Marie Sets Sail: A Week with P&O Cruises

I travelled to Manchester by train from Middlesbrough. I stayed at the Tribe Hotel, which I'd highly recommend for its convenience to the station.

We flew with TUI Airlines, a partner airline, so our luggage was transferred straight to the ship. After boarding, we enjoyed lunch at the Venezia Buffet (tea, coffee, and water included) before meeting the group and cabin mates.

Our balcony cabin on Deck 10 was lovely, though there were only a few plug sockets (no USBs, UK 3-pin plugs).

Dinner was at Sindhu, the ship's Indian speciality restaurant. They had delicious food, individually priced dishes, and a great first night on board.

This sea day began with breakfast in the Peninsular Restaurant, a lovely waiter-service venue with a great menu (omelettes available only in the buffet). The morning was spent at the Meridian Restaurant for a P&O training session on the different ships.

In the afternoon, I had time to explore and enjoy the ship's activities, all listed in the nightly Horizon newsletter delivered to each cabin, covering everything from spa treatments and quizzes to live DJs by the pool.

In the evening, it was Celebration Night, when our group of 46 enjoyed a delicious 5-course meal in the Meridian Restaurant, followed by the Captain's speech in the Atrium and the "Reel to Reel" show in the Playhouse. It was a fun performance with great music.

We arrived early in Civitavecchia for our 7 am shore excursion to Rome, a full-on day with a 1-hour 40-minute coach journey each way. The city walking tour covered 5–6km, ideal for active travellers. It included highlights like the Colosseum and Vatican City (sadly, no sighting of the Pope!). We had about 45 minutes of free time in Rome before heading back to the ship at 17:30.

The evening was at leisure. We had dinner in the Peninsular Restaurant, followed by the silent disco and a fun game show to end the night.

We arrived early at the Port of Livorno, where rough seas made docking difficult. The Captain said it was one of his toughest in nine years! Luckily, despite the rocking overnight, I felt fine.

After breakfast, we met at 8:15 for the Sights and Selfies shore excursion. A 1.5-hour coach ride took us to Florence for a guided walking tour and some free time for lunch, followed by a stop in Pisa with 30 minutes to see the Leaning Tower.

Back on board, we enjoyed a relaxed evening and dinner in the Buffet Restaurant.

We docked early in the beautiful port of Villefranche, a tender port requiring a short boat ride to shore. The morning was spent at a training and quiz session, followed by a leisurely afternoon exploring the picturesque (though pricey) port.

That evening, we dined at The Glasshouse, a speciality restaurant. It wasn't my favourite due to basic food and tight seating, though the tapas dishes looked good. We ended the night in the Manhattan Concert Room, enjoying a lively country-and-western performance in a great atmosphere.

We docked in Ajaccio, where everyone had different excursions. I chose kayaking for the first time, which was a fantastic experience.

Back on board, we had an exclusive bridge tour led by the First Officer, which was fascinating. We also toured The Reef, the ship's kids' and teens' clubs, which were impressively equipped with games, PlayStations, music decks, and even a night nursery for little ones.

That evening, we met for pre-dinner drinks, then enjoyed a relaxed night in Brodie's Bar, taking part in a fun music quiz.

WHO WOULD THIS TRIP BE SUITED TO?

Very mixed, depending on what time of year the sailing is, there is something for all ages. It's relaxed entertainment in the evening. Still, peak sailing would be busier up on the pool deck, where the DJ is and silent discos are. We were shown the kids' club, which was great, even for the teenagers. The clubs were for children aged 0 to 17.

FAVOURITE RESTAURANT VISITED?

Epicurean, this was a £35pp cover charge, but it was well worth it, the best food I had all week.

GENERAL COMMENTS AND TIPS:

• Book a cabin in the middle of the ship and you will feel less rough seas.

• If you have kids and want to use the clubs, you need to pre-book this.

• Some of the speciality restaurants are well worth the money, as is the drinks package. If you book it at the time of booking, you will get a discount.

• Example of drink prices: Cocktails £8.50. Soft drinks £3.70. Small glass of wine £7.75. Pint £6.50.