My short cruise on Independence of the Seas

I have just returned from a short break on the newly refurbished Independence of the Seas.
I first cruised on this ship 10 years ago when it was first launched and really pleased to see how lovely the ship is still looking.
Even after ships have been in for refits sometimes they still show their age but Independence looked like a newer ship.
The only areas I felt that looked a little tired were the staterooms but as I hardly spend any time in my cabin this wasn’t an issue for me.
I had a spacious balcony cabin and the balcony itself was much bigger than I have experienced in standard balcony cabins. There would have been room for a family of 4 to use the balcony which is rare with modern ships now days.

The main reason for going was to see the new features that have been added. The ship was full and there were lots of travel agents along with a mixture of couples of all ages, a few families and a fair few hen parties. I did speak with a few people who had booked this as never cruised before and thought they would try a mini cruise first to see how they got on. I would never recommend that anyone does this because it is completely different to a normal cruise. It was a great atmosphere and everyone was having a brilliant time but it was very rowdy and everyone seemed to be making good use of the drinks packages.
Royal Caribbean are known for their excellent entertainment and it did not disappoint. We were on board for 2 nights and saw an amazing ice-skating show, a Take That tribute band which were brilliant and also a theatre production of Grease which was better than I have seen in the West End.

The Schooner Bar was lively as always with a pianist/singer and the Royal Promenade was packed in the evening with entertainment staff livening things up.
If I was there with my family I am sure we would spend a fair amount of time in Playmakers which is their new sports bar. They have screens all round the bar showing sporting events and also have arcade games to keep the kids happy.

I love my food and the choice is endless. The main dining room is stunning with a huge chandelier and the food in here was better than I remember last time. There was also the option to choose a Fillet Mignon from Chops Grille ( their signature steakhouse ) for a cover charge of $15.00 which was well worth the extra cost. You could also upgrade to lobster for an extra $30.00. The waiters were very attentive and as we had the drinks package they were replenishing our drinks without being asked.

The windjammer is the buffet area which is open pretty much round the clock and there is also the option of the Café Promenade serving sandwiches, pastries, cakes, scones etc all included in the price or Sorrento’s Pizza place is open 24 hours a day and also included in the price.
They do have speciality restaurants for a cover charge which also includes a fun and casual Johnny Rockets. Their newest feature is Fish and Ships. This is on the open deck at Splashaway Bay and also has a cover charge but was well worth the extra. I had Fish, Chips and Mushy Peas for $9.00.

Splashaway Bay and the new waterslides are great for kids but it was a little bit too cold for me to try them out.

I did however try the new Bungee Trampoline. There is no extra charge for this and would be a great experience if you don’t suffer from motion sickness like me. You get a choice of visual screens to choose from such as being in a computer game, space or candy crush. I didn’t last long because as soon as you put the headset on I didn’t feel well.

I loved my few days back on this popular ship. I would love to have a family holiday on there but prices in school holidays may mean that’s not possible.
However if you are considering a cruise and like bigger ships with more entertainment and activities you really can’t go wrong with this.