The sleek, luxurious Crystal Symphony offers all the facilities of a larger ship and all the finesse of a small, boutique-style vessel. On board, you'll find sumptuous touches like Murano glass lighting, granite and marble finishes, soft leather chairs, a teak promenade deck and around the pool, oversized loungers in white wicker and bright citrus colours. The 848 passenger ship is all-inclusive, which means crew gratuities, fine wines and cocktails are all part of the cruise fare.

Dining on this multiple award-winning cruise line's ships is second to none. In addition to the elegant Waterside, guests can eat in the more intimate Prego, serving fine Italian cuisine, or Umi Uma, offering Asian-Californian fusion dishes prepared by chefs trained by the famous Nobu Matsuhisa. There's no additional charge in either of these. Afternoon tea in the sunny Palm Court is a daily event and once per cruise, the waiters dress in period costume from the time of Mozart and you can feast on decadent cakes and dainty pastries to the strains of a string quartet.

To work all this off, Crystal Symphony has a beautiful spa and a spacious gym, with yoga and Pilates classes at no extra charge and a brand new, outdoor workout area. New excursions were introduced in 2014 for joggers who want to try out guided runs in port, too.

Crystal is highly rated for its on-board entertainment, which ranges from West End-style extravaganzas in the Galaxy Lounge to daytime lectures and even the chance to learn a language, or to study music.

We particularly love the cabins on Crystal Symphony; more than half have private balconies and colour schemes throughout include soft beiges and ivories, with flat-screen TVs, cream leather sofas and supremely comfortable beds.