We'll carry on cruising

It's not every day you get to stand on the deck of a ship in the middle of the ocean clad in a fluorescent life-jacket being given instructions on how to inflate it in an emergency.

Thankfully this was not the Titanic, Leonardo Di Caprio was nowhere to be seen and the only ice we'd spotted was in buckets. It was just the regulation safety drill for all new passengers joining the luxury cruise ship Sunbird.

For us first-time cruisers it was all a bit of a giggle, especially when it was pointed out that my lifejacket was on inside out.

But it was good to know that safety was taken so seriously on board the Sunbird, which was to be our home for the next seven days.

And, as we were sailing in the warm seas of the Mediterranean, the only ice we would have to worry about was how much we needed to cool our cocktails!

Just hours earlier myself, my wife, our 16 year-old son and his 15 year-old pal left rain-swept Bolton for a short flight to join the 38,000 tonnes cruise liner in Palma, Majorca.

Living as we do under seemingly permanent leaden skies in the North-west it's difficult to imagine that just two hours flying time away lies Europe in all its exotic glory blessed with weather we in Britain can only dream about.

We were spending just seven days on board the ship -- but what a stimulating week it would prove to be.

Our ship sailed overnight to give us time to sample the delights of three countries, Spain, France and Italy. A fourth port of call at Tunisia was cancelled at the last minute because the captain felt the winds were too strong to safely negotiate the harbour.

In every port of call pre-booked day trips are available for a fee or passengers can make their own arrangements to see local sites of interest. In our case because of limited time spent in each port we decided to go with the flow and went with the well-organised trips to Rome, Pisa and Florence. Normally we are independent tourists and like to do our own thing at our own pace rather than trek behind a guide like so many chicks following a mother hen.

But we reasoned that as the time spent in each city was limited we would be less at risk of being left standing on the quayside as the ship sailed into the horizon if we went 'official.'

In this case we wanted to experience a 'taster' of the cities and we reckoned a full day's guided tour showing us the major sites was the right way to go. And so it proved.

Despite the baking heat we goggled at the colossal Colosseum amphitheatre in Rome and were amazed, as only first-time tourists can be, that the Leaning Tower of Pisa hadn't actually fallen over.

The photographs you might have seen don't do this amazing tower justice -- it really does lean at a seemingly impossible angle.

We soaked up that special atmosphere in Florence that has attracted artists from all over the world and which has produced so many classical masterpieces including Michelangelo's world renowned statue of David.

We marvelled at the architectural genius behind the stunning Sagrada Familia cathedral in Barcelona and enjoyed the peace and tranquility of the historic harbour town of Villefranche on the French Riveria.

We managed to see Barcelona under our own steam as the ship docked right in the harbour and at Villefranche in France we left the ship in the bay and took the tender ashore spending several pleasurable hours exploring the old town at our own pace.

In between our exhausting but exhilarating schedule of day trips we soon learned to relax and enjoy the creature comforts we discovered onboard Sunbird.

In the restaurants and bars we heard accents from around the world, including the USA, Canada and Scandinavia, as well as a sprinkling of passengers from Spain, France and Italy.

There were also British people on one or two week cruises including many from the North-west, as well as London, Scotland and Wales -- and it seemed like we quaffed a cocktail with most of them!

Confirmed cruisers tell you that the food on board cruise ships is very good -- well they're wrong. It was absolutely fantastic! And there's just so much of it -- you can eat six times a day if you want. A joke on board ship is that you arrive as a passenger and leave as cargo!

A small army of chefs work round the clock to prepare more than 9,000 mouth-watering meals every day for both passengers and crew.

The five course meals at lunch and dinner were of the highest possible standard and the midnight buffets were out of this world, with fabulous ice, butter and chocolate sculptures showcasing tables groaning with the weight of fine food from around the world.

A cashless system is used on board where a plastic card bearing your own photograph is created and issued to all new groups of passengers when they join the cruise. This ID card is what you use to buy drinks in the bar, to play in the casino, to buy at the art auction or to shop in the ship's boutiques. The account is then settled with cash, travellers cheques or a credit card at the end of the week. As first time cruisers we did not know what to expect; my wife was worried about sea-sickness and my son wondered if there would be enough for him and his mate to do on board. I feared I might get bored in between ports.

