Cruise Lines

I was intrigued by an email last week announcing that Monday - yesterday, that is - was the first day of National Rekindle Romance Week.

I know we are a little way off April 1, but never having heard of such a thing I did wonder. It's for real, said the PR company that sent it - by the way launching a new wedding vows package from over-50s specialist Saga Holidays.

But, um, sorry, we got the date wrong. Actually it's from August 17-23.

Just as I was writing it off as next week's news, along comes an email from love's own cruiseline Princess Cruises saying they have teamed up with Cruise Critic to launch a search for tales of romance aboard a Princess ship to celebrate National Romance Week (seems they are not bothering with the rekindling bit), which started - yes you've guessed it - yesterday.

Anyway, either this week or next, it's something-to-do-with-being-romantic week. Or maybe we should just forget about dates and go for a romance fortnight.

The winning story will win a one-week Princess cruise in the Caribbean. Deadline for entries is September 28.

Cruise Critic's editor-in-chief Carolyn Spencer Brown kicks off the story search with news that she met her hubbie on a cruise. Well I have my own tale to tell, because I got married on a cruise ship. A Princess one, of course, married at sea by the Captain when no other cruiseline was able to do that.

It was a great day - made especially great for me because Princess did everything for us, from preparing the venue to providing witnesses, booking a wedding dinner and providing the cake. All we had to do was turn up at the right place at the right time.

It was all so easy I would happily do it all again. Oh, except of course I can't. I'm already married.