The four classic ships, Regatta, Insignia, Nautica and Sirena, all refurbished to Oceania's high standards, are an appealing size with just under 700 passengers. The larger Marina and Riviera, with a capacity of 1,250, are perhaps better described as 'medium-sized' rather than 'small' ships, but they still feel intimate and spacious, and are able to offer even more choices of venue on board.

What we love about Oceania Cruises is their clarity of vision: right from the start they (and we) knew exactly what they were about. Outstanding food is top of the list for them, and they deliver exactly that on all ships, with relaxed open seating dining and a choice of restaurants, which is even more extensive on the larger ships.

Alongside that, it is all about the itineraries: except when it is just not possible, you can expect to be in port more or less every day, and the assumption is that you will spend as much time ashore as you possibly can. In more exotic and remote destinations, many of the itineraries are quite lengthy, and even the shorter ones can be combined to make a long voyage.

Oceania assume that you'll be spending lots of time ashore and so they tend to have a more relaxed dress code - the thinking is that you don't want to have to race back on board to spend time getting your finery sorted for the evening.

Finally, just because they are not aiming for the refinements of the Best of the Best, doesn't mean that Oceania cannot cater to the most demanding tastes, and we consider the top accommodation on the newer ships to be some of the best afloat. We're not the only ones who think that, so you need to book early to get the suite you want.