As you all know, my son and I love to Cruise, but believe it or not we get some raised eyebrows because we Cruise together. Why do you want to still Cruise with your Mum they say?? Are you still hanging on to your Baby Boy othr people have said?
Well no – sorry to those people. We go on Cruises together because we enjoy each other’s company. Sorry if people don’t like that, but that’s the truth and just to let those kind of people know, my son also goes on Solo Cruises by himself..
We’ve gone on somewhere in the range of 34 Cruises now. His first was when he was ten years old, but lets talk about the present. I’m 71 and Jack is 38. We normally Cruise Princess or Cunard, but our favourite line is Princess because we are at their Elite level, which means we get benefits like free Laundry and the Captains circle meeting every evening, but being a Cruiser I’m already diverting this to the benefits of Cruising instead of talking about the real reason I’m putting this up.
We share a twin bedroom cabin because it’s actually cheaper than two separate cabins. Do we care? Not in the slightest. I mean why would we? We take equal turn in making the morning tea. We sit on the balcony together. In our case what would we care? I have a slight back problem. I am not an invalid who needs a carer! I am not forgetful! The only slight problem I have is that I need a stick to walk with, and that can be difficult when it comes to carry food in the buffet. Stick – plate – reach for food from the buffet – making sure stick doesn’t tall over – try to walk through crowd without tipping plate over – so can you see where I’m coming from? So Jack helps me out with that.
Shore Excursions. Jack and I are not stuck together. We both look at them and we very rarely do a ships excursion because we find piling onto a coach, walking around with a Guide, steaming off at ninety miles an hours and then can’t keep up is definitely not for us. If Jack wants to do a Tour and I don’t, then he goes off on his own and I stay on the ship and either sit on the balcony, or I might sit in the International Cafe or find something else to do, and I’ve never yet been bored on a Princess Ship and with the wonder of the Medallion all he has to do is get me a message saying Back on board Mum.
Even when we’re both on board together we’re not always together. He might say Mum I’m going to the Bar, there’s a football match on, or he might go to watch a film or something else that’s happening around the ship.
This year we’ve already decided what we’re doing with our days. Not one of them have got a single Ship Tour. Two include Restaurants for lunch. One in Copenhagen and the Other in Norway. Two days together, and then three days apart. The rest, as yet unplanned, but for us, it works because it gives us something to talk about.
In the evenings, we always ask for a table for two. Mainly because we don’t like sharing. We’ve asked for Balcony Dining this year. First time ever so that’s something we’re looking forward to. We tend not to do the Quiz that happens daily, but we love to find a quiet place to sit and read.
Why do we chose to travel Princess? Many reasons. The main reason. As I’ve explained Jack and I love to travel together but alone. Princess accept that and respect that. We aren’t pressured into “Come and Join in – come in you know you want to”. I sit alone – quite happily writing my next book – and no one thinks I must have a problem.
So Jack and I are proof that a Mum and Son can travel together and be separate people as well.
Carol Yeomanson Books 