Royal Caribbean Fans

As part of Royal Caribbean's Revitalization program, Independence of the Seas will receive her refit in April 2013. 

The refit will be slightly less extensive than that of the work we have seen on the Vision and Radiance class ships. However, there will still be quite a hefty price tag, $7 million infact. 

Her refurbishment will take two weeks, where she will begin her summer season in Southampton on 2nd May. She will be offering some new shorter sailings such as Le Havre and Zeebrugge.

Independence of the Seas will receive;

• An outdoor movie screen
• Cupcake Cupboard
• Digital Signage Waypoints
• Improved Wi-Fi connectivity
• Tots nursery
• New 'Giovanni’s Table' specialty restaurant

Royal Caribbean has changed Independence of the Seas' itinerary due to a scheduled strike in Greece, Portugal and Spain starting November 14th.

Independence of the Seas was scheduled to call at Lisbon on November 14th, however the ship will now dock at Lanzarote instead.

"We were aware of the upcoming strikes and proactively made changes to some itineraries," Cynthia Martinez, director of global corporate communications for RCCL, told Cruise Critic.

Celebrity Constellation, has also had to change its scheduled call at Vigo, Spain, on November 14 and instead spend the day at sea. The ship will then visit Portugal on November 15 and stop in Vigo on November 16.

The general strikes are expected to last three days and disrupt air travel as well as public transportation.

There has been recent specualtion that Independence of the Seas, may no longer cruise out of Southampton for the 2014 cruise season.

Adventure of the Seas is planned to stay in the UK, however Independence could possibly cruise the Caribbean year round instead. 

If rumours are correct, then the 154,000 GT Independence of the Seas, which has cruised out of the port since its maiden voyage in 2008, may possibly be replaced by one of the Oasis class vessels or even one of the closely guarded Project Sunshine ships, which are due for completion in the fall of 2014 and spring of 2015. 

There has been no official comment on the matter by Royal Caribbean as of yet, so we will have to wait to see if these speculations are indeed true.

Independence of the Seas will be getting the 'Royal Advantage' says Royal Caribbean.

The work on Independence of the Seas will be "a less extensive upgrade" compared to the work we have seen on the Vision class ships and Radiance of the Seas. The upgrade is currently due to take place in March 2013.

The Royal Advantage upgrades began in May 2011 with the revitalization of Radiance of the Seas. After the Radiance of the Seas, Splendour of the Seas followed in November 2011. Royal Caribbean continued with their plan this year with improvements to Rhapsody of the Seas in March, and Grandeur of the Seas. Work on Serenade of the Seas is scheduled for November and by 2013, the Vision Class ships will begin, starting with Legend of the Seas in January. She will be followed by Vision of the Seas in March, Brilliance of the Seas in May, and Navigator of the Seas in November.

By 2014 the remaining ships will be the Voyager class. Adventure of the Seas, in January, the Voyager of the Seas in April, and the Explorer of the Seas in November.