This is a new ship and is due to launch in May there are no reviews yet. However there is some information HERE including suggested tips.

If you do decide to book it I'd be delighted if you would post a review on your return for the benefit of other members.

luci

Independence of the Seas has yet to be launched. May 2008 is when her maiden voyage is scheduled.

Thanks, I got my years muddled up and have edited my post above.

It is actually due to launch 2 weeks early and it looks like the Cork cruise is one of her first. MORE INFO HERE

luci

Superbok- You might read some passenger reviews of Freedom or Liberty of the Seas , the RCCL sister ships of the Independence. I've been on Freedom and I can tell you is it FABULOUS.

I only see one review on this site and it is of Liberty- have a look at Cruise Critic and click on Reviews then Freedom of the Seas, from the drop down menu. The first review you see is a professional review but if you click on Member Reviews you will see lots from passengers.
Also look at http://www.FreedomoftheSeas.com

This is a BIG ship and as such you will not be able to do everything on a 4 day trip.

The short trips also tend to have a different feel to a longer trip but are great to see if you basicly like cruising.

Pricewise short trips tend to stay high because they are popular and a new ship especialy. WE are hooked do 3 trips a year and you can get some realy cheap especialy relocation cruises, <£30pppn. so cheaper than a B&B.

As suggested read a few reviews of the same class of ship to get an idea.

Dress you could take the real posh stuff there will probably be one formal night, dark suit/DJ for the blokes and dressy for the girls, the rest will be smart casual, I do chinos/smart shirt.

If you don't want to dress up that will be fine.

Drinks are not cheap think london prices. £2.50-£3.00 beer and a bit more for the cocktails.

Typical eveniing will be show and dinner with either some secondary audience participation show or music in one of the bars, followed up by casino or disco.

There will be loads of things on so you need to check the svhedule carefully, you ge ta sheet with all the event on when you board and one for each day the evening before. Plan to spend a lot of time eating.

Now they have put on the extra cruises we are hoping to pick up a bargain.

Also have a look at 'Windjammer does deals' on this Forum - if there are any deals on a maiden voyage??
They keep the prices where they want them on new ships.
Kids onboard? Well they market to families, but outside school holidays there will be less of course.
Try to get a room midships or towards the stern if you can, or prepare to do some serious walking. The main Promenade is like a shopping street, they have parades, dancing in the street, there are pizza and coffee restaurants and an 'English style pub' where there is usually a guitarist playing. You have certainly picked a good ship to start. The only bad thing about your choice is the length of cruise, it's fine as a sampler but there is SO much to see and do you won't see it all. Be sure to read your 'Cruise Compass'- it is delivered daily to your room, it lists all the day's activities and where to find everything.
As far as size of cabins, they are small but you won't spend much time in there, (you can walk around the bed)- they are not like hotel rooms in size- you will sleep, shower and get out again.
If you do book this cruise do NOT miss the Ice show, even if you don't like ice skating, it is the best thing they do- also the parade on the first night down the Promenade.

Since they are launching the ship early and adding two cruises one of them being the 4n 2May there may be some deals(but don't get your hopes up), All the die hard must do book early booking people will have booked the origional maidens and now find themselves on a second hand ship so may be trying to move tothe earlier cruise which may open up some cabins on the later sailings.

We are looking at the 2nd May 4n and I have seen it on TXT from £349 but I think £400 is likely to be the best price if you find an agent with a block, RCI are now saying £473 for the cheapest cabin and it is not showing on US sites yet, If I get time I may put this on a cabin watch to see how it is selling but a lot of grades are gone allready, this is also a bank holiday cruise so most people can just book it no need for time off work which makes it very popular. I know if NCL have cabins left on their short cruises they sell them off cheap on the last couple of days no idea for RCI never tried(yet) Fredolsen also have a 4day cruise at this time and that is also around £400. getting too dam popular these short runs.

We saw the 11 night Canaries cruise departing Southampton on 6th May(which had been added in earlier than the original planned madien cruise) advertised just before Christmas. We hummed and haa'ed for two days before deciding to jump in and book. At that point (20 December) the cheapest cabins were all sold out, and only 6 of the next grade up remained.

Some folk are a bit sniffy that they originally booked a "maiden" cruise and now find that there is a 4 day mini-cruise to Cork and an 11 day cruise to the Canaries now in before their 'maiden' cruise.

We sail from Southampton, visit Madeira, Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Portugal and Spain before returning to Southampton.

We are told that of our 11 nights, 7 are 'informal', 2 are semi-formal (jackets and ties) and 2 are formal (DJ (tux)).

There are however many places to eat where dress code is not relevant.

Anyone thinking of booking I'll gladly tell what I know so far, and, of course, a review will follow on return

Hi Sancho
My family will be on the 21st May cruise so anything you can say about the cruise will be really helpful. One thing that I am a bit concerned about is the time it takes once you arrive in the Southampton vicinity to actually get to the carpark and on to the terminal ,which I believe is the city terminal. Anything you can add about that would be great.
When I booked this was the second cruise supposedly but I'm not at all bothered that she is sailing earlier. Things can be improved on if necessary but I always go cruising with an open mind and generally have no complaints thank goodness.
I hope you have a great time and look forward to hearing from you on your return.
By the way one child is 6 and the other 16 so info for their benefit will be much appreciated too.
annj

annj wrote:

Hi Sancho
My family will be on the 21st May cruise so anything you
can say about the cruise will be really helpful. One thing that I am a
bit concerned about is the time it takes once you arrive in the
Southampton vicinity to actually get to the carpark and on to the
terminal ,which I believe is the city terminal. Anything you can add
about that would be great.......
annj

We have never had a problem with traffic, if you are coming from the north then I would go round the motorway and come in from the west on the M272/A35., you can come straight down A33 from the M3 but it can take a little longer and the route is not so obvious in the t own centre. either way about 30mins from Eastleigh to dropping off the car. Map here

http://www.southamptonvts.co.uk/files/city%20cruise%20terminal.pdf

Try to get there early, 10:30-11:00 they dock at 5:15 so should have cleared the ship by 10:00 and normaly cruise lines start boarding as soon as they can.

You drive right to the terminal to drop your bags the porters take them off you, then if you have the valet parking you park up and drop off your keys or go and park the car in the pound, get the family to join any checkin queue while you drop of the car.

We are going on the 17th May 4 night to Cork and have got a balcony cabin for £399.
I notice it gets back at about 5.15 am. What time are you expected to disembark.

Saw the Independance on Thurs leaving St Peter Port, (from a distance) as we were sailing in.

We docked at 5:30 Harwich and were off at around 8:30 but plenty(US people) left for london before that

I would think the express disembarkation would be around 6:30.

That's strange I thought it was leaving Southampton on Fri 2nd on a 4 night trip to Cork and would be at St peter port on Monday 5th.Weather permitting.

It was(is) this was one of the invite/ charity cruises before the "paying passenger" inaguaral.

Thanks for that windjammer.

Does anybody know how close the ABP parking is as this is where I have my car booked.

We did the Canaries Cruise out of Southampton 6th/17th May aboard Independence of the Seas. Some photos are available for everyone at Independence of the Seas. Will upload them here later.

If you haven't done so already, I would be delighted if you would post a review of your cruise. I would suggest saving it in Word or similar first as there has been some problems with submitting reviews.

luci

If you haven't done so already, I would be delighted if you would post a review of your cruise.

Already done!

Many thanks, it's much appreciated.

luci