Skip to main content

RCCL Independence of the Seas: Day 3


Today we arrived in the very popular port of Cozumel, Mexico! We've had nothing but smooth sailing up until this point, so we didn't even notice when we finally stopped moving because we were all squared away at port.  It was another beautiful day in the Caribbean and the sun was shining bright.  We pulled in next to another Royal Caribbean ship and as far as we could tell, were the only two ships in port today. 

We started today with breakfast at the Windjammer Café which had a fantastic selection including parfaits, avocado toast, carved ham, biscuits and gravy along with all your breakfast favorites.  It was the most crowded we've seen it so far on this cruise, but we still had no real issue finding a table and the crew members were readily available to bring us our drinks. The avocado toast and the waffles were a huge hit.


We enjoyed some rest and relaxation in our stateroom after breakfast before heading off the ship to explore Cozumel.  We headed off around 12:30 and were greeted with no wait or lines, just a scan of our SeaPass card and we were off!  There was once again plenty of sanitizer on the pier and signs reminding us of the protocols here.  Masks were to be worn and everyone working was also wearing masks.  We were the first day of guests being allowed off ships in port, so all of the shop employees were super excited to see us.  It was very quiet, so any store we went in we basically had to ourselves.  If you are planning to shop in Cozumel, be ready for the hard sell and if you can pay cash rather than credit card you will likely get a discount.  We browsed some jewelry and sampled some tequila before settling in for a late lunch at Snack Bar Mandy, which is right in the main port area.


We enjoyed some adult beverages along with fresh guacamole, chicken quesadillas and steak tacos.  I would definitely recommend the chicken quesadillas here, they were so good!  They only take cash so make sure you have some handy before stopping here.  

Once back aboard the ship, which was a very easy process, we decided to head out to the pool deck once again and enjoyed sun with the house band's live music.  Once we got our fill of sunshine, we headed in and over to Adult Karaoke followed by Name That Tune for a great time.  While it was in the same location as Harry Potter Trivia yesterday, these events were for vaccinated only (which if you are vaccinated on the cruise, is marked by a purple wristband.)


Dinner tonight was in the Main Dining Room and once again service was phenomenal!  Our favorites tonight were the tomato soup and the rack of lamb, but for the most part everything was very good.  Our only miss was the vegan grilled peach and panzanella salad, which was very spicy with no indication of the spice level on the menu. 

Grilled peach and panzanella salad (vegan)

Tagliatelle - al dente flat pasta noodles tossed with fresh pesto, cremini mushrooms, sundried tomatoes and Parmesan cheese

Roasted Rack of Lamb - baked yellow squash, carrots and creamy mashed potatoes

Tres Leches - sponge cake soaked in sweet cream, dulce de leche, meringue

After dinner, we decided to call it a night.  The headliner was a variety act but we had a full sun-filled day so we retired and watched movies on the room TV while we settled in.  Tonight we watched The Wedding Planner but have also seen a variety of movies on such as Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Chicago, Chaos Walking, Game Night, and We're the Millers. 

Tomorrow is our last day on board and we are looking forward to another relaxing day at sea!


Maci Schau

Maci is an avid foodie and loves trying out new restaurants and seasonal food offerings in the parks.  You can email Maci at maci@kingdomkonsultant.com.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Villas at the Disneyland Hotel Review

I love staying at the Disneyland Hotel so when I got the opportunity to stay at the new Villas at the Disneyland Hotel during opening weekend, I couldn’t pass it up. Because it was opening weekend, we were greeted in the entrance way of the lobby with balloons and many photo opportunities. When we arrived, there was a mural of the Haunted Mansion. I love how the seats in the main lobby were designed like the teacups in the parks. You can check in using the Disneyland app, drop your bags with bell services and head into the parks or use the amenities why you wait until your room is ready. When your room is ready, the resort will send you a text and you can use the Disneyland app on your mobile device to unlock the room. We dropped off our bags and went straight to the parks. We received a text around 1PM that our room was ready. In the new Discovery Tower (the Villas), you'll find that the lobby is very spacious with many places to sit while you read or wait for your family. Th

Universal's Volcano Bay Private Cabana Review

On a recent training in Universal Orlando Resort, agents Maci, Ashley, Aubrey and Yaritza and I rented a private cabana for the day at Universal's Volcano Bay. There are multiple locations around the park along with the option to have an upper or lower level, all of which reflect in various pricing. Agent Ashley received an email the day before informing her of where to check-in the next morning. While we were personally escorted to the cabana shortly after check in, the line at the check in location is the same as those getting towels, meaning it was not short. As expressed by an additional guest checking into a different cabana, we would have greatly appreciated a separate line, since this caused our group about a half hour wait. We're all adults and made great use of our time getting some fun pictures before the park was filled with guests, but this is important to be aware of if you are traveling with children.  We had an upper level Cabana which came with a splendid view!

Our Favorite Mocktails at Walt Disney World

Your resident foodie and vacation lush here to chime in on our favorite zero-proof drinks at the parks which I feel like Disney has done a much better job of recently.  Zero-proof alcohol is really having a moment so you can get a lot more mocktails that aren't just sugary sweet, and I am here for it!  Whether you are trying out "Dry January" for your visit, currently pregnant, underage, or just choose not to drink for whatever reason, I hope this list helps you find something to look forward to trying on your next trip! Let's start with a popular one from the last year, the EARidescent Sip-a-bration drink.  This delight can be found at most lounges throughout the 50th celebration at Walt Disney World. It features Minute Maid® Premium Lemonade and Fruity Strawberry Punch, and is served in a souvenir 50th Celebration Cup with a surprise character. This is definitely a kid-friendly drink but it is so fun to drop in the character and watch the drink change color and sta