Windjammer and Jade Buffet
Your first stop upon boarding the Independence of the Seas will probably be the Windjammer Cafe, the buffet style restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. This is a popular family restaurant because there are no fixed dining times, so you can eat at a time to suit you. There is a fantastic array of food to choose from, including healthy options for those who are diet conscious. You will also find lots of snacks available like pizza, cakes and desserts during the afternoon and late evening. The menu changes a bit each day but there are a lot of items that are served day after day.

The restaurant has a large salad bar for lunch and dinner plus burgers, hot dogs, pizza, sandwiches, soups and a wide variety of hot and cold dishes. You can have Prime Rib one day, Steak, Seafood, Indian Food, Pasta and lots of international dishes. There is a large selection.

You can eat as much as you want for as long as you want there, and people do. Water, coffee, tea and milk is free. You need to pay for cocktails, wine or soda.

Jade Restaurant - Asian-themed Restaurant
The Jade Restaurant is close to the Windjammer Cafe and offers buffet-style Asian cuisine. The restaurant opens for dinner between 6 pm and 9.30 pm, although there is open seating so you can choose what time you eat. There is a fantastic choice of Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Malaysian and Indian dishes to choose from, as well as a sushi chef who will prepare the sushi to your own tastes and requirements.

Vitality Menu and Vegetarian Options
Worthy of note is the ship's Vitality menu -- dishes created for passengers with healthy lifestyles. There are ample vegetarian options in most eateries, as well. The Vitality offerings are available in the main dining rooms and the buffet venue.

Room Service
Room service is available 24 hours a day, with a $3.95 charge for orders placed between midnight and 5 a.m. The breakfast menu (you fill out a card and hang it on your door before going to sleep) is rather more generous than some of RCI's big-ship competitors, going beyond Continental fare to offer "country breakfast" items like eggs and bacon. It's available for delivery between 7 and 10 a.m. The rest of the time, the selection, though limited, offers a blend of healthy and fast food choices, such as fruit plates, salads, sandwiches, burgers, pizza and chili, along with desserts.

New Eating Venues

There are two new eating venues on Independence, following its upgrade: an Italian Trattoria called Giovanni's Table, and The Cupcake Cupboard, which follows the current trend of installing cafes and bakeries onboard.

Giovanni's Table
Giovanni's Table (6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.), on Deck 11, is a new for-fee, family friendly place with a relaxed theme and good, hearty cuisine. The waiters greet you with a warm welcome in Italian and guide you to your seat. Neat and simple tables and decor –- ideal for a family with young children who may fidget during the meal. The food is beautifully presented and still maintains a rustic charm in its blend of Italian herbs and seasonings. One of the starters, focaccia della casa –- a flat bread with potatoes, marinated artichokes, olives and pesto –- is a perfect example of well cooked, homely food. The oven baked, almond crusted scallops with red bell pepper are a more delicate starter and a lighter option, which is good to know if you wanted to choose from some of the more hearty, carb-filled mains. There are dishes for vegetarians and those with a specific dietary requirements. Dinner is $20 p.p. and $15 p.p. for lunch (on the last sea day, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.).

Cupcake Cupboard
The Cupcake Cupboard has been added to the main thoroughfare of the ship, the "High Street," offering a cute display of gourmet cupcakes. It has regular cupcakes at $2.75, Minis at $1.50, Cake Pops at $1.50 and Giant Birthday Cakes at $24.95. Decorated with soft yellow, wooden panelling and mint green finishes, it is the perfect spot to sit and enjoy a coffee and a cake. There is also a display by the entrance selling an assortment of cupcake themed trinkets like greeting cards, pens and other small souvenirs that are a perfect memento for children and those who love all things sweet. The shop also offers design classes for the budding culinary enthusiast. These are priced at $22 for adults (11 years-up) and $15 for children (five years-10 years). Each class has a maximum of 10 people so it is best to turn up early to make your booking. The Cupcake Cupboard is open on late arrival from 2:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., early arrival from 3:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and sea days from 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 pm. Sprinkle some sweetness into your cruise at this adorable 1940s style shop featuring fresh-baked gourmet cupcakes, with a new cupcake flavor showcased every day (including bubble gum, strawberry, red velvet, root beer and more). Private decorating parties and cupcake-design classes are also offered.

