Azura’s life is first class

The Welsh star nonchalantly informs us there is “a chap called Pierre White in the galley” before cheekily adding the chef “does what he can” as he is served a mouthwatering dish. The Pierre White in question is, of course, Michelin-star celebrity chef Marco Pierre White. So it was with great excitement (not to mention a little trepidation) that I signed up for a mid-ocean cookery class with the fiery Yorkshireman.

I was slightly anxious that I might need to send out an SOS to my husband if my attempts at cooking set off the smoke alarm – as can tend to happen at home. But Marco was delightful and a wonderful teacher. I’d never considered taking my family on a cruise before and was initially filled with doubt about whisking my danger-loving two-year-old twins and six-year-old off on a ship for a fortnight.

But it turned out to be the holiday of a lifetime on board Azura – and PO celebrates its 180th anniversary in 2017, so you would expect them to know how to keep customers happy. After a quick check-in, we were in our floating five-star holiday village with pools, bars, restaurants and plenty of other places to relax and have fun. Our 14-night Mediterranean cruise from Southampton saw us travel more than 4,000 nautical miles and stop at eight ports, including Gibraltar, Monte Carlo, La Spezia (for Florence/Pisa) and Civitavecchia (for Rome).

Everything ran seamlessly, including the amazing excursions (not included in the cost of the cruise) which can be booked on the PO website beforehand or on board. We particularly enjoyed the coach trip to Florence and rail trip to Rome.

When it came to entertainment, we barely had enough hours in the day to pack it all in. There was everything from cabaret singers and comedians to dance classes and discos. And we hardly saw our eldest son, Luke, some days because he was so engrossed in the activities at the exceptionally well run kids’ club. Arriving in Monte Carlo was a jaw-dropping sight.