Thursday, August 1, 2024

Sailing from South Beach- Cozumel

  Chops Grille Never Disappoints
June 4, 2024
Cozumel, Mexico


Another great day onboard the Independence of the Seas. 

Morning
We booked this cruise fairly last minute in February due to probable scheduling concerns for my job. By that late in the booking game, Galveston cruises had skyrocketed and prices were MUCH higher than we wanted to pay. So we looked at Miami prices and found several options but this cruise on Independence of the Seas was the best option calendar wise PLUS it went to Perfect Day at Coco Cay which we had been eye-balling for the past 2-3 years. HOWEVER, it also went to where else but Cozumel, Mexico... Our home away from home. No kidding... We have been to Cozumel 20 times on a cruise ship. They say some things "never get old" but I beg to differ. We are pretty much DONE with Cozumel. With that in mind- We chose to stay on the ship on this port day! 

TIP- This may not always be the case but we ended up saving $274 total by taking this cruise out of Miami. The Galveston 5 day option (Mariner of the Seas) inside cabin was so much higher that we were able to pay for the flights to Miami AND the hotel and still come out CHEAPER than sailing 80 miles from home. It is really sad that the cruise industry has figured out that Texans will PAY to cruise. I enjoyed the old days of cheap cruises out of Galveston! I miss those days! 

We woke up shortly after 8AM and got ready for a very relaxed port day onboard the Independence of the Seas. We ate breakfast in the Windjammer and enjoyed another made-to-order omelet plus our favorite, freshly squeezed orange juice from the Plaza Bar. 

How is it already Tuesday? 

We then spent the next 6 hours, literally, in the Solarium. We were able to enjoy the Solarium pool all to ourselves for a brief time and the hot tubs too. The sun was out but the "swim up bar" area of the Solarium pool was still in the shade until nearly 11:30AM so we stayed there for a while. We also enjoyed the gorgeous cantilever hot tubs with very few other people. 



Great way to spend the day! 

Afternoon
We took a break from the Solarium, sun and cocktails to grabbed lunch at Fish and Ships on the Lido Deck. Once again, this was not a fantastic lunch option but it was better than the Windjammer. TIP- Chris and I both agree that the actual fish and chips is the best option of this menu. Once done with lunch, we went back to the Solarium for a few more hours. 


I love that Royal Caribbean serves the ice cream for everyone. 
TIP- This means there is usually a line, but it's worth it! 

Around 3PM we decided to get out of the pool and shower/ get ready for my favorite part of any Royal Caribbean cruise... dinner at Chops Grille. We got ready and then went to the Star Lounge for The Office trivia. This is a trivia we had won on a Carnival cruise so we were ready to maintain our trophy... But that was not the case. We missed one too many questions and were stuck with 2nd place. 

We then stumbled upon a True or False trivia in Schooner Bar and we teamed up with another couple but once again, we did not win. Chris went back to the stateroom to take a nap while I got ready for dinner. We then went to listen to live music by the orchestra in Boleros. TIP- This is another win for Royal Caribbean. They do live music and jazz bands INCREDIBLY well. 


I am ready for dinner... Let's do this! 

The live music from these musicians was AMAZING. 
It made me miss my gigue days! 

Evening
We made our way to Deck 4 to watch for pier runners around departure time. We arrived right at all aboard time and were able to see the Mariner of the Seas set sail for Galveston. This was SO MUCH fun as we knew this ship was LOADED with Texans so we flashed the "horns down" sign and made a few people mad. It was GREAT! 


The Carnival Valor sailing back to New Orleans.
(Been there done that... TWICE) 


Hello Mariner of the Seas... one of our "Home Ships" right now in Galveston. 
We do not have any cruises booked on her... for now! 


This was SO MUCH fun. Once we knew people were seeing us and then yelling at us from the ship... We started having way too much fun! 
saxeT still SUCKS! 


I have never seen this from any ship but this was cool! 

