We recently set sail on a 3-day Bahamian cruise aboard Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's Independence of the Seas departing from Port Canaveral, Florida. Our review is for this specific cruise only. Our boarding time was scheduled for 11:00am on embarkation day so we decided to head down to Florida a day early to avoid missing our cruise. We stayed at the Hyatt Place Hotel in Titusville, Florida which is about 20-30min from Port Canaveral. It made for an easy commute to Port Canaveral. Fun Fact: Embarkation is the process of loading a passenger ship On the morning of our cruise, we left our hotel at 10:00am which turned out to be the perfect time to get us to the boarding station at 11:00am. As we crossed the Martin Andersen Beachline Expressway, our excitement level went through the roof at seeing the various cruise ships in port. Our terminal was Terminal 1, which is Royal's main terminal at Port Canaveral. The signage at the port was good at getting us to the right
Standard Room: 2-queens, 1-queen & bunk bed, 1-king, day bed in select rooms.
Standard / Studio Room Capacity: 4 plus 1 child under 3 in a crib
1-bedroom Suite Room Capacity: 5 plus 1 child under 3 in a crib 2-bedroom Suite Room Capacity: 9 plus 1 child under 3 in a crib
Upon arriving at the resort, we were treated by a cast member at the gate who was expecting us. As we pulled up the winding drive we felt like we were emersed in the African experience. As we pulled up to the resort we were greeted by staff willing to help us find our way and help unload the car. Upon entering through the main doors of the resort it was like entering a new world. The tastefully themed lobby took me to a place I have only seen in movies. I really felt like I was in an African village. The check-in process was seamless with the help of the online check-in process. We were on our way to our room before we knew it. We were part of the test group for the new magic bands and were able to use our bands to open our room door. As soon as we entered the room we were greeted by the view of the savannah. We immediately went over to our balcony and admired the animals. Other than the great view, our room was like any other hotel room you would expect. We had two double beds, a television, and a table. The decor in the room fit the overall theme of the resort and even included a few hidden Mickeys. Our trip to the pool was a great experience. The zero entry pool allowed me to enjoy my kids more without having to worry about them jumping in the deep end. We hung out in the shallow end and had a great time. We also kept our bands on which was a plus. The pool area had a great interactive experience for the kids as they were intertwined by cast members with games. We only visited one of the resort restaurants during our stay...Boma. I can't say enough about this restaurant. It is a buffet style eatery with exquisite food prepared by top chefs. This buffet was far from what you would expect from a buffet. The food was fresh and delicious. And we were lucky enough to be around when cast members played the African drums during our meal. We had no incidents during our stay. And as many of you may wonder, no you can't smell the animals from your room. The design of the savannah and hotel along with the hard work of the staff help keep the smell you might expect from ever reaching your room. But do keep in mind it is nature. And a strong prevailing wind could bring an unpleasant smell your way. So while it is possible, I would say not probable.
The next time you plan your vacation to the Walt Disney World Resort, consider a stay at the deluxe rated Animal Kingdom Lodge. You will not regret it. We sure didn't.
We rank this resort 10 out of 10.
This review was based on travel by Palmetto Travel Agency for dates 8/2013. The views and opinions represented in this review are those of Palmetto Travel Agency and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company or any subsidiary.
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