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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.
On the last full day at sea I was at the passenger service desk and an older lady who was in a quite large scooter was asking what help she could get on disembarkation and was told that her cases would be taken ashore if she left them outside her cabin but beyond that the clerk said she couldn't see what else he could do.I bet she wouldn't have been told that at the start of the cruise.
In a port like Madeira, to arrive at 9am and be expected to be back on board by 2.30pm is ridiculous, compelling passengers to book the ships excursions rather than DIY.
In the past we have praised Royal Caribbean th high heaven, in future that praise will be greatly tempered.
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