This was my second cruise, but honestly, it felt like my first real one.
My first cruise was on Carnival Sunshine, and it was a smaller ship. I felt the rocking a lot more, and I just was not very comfortable the whole time.
This time was completely different.
I sailed on Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas for a 7-day cruise out of Tampa with my dad and stepmom, who are much more experienced cruisers than I am. They have been on several cruises already, so having them there made everything smoother and a lot more fun because they already knew how everything worked.
Our stops were CocoCay, St. Thomas, and Puerto Rico, and without question, CocoCay ended up being my favorite part of the entire trip.
Especially Hideaway Beach.
If you are trying to decide whether Independence of the Seas is worth it, or if Hideaway Beach is worth paying extra for, my answer is easy.
Yes.
Absolutely yes.
Why I Loved Independence of the Seas
One of my favorite things about Independence of the Seas was the size.
It was not too big and not too small. It felt just right.
Everything felt easy to get to, but there was still plenty to do and enough space that it did not feel overwhelming.
I also loved how convenient everything was.
There was a Starbucks onboard, live music everywhere, bars, pools, restaurants, and plenty of places to just sit and relax.
One of our favorite things to do at night was just listening to live music. There was one guy downstairs at one of the bars who played guitar and sang a lot of 80s music, and we loved hanging out there.
You also end up getting to know people.
That is one thing I did not expect the first time I cruised.
You make little connections with people, sometimes friends you never see again, and sometimes people you actually stay in touch with.
That part makes cruising feel really fun.
Windjammer and Playmakers Were My Favorites
I know cruise food can be hit or miss, but I actually loved Windjammer for breakfast.
Honestly, I looked forward to it every morning.
The second you walk in, they start yelling “washy washy,” and it just became part of the fun.
Some mornings I even sat there alone by the window with coffee, and it was honestly so peaceful.
For breakfast, I loved the croissants, pancakes, eggs, bacon, and coffee.
Some of the bigger lunch and dinner meats were a little hit or miss for me, especially some of the chicken and larger meat dishes, but breakfast was always solid.
If you like sports bars, Playmakers was one of our favorites too.
The chicken wings were really good, and the burgers were great.
Definitely one of the best casual food spots on the ship.
My Room Was 100% Worth It
I booked the Spacious Ocean View Balcony room, and personally, I would not book a room without a balcony again.
That is definitely personal preference, but I loved it.
The room felt really clean, surprisingly spacious for a cruise ship, and having that private balcony made such a difference.
It was nice having your own quiet place to sit, especially in the mornings or at night.
Also, I have to mention the bed.
The mattress was amazing.
Honestly better than some hotels.
My Favorite Drinks
If you are someone who enjoys drinks on vacation, I absolutely think the unlimited drink package is worth it.
Especially if you know you are going to use it.
My favorite drink was the Desert Pear Margarita, and I also loved the Coco Loco, which feels like one of Royal Caribbean’s signature vacation drinks.
If you are going to cruise, I say lean into it.
Relax and enjoy it.
Why Hideaway Beach at CocoCay Was My Favorite Stop
Out of the whole cruise, Hideaway Beach at CocoCay was my favorite part.
And yes, I would pay for it again a thousand times over.
Hideaway Beach is adults-only, which for me was a huge plus.
No kids, a huge swim-up pool, a private beach area, great food, music, and honestly just the best overall vibe.
You can party if you want to, or you can relax if that is your mood.
That is what made it so good.
We spent most of our time in the pool, drinking, listening to music, dancing, and having way too much fun.
The DJ was great, the bartenders were hilarious, and yes, they were literally standing on tables squirting champagne into people’s mouths.
At one point, they even sprayed champagne all over my dad’s hairy chest, which is a memory I will never unsee.
We were laughing the entire time.
But if you are not in party mode, the private beach area is also beautiful and peaceful.
It felt like the best of both worlds.
Also, random but important, the mozzarella sticks were so good.
I still think about them.
Cruise Food Worth Mentioning
I have to mention dinner too, because some of our best nights were honestly just good food and slow dinners after long beach days.
The steak dinner was one of my favorites, and somehow cruise desserts always taste better when you are at sea.
There is just something about ending the night with a good dinner, dessert, and nowhere to be the next morning except breakfast by the ocean.
Cruise Essentials I Would Not Skip
I also learned quickly that the little things make a huge difference on a cruise.
I loved having a crossbody sling bag, the kind that goes across your chest with room for your phone, little essentials, and even a cup holder for your drink.
It made walking around so much easier.
I would also absolutely recommend luggage tag holders and the little cruise card holders for your SeaPass card and cruise documents.
Those small things make embarkation way less annoying.
Cruise luggage tag holders + SeaPass card holder set
Bring your sunscreen and basics with you too.
Yes, you can buy them on the ship, but everything is way more expensive.
Favorite travel sunscreen + waterproof sunscreen stick
We also brought little clip-on cup holders for the pool deck chairs since a lot of the loungers do not have them.
Not a necessity, but honestly kind of genius.
And towel clips for your lounge chair are way more helpful than people think.
Beach towel clips for cruise chairs
My Best Advice Before You Book
First, check Royal Caribbean’s website for promotions.
We booked ours during a Black Friday deal and got a really good price.
Definitely keep an eye on that.
Second, order the case of water for your room before you even get there.
That was one of the best little decisions we made.
Having water already in the room made life so much easier.
I would also recommend prepaying your gratuities and, if you are a drinker, getting the unlimited drink package.
Even if you are not sure if you will use it enough, it helps so much mentally.
When you are on vacation, the goal is to relax and enjoy yourself, not stress over every drink, tip, or extra charge.
Once it is already paid for, you can just enjoy the trip.
And honestly, that makes the whole experience better.
Final Thoughts
CocoCay, especially Hideaway Beach, ended up being my favorite memory from the whole trip.
It was fun, relaxing, a little chaotic in the best way, and exactly what a vacation should feel like.
Independence of the Seas ended up being the perfect ship for us too.
Not too big, not too small, great food spots, good music, and a really easy itinerary.
I would absolutely sail it again.
And next time, I might finally try one of the bigger ships like Star of the Seas.
But for this trip, Independence was exactly the right choice.
My Serenities 
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