by Rebecca Sullivan
Here is a quick trip recap from our short weekend getaway on Independence of the Seas. This was our first trip with kids!
Embarkation
COVID testing on site for unvaccinated children: our boarding time was 10:30. We went back to the testing site where we didn’t have to wait at all for my son to do his test. Then the overall wait time for results was 27 minutes.
The Ship
Cabin: 2309 spacious interior separate bunk bed room for the kiddos. The small crib that the ship provides also fits in that room. There is a walk in closet that held the strollers. Nice big couch for relaxing (laying clothes out). Bathroom normal size with the tiny cruise shower.
Cabin must haves: Magnetic hooks- great for hanging wet swim suits especially since we stayed in an interior room so the balcony option didn’t exist. Blow up pool for shower – I purchased one for $8 on Amazon it had a 24in diameter and was the perfect size for the tiny cruise shower. Check out the Moms at Sea Amazon Store!
The ship: She is definitely a beautiful ship. The splash pad on board was way bigger than I was expecting. We couldn’t keep my 2 year old out of it! Movies by the pool at night was a great way for the kids to wind down before bed.
Plenty of slides and a Baby Splash Pad for kids in diapers on Independence of the Seas
The food: There is food available literally at every corner. My kids lived off of chocolate chip cookies from the promenade cafe. The main dining room did not have chocolate milk available during dinner but they did have apple juice. Our wait staff was amazing with our boys. Meal time did take about 1.5 hours so next time we will probably skip MDR.
The entertainment: We did not do any shows I didn’t want my kids to start acting out and disrupt the other passengers. But the bands that played in the Boleros were amazing. They took my 2 year old on stage and had him play the bongos.
The ports:
CocoCay: My boys loved the splash pad there, too. There were plenty of chairs in the shade for break times. Chill Grill had the absolute best tacos! My personal favorite was the chicken, whereas my husband enjoyed the pork. All of the staff on the island were fantastic. My husband brought a snorkel mask from home so he and my brother went out into the water to explore where they saw beautiful fish (watch out for jellyfish).
Nassau: We took the opportunity to stay onboard and sleep in.
We enjoyed our trip so much! I was very nervous going into the trip with it only being a 3 night and having two little ones. Independence of the Seas has become my new favorite ship.
Thank you to the Royal Caribbean Moms at Sea Facebook Group for all of the helpful tips and tricks before we boarded our cruise. And to all the future cruisers looking for advice on your sailings you came to the right group!
