They Are New To Cruising

As I write this my family and I are preparing for a much-needed break together on Royal Caribbeans Independence of the sea, I decided to arrange this trip for us for a few reasons.

I’ve been on this ship a couple of times in the past but now that Independence has had a huge refit I am hoping to show the family a lovely ship. Not sure if they will take advantage of the Ice-Skating or Rock Climbing but we’ll see.

My youngest has a condition called Cholesteatoma which basically means he is constantly getting diseases form in his ear & skull. A cholesteatoma is a skin growth that occurs in an abnormal location, the middle ear behind the eardrum. It is usually caused by a repeated infection that causes an ingrowth of the skin of the eardrum. Cholesteatomas often take the form of a cyst or pouch that sheds layers of old skin that builds up inside the ear. The reason he has this is he has no eardrum so surgery is every year or so to give him an ear drum which lasts for a time but then fails and he gets Cholesteatoma again – round and round we go, this means he is not able to fly – hence cruising from Southampton.

Our other son travelling with us will be on his own this year and has never cruised before,  this is going to be a very new experience for him too. His main concern is going to be a feeling of being confined to a ship and not able to go off and do your own thing,  but we will see.

The ship has had various additions and updates since I was last on her, she definitely needed it, the last time my hubby and myself sailed on her we were quite disappointed with her appearance and entertainment venues.

So off we go…………