In the event you’re a frequent cruiser, it’s not unusual to search out your self in the identical cruise routine. People are creatures of behavior and gravitate in the direction of acquainted, comfy experiences. This may be true even whereas touring once you’re already exterior of your regular consolation zone!
For one Royal Caribbean cruiser, switching issues up throughout her latest Royal Caribbean cruise was an eye-opening expertise. Seasoned cruiser, Patty, just lately sailed onboard Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas on a 5-night crusing to the Western Caribbean.
Patty defined that she’s been cruising for over 30 years together with her first cruise in 1992 with Norwegian Cruise Line. She has cruised around the globe, together with a latest crusing to Australia and Bali together with her household. As well as, she has cruised to Europe and Asia with Royal Caribbean and Celeb Cruises. Nonetheless, she has visited the Caribbean extra occasions than every other port of name on this planet.
Throughout her 5-night crusing, Patty visited Cozumel, Mexico, and Royal Caribbean’s personal island, Good Day at CocoCay. For some cruisers, the ports of name will at all times be the spotlight of any crusing. Nonetheless, Patty usually finds the onboard expertise to be her favourite a part of any cruise. From the delectable eating to the onboard actions and show-stopping leisure, Patty finds herself having fun with the ship as a lot as she’s exploring ashore.
Seeking to increase her cruising horizons, Patty determined to strive a couple of new issues as a substitute of sticking to her 30-year cruising routine. Some adjustments have been small whereas others have been extra vital. Total, these new experiences resulted in an “distinctive” Royal Caribbean cruise.
Skipping the buffet and heading straight to the bar
When boarding a cruise ship, embarkation day could be fairly hectic. Between busy cruise terminals, muster drill necessities, unpacking your suitcase, and getting settled, some is perhaps stunned by the chaotic nature of embarkation day.
To kick off her trip on the proper foot, Patty determined to go straight to the bar after boarding. It’s not an uncommon cease for many vacationers, however Patty shares she usually doesn’t have a cocktail till later within the night when cruising. Usually, she is in a rush to go to the Windjammer buffet after boarding, together with dropping off carry-on baggage and checking her desk location within the Fundamental Eating Room.
Talking of the Windjammer, Patty selected the primary day of her cruise that she wished to skip the loopy buffet for lunch. Most cruisers head straight to the buffet on embarkation day, creating lengthy strains. Typically, it’s exhausting even to discover a desk for lunch throughout this time!
As an alternative, Patty determined to go to a brand new quick-casual eating choice on Independence of the Seas: Fish and Ships. As a seafood lover, Patty was wanting to strive the new-to-her restaurant. The complimentary eating choice is just accessible on Independence of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas.
Situated on the pool deck, Patty discovered there was nobody in line at Fish and Ships. This was a welcomed change from the crowded buffet. The menu included a couple of no-cost choices, similar to fried shrimp with chips, fish sandwich, fish and chips, and hen fingers.
Patty was excited to strive the fish and chips, together with the breaded shrimp. She discovered the fish to be very tasty and fried with a thick breading. Though the shrimp was smaller than anticipated, these have been gratifying as properly. Patty’s journey companion was not a seafood fan, so as a substitute, she ordered the hen tenders with French fries. The tenders have been so small, Patty stated they appeared mislabeled and may have been referred to as hen nuggets.
Visiting the sauna and steam room within the spa
After visiting Cozumel extra occasions than she will rely, Patty determined to remain aboard Independence of the Seas somewhat than heading ashore. As well as, the climate was scorching and muggy. With this, Patty wished to expertise a quieter cruise ship whereas most company determined to go ashore.
Even after cruising for greater than three many years, Patty had by no means been within the spa to go to the sauna or steam room earlier than. With out allocating devoted time to strive the spa’s facilities, it’s at all times too busy for her to cease by. As well as, some cruise ships cost to go to these spa facilities, so Patty was joyful to strive each free of charge.
Unsurprisingly, Patty was the one particular person within the girls’s sauna and steam room. As suspected, most passengers had disembarked for the itinerary’s port of name, particularly with solely two stops on the crusing. Patty shared that the services have been clear, as she anticipated, and he or she appreciated being the one particular person within the area. “It was calming since I had no thought what I used to be doing,” she defined.
Though she had some questions, Patty said the spa had signage with directions and warnings for passengers. Whereas some may glaze over these, Patty felt it was vital to know the services.
First, she determined to strive the sauna. The directions said so as to add water to the coals, so Patty did as instructed. The foundations additionally suggested that spa guests ought to solely keep within the sauna for 10 minutes or much less. To be secure, Patty shared she solely stayed within the sauna for 7 minutes as a consequence of being alone and having hypertension.
