Independence of the Seas
Encyclopedia
MS
Motor ship
A motor ship or motor vessel is a ship propelled by an internal combustion engine, usually a diesel engine. The name of motor ships are often prefixed with MS, M/S, MV or M/V.- See also :...

 Independence of the Seas is a operated by the Royal Caribbean cruise line that entered service in April 2008. The 15-deck ship can accommodate 4,370 passengers served by 1,360 crew. She was built in the Aker Finnyards drydock in Turku
Turku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...

, Finland, builder of Freedom of the Seas
Freedom of the seas
Freedom of the seas is a principle in the international law and law of the sea. It stresses freedom to navigate the oceans. It also disapproves of war fought in water. The freedom is to be breached only in a necessary international agreement....

 and Liberty of the Seas
Liberty of the Seas
MS Liberty of the Seas is a Royal Caribbean International Freedom class cruise ship which entered regular service in May 2007. It was initially announced that she would be called Endeavour of the Seas, however this name was later changed. The 15-deck ship accommodates 3,634 passengers served by...

, her sister ships of the Freedom class. At 154,407 gross tons, she joined Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas as the largest cruise ships and passenger vessels ever built (at the time of construction). She is 1112 feet (338.9 m) long, and typically cruises at 21.6 knots (11.8 m/s). The vessel operates from Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...

, England sailing year round European itineraries.

Independence of the Seas is the third of the Freedom-class vessel. In October 2009, , the first ship in the Oasis-class displaced the Freedom-class as the world's largest passenger ships.

Itinerary

When the ship launched, she sailed from Southampton, England in the Summer months and from Fort Lauderdale in the Winter months.
Since 2008, Independence of the Seas sails from Southampton, England year-round.

The ship will depart Southampton on November 22, 2012, en route to its seasonal home port in Fort Lauderdale, where it will offer Caribbean voyages from December 2012 through March 2013. It will return to the U.K. in April.

Amenities

Like the other Freedom-class vessels, Independence of the Seas features an interactive water park, the H2O Zone, a dedicated sports pool for volleyball and basketball, and whirlpools which extend from the ship's sides. It houses an internal shopping 'street', the Promenade lined with shops, pubs and wine bars, with a "bridge" which can be lowered from the ceiling void to provide a performance space above the crowds. There is also the three story Alhambra theatre, seating 1,200, and a complete conference centre. The show cabaret lounge is based on an ancient Egyptian theme, known as the Pyramid Lounge. On a lower level is an ice skating rink named Studio B, home to a series of professional ice shows, and is also available for personal skating. This facility was first featured on the Voyager-class and the rink on Independence of the Seas is the eighth to feature this on a ship. The ship also features a range of eating outlets, a rock climbing wall, wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...

 and mobile phone connectivity throughout, and flat screen televisions in all staterooms. Independence of the Seas is also the first Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean International
Royal Caribbean International is a Norwegian and American cruise line brand based in Miami, Florida and owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.. With 42 ships in service under 5 different brands and one more under construction, it controls a 25.6% share of the world cruise market...

 ship to feature heated, fresh water pools. On the Sports Deck, there is a rock climbing wall, a basketball/hockey court, a mini golf course, and a FlowRider for surfing. It also has 3 seating areas around the FlowRider to allow people to watch.

External links

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