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On the 17th October 2009 I joined 20 other Travel Counsellors to set sail onboard the Celebrity Century Ship.

Flying out to Barcelona, we were greeted and checked in with a minimum of fuss. The transfer from the airport to the Port was only 20-30 minutes long by taxi. On arriving at the port, I was stunned to see the magnificent ship preparing to set sail with porters whisking away the luggage and delivering it to your cabin.

Celebrity Century is a relatively small ship at 71,545 tonnes, with 1,814 passengers, 875 crew and 885 cabins at its maximum capacity.

I would describe the Century as a beautiful, refined ship. It boasts an Aqua spa, a Casino, a theatre, a nightclub and of course a number of different bars and Martini lounges. The Grand restaurant is where we dined under the huge chandeliers each evening. We were seated on tables of 8-12 people. The food and service we received was faultless. We also dined at the A la Carte restaurant Muranos which was very intimate, again with excellent service and food! The staff onboard where absolutely fantastic!! They were all so friendly and helpful, nothing was too much trouble.

Each morning we looked out at a different City...

Our itinerary took us from Barcelona onto Cannes, Portofino (Liguria Italy), Florence, Rome, Naples and then a full day at sea taking us back to Barcelona.

It was a wonderful itinerary!

Barcelona - We only had a few hours in this beautiful vibrant city, we managed to visit the Ramblas, and walk along admiring the Art and the street artists, as well as enjoying Tapas in one of the outside street restaurants.

Cannes – I was expecting Cannes to be very glitzy and glamorous and I was not mistaken. But I was surprised by the beauty of the buildings and the old town. Sipping wine on the sunny beach with live music playing in the background at the end of October will never be forgotten!

Portofino - Wow... A little Gem. I totally fell in love with the beauty of the coast line in this area. Portofino is so peaceful that you felt you had to talk in hushed tones! It has a small harbour with yachts and boats moored. The harbour is lined with quaint coffee shops and restaurants. A real celebrity haunt. I would visit here again tomorrow!! Keep this quiet though as we would not wish this to be spoilt!

Florence - A long train ride from the port took us into Florence. Rail travel is a very cheap and comfortable option allowing you to view the stunning scenery that Italy has to offer. We visited The Duomo with the most incredible architecture, the oldest surviving bridge Ponte Vecchio lined with Goldsmith shops and with the most beautiful views.

Rome - The Celebrity ship arrives into Rome on the day that the Pope gives his address at the Vatican City. We arrived just as he was about to start... After again catching the train into the city we spent a lot of time enjoying the Vatican before visiting the Spanish Steps followed by the Trevi fountain and also the Colloseum. You need to spend lots of time in this amazing city to fully appreciate all it has to offer.

The last port of call was Naples - we were working this day. So we did not leave the ship. But from here you could visit Capri, Ravello and Pompeii! (I plan to visit this area July 2010).

Being on a cruise for the first time I was not disappointed. The elegance of the ship, coupled with an incredible itinerary make this trip so memorable. There are larger ships in the celebrity chain, as well as more family orientated ships with their sister company Royal Caribbean cruise lines. There is a cruise for everyone.

We all enjoyed dressing up for the two formal nights, and seeing all of the other passengers in their beautiful gowns and Tuxes.. This is what cruising is about. Call me and I will find a cruise suitable for you.