GASTRONOMIC GETAWAY

Set sail on this European P&O cruise, where culinary delights await you at sea and on land

- KENZI DEVINE

Are you thinking about visiting the Canary Islands but you're not sure which one to choose? We hopped around several on P&O's Spain, Portugal and the Canary Islands cruise- and it's opened up a whole new way to take a holiday. This 14-day trip on board the ship Britannia calls at Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Lisbon, Cádiz, La Palma and Madeira, and from world-class entertainment to Michelin-starred meals, there's a variety of exciting things to get up to on this floating haven.

COOKING WITH MARCO

While a cruise ship may not seem the most obvious place to brush up on your culinary skills, P&O's Britannia has a dedicated cooking club where top chefs such as Marco Pierre White have residencies.

We tried one of Marco's cooking masterclasses, where he gave an interactive class about how to make the perfect risotto. While the dish was fantastic, we were even more impressed with his trick of grating an onion rather than chopping it - life-changing!

We also attended one of Marco's hosted dinners on board, where he cooked a six-course meal before joining the table to share stories over several glasses of wine. With each guest receiving menus hand-written by Marco, this was a truly memorable experience.

WHERE TO EAT

Prepare to return home very well fed. With 27 bars and restaurants, you can't fault the ship when it comes to food options. The inclusive buffet runs from breakfast until the early hours and serves everything from pie to paella. A personal favourite restaurant was The Glass House, which offers a mouthwatering menu of tapas, meat and fish. The wine selection, curated by expert Olly Smith, had us coming back more than once for a tipple or two.