Trying something new this trip – instead of booking my overland travel leg by leg, a week-long cruise! After one day at sea, we will stop in a different city every day.

I rushed to the port only to find the terminal empty – with over an hour to go before check-in closed, I was the only passenger boarding. After a passport check, I scrambled up the steps to find myself in plush purple halls, en route to a balcony room.

The ship offers a dizzying array of activities: dance lessons, fitness classes, games, crafts, pools, lounges, and I haven’t sampled half of them.

Another highlight: the dining, all meals included in the ticket, presented either at an open buffet or by tuxedo-clad waiters. I’m almost glad my upcoming shore excursions will absent me from lunch most days – otherwise I might pop!

I rounded off my day at sea with the crew’s magnificent variety show: part circus, part concert, part dance extravaganza:

Tomorrow we dock in Valencia. Buen viaje!