More Favorite Places to Eat

Johnny Rockets
Get the family together for good old-fashioned burgers and fries. The Johnny Rockets restaurant is everything you'd expect from the shoreside restaurant - authentic 1950s decor, a menu filled with all-American favorites and, of course, friendly service. Johnny Rockets is a great casual dining alternative that everyone in the family will enjoy. Johnny Rocket's is the only eatery onboard to offer outdoor seating. This 1950's diner-style national chain eatery features its trademark hamburgers, chili dogs, onion rings, fries and milkshakes. (The Oreo sundae is worth trying!) If you hear the Bee Gees starting to rev up on "Saturday Night Fever," you'll know that the wait staff is about ready to break into a dance. Linger over your meal, and you'll be treated to several versions! The rate to dine at Johnny Rocket's is $4.95 per person (no matter how much or how little you order) and does not include drinks, such as sodas, beer or milkshakes.

Portofino's
Portofino's is an Italian restaurant and the most romantic onboard, and service is as excellent as the cuisine. The fee is $20 per person, and dishes include starters like risotto with tiger shrimp, caprese salad and soups. There's also a pasta course, and though the menu varies, choices on my visit included spaghetti with lobster, penne pomodoro with prosciutto and pappardelle with mascarpone and mushrooms. Entrees are rich and substantial, with choices like tenderloin (and truffle mashed potatoes), saltimbocca, halibut and chicken. The tiramisu is, as would be expected, exceptional as a dessert choice, but you can also order panna cotta and other Italian favorites, or opt for a cheese course.

Portofino also offers a once-a-cruise wine dinner. At $54.50 per person, the five-course meal is fantastic. It starts with tuna carpaccio, moves on to pan-seared scallops with a sweet-and-meaty chunk of lobster, a light salad and beef medallions, then finishes with mascarpone and strawberry crepes. Each course is matched with a different wine (included in the price), though the pairings seemed rather disconnected; there was no significant explanation about why we were eating each course with the chosen wine. Ultimately, what was fun about the event was the chance to meet fellow passengers who were enthused about food and wine.

Chops Grille
Chops Grille is a guest favorite, the perfect place to celebrate a special occasion or simply be treated to a fantastic dinner. Enjoy juicy steaks, fresh seafood, hearty side dishes and delicious desserts in an elegant atmosphere. From filet mignon to mesquite-grilled salmon, Chops Grille offers much more than simple meat and potatoes.Chops Grille is the ship's steakhouse restaurant, and it's the most expensive alternative eatery with a service charge of $30 per person. The menu is steakhouse-influenced with starters like shrimp cocktail -- nice, fat ones! -- and Caesar salad; various cuts of meat, including filet mignon, lamb and pork; and family-size side dishes, such as succotash and mashed potatoes.

Note: You can make reservations at both Portofino and Chops Grille before your trip, via Royal Caribbean's Web site. (If you have a special date in mind, I highly recommend you do so, as both restaurants regularly "sell out.") A heads-up, though: When you book pre-cruise, you're required to guarantee with a credit card, and the charge is put through immediately, rather than being added to your onboard account.

Ice Cream Options
You can snack on soft ice cream at the pool-adjacent Sprinkles (no charge) or splurge on Ben & Jerry's in the promenade.

Sorrento's Pizzeria
In the mood for a slice? Enjoy traditional favorites topped with cheese and pepperoni, or go for something new such as Chicken and Potato, Chorizo, or Frutti di Mare pizza. Sorrento's (generally open from 11:30 a.m. – 3 a.m.) serves thick, doughy pizza along with antipasta and Italian desserts. (The tiny tiramisu is divine.)

Cafe Promenade
The Cafe Promenade, the ship's only 24-hour restaurant, is a casual-dining spot that offers breakfast pastries, sandwiches, salads, and pizza. There are also plenty of delicious snacks like crepes, cakes and desserts, all washed down with a cup of speciality tea or coffee. There's no fee to dine in either restaurant, though coffees and other drinks do incur a charge.