Isobel Marriner takes to the high seas for more, much more than high tea.
It was, hand on heart, the most delicious beef I have ever tasted, perfectly pink and tender wagyu fillet, meltingly moist, resting on a pool of bordelaise sauce with a cloud of fluffy garlic mash.
The only thing that stopped me from asking for seconds, as some in our party eagerly did, was the amount of food that had come before. We'd enjoyed a rich galantine of duck, then crab in a flavourful shellfish broth, delicately flavoured ocean trout with a beurre blanc sauce and a palate-cleansing lemon sherbet, spiked with basil and served fizzing in a glass of sparkling Zibibbo rosé.
So by the time the beef arrived, the waistband was beginning to tighten - and it was imperative that I left room for dessert - mango-inspired creations including a creme brulee and gateau opera.
They were dishes that could have graced the menu of any top restaurant. But this dining experience had taken place in the middle of the ocean, aboard P&O's Pacific Pearl, in the private dining room known as the Wine Room.
We were primed with a well-matched selection of wines including the aforementioned Zibibbo - a revelation - and the good company of officers from the ship's senior hotel staff.
Onboard, gastronomic goodies weren't confined to the Wine Room. The Pearl, like its sister ships the Pacific Jewel and Pacific Dawn, has a signature restaurant, the Salt Grill by Australia-based international chef Luke Mangan, whose dishes are showcased in a graciously appointed space with deft, knowledgeable staff.
Our first visit there was another gargantuan feast, beginning with a selection of tapas including piquant Italian sardines and Spanish Ortiz anchovies served trendily from the tin, followed by entrees of oysters and baby prawns, and mains of grilled lobster and fillet steak (plus a first for me, a taste of barramundi - yum), served traditional grill-style with a choice of sauces and well-considered side dishes.
Desserts included Mangan's's mysteriously delicious signature liquorice parfait, the recipe for which he generously imparted to me - and about 1000 other people - on an earlier cruise.
A second time we visited for lunch and were more restrained, enjoying an exquisitely fragrant coconut broth with lobster tortellini and secret Sydney spices. And a dozen more oysters for the husband.
The ship's main restaurant, the Waterfront, has a two-sided menu of guest favourites - the pork belly and scallops with gazpacho is a popular choice as is the Belgian chocolate delight - and daily specials, so you can mix and match yourself a three- or four-course meal.
As with everywhere on the ship there's a warm welcome from the staff, who will soon come to know you by name. We were treated to dinner entertainment from our delightful waiter, Froy, who wowed us with his card tricks and cheeky napkin origami.
In the mornings you can grab an espresso or latte in the cafe bar and watch the water go by or the bootcampers being drilled by the ship's gym instructors before taking your three-course breakfast in the Waterfront or making a more casual selection from the buffet in the Plantation Restaurant.
To keep busy during the day, take in a cocktail demonstration or seminar, picking up tips and tricks from the ship's expert mixologists.
There is a also a wine appreciation class, a good way to get acquainted with the ship's extensive range from here and Australia.
A highlight for me was a cooking demonstration from the immensely likeable executive chef Ravindra Javhad, who managed to whip up three courses from the ship's menu despite the ministrations of maitre'd Rossen Mateev who brought with him a selection of pepper grinders of varying sizes and proceeded to ask whether the chef would like "a leedle ground black pepper with that?" at every step.
Rossen, a charming Bulgarian, wouldn't be out of place in the Comedy Club, just one of the many night-time entertainments to choose from. Of course there are the big shows, many suitable for the whole family such as the Circus and Pirate extravaganzas on our cruise, as well as party nights hosted by an enthusiastic entertainment crew and performances by Pacific Cirque, graceful acrobats who juggle with fire and suspend themselves death-defyingly high above the desks.
And there's more, so much more, to do - from dancing lessons to trivia contests (modesty forbids me from saying who won two of these intense, competitive bouts on our trip, but the coveted water bottle is in the trophy cabinet), bingo to big-screen movies and the not-to-be missed high tea with scones and cream.
Cruising is a treat-yourself experience. There are no meals to be cooked, no housework to be done, everything is taken care of by the attentive staff and cabin stewards.
The only hard part is getting off the ship ... For those who haven't cruised before and would like to test the water, are perhaps wanting a brief interlude from the madness of the World Cup or simply to have a break with friends, P&O has short food and wine-themed cruises, including one to the Bay of Islands in October. Get on board.
Sail away
* A four-night food and wine-themed cruise to the Bay of Islands in October on P&O Cruises' Pacific Dawn departs from Auckland on October 5 and returns on October 9.
* Fares start from $379 per person quad share and $499 per person, twin share.
* To book this or other cruises, contact your travel agent, call P&O Cruises on 0800 780 716.
