Independence of the Seas is a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, which entered service in April 2008. The 15-deck ship is accommodating 4,370 passengers served by 1,360 crew. She was built in the Aker Finnyards drydock in Turku, Finland, builder of her sister ships Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas. On Tuesday, December 21, 2006, the official name of the ship was released by Royal Caribbean. At 160,000 gross tons, she will join Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas as the largest cruise ships and passenger vessels ever built. She will be 1,112 feet (339m) long, and will cruise at 21.6 knots (40 km/h). It was announced in February 2007 that the ship will be based in Southampton, England^[1]. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Aker Finnyards is a Finnish shipbuilding company. ... Location of Turku in Northern Europe Coordinates: , Country Finland Province Western Finland Region Finland Proper Sub-region Turku sub-region Government  - Mayor Mikko Pukkinen Area  - City 306. ... is the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see May (disambiguation). ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... Tonnage is a measure of the size or cargo capacity of a ship. ... The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ... [--168. ... Royal Caribbean cruise ships Ultra-Voyager class, includes Freedom of the Seas, currently in construction with a scheduled delivery of May 2006. ... A cruise ship or a cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ships amenities are considered an essential part of the experience. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... Aker Finnyards is a Finnish shipbuilding company. ... Location of Turku in Northern Europe Coordinates: , Country Finland Province Western Finland Region Finland Proper Sub-region Turku sub-region Government  - Mayor Mikko Pukkinen Area  - City 306. ... Freedom of the Seas is a Royal Caribbean cruise ship. ... Liberty of the Seas is a Royal Caribbean cruise ship of the Freedom class which entered regular service in May 2007. ... For other uses, see Southampton (disambiguation). ...

Independence of the Seas is the third of the Freedom Class vessels. In 2009, the first in a new Genesis class of ships is slated to displace the Freedom class as the world's largest passenger ships. Freedom Class is a group of three cruise ships for Royal Caribbean International. ... 2009 (MMIX) will be a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Genesis class is a class of Royal Caribbean cruise ships, the first of which was ordered in February 2006. ...

Staterooms

All rooms on the Independence of the Seas feature a private bathroom, multiple configuration beds, closets, a flat-screen television, 250 count bedsheets, and a telephone for shipboard use.

Interior

• Interior Stateroom
  • 152 square foot room features two twin beds convertible to queen size and private bathroom.

• Family Interior Stateroom
  • 323 square foot room features Two twin beds convertible to queen size and private bathroom sleeps up to six people.

Promenade

• Standard Promenade Stateroom
  • 167 square foot room features a view of the Royal Promenade with bowed windows, two twin beds convertible to queen size and private bathroom.

• Promenade Family Stateroom
  • 300 square foot room features Two twin beds convertible to queen size and private bathroom sleeps up to six people.

Oceanview

• Family Oceanview Stateroom
• Oceanview Stateroom
• Large Oceanview Stateroom

Balcony

• Superior Oceanview
  • 189 square foot room includes two twin beds that are convertible to queen size, sitting area, private balcony measuring 68 square feet, and private bathroom.

• Deluxe Oceanview
  • 177 square foot room includes two twin beds that are convertible to queen size, sitting area, private balcony measuring 74 square feet, and private bathroom.

Suite

• Royal Suite

• Presidential Family Suite
  • Is a room that can hold up to 14 family members

• Owner's Suite

• Royal Family Suite

• Grand Suite

• Junior Suite

Amenities

Independence of the Seas is expected to feature, like her sister ships, an interactive water park (including the FlowRider onboard wave generator for surfing), a dedicated sports pool (for volleyball and basketball), and whirlpools which extend from the ship's sides. She will also feature a coffee shop and bookstore, Sorrento's Pizzeria, and a Ben and Jerry's ice cream shop. Other amenities will be a rock climbing wall, ice skating rink, Wi-Fi capabilities throughout the ship, flat screen televisions in all staterooms, and cell phone connectivity. Independence of the Seas is also the first Royal Caribbean ship to feature heated, freshwater pools. The FlowRider aboard the Royal Caribbean ship Freedom of the Seas A Flowrider® or Flow Rider® is an artificial sheet wave surfing environment incorporated in many waterparks and hotels. ... Royal Caribbean cruise ships Ultra-Voyager class, includes Freedom of the Seas, currently in construction with a scheduled delivery of May 2006. ...

Destinations

From May 2008 Independence of the Seas will homeport from Southampton, United Kingdom. After doing some preview sailings from Oslo, Norway, Southampton, UK and Hamburg, Germany, her itineraries will alternate between Mediterranean treasures and Italian Mediterranean itineraries, both 14 nights in length. She will also do three 4-night sailings to Cork, Ireland. In the Autumn she will do three 11-night sailings to the Canary Islands. During the winter months Independence of the Seas will homeport from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.^[2] For other uses, see Southampton (disambiguation). ... This article is about the capital of Norway. ... For other uses, see Southampton (disambiguation). ... The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the G8, the European Union, and NATO. Usually known simply as the United Kingdom, the UK, or (inaccurately) as Great Britain or Britain, the UK has four constituent... For other uses, see Hamburg (disambiguation). ... This article is about the city in the Republic of Ireland. ... This article is about the islands in the Atlantic Ocean. ... Fort Lauderdale, known as the Venice of America, is a city located in Broward County, Florida. ... This article is about the U.S. State of Florida. ...

