It made such a change to embark on a cruise whereby British and American clientele were in the minority. There was a feeling that you were really “abroad” and lovely to be immersed in various European languages, but predominately French on this cruise as we sailed from Marseille. The crew of course spoke English fluently and there was never a time when you felt isolated or unwelcome.

The medium size of this ship meant you got to see the same crew and fellow passengers often, and also meant the quality of the food was very good in both the market style buffet and the intimate main dining room.

The ports of call on this cruise were excellent and varied from smaller ports such as Valletta, Trapani and Ajaccio to the larger ports of Civitavecchia and Livorno for trips to Rome and Florence respectively. For a 7 night cruise it represented excellent value for money, especially as the cruise is all inclusive. There was nothing better than sailing away from each port with a complimentary glass of sparkling wine!