We learned the Independence of the Seas was waiting for 2 people who were on their way to the ship via taxi. We were getting so excited to see them run down the pier in disgust when all of the sudden... The taxi actually drove onto the pier and delivered the couple straight to the gangway. C'mon... Where's the fun in that! The ship still booed the couple but it wasn't the same. The Independence set sail for Miami shortly after 6PM. 


In 24 cruises... This was a first! And just not as much fun! 


My how the turn tables have... It used to be people would RUN from the terminal to the ship but not any more! 


The wife literally got out of the car and ran on the ship. The husband had a little more trouble! 

We made our way to inside the Windjammer to Chops Grille for our favorite night of the cruise. TIP- Chops Grille is offered on Voyager, Freedom, Quantum and Oasis class ships as a specialty restaurant offering American Steakhouse options. It is quite easily the best food I have ever had and the experience and ambiance is second to none. You can choose Chops Grille as a single dining option or the Chops +1 for an excellent price. It is also MUCH cheaper to book before you sail but since our onboard credit did not load until we were on board, we had to wait to book this dining option and it ended up costing about $40-50 more than if we would have booked ahead of time.  


This is my FAVORITE! 


The Chops Grille menu! 

This meal was incredible and we enjoyed and savored every bite. The service was exceptional and we enjoyed a relaxed evening together. TIP- The pretzel bread is THE BEST! Also, the menu states ONE salad OR soup but we have always had success with ordering BOTH! 


Tuna Tar-Tar- Chris 3.0


Crab cake- 4.5
This was the freshest crab meat I have had in a LONG time! 


Cream of Mushroom Soup- 5.0+ (Chris 5.0)
We both agree this is the STAR of the entire meal.
Chris- "No need for a salad, just bring me more of this" 


Goat Cheese Salad- 4.5 (Chris 4.0)
I will never understand how they FRY cheese and accomplish such a lite fare salad but this hits the spot every time! 


Ribeye (Chris- 5.0) 
"One word- Unbelievable" 


Petite Filet- 5.0
This was cooked PERFECTLY! 


Side Dishes (Family style) 
Mac and Cheese- 4.0 (Chris 3.5) 
Creamed Spinach- 2.5 
Gruyere Tater Tots- 3.0 (Chris 3.5)
Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes- 3.5 (We both agree Carnival is better on this side dish) 


The Chops Grille dessert menu. 


Red Velvet Cake- 4.0
This is just too rich for me but WOW, so good! 


Bavarian Coffee- 3.5
This was very pepperminty! 


The Haute and Steamy- 5.0
Chris talked about this NON-STOP and LOVED it! 

The side dishes were not the best on this trip but the experience was still second to NONE! We LOVE Chops Grille so much and look forward to it on every RCCL cruise! 

After dinner we walked Deck 4 and then went to Vintages for post-dinner drinks and then to the Royal Theater for the Love and Marriage show with Cruise Director Mario. TIP- This is a great show hosted by the CD on most cruise line ships. This show varies by sailing but is usually an adults only show as the topics are often sexual in nature. Chris and I jokingly talk about getting on this show but we never have. We didn't even try to get on the show this time- maybe we're getting too old! This was a funny show and we enjoyed it. 


This time of day (7:30PM) on a cruise ship is my favorite! 


This would be my biggest complaint on Independence of the Seas: 
The luggage racks were stored at the aft on Deck 4 which blocked the gorgeous views of the Wake. It sincerely dampened the ambiance of the aft and wake views! 


Day #4 is a wrap! 

After this show we went back to Vintages to enjoy the live DJ on the Royal Promenade. For whatever reason the promenade was BUSY on this night (even more so than the 70s party the night before) and everyone was having fun. We enjoyed it all from Vintages before heading back to the Royal Theater for the adult comedy show. This comedian was not great but this show ended up better than expected. 

We ended the night in where else but Vintages. Martiguea, the cork master, had received a large sample of a new dessert wine as we were in Cozumel and allowed Chris and I to try this wine before they placed it on the menu for the following sailing. It was a great German Riesling and they ended up giving us a bottle to take back to the room. Thank you Marti! We grabbed a few slices of pizza at Sorrento's and called it a night around 12:45AM. 

It was a great day on board and we didn't even miss Cozumel. 