Mediterranean Destinations

• Gibraltar, UK
• Barcelona, Spain
• Nice, France
• Livorno, Italy
• Sardinia, Italy
• Lisbon, Portugal
• Vigo, Spain
• Malaga, Spain

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the G8, the European Union, and NATO. Usually known simply as the United Kingdom, the UK, or (inaccurately) as Great Britain or Britain, the UK has four constituent... Location Coordinates : Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer: CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Barcelona (Catalan) Spanish name Barcelona Nickname Ciutat Comtal (City of Counts) Postal code 08001–08080 Area code 34 (Spain) + 93 (Barcelona) Website http://www. ... Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Coordinates Administration Country Region Provence-Alpes-Côte dAzur Department Alpes-Maritimes (06) Intercommunality Community of Agglomeration Nice Côte dAzur Mayor Jacques Peyrat (UMP) (since 1995) Statistics Land area¹ 71. ... Livorno (archaic English: ) is a port city on the Tyrrhenian Sea on the western edge of Tuscany, Italy. ... Sardinia (pronounced ; Italian: ; Sardinian: or ) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily). ... For other uses, see Lisbon (disambiguation). ... Location Location of Vigo in Spain and Pontevedra Coordinates : , , . Time zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer : CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Vigo (Galician) Spanish name Vigo Nickname La Ciudad Olvica (The Olive City) Postal code 36xxx Website http://www. ... Málaga, a port town in the province of Málaga in Andalusia, Southern Spain Malaga, a fortified wine originating in Málaga. ...

Italian Mediterranean Destinations

• Gibraltar, UK
• Cannes/Monte Carlo, France
• Livorno, Italy
• Civitavecchia, Italy
• Sardinia, Italy
• Cadiz, Spain
• Vigo, Spain
• Lisbon, Portugal

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the G8, the European Union, and NATO. Usually known simply as the United Kingdom, the UK, or (inaccurately) as Great Britain or Britain, the UK has four constituent... For the annual festival, see Cannes Film Festival. ... Monte Carlo is a very wealthy section of the city-state of Monaco known for its casino, gambling, beaches, glamour, and sightings of famous people. ... Livorno (archaic English: ) is a port city on the Tyrrhenian Sea on the western edge of Tuscany, Italy. ... Civitavecchia is a town and comune of the province of Rome in the central Italian region of Lazio, a sea port on the Tyrrhenian sea, 50 miles WNW of Rome, 42°06N 11°47E. According to the 2003 census, its population was 50,100. ... Sardinia (pronounced ; Italian: ; Sardinian: or ) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily). ... This article is about the Spanish city. ... Location Location of Vigo in Spain and Pontevedra Coordinates : , , . Time zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer : CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Vigo (Galician) Spanish name Vigo Nickname La Ciudad Olvica (The Olive City) Postal code 36xxx Website http://www. ... For other uses, see Lisbon (disambiguation). ...

Canary Islands Destinations

• Tenerife, Spain
• Vigo, Spain
• Las Palmas, Spain
• Lanzarote, Spain

Flag of Tenerife Tenerife in the Canary Islands chain. ... Location Location of Vigo in Spain and Pontevedra Coordinates : , , . Time zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer : CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Vigo (Galician) Spanish name Vigo Nickname La Ciudad Olvica (The Olive City) Postal code 36xxx Website http://www. ... Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is a Spanish city, the capital city of Gran Canaria one of the Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean, 210 kilometers located off the northwestern coast of Africa. ... Lanzarote is also the title of a novella by Michel Houellebecq, translated into English by Frank Wynne. ...

Madeira

• Funchal, Portugal

Funchal at night Funchal (pron. ...

Ports of the Transatlantic itinearies

• Cherbourg, France
• Le Havre, France
• Vigo, Spain
• Fort Lauderdale, USA

Cherbourg is a city of Normandy, in northwestern France, in the Manche département, of which it is a sous_préfecture. ... Le Havre is a city in Normandy, northern France, on the English Channel at the mouth of the Seine. ... Nickname: Location of Vigo within Galicia Parroquias Alcabre, Beade, Bembrive, Cabral, Candeán, Castrelos, Comesaña, Coruxo, Lavadores, Matamá, Navia, Oia, Saiáns, Sampaio, Sárdoma, Valadares, Zamáns. ...

Caribbean Destinations

• San Juan
• St. Thomas
• St. Maarten
• St. Thomas
• Ladaee
• Belize
• Cozumel

San Juan, the Spanish for Saint John, is a common toponym in parts of the world where Spanish is or was spoken: Argentina San Juan Province San Juan, Argentina, the capital of that province Cuba San Juan Hill Mexico San Juan, Campeche San Juan, Chihuahua San Juan, Coahuila San Juan... St. ... Saint Martin - NASA NLT Landsat 7 (Visible Color) Satellite Image Saint Martin is a tropical island in the northeast Caribbean, approximately 150 miles east of Puerto Rico. ... St. ... Cozumel (Mayan: Island of the Swallows) (Kùutsmil in Modern Maya) is an island in the Caribbean Sea off the eastern coast of Mexicos Yucatán Peninsula, opposite Playa del Carmen. ...

References

External links

• RCI Site
• Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas & Liberty of the Seas Website
• Cruise Critic Review