Chris Hudson spends a week in the lap of luxury aboard a Fred.Olsen cruise ship.

The spectacular view of the River Douro in Oporto.

The Braemar is far from a giant of the cruising world – on my holiday there were 953 holidaymakers on board (not to mention 365 members of staff).

If that sounds a lot, compare it with the Royal Caribbean’s supersize Liberty of the Seas, which carries an eye-watering 5,730 passengers.

Held up against such might, the Braemar might be seen as something of a tiddler.

But, as any man will tell you, size is not everything. Indeed, Fred. Olsen have rallied against adding ships of such might to their fleet, preferring to focus on unrivalled customer service on a manageable scale.

Chris visits the House of Sandeman in Oporto.

The company prides itself on providing a quality service – and it does so with a winning personal touch.

My seven days spent living in the lap of luxury aboard the sumptuous Braemar certainly did nothing to dispel that image.

As a novice cruiser I had no real pre-conceived ideas of what to expect, but what I got exceeded my wildest hopes. The Norwegian company has been in business for the small matter of 161 years and, not surprisingly, have got rather good at what they do in that time.

I joined the ship at Tenerife for the second half of a two-week Canaries Summer Cruise that called in at seven ports on its round trip from Dover.

Arriving shortly after 7pm, my first task was to sample the quality of the cuisine on offer.

Catering on such a scale is no simple operation. During the course of a fortnight at sea the kitchen staff got through a barely-comprehensible 24,570 eggs, 2,698kg of fish and 4,385 litres of milk

Food is on tap 24 hours a day, seven days a week, yet the standard is consistently outstanding.

The highlight was the daily six-course evening meal, where the variety and creativity never failed to impress.

This is five-star cuisine served in elegant dining rooms against a backdrop of sun-kissed oceans and exotic ports.

All food is included in the price of your cruise ticket, though the same cannot be said of drinks. Fear not though, because the bar prices were surprisingly competitive, comparing favourably against what you would expect to pay in an English pub.

The first night saw my party set up camp in the Observatory bar in the front of the ship – a comfortable room with music from a grand piano and an open view through the three sides of all-glass walls to the ocean ahead.

Watching the sun set over the horizon with a gin and tonic in hand, I felt at home right away.

One member of my group shared my passion for real ale – a beverage we certainly did not expect to find in these surroundings yet even on this front, Fred. Olsen delivered.

A polite inquiry to the ever-helpful bar staff saw a bottle of Shepherd Neame’s Spitfire coming out of the fridge. Okay, any connoisseur would tell you it should be served at room temperature but hey, you can’t have everything!

The same rule applies to stop-offs during the cruise as well actually, and it is worth noting that – whatever your itinerary says – plans may change at short notice.

In the week before I jump on board, the Braemar calls in at Lisbon and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. A third stop had been scheduled at Cadiz, but high winds mean that is impossible.

There were no such hiccups in the second half of the holiday as four more port visits were completed successfully.

Having joined the party at Tenerife, I woke after a comfortable first night in my smart and spacious cabin having already docked out our next destination – Santa Cruz de la Palma.

This is a pleasant town and I enjoyed spending two hours strolling at leisure and taking in the sights, though I couldn’t help wishing we had arrived on any other day than a Sunday – when most shops are resolutely closed.

Still, that minor disappointment was soon forgotten just 24 hours later when we arrived at Funchal, the capital on the island of Madeira.

This time, I had signed up to take advantage of one of the several organised tours laid on by Fred. Olsen at every stop-off.

That meant, after spending the morning exploring on my own once again, the afternoon found me hopping on to a coach for a journey deeper into the island.

It proved well worth it as we were taken high into the hills and given the chance to look out at some truly magnificent views.

The best came at the top of a short path. Only four of us tackled this, with our guide describing it as “tricky”‘ climbing.

For many of the older passengers – and Fred. Olsen’s target market is the 50 and overs – this was probably a fair comment.

But in truth it was a simple stroll for anyone of even moderate fitness and many of my travel companions missed out on a treat.

From here it was onwards for tea and cakes at the world-famous Reid’s Hotel, an old favourite of Winston Churchill.

It was here the great war leader headed in January 1950 to recharge his batteries and recuperate after a bout of ill health, before returning home to win another general election.

Sitting in the hotel’s grand dining room with dramatic views over the town, it was easy to imagine how he revelled in such sun-kissed beauty.

No resting for us though, and it was soon back on board for two more days at sea before arriving in Leixoes, a short hop from Oporto in Portugal.

This time, the trip on offer was to go on a tour of the House of Sandeman, the world-famous port wine company. There was no way I was missing that!

Throw in a spectacular river cruise along the Douro River as well, and it was another winning outing.

And that was that. Well, almost – because first there was the small matter of two days at sea to get home.

Even here, Fred. Olsen have everything covered with plenty of entertainment to prevent passengers getting bored.

Ballroom dancing sessions and bingo proved popular with many, but the family market was also remembered with popular on-deck activities for children.

In the evenings, there was a wide range of cabaret acts and singers on offer to ensure that no-one, of any age, should find nothing to do.

I cannot speak highly enough of the care and attention shown by every member of staff I met aboard the Braemar. Thank you Fred. Olsen – I will return.

TRAVEL FACTS

• Chris Hudson travelled in a Category D twin outside on Atlantic Deck at a brochure price of £1,518 per person for the two-week cruise. Included is port taxes, plus accommodation, meals and entertainment on board.

• A similar cruise in 2010 will be Braemar, M1017, 14-night Canary Islands cruise departing from Dover on July 29, returning on August 12. Ports to be visited will be Leixoes (Oporto), Lanzarote, Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma, Madeira, Vigo, and back to Dover. Flagship Golf package is available on this cruise at an additional cost of £375 per player. Brochure price in a Category D on Atlantic Deck is £1,729 per person.

• For more information and bookings on all Fred. Olsen cruises, call Fred. Olsen Reservations on 01473 742424, visit the website www.fredolsencruises.co.uk or see your ABTA travel agent.