We set sail on our very first cruise in July 2007, departing from Galveston, Texas, aboard the Carnival Conquest. Joining us on the adventure were my husband’s mom and dad, his youngest sister, and our nieces. We were excited to experience something completely new together as a family.

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Overall, we had an amazing time, although cruising presented some challenges for us as parents of a child with special needs. Skye did well during the first couple of days, but things changed after a difficult experience at Camp Carnival. She became overwhelmed and had a meltdown, and one of the staff members would not allow her to remain in the program. From that point on, we were essentially on our own when it came to caring for her.

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That meant adjusting some of our plans along the way. We missed the Captain’s Dinner and several of the adult entertainment activities we had hoped to enjoy, but we learned to make the most of the experience as a family. Despite the challenges, there were still plenty of wonderful moments, and by the end of the cruise, we could honestly say we had a great time.

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It wasn’t quite the cruise we had imagined when we first boarded the ship, but it became a memorable first adventure at sea.