Cruising France & Spain

Independence of the Seas is based in Southampton, England and sailing mostly 10- to 14-night Mediterranean or Canary Island cruises. In the winter, Independence of the Seas will follow a sequence of four- and five-night short Western Caribbean itineraries from Port Everglades.

We joined the ship at Southampton for our 7 night France & Spain Cruise - having booked an Ocean View Family cabin I was pleasantly surprised how large and great amenities it offered and how quick the embarkation was.

The ship is one of the largest in the fleet and on this particular cruise full to the rafters! - from first impressions, the ship had everything to offer us as a family, from the Rock climbing wall to the golf simulator, ice rink and not forgetting the Spa!. Most of the activities require pre-booking and at times were very busy and I felt not all were good value.

An immediate good find was Vintages Wine Bar on the Royal Promenade deck, The Royal Promenade extends almost the internal length of the ship from deck 6 to deck 8 and is the centre of considerable activity, for both food outlets and entertainment…Something for everyone from Ice cream parlour, pizza 24hrs and coffee & Tea which was available free throughout the day/night.

The Main Dining Restaurant/s is a three-tiered level affair, each level being given a different name… Access between each level is by the staircase. We had chosen My Time Dining which allows you to book and enjoy a table on your own with the family, though the 1st & 2nd sitting dining areas also allowed you to dine with friends, family and other guests.

As on most cruise ships, the waiting staff were both very friendly and efficient, the food served was reasonable for the amount of passengers to cater for.

Entertainment, we found the liveliest bars in the evening were the Olive and Twist, The Dog and Badger pub, Vintages Wine Bar and Boleros all offering something different for each passenger from quiz evenings, dancing, karaoke and child-friendly events, Seating at most bars during the evening was never really a problem. Headliner and Production Show times staged in the Alhambra Theatre were reasonably good overall, though, as with a lot of cruise lines, the actual value does depend on personal taste and this we found was pitched at about the right level for the majority on board.

The Independence of the Seas readily appeals to the mass market value for money cruise and ticks all of the boxes for families looking for good value, great food, and lots to do on or off the boat.

Overall a great family holiday sailing the seas!.