Up subsequent, she ventured over to the steam room within the spa. She described the area as having a single-tile seat to relaxation on. Sadly, the steam room was claustrophobic to Patty as a result of the steam was so thick. Once more, she determined to solely keep within the steam room for lower than 10 minutes – not that she wished to spend any further time.
To finish her spa go to, Patty cooled off within the bathe. She shared how she loved utilizing the extra-large bathe within the spa in comparison with her inside cabin’s tiny bathe. Though she was glad to strive the sauna and steam room for the primary time, Patty doesn’t essentially want to go to these services once more.
Enhancing her inside cabin
Staying in an inside stateroom, Patty wished to strive a couple of small adjustments to boost her cabin expertise. After studying a weblog publish on our website about inquiries to ask your cabin steward, she realized concerning the choice to ask for mattress toppers. As a result of cruise beds are sometimes too agency for her liking, Patty wished to see if the mattress topper would improve her high quality of sleep.
After boarding on the primary day of her cruise, Patty requested the cabin steward if she might have a mattress topper added to her mattress. She returned that night to search out the mattress topper already on her mattress. Patty was happy with the mattress topper, stating how she slept higher on the softened mattress.
To optimize the cabin area, Patty wished to strive one other new technique. Initially, she defined her inside cabin had one nightstand on each side of the mattress. Patty determined to rearrange the cabin so every mattress was towards the cabin wall, permitting extra space between the beds for navigating the room.
By pushing the beds towards the wall, Patty was additionally capable of stack pillows alongside the facet of the wall for comfy facet sleeping. This prevents the pillows from falling everywhere in the ground as properly, so Patty will proceed separating her mattress like this sooner or later.
Different small adjustments included further pillows and extra hangers for the closet to offer extra hanging area for her garments. Lastly, Patty requested a paper Cruise Compass to be delivered day by day as a result of she doesn’t at all times get pleasure from utilizing the Royal Caribbean app.
Fortunately, their cabin steward was joyful to accommodate these requests and Patty discovered the small enhancements to make a giant distinction throughout her cruise.
Repeat specialty eating visits
When Patty cruises, she sometimes solely visits a specialty eating restaurant as soon as throughout her crusing. By no means earlier than had she thought to revisit the identical specialty eating restaurant greater than as soon as throughout the identical cruise.
Throughout her time on Independence of the Seas, Patty had onboard credit score to spend earlier than the tip of the cruise. She opted to strive Giovanni’s Desk for lunch on the primary sea day for under $22.99 in comparison with $54.99 per particular person for dinner to save cash.
Patty described the lunch as implausible, beginning with the crispy calamari. She felt the serving dimension was simply 5 occasions the dimensions of what the Fundamental Eating Room would serve. The flippantly breaded calamari had a crispy coating and was served with lemon garlic aioli and tomato sauce. The truth is, she couldn’t cease speaking about how good the heavenly calamari was!
For her fundamental entree, Patty determined to strive the fillet mignon after her waiter extremely really helpful it. She determined to strive the fillet with smaller pasta dishes for the perimeters. Patty stated the waiter was proper and the steak was unbelievable, cooked to perfection, and really tender. She argues the fillet is best than what she’s had in Chops Grille Steakhouse on Royal Caribbean.
After an exquisite first go to, they returned to Giovanni’s. On the final day of her cruise, Patty shared how her waiter from lunch was selling the restaurant. He remembered her and supplied to make her a deal to return that night time. To her shock, the waiter supplied a BOGO deal for each Patty and her visitor to dine for under $54.99 every.
Learn extra: All the things I ate on Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas: Meals evaluation and footage
After a subpar expertise within the Fundamental Eating Room, Patty didn’t hesitate to simply accept the BOGO provide. Usually, she enjoys connecting with the waitstaff within the eating room all through her cruise, however discovered this wasn’t the case on her quick cruise. She said, “This was the primary time I can ever keep in mind not desirous to be within the Fundamental Eating Room on the final night time of a cruise.”
As such, Patty dined at Giovanni’s for the ultimate night time of her cruise and ordered almost the identical meal. She couldn’t resist ordering the wonderful calamari as soon as extra, together with the implausible fillet.
Attempting new breakfast choices
When cruising with Royal Caribbean, Patty usually enjoys breakfast within the Windjammer or Fundamental Eating Room. Whereas she’s thought-about ordering room service earlier than, she had by no means discovered the proper alternative to take action.
On this cruise, she wished to splurge and check out Royal Caribbean’s complimentary room service choice for breakfast. She ordered her breakfast to be delivered between 9 and 9:30 a.m., hoping her must-have espresso wouldn’t be served lukewarm. Patty additionally ordered an English muffin and fruit plate for breakfast.
