Independence of the Seas Photologue



Deck Four

		Located forward on deck four is the two story Labyrinth nightclub becomes active in the evening with a live DJ and the action continues into the wee hours of the night. Predominant within the Labyrinth are stained glass panels by British artist Harry Cardross titled, 'The Raven of the Tower', 'The Raven of the Battle', and 'The Raven of the Doorway'. In these series, the artist is looking at the sensuality within the ancient beliefs and the delights and wonders of the demi-monde. He is interested in the life behind normality, and the aesthetics of eroticism. The windows show dancers from another place, Maenads briefly glimpsed by us as they wait for Dionysus in their parallel world. A concept that started on the Sovereign of the Seas in 1988 and is found on all other Royal Caribbean International ships is the 112 guest capacity Schooner Bar with its nautical and rustic ambiance. Most notable on the Schooner Bar of the Independence of the Seas is the tribute corner to Gjert Wilhelmsen, one of the founders of Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, also a naval artchitect. Wilhelmsen has been involved in new Buildings at RCCL for nearly forty years and his ideas and vision have set the standard for a new breed of cruise ship in terms of layout, style, and quality. The Gjert Wilhelmsen tribute consists of photographs and memorabilia contributed by his children Margaret Kierulf and Anders C. Wilhelmsen. There are beautiful mosaic flags that are the shipping line flags of the three original founders of RCCL. They hung in the embarkation lobby of the first RCCL ship, Song of Norway, and were a gift from Captain Svein Pettersen, a close friend and colleague. Also of note in the Schooner Bar are 'The Points of the Compass : North, East, South, and West' oil on canvas paintings by British artist Nicholas Middleton. Each of the four trompe l'oeil paintings in this series is centered on an image of a ship's figurehead. The other elements in the paintings are taken from documents of maritime history, historical maps, photographs and instruments, arranged thematically around the four points of the compass.








		Proceeding aft from the Schooner Bar, guests will pass through the expansive Casino Royale^SM. The casino features electronic Slot Machines, Video Poker, Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, and Caribbean Stud Poker. A striking, eye catching piece of art located near the aft entrance of the Casino Royale^SM is the namesake work, 'Casino Royale', mixed media, by artist Ian Fleming. In his words, "Sitting at the gaming table, cards are dealt, a roulette wheel spins and a new suspense-filled story begins". "We created giant, mirrored roulette wheel sections that split to reveal and reflect upon these iconic stories" Aft of the Casino Royale^SMis the ship's Photo Gallery & Shop. Here, guests may browse through the expansive gallery to view photos that have been taken of them throughout the cruise. In addition to traditional prints posted in schematic sections, there are electronic kiosks where guests can browse through photographs and even have a CD created of them. There is no obligation to purchase photos taken but they certainly do make for a nice keepsake from the cruise. Also available in the Photo Gallery is a number of items for guests to purchase such as cameras, batteries, memory cards, and more.





Aft of the Photo Gallery is the Boleros Lounge, which has become so popular over the years that it has been incorporated into ships that did not formerly have the feature. In Boleros, guests can follow the sounds of the Latin beat and cool off with one of the refreshing specialty drinks, such as the mojito or caipirina. In Boleros, the perimeters of place are not defined by walls, but with a landscape of scenic imagination and proportion. The intent was to create a primordial garden of giant agave blossoms, exploding with color and sensual discovery. Outdoors encircling deck four is a promenade with open aft circuit but which escalates to deck five at the bow to complete a forward circuit.