FOR one day only, Royal Caribbean has given 100 ten-year-olds exclusive access to Independence of the Seas following a £75 million makeover .

Dubbed the ultimate playground at sea, the lucky 100 were unleashed onboard to road-test the ship’s features which include sky pad, the first virtual reality bungee trampoline experience at sea, perfect storm water slides, and laser tag.

Royal Caribbean extended the invitation to the youngsters from schools, scout groups and youth organisations in the Southampton area celebrate the return of the ship to her home port following the makeover.

Ben Bouldin, managing director of Royal Caribbean International UK and Ireland, said: “We’ve invested tens of millions of pounds in Independence with the aim of creating the ultimate family ship.

"As the next generation of cruise-goers, our 100 children are among the first to experience her extraordinary new features – some of which couldn’t have even been imagined when they were born ten years ago.

“And while we’ve added extra ‘thrill’ for the kids, there’s also plenty of ‘chill’ for parents, whether relaxing in the adult-only vitality spa or kicking back in one of the seven whirlpools onboard – not to mention Izumi Hibachi & Sushi, where guests can enjoy fresh sushi and chefs cooking tableside on teppanyaki grills.”