During our 4 night cruise last week aboard P&O Cruises' Ventura, I had the opportunity to briefly meet with the Master, Captain Simon Terry. We met shortly after 16:00 during our day at sea on route to Amsterdam.

After chatting at reception, I asked if I could present my drawing one deck up, at the top of Ventura's beautiful atrium on Deck 7. The Captain seem impressed as I unveiled the drawing and took the time to have a small number of photographs taken. ​Ventura was the 73rd ship which my drawings have now been presented on board. The Captain did not say if he intends to display the drawing, but hopefully the drawing well looked after either way.

My first cruise of 2016 has almost arrived! Today we leave for Southampton where we will be staying overnight, before Gavin and I will board P&O Cruises' Ventura on 15 February 2016.

This will be our second cruise with P&O Cruises, having spent 2 nights aboard the newer Azura in April 2013. On this occasion however we will be on board for 4 nights. Following our departure from Southampton we will spend the next day at sea, before arriving in beautiful city of Amsterdam in the Netherlands via the busy North Sea Canal. Next on our itinerary is busy port of Zeebrugge in Belgium, which I have been to once before but Gavin has not.

We are both really looking forwarding to enjoying a cruise with P&O Cruises again. In recent years we've been on quite a few cruises together, but many have been on smaller, older ships, so we are excited to be boarding a much larger newer ship again.

As ever, whilst on board I hope to get the opportunity to meet the Captain and present my brand new drawing of Ventura. It will be a little strange being back aboard Ventura, as she was the second ship I ever stepped foot aboard all the way back in April 2008 when I was just 14 years old. How time flies!

Upon our return we will be sure to post lots of photos and a complete cruise review on our website. Our Facebook and Twitter pages will be working as normal whilst we are away and we might even post and tweet from the ship should we get time.

​Bon Voyage...

Having already got four cruises booked this year, I have been trying my best not to book any more, at least not just yet anyway. But, yes you guessed it, today I booked yet another cruise!

There isn't long to wait either, as we depart Southampton on 18 March 2016. Our Non-Executive Director, Gavin and I are booked on a 7 night cruise aboard Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines' flagship, Balmoral. Our itinerary includes three ports of call, Antwerp, Belgium, Hamburg, Germany, where we will stay overnight and Amsterdam, Netherlands, which is interestingly another overnight visit.

This will be our third cruise with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines' having previously enjoyed two 2 night mini cruises, on Braemar and Boudicca. We are very excited to be booked on a longer cruise on this occasion and to be sailing aboard the flagship in the fleet!

Now with just over a month to go I need to find some time around all my current drawings, to slot in a brand new drawing of Balmoral to present to the Captain whilst on board. Of course, the drawing will feature the new livery, with her dark grey hull and bright red stripe above.

Until next time... happy cruising!