Royal Caribbean International's Independence of the Seas sails into Southampton, UK, after her revitalisation. She will homeport in Southampton for the summer season. Photo credit: RCCL

Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas Receives Multi-Million Dollar Makeover

Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas emerged from drydock this week following a multi-million dollar makeover.  The ship, which now calls Southampton, England home, arrived with all new experiences and features following a slew of family-friendly upgrades. [caption id="attachment_13021" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Royal Caribbean International's Independence of the Seas sails into…

The Queen Mary. Photo credit: The Queen Mary Hotel

“Sailing” on the Queen Mary

I've had the pleasure of sailing on Cunard Line's Queen Mary 2 (QM2) several times, the first during her inaugural season in 2005.  The QM2 was the largest, and grandest, passenger ship ever built for Cunard at a cost of nearly $1B.  Today, she is the only ocean liner (she's not…