U-turn after deaf passengers denied cruise break (Getty)
All Paul Harrison's parents, Karen and Peter, wanted was a quiet cruise holiday around Turkey and Greece.
But there was a problem, at least for the cruise operator, Thomson Cruises. The couple are deaf. When Karen Harrison notified Thomson of this a week before the cruise was due to sail, to help the company prepare any special assistance, they were told they would be unable to travel unless they had a hearing assistant with them.
"Regrettably, we will have no option but to refuse yourself and Mrs Harrison boarding of our vessel if you are unable to travel with at least one other person who is able to hear alarm signals and announcements and who would share a cabin with you and your wife," Thomson told the couple this week.
"If you do not wish to cancel your holiday entirely then the only alternative is that we look at amending your holiday to a suitable land-based one."
Thomson said that its ships were too old to have the necessary equipment to make the journey safe for the couple. There are clauses in disability discrimination and equality law which mean that some elements of the rights of deaf and other disabled people to travel do not apply onboard cruise ships - although the laws are set to change to come in line with rail and aviation by the end of this year.