Independence Of The Seas

Independence Of The Seas current position

Independence Of The Seas current location is at North West Atlantic Ocean (coordinates 20.46606 N / -73.50371 W) cruising at speed of 17.7 kn (33 km/h | 20 mph) en route to Miami. The AIS position was reported 26 minutes ago.

All Itineraries Current Position

Current itinerary of Independence Of The Seas

Independence Of The Seas current cruise is 4 days, round-trip Short Caribbean Cruise. Prices start from USD 462 (double occupancy rates). The itinerary starts on 21 Nov, 2024 and ends on 25 Nov, 2024.

Date / TimePort
21 Nov 16:00    Departing from Miami, Florida hotels
23 Nov 07:00 - 17:00    Labadee Haiti, Royal Caribbean private island
25 Nov 06:00    Arriving in Miami, Florida hotels

Specifications of Independence Of The Seas

Year of build2008  /  Age: 16
Flag state Bahamas
BuilderAker Yards (Turku, STX Finland)
ClassRCI FREEDOM
Building costUSD 830 million
Speed23 kn / 43 km/h / 26 mph
Length (LOA)338 m / 1109 ft
Beam (width)56 m / 184 ft
Gross Tonnage154407 gt
Passengers3836 - 4603
Crew1360
Passengers-to-space ratio35
Decks15
Cabins1918
Decks with cabins9
Last Refurbishment2023
Sister-shipsFreedom OTS, Liberty OTS
Christened byElizabeth Hill
OwnerRCG-Royal Caribbean Group (via RCCL-Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd)
OperatorRCI-Royal Caribbean International

