Cruise Lines

At first glance, river cruising and the elaborate décor of 18th-century France might not appear to have much in common.

But what if you are called Antoinette, have parents who own a river cruise company and are building a new boat that they are not only naming after you but letting you do the interior design as well?

Antoinette, to explain, is the daughter of Stanley and Beatrice Tollman, who own the Travel Corporation, parent company of Uniworld, Red Carnation Hotels and coach holiday operators Insight, Trafalgar and Contiki.

With a name like that, when asked to design the interiors what else could she come up with than something that looks straight out of the court of Versailles.

Everywhere. It oozes Versailles in the ornate bedrooms with their heavy drapes, the chairs in the dining room and lounge, which resembles a French salon, the mosaics in the restaurant, even the carpet in the cinema.

Antoinette - Toni for short - was also Godmother of the ship; in her naming speech she explained that it all started when her family bought this chandelier when the famed Tavern on the Green in New York's Central Park closed down.

That gave her the idea for the vessel's two-deck-high atrium; her name, the same as the French queen who lost her head, gave her the idea for the Versailles' theme.

"It's 18th-century France in the 21st century, with flat-screen TVs and marble bathrooms," she told the journalists, travel agents and VIPs during the rather bizarre naming ceremony on a cold but sunny day in Amsterdam.

For one thing, it was the first I've attended where the guest list has included dogs - four of them, flown across from the US in the Tollman's private jet with mother, father, various sons and daughters, their husbands, wives and children, two butlers, a personal assistant, dog minder and more.

For another the ceremony was also back to front. The band played, Uniworld president Guy Young said a few words, Toni talked about the décor, love and dedication that was put into Antoinette, blessed the ship and cut the chord to smash the bottle.

"Does that often happen," she asked when it gave a little thud but didn't break. She looked so dismayed I didn't like to mention bad luck, especially I was already living in trepidation as one of the mirrors in my bathroom was cracked.

Happily, someone on deck rushed to her aid, smashed the bottle, so we all cheered and started to walk back to the ship, thinking it was all over and anxious to get to the promised Champagne waiting in the lounge.

How wrong we were. Folk from the shipyard, harbour board and city of Amsterdam then had to have their five minutes of fame at the microphone before handing over pressies to Toni and the captain.

The ship was officially handed over, when the shipyard flag was lowered and Uniworld's was raised.

Finally Ingrid, the cruise manager, spoke the magic words. "You are now invited to go on board for the Champagne reception."

You've never seen people move so fast!