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Yesterday I had the pleasure of enjoying a fantastic five course lunch in Southampton's premier country hotel, Oceania Cruises flagship the Regatta. Technically I was on a cruise ship, but Oceania Cruises have tried their utmost to make their fleet feel as country club as possible, to the extent you forget you're on a ship.

The whole feeling of the Regatta is elegant and understated, where chinos and deck shoes are more welcome than dinner suits and dickie bows. Every port hole in the passenger areas is decked out with curtains and tie backs, to give the impression of a luxurious family-run hotel, opposed to the usual obvious bulkheads and white coloured metal of most ships.

Wherever you are onboard comfy arm chairs and sofas appear, offering a more homely feel than the usual leather cushioned benches and trendy modern furniture of the new super liners. You really feel like you should walk out on to your cabins verandah to overlook lush green gardens, stunning horticulture and maybe a PGA class golf course, instead of the ocean waves.

The Best Food in Southampton

The Regatta may not be offering the best food in Southampton today, as she's on her way to the Baltics, but yesterday she did. I was fortunate enough to enjoy 28 day dry hung beef, beautiful Maine lobster, morels mushrooms and black truffles and topped off with fabulous, white glove service. From recent personal experience I would place the food somewhere between the Hotel du Vin and Claridge's.

The atmosphere and decor has the understated elegance of the QM2 and the informal, country manor feel of Swan Hellenic. The service though is again comparable to the attentive yet unimposing waiters of Claridge's or Fortnum and Mason, without the need to break out the dinner suits and cocktail dresses.

Oceania Cruises have found a superb blend of style, comfort and standards that will appeal to fans of Cunard, Celebrity, Regent Seven Seas and Silversea, who are looking for the best food, service and itineraries, yet are after a more relaxed and intimate atmosphere. I can see why on the 1st Jan this year they were 95% sold out for 2010, and 2011 is selling just as fast.

If a grown, yet informal attitude, intimate ports and truly fine cuisine are on your priorities, when sales start on the 1st September I would get in quick, before you can't!

Written by Stephen Adam

On Friday I had my first experience of Disney Cruise Lines due to a day visit on the Disney Magic. Now I must say (and I probably shouldn't!), that I was a little fearful of a trip to a Disney ship. Though I have worked on ships and recently enjoyed both the Azura and Independence of the Seas, my initial thoughts of Disney Cruise Line were of a full-on, almost intimidating Disney experience. I had pictures in my head of over-excited Americans, 6ft Disney characters everywhere and too many bright lights and kid's sing-a-long theme tunes.

I couldn't have been further from the truth if I tried! A pleasant relief for myself was the instant impression Disney made. The ship, a little older at 12 years than most modern liners in Europe, boasts beautiful sleek lines from the outside and a classy, relaxed and friendly atmosphere onboard.

We boarded the ship straight into the atrium, which has a very traditional and classic feel to it, combining a contemporary 100-glass-trumpet-piece chandelier with a subtle and classic Mickey Mouse statue. As we walked through the ship we visited the variety of bars and restaurants, most of which were understated and relaxed with a subtle splash of Disney opposed to an imposing presence.

Up on deck they have a fantastic balance of family entertainment and quiet relaxation, there are family friendly pools with water slides and character animations, then further along the deck the other pool offers a more chilled feel with the bar, hot tubs and huge outdoor screen playing classic Disney films. There are both the child only kids club areas and one of the adult only bars all within a stones throw from one another, as well as the adult only luxurious spa and salon.

There are two fantastic theatres onboard that offer character inspired Broadway-style shows and a combination of the latest and greatest Disney films, from Toy Story 3 (in 3D) to Caddy Shack. The restaurants offer a fantastic variety from the vibrant, Caribbean themed Parrots Cay to the classic ballroom inspired Lumieres. My favourite had the be Animators Palate, when you arrive the restaurant is totally black and white, like the famous 101 Dalmatians, but at the evening goes on the 'animations' develop colour, as do the waiters uniforms. The food was also exceptional, I would even say comparable in standards (if not style) to the Queen Mary 2, the last ship I visited.

Before I arrived I was a little dubious about the appeal of these ships but the Disney 'Magic' has completely changed my perception of this fantastic cruise line. This really a the perfect family cruise ship, and one I intend on cruising on soon.

Written by Stephen Adam

This week I had my first visit on board a Cunard ship, the Queen Mary 2. Over the years I have enjoyed cruises and visits with Princess, P&O Cruises and Royal Caribbean, so I was excited about my first foray into the world of 5* cruises.

On first impressions I was not disappointed, the ship is a grand and imposing sight on arrival, and our first steps were straight into the aptly named Grand Lobby. The initial feel is of an elegant, traditional British hotel, a combination of the Ritz and a country manor.

One of the first things that really struck me about the QM2 was the sheer size of the ship and the public areas. I recently enjoyed a trip on the Azura and though the QM2 carries around 600 less passengers she is 40,000 tonnes heavier. The public areas are much larger and more comfortable than most ships, from the corridors and walkways to the theatre's and lounge bars.

The service onboard was more atoned to that of an evening in Claridges or the Savoy, attentive yet unimposing. The food was superb and the ambience of the restaurant was relaxing, though formal. A week onboard would surely be filled with British inspired culinary delights.

The overall impression that I had onboard was that of understated elegance. The ship is nothing like it's glamorous 5* American-style competitors, such as Celebrity. The feel on board really does resemble a traditional, classy, British hotel. You are surrounded by dark wood, beautifully finished decor and a real feeling of a quintessentially British experience.

My colleague David summed up the ship perfectly: "Understated class. The two words that I would use to sum up this ship. It is not Vegas. It is not Hollywood. But then it was never meant to be. It is however a worthy flagship for Cunard; the Grand Lobby is breathtaking, the food, divine. If you can stretch to one of the Queen's grill suites you will get a feeling of pure indulgence, and even the entry level staterooms retain a subtle elegance. There is only so much I can say - take a trip onboard and make up your own mind."

The Queen Mary 2 is definitely 5*, though we are talking understated-elegance opposed to glamorous-chic.

Written by Stephen Adam