Independence Of The Seas Itineraries

DateItineraryDeparture PortPrice from
2024 Oct 28 5 days, round-trip Western Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $529
2024 Nov 02 5 days, round-trip Western Caribbean Cruise Miami $483
2024 Nov 07 4 days, round-trip Short Caribbean Cruise Miami $329
2024 Nov 11 5 days, round-trip Western Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $459
2024 Nov 16 5 days, round-trip Western Caribbean Cruise Miami $569
2024 Nov 21 4 days, round-trip Short Caribbean Cruise Miami $462
2024 Nov 25 5 days, round-trip Western Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $807
2024 Nov 30 5 days, round-trip Western Caribbean Cruise Miami $453
2024 Dec 05 4 days, round-trip Short Caribbean Cruise Miami $497
2024 Dec 09 5 days, round-trip Welcome To Jamrock Reggae Cruise Miami
2024 Dec 14 5 days, round-trip Western Caribbean Cruise Miami $561
2024 Dec 19 4 days, round-trip Short Caribbean Cruise Miami $439
2024 Dec 23 5 days, round-trip Western Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $818
2024 Dec 28 5 days, round-trip Western Caribbean Cruise Miami $1905
2025 Jan 02 4 days, round-trip Eastern Caribbean Cruise Miami $523
2025 Jan 06 5 days, round-trip Western Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $585
2025 Jan 11 5 days, round-trip Western Caribbean Cruise Miami $573
2025 Jan 16 4 days, round-trip Short Caribbean Cruise Miami $419
2025 Jan 20 5 days, round-trip Western Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $635
2025 Jan 25 5 days, round-trip Western Caribbean Cruise Miami $570
2025 Jan 30 4 days, round-trip 70000 Tons Of Metal Miami
2025 Feb 03 5 days, round-trip Western Caribbean Cruise Miami $563
2025 Feb 08 5 days, round-trip Western Caribbean Cruise Miami $611
2025 Feb 13 4 days, round-trip Rock Legends Cruise XII Miami
2025 Feb 17 4 days, round-trip Bahamas Perfect Day Cruise Miami $475
2025 Feb 21 3 days, round-trip Bahamas Perfect Day Cruise Miami $526
2025 Feb 24 4 days, round-trip Bahamas Perfect Day Cruise Miami $535
2025 Feb 28 3 days, round-trip Bahamas Perfect Day Cruise Miami $496
2025 Mar 03 4 days, round-trip Bahamas Perfect Day Cruise Miami $446
2025 Mar 07 3 days, round-trip Bahamas Perfect Day Cruise Miami $446
2025 Mar 10 4 days, round-trip Bahamas Perfect Day Cruise Miami $475
2025 Mar 14 3 days, round-trip Bahamas Perfect Day Cruise Miami $416
2025 Mar 17 4 days, round-trip Bahamas Perfect Day Cruise Miami $566
2025 Mar 21 3 days, round-trip Bahamas Perfect Day Cruise Miami $475
2025 Mar 24 4 days, round-trip Bahamas Perfect Day Cruise Miami $563
2025 Mar 28 3 days, round-trip Bahamas Perfect Day Cruise Miami $405
2025 Mar 31 4 days, round-trip Bahamas Perfect Day Cruise Miami $446
2025 Apr 04 3 days, round-trip Bahamas Perfect Day Cruise Miami $423
2025 Apr 07 4 days, round-trip NurseCon At Sea Miami
2025 Apr 11 3 days, round-trip Bahamas Perfect Day Cruise Miami $395
2025 Apr 14 4 days, round-trip Bahamas Perfect Day Cruise Miami $535
2025 Apr 18 3 days, round-trip Bahamas Perfect Day Cruise Miami $428
2025 Apr 21 4 days, round-trip Bahamas Perfect Day Cruise Miami $556
2025 Apr 25 3 days, round-trip Bahamas Perfect Day Cruise Miami $435
2025 Apr 28 14 days, one-way from Miami to Southampton Miami $1299
2025 May 12 12 days, round-trip Discover The Canaries Cruise Southampton $1800
2025 May 24 7 days, round-trip Spain Portugal Cruise Southampton $981
2025 May 31 7 days, round-trip Spain Portugal Cruise Southampton $988
2025 Jun 07 2 days, round-trip Bruges Weekend Getaway Cruise Southampton $405
2025 Jun 09 9 days, round-trip Spanish Flair Cruise Southampton $1118
2025 Jun 18 3 days, round-trip Bruges Weekend Getaway Cruise Southampton $464
2025 Jun 21 8 days, round-trip Northern City Escapes Cruise Southampton $2946
2025 Jun 29 7 days, round-trip Norwegian Fjords Cruise Southampton $1139
2025 Jul 06 7 days, round-trip Spain Portugal Cruise Southampton $1149
2025 Jul 13 7 days, round-trip Norwegian Fjords Cruise Southampton $1201
2025 Jul 20 5 days, round-trip Hamburg Rotterdam Cruise Southampton $691
2025 Jul 25 9 days, round-trip Spanish Flair Cruise Southampton $1534
2025 Aug 03 9 days, round-trip Spanish Flair Cruise Southampton $1734
2025 Aug 12 5 days, round-trip Hamburg Rotterdam Cruise Southampton $717
2025 Aug 17 7 days, round-trip Norwegian Fjords Cruise Southampton $1086
2025 Aug 24 8 days, round-trip Northern City Escapes Cruise Southampton $1406
2025 Sep 01 9 days, round-trip Spanish Flair Cruise Southampton $1213
2025 Sep 10 9 days, round-trip Spanish Flair Cruise Southampton $1066
2025 Sep 19 3 days, round-trip Bruges Weekend Getaway Cruise Southampton $464
2025 Sep 22 7 days, round-trip Spain France Cruise Southampton $1177
2025 Sep 29 5 days, round-trip Hamburg Bruges Cruise Southampton $664
2025 Oct 04 7 days, round-trip Northern Spain Cruise Southampton $942
2025 Oct 11 5 days, round-trip Hamburg Rotterdam Cruise Southampton $670
2025 Oct 16 14 days, one-way from Southampton to Miami Southampton $1008
2025 Oct 30 3 days, round-trip Bahamas Perfect Day Cruise Miami $505
2025 Nov 02 7 days, round-trip Eastern Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $714
2025 Nov 09 7 days, round-trip Western Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $761
2025 Nov 16 7 days, round-trip Eastern Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $748
2025 Nov 23 7 days, round-trip Western Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $865
2025 Nov 30 7 days, round-trip Eastern Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $601
2025 Dec 07 7 days, round-trip Western Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $889
2025 Dec 14 7 days, round-trip Eastern Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $621
2025 Dec 21 7 days, round-trip Western Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $1003
2025 Dec 28 7 days, round-trip Eastern Caribbean Holiday Miami $1150
2026 Jan 04 7 days, round-trip Western Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $801
2026 Jan 11 7 days, round-trip Eastern Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $601
2026 Jan 18 7 days, round-trip Western Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $746
2026 Jan 25 7 days, round-trip Eastern Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $668
2026 Feb 01 7 days, round-trip Western Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $773
2026 Feb 08 7 days, round-trip Eastern Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $660
2026 Feb 15 7 days, round-trip Western Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $752
2026 Feb 22 7 days, round-trip Eastern Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $641
2026 Mar 01 7 days, round-trip Western Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $741
2026 Mar 08 7 days, round-trip Eastern Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $681
2026 Mar 15 7 days, round-trip Western Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $912
2026 Mar 22 7 days, round-trip Eastern Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $770
2026 Mar 29 7 days, round-trip Western Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $842
2026 Apr 05 7 days, round-trip Eastern Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $762
2026 Apr 12 7 days, round-trip Western Caribbean Perfect Day Miami $752
2026 Jul 30 9 days, round-trip Bermuda Eastern Caribbean Cape Liberty Bayonne $1223