As it turned out all our fears were groundless. My wife hardly ever felt the ship move and we only saw the lads at dinner in the evening where they excitedly told us about what they had been doing with their newfound friends from around the world.

I was never bored as there was always something to do or interesting people to meet -- or another ice cold drink to down!

Cruising is certainly a quick and luxurious way to get a snapshot of places you've always wanted to see. We know we will go back some time in the future to see more of Florence and spend time discovering why so much great art was produced there in the past. We also know that one day, in the not too distant future, we will amble again along the Ramblas in Barcelona, taking our time to soak up the bohemian atmosphere of Spain's regional capital city with its back street tapas bars, stunning architecture, human statues and pavement artists. And we will surely revisit Gaudi's stunning Sagrada Familia cathedral, again in Barcelona, which has such an organic feel it looks as though it sprouted straight out of the ground in a bid to soar heavenwards!

For us, one of the many highlights of the seven-day holiday, were the wonderful sights we experienced in Rome where we saw the magnificent Colosseum where slaves and gladiators met brutal and gory ends at the hands of the ancient Romans.

Outside the Colosseum modern day Italians provided a living history by dressing up as historical figures -- for a fee of course. My wife took a particular interest, which she swore was purely historical, in a rather muscular and bronzed gladiator clad only in a leather skirt complete with trident and net. But one aspect of Italy we really didn't like was the graffiti, which was everywhere, defacing the walls of shops, houses, businesses and apartment blocks. Rome was literally plastered with graffiti and it makes this otherwise beautiful city look shabby and down at heel.

In Villefranche the ship dropped anchor in the middle of the bay and we used tenders to reach the picturesque town. Other passengers caught the train from Villefranche to nearby Nice and Cannes where the dedicated celeb spotters caught sight of Scottish crooner Rod Stewart, accompanied by obligatory statuesque blonde and bodyguard, being ushered into a huge limousine.

We had never been on a cruise before because, like many people, we thought they were aimed at elderly rich Americans. Well, Airtours Holidays under its MyTravel logo certainly proved us wrong. The ship was packed with people of all ages, from families with young toddlers and teenagers to elderly couples in their seventies and eighties.

Teenagers aged from 13 to 17 had their own nightclub where adults were discouraged from entering. Film shows and videos were also laid on and fun and games were organised in the ship's two swimming pools.

In the evening while Sunbird sailed to its next port of call the ship's two

main lounges hosted slick cabaret shows, comedy evenings and quizzes, while during the day art auctions and bingo sessions were organised. But nothing is forced on a cruise ship -- if you don't want to do anything you don't have to do anything. It was possible to just laze around on deck on one of the many sun-loungers soaking up the rays while attentive staff members plied you with ice cold drinks. Informality is the key to Airtours cruises, with only two formal dinners during the week. And even then if you didn't feel like getting dolled up to meet the captain then you could dine buffet style in another restaurant.

We had a superb time and the memories we took away will last much longer than the seven days we spent on board.

Wes Wright and family travelled with Airtours Holidays flying from Manchester to Palma for a seven day Mainland Coasts Marvellous Countries Itinerary. Ports of call (weather permitting) include Bizerte in Tunisia, Civitovechia for Rome, Livorno for Florence, Pisa, Sienna and the Tuscany region, Villefranche in the south of France and Barcelona in Spain, before returning to Palma for the flight home. They stayed in a stateroom and the boys had their own room next door. The cost for a seven night cruise ranges from £579 per person and child prices are from £179 (up to 15 years).This cruise can also be made into a 14 night holiday by adding another cruise itinerary 'the Mediterranean Medley', which includes ports of calls at Malta, Sicily, Italy, Sardinia and Corsica before flying back to the UK from Palma. Prices for 14 nights start at £949 per person and child prices from £149. Reservations can be made on 0800 916 0644: Website: www.mytravel.com or contact your local travel agent for the latest brochure.