Up Next... Our last day onboard the Independence of the Seas! 

God is Good... ALL THE TIME! 

Click on a link to see our past cruising adventures:
Carnival Radiance- February 2024






 


Carnival Conquest- 2006 

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Friday, July 12, 2024

Sailing from South Beach- Sea Day #1

 Trivia Losers
June 3, 2024
Sea Day #1


We LOVE a good sea day and this one was on point! 

Morning
We woke up and made our way to the Windjammer for breakfast around 8AM and the crowds were minimal. TIP- Windjammer offers the same options on both sides of the buffet and most of the entrée options are at the aft of the buffet. We chose to had the made-to-order omelets again and they were delicious. TIP- This is an an area where RCCL KILLS Carnival. They offer a pager that allows you to place your order and come back and retrieve your food once it is ready. On Carnival, you are still forced to stand in line while yours and those ahead of you omelets get cooked. Well done Royal Caribbean. 


I HATE Mondays- But not on a cruise ship! 


The omelet station is located in the VERY back of the Windjammer and housed with a dedicated "order taker". 

After breakfast we walked around Deck 11 and 12 to get a mile in for Chris's step challenge with the Math Department. After we reached a mile, he went to take his meds and I got a specialty coffee and we met on Deck 4 to enjoy the open seas before the Top Tier Event later in the morning. 


We did 6 laps around this jogging track and somehow our Apple watch had us going 3:45 a mile. I felt like Michael Scott... 

Haha... Never a dull moment! 

We then went to the Viking Crown Lounge on Deck 14 for the Crown and Anchor loyalty Top Tier Event. This is an event where the top guests of Royal Caribbean for the sailing meet the captain, cruise director and many other officers to ask questions and get treated like Royalty. Since we are now platinum with RCCL as of our Allure 2023 cruise, we are now part of this special top tier event. 

We were able to meet the captain, hotel director and the cruise director plus enjoy some great stories and jokes from the Captain as well as light drinks/ appetizers. 


Our traditional Cruise Director picture with Mario. 
Mario was a good CD but I would not label him as "great". He seemed "aged" and was not near as fun as some of the CDs we have had like Kyndall Fire, the Flying Scotsman and Corey Rogers. He will be "forgettable" 

This cruise housed 101 platinum guests, 80 emerald guests, 80 diamond guests, 49 diamond plus and only 5 pinnacle guests. The person with the most "points" had only been cruising for 16 years and accumulated 935 points. TIP- All passengers get 1 point per night and can get double points for booking suites, solo cabins and more. During Covid there was a time where people where getting 16 points per night. Even with those numbers, this 935 was quite impressive. 

Afternoon
The rest of our late morning and afternoon were spent in Schooner Bar playing the many trivia games of the day. We started with the Name That Tune- Decades where we did well with 15/20 but we did not win. Then Chris tried to win the geography trivia and came close... but no cigar. 

We paused for lunch and went up to the Lido Deck for the Fish and Ships dining option near the Splash Pad. TIP- This is the ONLY free fast food option on the Independence of the Seas and offers fish and chips, fried shrimp and fried sandwiches. We enjoyed the shrimp option but overall this was not a "great" lunch/ fast food option for Royal Caribbean. This is where we believe that RCCL really lacks- the lunch time fast food options. Beside Sorrento's and Cafe Promenade, the Windjammer is the only option on Voyager and Freedom class ships. That is so disappointing when you are used to Guy's Burgers, Blue Iguana Cantina and Guy's Pig and Anchor on most Carnival ships. I also got a small plate from the Windjammer just to try out the Sea Day offerings and unfortunately, it was the same as day 1 and left MUCH to be desired! 


This grab and go offering is on the port side of the Splash Away Bay area on Deck 11. 


The Fried Shrimp- 3.0
The Fish and Chips- 3.0
Both were lacking flavor and texture. 