Independence Of The Seas Review

Review of Independence Of The Seas

The 2008-built Independence of the Seas cruise ship is the third/last Freedom-class liner, with sisterships Liberty OTS and Freedom OTS.

The vessel (IMO number 9349681) is currently Bahamas-flagged (MMSI 309374000) and registered in Nassau.

History - construction and ownership

Royal Caribbean International (RCI) is a US passenger shipping company, trademarked travel brand, and subsidiary owned by Royal Caribbean Group (RCG/shipowner). RCI was established in 1968 and currently has over 1/5 of the worldwide cruise market. RCI also has RCG's largest fleet by both vessel number and GT tonnage (ship sizes and capacities).

All RCI liners have names ending with "of the Seas".

Independence Of The Seas cruise ship (Royal Caribbean)

The 4000-passenger ship Independence OTS underwent a US$7 million drydock upgrade in April 2013 as part of RCI's bigger USD 300 million fleet renovation program. The new features included the Italian Trattoria "Giovanni's Table", a cupcake shop, Royal Babies and Tots Nursery, new digital signage boards, shipwide Wi-Fi, large poolside movie screen.

An excellent addition is a digital wayfinding system, especially for first-time-cruisers who get lost on enormous ships like this one. They offer directions and maps to everywhere on the Independence using a board with a keypad on which passengers can enter their room numbers and find their way to the stateroom. There are also features displaying the menus for restaurants, entertainment options, and other facilities. The large quick responsive touch screen helps in navigation around the ship.

Decks and Cabins

Independence Of The Seas staterooms (1918 total) include 127 Suites, 724 Balcony, 269 Oceanviews, 168 Promenade View, 620 Inside. Most cabins are sized 150-190 ft2 (14-18 m2). Most cabin balconies are sized 65 ft2 (6 m2). The largest is Vista Suite (1210 ft2 / 112 m2 plus 805 ft2 / 75 m2 terrace). Wheelchair-accessible cabins are 31.

The boat has 15 decks, of which 14 are passenger-accessible and 9 with cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

The three tiers of Independence's main dining room (Romeo and Juliet, Anthony and Cleopatra and Macbeth) offer assigned-seating dining with two sittings at 5:30 pm and 8 pm), as well as My Time Dining, in which guests pick a preferred mealtime between 5:30 pm and 9:30 pm, but are able to change reservations on a daily basis. Those who opt for My Time Dining have to pre-pay gratuities. The Windjammer Cafe lido buffet offers flexibility and variety - best for families with kids. The Windjammer has one very long self-service line of cold and hot items, plus stations for salads, fresh sandwiches, pizza, carved meats, and petite desserts. An omelet station features made-to-order eggs in the mornings; in the afternoons, guests can try the area that specializes in Asian food and goes off the beaten path with changing fare including Vietnamese and Indonesian specialties.

