to running seminars as entertainment with a cost of treatment at the end ( who needs an assessment of their tongue and feet on a cruise) to very expensive drinks.
The entertainment by the ships onboard dancers and singers left a lot to be desired. little better than your local drama society. The brought in entertainment was hitty missy.
As we enjoy ballroom dancing we were pleased to read in the Cruise Compass paper had a ballroom with ballroom dancing, in reality the floor was little bigger than a disco floor with no organised ballroom dancing.When we confronted the cruise director regarding the lack of dancing opportunities he said he didn't realise that they advertised a ballroom and dancing.Two days later there was ballroom dancing to pre-recorded music, but only when the ship was in port and most of the passengers were on excursions, and even then it was timed at between 12am and 1pm when people were at lunch and only 4 couples attended. On the last sea da they moved it to 3pm and the room and floor were more than half full.
The cabin was larger than some we have had and comfortable. Perhaps the bed was a little too large making it difficult to get around one side of the bed.
The tea/coffee facilities were adequate but would have benefited from cream for thew coffee.The toilet rolls were of the poorer variety and could do with a better quality.