Royal Caribbean has announced that the next "Freedom Class" ship, Independence of the Seas, will commence sailing two weeks earlier than originally scheduled. The ship was orginally scheduled to have it's maiden voyage on May 17, but the shipyard informed Royal Caribbean that they will be completing the ship ahead of schedule.  Good news for RCI but not so good, I imagine, for those booked on the May 17th cruise hoping to be on the maiden voyage.  <br /><br />The new maiden voyage will be on May 2nd and those booked on the original date are being offered the chance to switch dates.  Then, on May 6th, there will be an 11 night cruise to the Canary Islands.<br /><br />That will conclude the current plan for the "Freedom Class" but I have heard rumors that there may be another in the series.  Now the focus turns to the "Genesis" twins already under construction.