There they were, the White Cliffs of Dover just off the port side as we prepared to get underway. Light snacks were being served in the Terrace Cafe, bar waiters were offering drinks to those of us up on deck. We watched as Holland America's venerable Noordam slid gracefully away from the pier and out to sea, knowing that we would soon follow.

For me, for some reason, sailing away from the dock and arriving into port are the highlights of my cruise experience. We could do it fifty times a day and I'd be very happy. For the most part, what comes between is just fluff; I could stand on deck and watch us depart and arrive ad infinitum, and it was one of the things I enjoyed most about my sojourn on Norwegian Coastal Voyages' Finnmarken. What Oceania offers is a series of REALLY port-intensive cruises, nearly a port a day, and occasional overnights in a port so you can explore more of the area. More ports means more arrivals and departures, so I was a very happy camper. And what ports! On my cruise, I had Guernsey in the Channel Islands, Bordeaux, France -- up the Garonne River right into the city, for two full days; Oporto, Portugal; Lisbon, Portugal; Cádiz, Spain for two days, with side trips to Seville and Jérez de la Frontera; then Málaga, Palma, and Barcelona for two days.

I was with a group of friends from far-flung corners of the globe, from Zurich, Switzerland, and Aukland, New Zealand, Northern Germany and Southern Spain. Durant Imboden, editor of Europe for Visitors was on board as was Bart de Boer, with us from The Netherlands, chronicler of all things ships in Passenger Ship Parade. We gathered for sail-away (I was in heaven. It wasn't just leaving port, it was the start of my 14 day voyage!) and then cocktails in Horizons, watching our progress en route to Guernsey through the floor-to-ceiling glass walls at the bow of the ship, while Dover disappeared in the sunset behind us.

I had heard a lot about the restaurants and food on board Regatta. Oceania spends approxomately 25% over the average cruiseline's food budget to ensure not only the best ingredients but the best and most proficient food service personnel. Eric Borole, Regatta's Executive Chef, is a classically-trained French chef who put in his time at several world-class European hotels and resorts before joining the cruise industry in the late 1990s. His goal, and that of his staff, is to make the Regatta experience memorable for its fine cuisine: Perfectly prepared, beautifully presented, every time.

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