Cooking and eating in style on cruise of France, Spain and Italy
Never, and I mean NEVER, add chorizo to your paella - that message has been delivered more than once since Jamie Oliver caused outrage in Spain last year with his take on the country's traditional dish
NEVER, and I mean NEVER, add chorizo to your paella.
That message has been delivered more than once since Jamie Oliver caused outrage in Spain last year with his take on the country's traditional dish.
But it doesn't stop Chef Vanessa repeating it as I am taught to cook Spanish-style above the historic market of La Boqueria in Barcelona.
The day before, I was being told to never mention a neighbouring vineyard's name when touring the Bandol wine region of Provence in France.
Together, the vineyards produce some of the most critically acclaimed reds, whites and roses in the world ... but the different owners are not exactly on friendly terms. And in Rome a day earlier I learned to never, and I mean never, jump on a Segway to whizz round the ancient city's sites — if you don't want to become a tourist attraction in your own right, that is.
Yes, it's a great way to tick off the Colosseum, Trevi fountain, Pantheon and the rest, but you will be gawped at, cheered and even heckled as you wind your way through the throng of pedestrians doing it the more traditional way. I loved it.
Three countries in three days. I was on a cruise ship but not just any cruise ship.
It is the star of the second series of ITV's The Cruise, hitting our screens early next year.
The fly-on-the-wall documentary will follow the staff and passengers of Princess Cruises' Royal Princess as it makes its way round the Med. And with 3,650 passengers, 1,400 staff and 19 decks of bars, restaurants, pools, spas and live entertainment, there's a lot to follow.
We don't know who will stand out in the final edit yet but keep an eye on executive chef David McDonald.
With responsibility for 18,000 meals a day and 350 staff of 47 different nationalities, he certainly has his work cut out.
But he still finds time to host a handful of Chef's Table experiences on each cruise.
If you can stretch to £90 per head, the fine dining of David's bespoke creations is definitely value for money.
The evening starts with a tour of one of the huge kitchens, where you sip champagne and enjoy appetisers of lobster and avocado, and sweet potato and chilli while chatting with the chef.
You are then served a seemingly never-ending array of sumptuous dishes — all at a magnificent table surrounded by a shimmering curtain of light to keep your intimate night private from the rest of the diners. It's a wonderful evening.
This was my first cruise and I only hopped on for a brief stint before the Royal Princess, christened by Kate Middleton in 2013, headed over to roam the Caribbean for a few months.
Unfortunately, a few days is nowhere near enough to sample all the entertainment aboard.
But movies under the stars and the night-time fountain displays on the top deck are a real treat, as are the massages in the spa. And you simply have to take a stroll on the SeaWalk, a glass-bottomed walkway hanging over the ocean 16 decks up.
The ideal cruise mixes a number of "sea days" for total relaxation and entertainment aboard with port calls to experience an array of cultures in a relatively short time span. We pulled in to harbours near Rome, Florence and Pisa in Italy, Toulon in France and Barcelona in Spain.
The ship provides a daily newsletter detailing the highlights of each destination and runs a number excursions to explore each city. Whether you go with the ship's excursions or decide to go it alone and book independently, an organised tour is a great way to tap into some local knowledge.
I got to sip the "best rose in the world" (from the Domaine de Terrebrune, Bandol).
It is never entered into competitions but has been credited with helping to inspire a 200 per cent increase in global rose consumption.
I also learned how to spot the best veg, fish and cured meat in a bustling Catalan market — and that Segways are as fun as they are ridiculous.
Oh, and back on the Royal Princess, I learned from a string of travellers on their 20th, 30th and 40th cruises with the company to never, and I mean never, call a cruise ship a boat.
GO: MED CRUISING
GETTING/STAYING THERE: A seven-night Mediterranean cruise onboard Royal Princess, departing Barcelona on May 27, is from £665 per person including all meals and entertainment.
The ship calls at Cartagena, Gibraltar, Marseille, Genoa, Livorno for Florence/Pisa and Civitavecchia for Rome. Based on two sharing an inside cabin. Excludes flights.
Head to or call 0843 374 4444.
EXCURSIONS: Segway tours from £54. See segwayrometours.com/historic-tour-segway-rome.html.
Wine tasting from £125. See . Cooking class in Barcelona from £54. For more information, see .