A cruise of two cities

Disembarking in Amsterdam the next morning (despite her size, Oriana moored only yards from the central rail station) we decide to change our way of getting around.

Just across the road we spot Starbikes where we hire those typical, tall, black Dutch bicycles with comfy seats for only ?7 for the day. They prove to be the perfect way to explore a city that is built to accommodate cyclists and which takes just 20 minutes to cross on two wheels.

We peddle down to the Rijksmuseum (recently restored, re-opened and home to Dutch masters including Rembrandt’s The Night Watch and a classic Van Gogh self portrait) and the Van Gogh gallery next door, in the south of the city.

The bikes allow us to stop when anything catches our eye. Highlights include the fl ower and fi sh markets, sculpture- fi lled parks and the shops and cafes along Leidseplein.

In fact, we like the bikes so much, we buy them, or new ones just like them, for only ?125 each, and pedal them up to the ship, wheeling them to our balcony.

At breakfast the ship’s restaurant manager asks: ‘You’re the ones who brought the bikes on board last night, aren’t you?” In one sentence, he sums up everything about cruise ships. They might be huge but it’s like a village on the high seas.

Everyone knows everything. So when something a little out of the ordinary happens, word gets around fast. And it is rather charming.

Our cabin is a serene haven with its large double bed, walk-in shower, small lounge area and a covered balcony that, even when the weather is filthy, is worth spending time on.

It is also close enough to the pool deck for us to scramble out there and jump into the steaming Jacuzzi in the force six winds that sweep over the ship as we head back to Southampton.

The food also lures us from our temporary home. It seems to be the constant theme of any cruise.

One regular tells me that she packs two wardrobes for the longer trips. One of them slightly larger because of the weight she puts on.