I was on RCCL’s Independence OTS’s May crossing from Fort Lauderdale to Southampton. It was my 41st cruise. Most of my travel has been on RCCL’s smaller ships, Celebrity (all except Century), and Cunard. I say that, so you’ll know what my frame of reference will be.

My non-cruising friends have always asked me, How can you stand being trapped on board a ship with all those people for so long? This was the first cruise where I understood what they meant. With that said, I guess I’ll hit the low points first.

Since I’ve been on only smaller RCCL ships, I haven’t encountered the Promenade before. While it’s nice to have a central hub, it’s crowded most evenings. And, during the day, the shops extend kiosks into the space, so you’re forced to deal with the throngs of shoppers and the narrower paths. But crowded and loud is how most places felt - only on one night was I able to find a bar (in this case, Olive or Twist) where the music was low enough to have a conversation with someone sitting two seats away at the bar. Most nights it was full volume. Read more