At promptly 8:50 a.m., the room service division rang her cabin to make sure she was awake to obtain the order. A couple of minutes later, the meal was delivered to her stateroom. Patty was delighted to search out her espresso was in a carafe and served very popular – simply the way in which she likes it. She anticipated the English muffin may additionally be served lukewarm, however discovered it was nonetheless heat as properly.
Total, she was very impressed by the expertise and located it was a pleasant method to begin the day whereas her roommate wished to sleep in. Patty questioned why she had by no means ordered room service earlier than and will certainly proceed doing so sooner or later!
One other factor Patty wished to strive was the sunshine breakfast within the Diamond Lounge for top-tier loyalty members. She describes how breakfast was served till 10 a.m. on sea days and this explicit crusing had only a few top-tier loyalty members. Patty was the one particular person within the lounge for breakfast, so it was fairly stress-free.
The lounge served a pleasant continental breakfast, which included pastries, yogurt, fruit, juice, and specialty espresso. Even higher, the lounge featured a wonderful view of the ocean!
Formal night time on the buffet
Throughout her crusing on Independence of the Seas, the musical Grease was exhibiting at 7:00 p.m. on formal night time. Patty was trying ahead to seeing the Broadway musical throughout her cruise, though the time conflicted with dinner within the Fundamental Eating Room.
As an alternative, Patty opted to skip the eating room to have dinner within the Windjammer buffet on formal night time. This was the primary time Patty had ever skipped formal night time within the eating room after 30-plus years of cruising. Following the musical, she made her method to the buffet for a late dinner. Whereas she is normally happy with the Fundamental Eating Room, Patty loved making an attempt one thing completely different on formal night time.
To start out, she was stunned to search out that the buffet had the same theme because the Fundamental Eating Room. The formal night time theme in the principle eating room was “Savor La France” whereas the Windjammer theme was “A Style of France.” Due to this, a lot of the meals being served within the Fundamental Eating Room was additionally accessible within the buffet.
One of many highlights of their informal eating expertise was discovering a pleasant window seat to benefit from the aft-facing views of the ship. Patty was capable of watch the sundown throughout her dinner within the Windjammer; as compared, her Fundamental Eating Room desk was smack-dab in the course of the massive eating corridor, distant from any ocean views. With the ability to savor the sundown with out battling any crowds made for a memorable dinner.
The Windjammer supplied a crepe bar with tasty toppings to strive, so Patty opted to strive the strawberry and chocolate crepe. Though the meals was tremendous, she possible received’t return to the buffet for formal dinner when given the choice.
Sooner or later, Patty additionally concludes she in all probability received’t get dressed up for formal night time if she isn’t heading to the eating room anyway. Grabbing buffet meals in her robe appeared too informal for formal night time, and Patty shared she missed having an extended meal within the eating room.
Different small adjustments that added to the cruise expertise
Throughout this quick cruise, Patty challenged herself to do little issues otherwise in hopes of making some new cruise traditions and routines. You by no means know until you strive!
Patty is a comparatively new diabetic and wished to see how Royal Caribbean might accommodate her dietary wants. As such, she ordered the low-sugar choices within the eating room for dessert. These included vanilla ice cream, espresso pot de creme, coconut cake, and darkish chocolate custard.
After all, Patty discovered the desserts have been inferior to full-sugar desserts. However, she was joyful to see choices offered as a selection for these making an attempt to look at their weight or needing to watch their blood sugar. Whilst a diabetic, Patty was capable of get pleasure from certainly one of her favourite issues about cruising, which is at all times the meals!
In the identical approach, Patty discovered Johnny Rockets was accommodating to her dietary requests. She felt responsible ordering a full milkshake due to the sugar content material, however she didn’t need to be wasteful. As an alternative, she inquired about whether or not she might order a half-size milkshake as a substitute of the full-size. To her shock, the crew was joyful to accommodate the request and the smaller dimension glad her candy tooth.
Moreover, Patty shared how she sat on the promenade deck one night after sundown and gazed on the stars. This was a brand new method to chill out whereas discovering a serene place away from different cruisers. It virtually felt like having the ship to herself.
Lastly, Patty selected disembarkation day to go to the espresso store whereas ready for his or her numbers to be referred to as. She was stunned that her Diamond voucher was accepted for the specialty espresso, and felt this was an exquisite method to finish her trip. She by no means thought-about this as a risk, however she was glad she requested about utilizing her voucher earlier than heading house.
“Possibly it is my age, however it’s humorous how one can get in a rut doing the identical routines whereas cruising. I loved pushing myself to make some adjustments. They have been small, however they added to the general expertise on our Independence of the Seas cruise. Anytime I can cruise with certainly one of my daughters, I’m in,” concluded Patty.