Sailing away on 50 years of luxurious travel

The only way to arrive for a dinner party – by motor launch across the lagoon of Venice, arriving at the steps of St Mark's Square.

That's how we arrived for dinner at the start of a magnificent six-day trip, sailing from Venice to Istanbul before heading on to Athens.

My wife Joy and I were the guests of Princess Cruises to help mark 50 years of ocean-going luxury on board the Island Princess.

At 13 years old the Island Princess is the grand dame of the fleet. The compact cruise ship is 964 feet long with a gross tonnage of 92,000 and caters for more than 2,000 guests. The vessel had just undergone an extensive refit when we stepped aboard in early June for her first voyage since leaving the shipyard.

Carpets, general decor, soft furnishing had been ungraded, while with Horizon Court dining room and casino were both remodelled. A new engine also made the ship for efficient and eco-friendly

After a splendid dinner in the city of Cassanova and Vivaldi at which I enjoyed the finest pasta dish I have ever eaten, tagliatelle with lobster sauce, we returned to the ship to settle into our state room.

The cabin was about the size of a mid-price hotel room with an en suite shower room, but what made all the difference was the balcony.

Joy and I have been on four or five cruises, but nothing like this. Sitting on your balcony in the late afternoon sunshine while cruising along at 20 knots towards Istanbul and drinking a bottle of Californian champagne takes some beating, I can tell you!

Before leaving Venice there was still time for another trip into the city. Unfortunately it was lashing down with rain.

After buying a brolly we headed off to the Gallerie Dell'Academia, home to some of the key players in the Venetian school of painting, artists like Titian, Tintoretto and Bellini, known for their vibrant use of colour.

Despite the rain the champagne sail away was an event to remember. As the spectacular waterfront villas, St Mark's dome and the many church steeples slipped away the weather took a turn and we felt we were heading for sunnier climes.

Two days at sea allows plenty of time to explore and we were taken on an escorted tour, first to the bridge which manned 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

We were introduced to the hi-tech navigational equipment but it was nice to discover the officers still used a sextant and the stars to plot a course.

From the bridge it was on to the galley with its kitchens and massive store rooms. There we were met by Commendatore Alfredo Marzi, culinary ambassador and master chef – basically the man in charge of the kitchens and staff for the entire Princess fleet of 18 ships. He was on board for the duration of the cruise to ensure all was ship-shape below decks after the refit.

To the accompaniment of canapes and a selection of wines to taste we were talked through the staggering logistical operation it takes for the 200 chefs to create mouth-watering dishes for the 2,123 passengers and more than 900 crew. Everything is prepared from fresh and before setting sail the storerooms were packed with more than $1.5 million of food.

The smooth crossing provided plenty of time to relax. The Island Princess has hundreds of sunbeds placed around the pools and whirlpools. While on the sun decks there are bars and places to eat in all directions.

Our group enjoyed a lazy day in the Sanctuary. This is one of the star attractions of the ship, in fact all the Princess liners have a Sanctuary section. Situated at the stern this special chill-out area offers sunbeds as comfy as any lounge suite while floral planters, sunshades and gazebos add to the ambiance. Half a day relaxing in the Sanctuary costs $20 per person, while the exclusive cabanas cost considerably more.

And so to the spa. We were offered pampering sessions in the fully equipped Lotus Spa – motto: Relaxation, Beauty, Well being. Fully trained therapists offer a range of treatments from facials to hot stone therapy.

Deciding that a facial would be a complete waste of time and money I headed for the barber's shop. The shop is a real old fashioned affair complete with tilting chair. After being given a beard trim I had a close shave using hot and cold towels. A soothing balm was used to relax the skin before a second shave cleared up any missed bits and after more facial pampering and a hot towel wrap I felt like a million dollars and paid 55 bucks.

Joy opted for the full body massage and facial. The session took about two hours and she described the experience as both 'relaxing' and 'invigorating'.

Eating on board is an experience in itself with the more formal Bordeaux Dining Room being the jewel in the crown. The daily menu offered something for all and there was a series of favourites which were always available including Alfredo's classic pasta served in an edible parmesan basket.

For lovers of all things Italian the ship offers Sabattini's Restaurant while for meat fans there is the Bayou Cafe and Steakhouse which features prime cuts of meat and seafood with a Creole twist including gator ribs! Both of these dining rooms come with a surcharge.

There is also a deckside grill and ice cream parlour, pizzeria and a crab shack while the Horizon Restaurant offers food all day and is one of the breakfast venues.

There are bars aplenty with Crooners serving cocktails while a pianist tinkles the ivories on a white baby grand.

On board activities are organised throughout the day while at night a huge screen by the main pool shows movies under the stars, an experience not to be missed. For those who prefer enclosed entertainment the Broadway Theatre is on a par with any provincial town theatre with ample seating and a super mechanical stage. We saw a revue called On The Bayou which was first rate.

With so much going on it wasn't long before we were getting ready to disembark in Istanbul. A bustling city of at least 13 million inhabitants, Istanbul is extremely westernised while retaining that taste of eastern delight. The main attraction is the Sultan Ahmet or The Blue Mosque and that's where we headed first.

With its towering six minarets and huge 65-metre wide dome the building is a true wonder. The sun streams through the windows lighting up the thousands of ornate tiles creating a blue atmosphere while the beauty of the tiles and sheer size of the building make the visit a jaw-dropping experience, I would go so far as saying it was a spiritual moment.

As the mosque is a place of active worship there is a strict dress, code. Women must cover their knees, head and shoulders, while men have to cover their knees.

From there it was on to the Hagia Sophia, Istanbul's other place of tourist pilgrimage. Once the largest place of worship on earth this magnificent cathedral started life as a Christian church, St Sophia, the Church of Holy Wisdom. Built by Constantine the Great in 325, it was plundered by the Crusaders and converted to a mosque by Sultan Mehmet in 1453. During the Islamic reign the beautiful Byzantine mosaics were plastered over. They were dramatically revealed when the building was turned into a museum under the order Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of the Turkish Republic in the early 1930s.

Istanbul is a bustling, clean and cosmopolitan city with a bust road and public transport system. To take a step back in time visit the Grand Bazaar, best described as a city within a city. With over 4,000 shops selling everything from Ottoman antiquities to Manchester United replica football shirts its origins can be traced back to the 15th century Istanbul is certainly worth a longer visit to soak up the museums and many treasures of this city on the Bosphorus. We were left with a feeling of regret when the ship set sail for Europe, but first we enjoyed a day's visit to the chic holiday island of Mykonos. Set in the Aegean Sea, Mykonos is famed for its winding streets, wonderful seafront tavernas and golden sandy beaches.

We enjoyed a deck side disco on the final night of the cruise as we sailed towards Athens.

We left the ship at the Greek capital's port of Piraeus to take a taxi to the airport while the other passengers immersed themselves in ancient culture, visiting the Parthenon and other attractions in the city of Athena.

All good things must come to an end, but as we disembarked the ship was preparing to continue its passage to Italy's Mediterranean coast, taking in the delights of Naples, Rome, Florence then on to Toulon in southern France and finally Barcelona.

That's the beauty of taking a cruise, unpack once and see many places.

Prices from £949pp based on two adults sharing an inside stateroom. Fare includes accommodation, all main meals, on-board entertainment, flights not included as quoted on a live system. For more information or to book visit www.princess.com/discover or call 0843 374 2403.

By John Hindmarch