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Are you considering a connecting ocean view balcony on Royal Caribbean and wondering if it's worth it? This stateroom photo review will help you decide. :) When Are Rooms Ready On a Cruise?On Royal Caribbean, staterooms are usually ready by 1 pm on embarkation day, but the exact time can vary. Very often your room is ready even earlier!  Independence of the Seas Balcony Cabin What is a Balcony Guarantee (GTY) Room?On this 4-night Independence of the Seas cruise, we booked a balcony guarantee room. That means the cruise line would choose our room and it could be located anywhere on the ship, but would definitely have a balcony. In our case, we were assigned a connecting balcony with no obstructions. . Connecting Balcony Cabin Tour and Photo ReviewThis is a view of an oceanview balcony room on Independence of the Seas as seen from the bathroom door. Notice the door reflected in the mirror.  Plenty of space to do work (I hope you don't have to!) or do your make-up before dinner :) Here you can see the connecting balcony room from in front of the balcony doors looking toward the entrance. The door seen in the previous picture is behind that curtain on the left.  Connecting Balcony Room on Independence of the Seas | Cabin Review Lots of Mirrors for 'Fit CHecksThe room feels spacious with a huge floor-to-ceiling mirror on the left, and a very large mirror at the desk/vanity area.  Plenty of storage and full length mirror on Independence of the Seas | Royal Caribbean Cruise Review The glass coffee table, while somewhat a brave choice, does make the room appear more spacious since it's almost invisible, you know?  Couch in Independence of the Seas Connecting Balcony Room are there couches in the rooms on independence of the seas?Yes. We had a couch in our connecting ocean view balcony stateroom on Independence of the Seas. This couch did not turn into a bed.  At first peek into the bathroom, you'll likely be happy to see a shower stall and no shower curtain. Not too many ships still have shower curtains these days, but there are some.  Inside the shower is an adjustable shower head, a complimentary combination body wash/shampoo, and a clothes line. Pro Tip: Bring your own shampoo/conditioner as this soap can be a bit rough on hair imo. See Also: How To Wash Clothes On A Cruise Spacious bathroom on Independence of the Seas | Photo Review The bathroom was plenty spacious with a tiled floor and another generously sized mirror. Let's head back toward the balcony again!  Queen sized bed | Royal Caribbean Connecting Ocean View Balcony Photos You can opt for two twin sized beds or have them made into a queen, which we did.  Independence of the Seas Balcony Sailing Out of Miami, Florida Even on an overcast day, a balcony gives you beautiful natural light and the chance to breath in that fresh ocean air without leaving your stateroom! Can you hear the people next door in a connecting balcony?It depends. In nearly any room, on a ship or in a hotel, there is a chance you will hear your neighbors. On this cruise we did hear our neighbors a bit from time to time, but more because it was a group of ladies excited to be on their long weekend cruise and less specifically because we had a connecting room.  Kicking back on the balcony for sail away | Independence of the Seas Review It definitely didn't stop us from enjoying 4 night cruise out of Miami! Is a connecting balcony worth it?A connecting balcony is a wonderful option for families traveling together. The door between the rooms can be unlocked by the room steward and left open if you so choose, allowing your family to go back and forth between the two rooms as needed. This can be a more affordable option than a suite for a family in many cases! If you're not traveling with the stateroom you're connected to, don't worry, the door will remain locked the entire time.  Balconies are made for moments like these :) For us, it was worth it to be able to enjoy moments like this! As we booked a balcony guarantee, we had a discounted rate for giving up choosing the room location. Obviously, you'd rather not have a connecting room if you don't need it. But at the same time, it doesn't really matter. We were happy to have a balcony without an obstruction! That was a big win! :) Should you book a balcony guarantee cabin?If you're looking to save some money, this can be a good option, but you need to consider a few things:
Ocean View Room Pictures | Symphony of the SeasIf the above apply to you, a guarantee cabin may not be the best option for you. On the other hand, if you are willing to take the chance, you should go into it expecting to get the lowest possible option (obstructed in a less desirable location) and then be excited if you get randomly assigned anything above that. If your expectations are set properly, you will be happy with a balcony gty. :) When Was Independence of the Seas Built?Independence of the Seas was built in 2008 and was "amped" (refurbished) in 2018 under the Royal Amplified program. More from this 4 night cruise on Independence of the Seas
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Colorful Curaçao to the Charming Caymans | Virgin Voyages Cruise Deal
Today's Virgin Voyages Cruise Deal is for the Colorful Curacao to the Charming Caymans itinerary.
This sailing scheduled for November 2025 is on major discount. Current Deal:Itinerary Map:
Ship:
Sail on Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady in her inaugural season!
Dates:
November 8 - 20, 2025
Ports of Call:Current Deal:Top Excursions in Oranjestad:Top Excursions in Cartagena:Top Excursions in Ocho Rios:
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Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady Cruise Deals:Sail on Virgin Voyage's Scarlet Lady for 14 nights across the Atlantic with stops in Morocco, Grand Canaria and Tenerife, Spain from just $90 per person per night! Follow: @virgincruisedeals Spanish Isles & Transatlantic Miles Itinerary:October 2026 14 night transatlantic cruise on Scarlet Lady Ports: Barcelona • Casablanca • Grand Canary • Tenerife • Miami  Tap to learn more about this exciting itinerary! Pricing:Inside from 2494 Oceanview from 2774 Balcony from 3054 Rockstar Suite from 11,172 (Current Rates at time of publishing, pricing is dynamic. Click here for the most up-to-date offers) More from the virgin voyages blog:Since Virgin Voyages is a newer cruise line, we have a lot to dive into and share with you soon, including:
Before sailing on our favorite cruise ship yet, we found ourselves with a few days in Miami. Miami isn't necessarily the cheapest city to eat in when you're on a shoestring budget so we made great use of TooGoodToGo and Happy Hour Menus to enjoy some of the culinary offerings without completely breaking the bank. Enter El Primo.  El Primo Red Taco in Miami El Primo Red Tacos is located at 179 E Flagler St in Miami, Florida. A short walk from where we stayed at the Hyatt Regency. Check out the Hyatt Regency Miami Review Here The pick-up window was between 9:30 and 9:45 pm. The restaurant was clearly empty by that point and you can see they offer plenty of seating both inside and outside. How much is a Margarita in Miami? Well, at El Primo Red Tacos they are serving $6 margaritas and cerveza (beer) all day, every day! what we got.We ordered 2x Surprise bags from El Primo Red Tacos at $5.99 each. Each container had 2 tacos, topped with cilantro and a fresh radish slice as well as some tortilla chips, salsa, and a lime wedge. We were also surprised to receive agua de horchata x 2! What we Thought.It had been such a long time since we had tacos period, that I was so happy to eat these tacos! Even after carrying them back to the hotel they were still so tasty. Small corn tortillas are my favorite and home made tortilla chips can't be beat! The tacos at El Primo Red Tacos are birria and the only problem that I had with them was I wanted more. lol
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Oh, Hey!We're Justin and Marissa
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