After lunch we did some more walking before Chris went to take a nap in the stateroom. I decided to go to Deck 4 and try and enjoy the peace and quiet of the ocean sailing by. Unfortunately, the Independence of the Seas did not offer the lounge chairs on this deck like the Adventure 2023 and Liberty 2019 which was quite disappointing. They did have chairs but none to lounge in. I sat and watched the ocean pass by for a while and then maintenance showed up and starting making all kinds of noise so I decided to go to the Lido Deck and see what was happening. The Lido Deck was PACKED with people (2PM) and all of the pools and hot tubs were loaded with guests. I could not find a chair in the shade so I opted to go back to the Royal Promenade for a Starbucks coffee. TIP- Reminder, Starbucks specialty coffee IS INCLUDED in the Deluxe Drink Package except at the Starbucks kiosks on Oasis and above class ships. 


Café Promenade offerings on Sea Day #1. 


There is NOTHING an iced latte cannot heal! 


This is a PERFECT DAY and the WAKE was just gorgeous! I sat here staring at it for nearly an hour! It is my happy place! 


Another view from Deck 4 walking area. 


It felt like we were cruising on glass.
The seas were SO CALM! 

We met up in the Star Lounge for Harry Potter trivia. And we tried our best at all the questions but we were just not prepared enough to win and finished with a score of 16/20. We grabbed a few drinks and slices of pizza at Sorrento's and then went back to the Schooner Bar for the 2 afternoon trivia. Unfortunately, we lost both of those as well but we enjoyed meeting a young couple and discussing cruising and talking to the bartenders about life on board. 

Evening
We both went back to the stateroom and got ready for Formal night aboard the Independence of the Seas before making our way to Vintages for our pre-dinner ritual. 


Vintages offered a Tapas Plate on Formal Night since they had a wine tasting during the day. (We missed the Vintages from the Allure 2023 that shared a galley with Chops and Giovanni's. They offered Tapas EVERY NIGHT. We loved that). 


Formal Night Selfie! 


I LOVE Royal Caribbean! It really is my FAVORITE cruise line! 


Waiting for the MDR to open we took a brief stroll around Deck 4 and saw God's handiwork once again! A picture perfect evening! 


Cruise #24 and we're LOVING it! 

Once we arrived at the MDR we noticed Cris, our head waiter, was not there and a manager was going to take his place. He had sprained his wrist the night before towards the end of the meal and was in recovery. Our service had been SO good Chris was a little worried "Oh we're screwed". The manager just laughed and once again, we were in and out of the MDR (on FORMAL NIGHT) within an hour! This was literally the best service we have EVER had in 24 cruises! 

The Taste of France Menu 
(Almost always used on Formal Night) 


The Royal Escargot- 5.0
This is ALWAYS SPOT ON! 


The Calamari- 4.5 (Chris-4.0) 
This was light and fried to perfection. 


The Caesar Salad- Chris 3.5
This was good but not the hit it has been in the past. 


Seafood Linguini- 3.5 (Chris-4.0)
I thought this could've had more sauce but Chris loved it! 


The Royal Tenderloin-4.5
This was so good and cooked to perfection! Not Chops level but it was delicious! 


Herb Crusted Salmon- Chris 4.0
Chris loved the flavor and texture! 


The Royal Crème Brulee- 4.0 (Chris- 4.5)
This is ALWAYS a hit! 

After dinner we walked around Deck 4 to try and walk off some of the calories and bloated-ness before going back to the room so Chris could take his meds and change clothes. 


Just an absolutely GORGEOUS evening! 

We went back to Vintages for the 70s Disco Inferno party. We LOVE this party that RCCL has on most ships and we really enjoyed getting to see it all from Vintages. We didn't do any dancing this time but we loved the atmosphere and vibe! We stayed through the "after party" and then called it a night right as Vintages closed at midnight!


CD Mario and his team leading the Disco Party! 

The Independence of the Seas 70s Disco Inferno!

It was a great "lazy" day on board and we had a great time trying to win all the trivia games... maybe we will win, eventually! 

Up Next... Another GREAT day aboard the Independence of the Seas on a PORT DAY! 

God is Good... ALL THE TIME! 

Click on a link to see our past cruising adventures:
Carnival Radiance- February 2024






 


Carnival Conquest- 2006 

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