Follows the complete list of Independence of the Seas restaurants and food bars.

During ship's 2018 "Royal Amplified" refurbishment, RCI added the fleet's first "Fish and Ships" - poolside specialty restaurant (aft-portside on Lido Deck) offering a-la-carte priced seafood - including freshly battered cod, calamari, crispy hand-cut fries, cold brews. "Fish and Ships" replaced pool deck's Squeeze Bar.

  • Romeo and Juliet Restaurant (652-seat aft Dining Room, level 1)
  • Izumi (Asian/Japanese restaurant)
  • Anthony and Cleopatra Restaurant; Othello Restaurant (aft Dining Rooms, part of Romeo and Juliet)
  • Macbeth Restaurant (500-seat aft Dining Room, level 2)
  • King Lear Restaurant (883-seat aft Dining Room, level 3)
  • Windjammer Cafe Lido buffet restaurant (774-seat, offers Early Breakfast at 6:30 a.m., Breakfast between 7-11:30 am, Lunch 11.30-3:30 pm and Dinner 6.30-9 pm)
  • Chops Grille (104-seat specialty restaurant; reservations recommended)
  • Giovanni’s Table (Italian specialty restaurant, reservations recommended)
  • Johnny Rockets Restaurant (84-seat burger bar)
  • Sorrento’s Pizzeria (79-seat complimentary restaurant)
  • WipeOut Bar (20-seat complimentary burger bar)
  • Sugar Beach Candy and Ice Cream Store.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Independence of the Seas has much to offer for children and youngsters - from kid-oriented amusement and enrichment to recreational options which range from surfing and body boarding to ice skating - which is a great choice for family cruisers. However, travelers are still going to find lots of zones for more mature pursuits. The fitness, boasting even a boxing ring, is great and always busy. Adults-only spots beyond bars and the casino range from the Solarium pool and boutique dining venues (that have a set age limit of fifteen) to a rather racy late-night comedy show.

Additional amenities include Complimentary 24-hour Room-Service, Supervised Youth program, Internet/WiFi Access, Laundry.

Follows the complete list of Independence of the Seas lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults.

  • Alhambra Theatre (1320-seat, features grand production shows with dance, acrobatics, comedy, and games)
  • Studio B Lounge (indoor ice-skating rink; also serves as a spot for ice shows, cooking demos, game parties)
  • Photo Gallery and Shop; Art Gallery
  • On Air Club (140-seat karaoke and sports bar); The Centrum (7-deck social hub, offers aerial acrobatics entertainment); Pyramid Lounge; Next Cruise Lounge; Concierge Club (suite and past guests only); Seven Hearts (card room); Crown Lounge (fka Diamond Club Lounge & Bar for past guests only); Viking Crown Lounge and Bar
  • The Raven Gothic Bar; On Air Club (140-seat sports bar); Schooner Bar (112-seat piano bar); Boleros Lounge and Bar (77-seat Latin bar); Connoisseur Cigar Club and Bar; Dog and Badger English Pub; Vintages Bar (wine bar); Ben and Jerry’s Bar (ice cream parlor); Cupcake Cupboard Shop (bakery); Cafe Promenade (24-hour; serves snacks and drinks, as well as Starbucks specialty coffee); Champagne Bar; Sky Bar; The Plaza Bar; Olive or Twist Lounge and Martini Bar; Cloud 9 (24-seat sports bar)
  • Casino Royale (447-seat)
  • Royal Caribbean Online Center (Internet computers room; 24-hour)
  • Royal Promenade Boutiques (perfumes, jewelry, duty-free alcohol, general store, logo/souvenirs); SeaTrek (shop for diving equipment)
  • Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center; 7 jacuzzis (2 are cantilevered); 3 pools
  • Solarium lounge (includes Cafe Bar, pool bar and adults-only pool area)
  • Outdoor movie screen
  • Challengers Video Games Arcade; Fuel Teen Disco club; The Living Room; Royal Babies and Tots Nursery
  • H2O Zone Water Park; Adventure Beach; Adventure Ocean kids lounge area, water slides, escape rooms, laser tag, trampoline park
  • Sports Court (golf simulator, table tennis, basketball court); Jogging Track; Rock-climbing Wall; Independence Dunes Mini Golf Course; FlowRider (surf simulator, complimentary)
  • Skylight Wedding Chapel (40-seat, used for religious services).

