Our first family cruise is coming to an end and I have to say it’s been a hit. Who would have thought kids would like bingo and trivia contests?

Our last day at sea is a lazy one. We sleep in and miss breakfast, watch a movie and head to the dining room for lunch which for some reason is packed, despite the paella demonstration on pool deck.

Bingo follows, where we miss out on the $4500 jackpot, Michael Jackson trivia, family talent show (no comment) and the Farewell Variety Performance – our first venture into Broadway Melodies Theatre for a show.

The kids have all drawn thank-you cards for wonderful waiter, who after seven months at sea is soon to head home to his family in the Ukraine, and our assistant waiter (from the Philippines) who makes the sound of grinding pepper as he grinds it for us and has therefore been named “Pepper Guy”.

I should mention that the 70-odd wait staff that manage over 2000 passengers each night in the dining room come from 27 different nations – and they can all do the Macarena.

All in all, it’s been a happy experience – I think we might be converted.