Independence of the Seas Review

Independence of the Seas is the third and final of Royal Caribbean's ground-breaking Freedom-class ships -- once the largest in the world before the launch of Oasis of the Seas and its sister ships.

In May 2018, Indy, as the ship is known to its many fans, went through a massive refurbishment that saw a host of new features introduced onboard including Sky Pad, a virtual reality trampoline experience; a laser tag arena, a puzzle break room, The Observatorium; two water slides and a kids' aqua park, as well as new dining and drinking venues -- and 107 new cabins.

The upgrade was part of Royal's $900 million "Royal Amplified" program, where similar features were rolled out on nine other ships in the fleet. Fans of the popular Viking Crown Lounge will be happy to know that the bar and its DJ nights survived the Independence of the Seas remodel, which was not the case in other Royal Caribbean cruises.

The ship has won multiple accolades from cruisers over the years. A lot of thought went into the last refurbishment, and it really shows, giving Indy a fresh, contemporary feel, as well as cutting-edge (Sky Pad) and on-trend (puzzle break, laser tag arena), new features.

The Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas Deck Plan Is Easy to Navigate

Quite a few things were moved or added during the 2018 makeover of the Independence of the Seas, and its deck plan has changed significantly. Installing new bars and restaurants, as well as the entertainment facilities on the outer decks, is a huge project, yet all of it fits seamlessly into the ship, almost as if it's always been there.

With that said, Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas is still over a decade old, and some of the cabins and bathrooms are looking their age in terms of decor and in-cabin fixtures and fittings. The ship’s atrium is also somewhat less impressive than those in the larger Royal Caribbean cruise liners.

While Independence of the Seas is a large cruise ship with a maximum capacity of 4,515 guests, its deck plan is well laid out. Cabins are spread over multiple decks, but bars, restaurants, pools and entertainment venues are almost all on decks 5 and 11 to 15. This keeps most public areas within a quick elevator ride or a couple flights of stairs away --  a good thing as  there are only two elevator banks on the ship.

With similar itineraries and offerings, many passengers struggle to decide between Independence of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas. They’re both almost the same size and were refurbished in 2018. Independence of the Seas has two more restaurants and more kid-friendly activities than Mariner. Independence, however, lacks a Starbucks.

Independence of the Seas is also very similar to sister ship Freedom of the Seas. They’re both part of the Freedom class and virtually carbon copies of each other. The only main difference between them is that Independence has a Sky Pad, which the Freedom does not.

Independence of the Seas Offers Plenty of Things to Do for All Ages

Where Independence of the Seas really excels is in its kid-friendly offerings. The ship has an extraordinary amount on offer for youngsters -- from kid-oriented entertainment and enrichment to recreational options that range from surfing and body boarding to ice skating and the aforementioned VR-enhanced trampolines -- making it a superb choice for family travelers.

However, adult passengers will still find plenty of space for more grown-up pursuits aboard the Independence of the Seas, with a great selection of restaurants, a vast number of bars and huge amount of entertainment options. The fitness facility is excellent and always busy; adults-only spots beyond bars and the casino range from the Solarium pool and specialty restaurants to late-night adult-themed comedy. Travelers of many different stripes coexisted comfortably. (The ship also has outstanding facilities for passengers with accessibility needs.)

If you're after an almost limitless number of activities and forms of entertainment, whether that's watching a Broadway show, enjoying movies by the pool, or perfecting your surfing skills; or if you want fine dining and a wide bar choice, or if you just want a great kids' club and kids' facilities – Independence of the Seas delivers, time and time again.