EAT

A foodie odyssey The Mediterranean is united by the produce of copper soil and blue sea – though nations are defined by their own dishes, too. Our Culinary Luminaries cruise – 12 days from Barcelona to Istanbul on Oceania Vista (oceaniacruises.com; similar upcoming itineraries from £4,419pp, including ship meals and soft drinks) – provided a satisfyingly varied banquet aboard and ashore, with chefs disembarking to browse city markets, and guests heading out for local food in Spanish, French, Italian, Greek and Turkish ports of call.

chips ahoy This ship pleases all palates. Ribeye and truffle fries? Try Polo Grill, a steakhouse with smart slatted blinds (its pinky rack of lamb was memorable, too). Red Ginger serves super lobster pad Thai (above), feather-light crispy calamari and tuna tartare with a subtle sweet glaze. Jacques is the biz for French – order its coquilles Saint-Jacques for the pearly scallops.

Top of the stops? Marseille for Algerian street food; Chania, Crete, for sea bass and bone-dry white wine beside the sparkling harbour.

STAY

Suite temptation Cruising has come far from the bad old days of chintzy interiors only Hyacinth Bucket could love – and Oceania Vistawhich can take 1,200 guests (although you wouldn’t know it) is the proof. Whether in a 240sq ft entry-level Veranda Stateroom or, at the other end of the scale, a Park Avenue-worthy 2,200sq ft Owner’s Suite, the palette is serenely Scandi-terranean (above): stone-tone bedding, gauzy art, bags of hanging space and big rainforest showers.

Beyond the bedroom Vista is less cruise ship with posh interiors, more boutique-hotel beauty on sea. Highlights: the Grand Lounge, unfurling in a hush of beige seating and head-turning glassware on minimalist shelving; and the Grand Staircase: a huge barley-twist of glinting faux art deco, needing only a high-kick entrance from Shirley Bassey.

Tipple before turn-in Hit the stately, sedate Horizons bar, a treat at dusk. Or, later, Martinis, which is very chicall honey-lit lamps on jerkily angled bases: sort of Picasso does Peter Jones.

LOVE

Stage struck In the age of Strictly and Drag Racecruise entertainment’s time has come. Vista rolls out Broadway brilliance: power ballads by (vocal) Cher- and Adele-alikes; also extravaganzas choreographed by Dancing With The Stars supremos. We loved Karl Loxley (‘star of TV’s The Voice’): his Nobody sleeps had the audience misty-eyed.

Downtime Seek solitude on your veranda, AKA front-row seat for the coasts of Sicily or Santorini (above), dusted white with villages. Or try the Terrace Café deck: on a rare sea day (ships tend to relocate by night), as the rosé slips down, views are hypnotic. We looked up once to see Stromboli, coal-black, smoky and startling, way beyond the ship’s wake.

Take the plunge There’s a bijou lap pool in the Aquamar Spa + Vitality Center. But the main Pool Deck did it for us every time: stacks of loungers, attentive bar staff, a soft-rock and soul soundtrack and some really up-for-it folk (late 40- to 80-somethings, from everywhere from China to Canada) to hit it off with.

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Where to eat, stay and play while cruising the Med