Independence Of The Seas (deckplan changes refurbishment 2018)

During refurbishment 2018 to the ship were added:

  • RCI’s signature "Perfect Storm" waterslides (“Cyclone” and “Typhoon” / high-speed racing slides.), FlowRider (surfing simulator), Sky Pad (bungee trampoline with optional virtual reality headset). laser tag ("Battle for Planet Z" / glow-in-the-dark gaming room in the Studio B complex). The new water park and the duo of waterslides (called "Perfect Storm") were first introduced on the ships Liberty of the Seas and Harmony of the Seas (Oasis-class).
  • “Slashaway Bay” kids aqua park / interactive water play area with cannons and geysers (replaced the Outdoor Youth Area “back deck”).
  • Escape Room (by Puzzle Break) provides adventure game experiences (team building exercises) for a group of players who solve a series of puzzles by using clues, hints and group strategy. The team is given a set time limit to solve the puzzle (secret plot hidden within the room).

Itineraries

Independence of the Seas itinerary program is based on homeporting in Florida - Fort Lauderdale and Miami. Short breaks to The Bahamas (3-4- day to Nassau+CocoCay) are from Fort Lauderdale. Short breaks to Western Caribbean (4-5-day to Falmouth Jamaica+Nassau) and to Eastern Caribbean (4-day to Labadee Haiti) are offered from Miami.

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Independence Of The Seas ship related cruise news

Independence Of The Seas Wiki

Independence is the last of Royal Caribbean's Freedom-class liners, with sisterships Freedom and Liberty. The ship was built in 2008 at Aker Finnyards Shipyard (Turku, Finland). Aker Finnyards was later acquired by STX Europe (a division of the multinational STX Holding / South Korea). Ship's godmother was Elizabeth Hill from Baslow (Derbyshire, England-UK). She was married to a British farmer and won the ship naming contest after her 12-year-old daughter sent her application in a contest with ~1700 competitors. Richard D Fain (Chairman and CEO of RCCL) and Sir Steve Redgrave (one of Royal Caribbean's main charity partners) were members of the jury. The jury assessed the charity activities of all contestants. Elizabeth Hill was elected for her Gamelea Countryside Training Trust that helps young people with physical or social problems to integrate into society. The naming ceremony was on April 30, 2008, held in Port Southampton (UK).

In 2008, Independence OTS was the world's biggest passenger liner. The inaugural cruise (maiden voyage) was a 4-day itinerary from Southampton to Cork Ireland (departure May 2, 2008). On May 6, the ship started an 11-day Canary Islands cruise from Southampton.

The cruise ship was extensively drydock refurbished in April 2013 (at Navantia Cadiz). RCCL invested $7 million in renovations and upgrades, the list of which included adding the huge poolside movie screen, digital signage, ship-wide Wi-Fi coverage, nursery for toddlers, cupcake shop, Giovanni's Table (trattoria).

Just like all RCI ships, Independence OTS offers a lot of entertainment for kids and teens. Among best "fun hits" on the ship are the surfing simulator, and all the "ice skating" and "rock-climbing" activities. For adults, there is plenty of space for sports activities (modern fitness center, and even a boxing ring), many bars and lounges, the adult-only Solarium area.

The liner's namesake is the ACL's boat American Independence (2010-built).

The vessel was last drydocked in 2023 (January 6 - February 16) at Navantia Shipyard (Cadiz). The scheduled drydocking was for routine class works and general maintenance (hotel and machinery).

