Sitting beneath a ceiling fan, surrounded by wooden elephants and sepia photographs of polo players, I take my first sip of tea, freshly poured by the waitress. In front of me is a menu that lists biscuits, scones and muffins, along with the particularly British pleasures of elevenses and afternoon tea.
ESSENTIALS
It’s hard to believe that I’m actually on a cruise ship, let alone MSC World Europa, the first of the line’s World Class vessels and the largest in the fleet. It’s a world away, in every sense, from when the 6,762-passenger ship was recently dubbed ‘HMS Wag’ by UK media – during the World Cup, following its launch in Doha, it was a floating hotel hosting the partners of England players.
Something for everyone is an oft-repeated phrase,…