Cruise Lines

One of the nicest things about being on Le Boreal was that I didn't have to walk miles to get from one end of the ship to the other. Unlike on Norwegian Epic!

The ship - really more a yacht - holds just 264 passengers, which gives you some idea just how small it is.

There are all sorts of things I like about the vessel. I have already mentioned the cabins and the colour scheme, but down all the corridors are pictures of yachts, ships and people, all in the same grey-white, but all with a splash of red somewhere. It's really effective.

I love these hoody sunbeds by the pool - but there are only two so I was lucky to grab one - and the service has been fine. It's a bit haphazard but generally delivered with a smile, which is more important to me than stoney-faced perfection.

As on other cruise ships, crew are from all over the world including Indonesia, Mauritius and Eastern Europe but all speak French and English so there are no language problems, even though this is a French ship.

Also, all announcements are made in French and English, mainly by the brilliant Captain Etienne Garcia, a real social butterfly who was so keen to keep us up to date with what was happening as we cruised that he was at the microphone at all hours.

Only problem is that all the announcements come straight into the cabin and can't be switched off. Doesn't worry me as I am an early riser, but I am sure some were none too happy when he came on to wish us a happy wake up at 7.20am as we sailed into Hamburg!

He said the English always complain because he has told the French more and the French always complain because, yes, you 've guessed it, they say he tells the English more. "Actually it's all unscripted so I just say what I remember," he admitted.

He says he can't wait to get back to Antarctica, where Le Boreal will be sailing this winter after a season in the Baltic and Med.

All the port talks on my sector of the cruise were in French, which is not very good for English-speakers and I am assured is not the norm. "It's because there are only five Germans on board," I was told. Hmmmm. So somehow the 10 or so English speakers didn't count.

Likewise the information provided in the daily programme was quite cursory - it forgot to mention such things as shuttle buses - and the shore excursion programme looked almost like an afterthought.

There were just two excursions at each port, and all very run of the mill - historical Ghent, medieval Ghent, Hamburg city tour, and so on. But at least they did lay on English-speaking tours when required and of course they were the best ones to be on because as it was just a small group so you saw a lot more.

I mentioned the food was very French; so was the entertainment. I would put it about 20 years out of date for the Brits - dance and mime in twee costumes - but it's what appeals to the French and that's important because they will always be the majority of passengers.

Not that there ever seemed to be many people in the theatre at show time. Or indeed any of the lounges on the ship after dinner. I gather they ate and then went back to their cabins to watch films on the TV. It did mean the ship lacked any atmosphere in the evening.

So why come on here? Well it is a beautiful ship and frankly lends itself to a very relaxing holiday. There's no hassle, no fuss, no one pushing to sell you anything. You can just switch off and eat, sleep and read a book, maybe have a spa treatment. And all that with the great crew in attendance if you do want something.

Appealing or what?