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Independence of the Seas arrives in Southampton following extensive makeoverIndependence of the Seas arrives in Southampton following extensive makeover

Royal Caribbean International’s Independence of the Seas arrived Saturday at her seasonal new home of Southampton, following a multi-million pound makeover.

Mary Bond, Editor in Chief

May 13, 2018

1 Min Read
Credit: Seatrade Cruise News

The cruise ship has an array of new features including Sky Pad, a virtual reality bungee trampoline experience and bigger Splashaway Bay aqua park.

The reimagined ship, the first of 10 RCI ships to undergo the company's new $900m 'Royal Amplified' program, also includes new features The Perfect Storm with racing water slides Cyclone and Typhoon, a glow-in-the-dark laser tag experience and an escape room.

New lounges and Panoramic Oceanview staterooms offer wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling views of the ocean.

New dining options including fish and chips

Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade enables sports fans to watch the biggest live sporting events over ice-cold beers, wings, sliders and more.

Izumi Hibachi & Sushi, the Asian-inspired dining experience gives diners fresh sushi and the chance to experience skilled chefs cooking tableside on teppanyaki grills.

Fish & Ships is a poolside eatery serving seafood inclufuing freshly battered fish and chips.

The 154,407gt Independence of the Seas’ first seasonal cruise departs on May 15 for a two-night cruise to Paris from Southampton, and the ship will call at destinations across Europe and the Mediterranean until November.

Each ship visit is worth an estimated £2m to the local economy, totalling £44m a year.

Independence will return to the UK in 2019.

 

 

About the Author

Mary Bond

Editor in Chief

Mary Bond is Group Director, Seatrade Cruise a division within Informa Markets and responsible for the Seatrade portfolio of global cruise events, print and online cruise publishing.

Mary is also the publisher and editor-in-chief of Seatrade Cruise News and Seatrade Cruise Review magazine.

Mary has worked in the shipping industry for 39 years, first for Lloyd’s Register of Shipping before joining Seatrade’s editorial team in 1985.

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