Independence OTS refurbishment 2018 review

Drydock 2018 refurbishment (April 4 - May 4, in Freeport Bahamas) resulted in the following deckplan changes (complete list, reviewed deck by deck):

  • (Decks 3 and 4) Alhambra Theatre was completely renovated and renamed to "Royal Theater".
  • "The Raven" nightclub ((Deck 3 / lower level 1 of 2) was replaced with staterooms, while the upper level (Deck 4) was replaced with Izumi (Japanese restaurant at a fee, with Teppanyaki table-side grills).
  • Photo Gallery was moved from Deck 4 to Deck 3. On Deck 4, replacing the Photo Gallery were added: "Playmakers Sports Bar" and Arcade Room.
  • (Deck 3) "On Air Club" was replaced with staterooms.
  • (Deck 3) Art Gallery was reduced in size for adding new staterooms.
  • "Romeo and Juliet" restaurant (Deck 3 aft), "Macbeth" restaurant (Deck 4 aft) and "King Lear" restaurant (Deck 5 aft) were renamed to "Dining Room".
  • (Deck 5) The Pyramid Lounge was renamed to "Star Lounge" and reduced in size.
  • (Deck 5) "Connoisseur Club" was transformed into "Library - RC Online" (Internet computers room) and increased in size.
  • (Deck 5) "God and Badger Pub" was renamed to "Ale and Anchor Pub" and reduced in size.
  • (Deck 5) "Cupcake Cupboard" (food bar) was replaced with the "Sugar Beach" shop (candy store).
  • On Deck 6 were added 1 Inside Cabin (#6137 / forward), 4 Inside Cabins (aft, replacing "Business Center" and "Loyalty Desk) and 2 Villa Suites (replacing the aft 4-Bedroom Family Suite).
  • On Deck 7 were added 1 Inside Cabin (#7139 / forward) and 4 Inside Cabins (aft, replacing the Library / moved to Deck 5).
  • On Deck 8 were added 6 Inside Cabins (8127, 8129, 8131, 8133, 8315, and 8237 / forward) and 4 Inside Cabins (aft, replacing the RC Online / moved to Deck 5).
  • On Deck 9 was added 1 Inside Cabin (#9237 / forward).
  • On Deck 10 the Concierge Lounge was replaced by 4 Inside Cabins.
  • On Deck 11 (forward-starboard) were added all 6 Spa Staterooms, taking some space from the Vitality Center. Also here the H2O Zone (kids aqua park / outdoor playground) was replaced with the new Splashaway Bay (water park). "Squeeze Bar" was replaced with "Fish and Ships", and the "Seatrek Dive Shop" was renamed "PADI". The "Splashaway Bay" is an interactive water park with waterslides (Cyclone, Typhoon, Boomerang), water cannons and geysers, pools, a drench bucket.
  • On Deck 12 (forward) were added all 44 Spa Staterooms (incl category "Panoramic Ocean View"), taking space from the Vitality Center.
  • On Deck 13, the "Independence Dunes" (mini-golf course / aft-portside) was replaced with waterslides ("The Perfect Storm"), "Sky Pad" (bungee trampoline with optional virtual reality headset) and FlowRider (surf simulator).
  • On Deck 14 (forward-portside) the multi-purpose rooms "Cloud Nine" and "Seven Hearts" were replaced by exclusive "Suite Lounge".
  • On Deck 15, the "Skylight Chapel" (wedding room) was replaced with "Escape Room". The Escape Room provides adventure game experiences (team building exercises) for a group of players who solve a series of puzzles by using clues, hints and group strategy. The team is given a set time limit to solve the puzzle (secret plot hidden within the room).

Independence Of The Seas waterslides

Independence OTS refurbishment 2013 review

The list of deckplan changes after ship's drydock 2013 included:

  • “Giovanni’s Table” (Italian cuisine restaurant) was added on Lido deck 11. There was also added RCI's signature "Royal Babies & Tots Nursery" (babysitting facility). Also on Lido deck was installed RCI's signature Jumbotron movie screen (poolside outdoor theater).
  • “Cupcake Cupboard” (bakery shop) was added on Promenade deck 5.