Popping open a bottle of bubbly, feet up having checked into my cabin for a cruise to Iceland and all just an hour from leaving my front door.

Departing from Dover on Fred Olsen’s Borealis, I had 11 nights ahead of me with the promise of volcanic scenery and the chance of seeing whales - but would we see any?

As the late afternoon sun glistened over the iconic White Cliffs of Dover, we slowly set sail, beginning our voyage north.

As a live band played and sparkling wine was being drunk, I thought to myself, this certainly beats a chaotic airport experience.

Checking in at the terminal was a breeze. A valet greets you, bags unloaded, a quick passport and security check, and there you are on the gangway, entering into a life of luxury.

This was my first time sailing on a cruise, and I was pretty apprehensive about the sea days.

A flight to Iceland is considerably quicker, and a long weekend at sea sounded like a nightmare at first.

I imagined constant nausea and grinding my teeth with cabin fever.

But I was completely wrong; there were countless entertainment options on offer, such as live shows, quizzes, and simply relaxing by the covered pool. It was hard to get bored.

Our room had a good-sized balcony, and the fresh sea air helped drift away the dizzyness I admittedly felt on the first full day sailing.

Having a drinks and specialty dining package made sure the cuisine never got boring, with three restaurants, two cafes and a buffet to choose from.

A lot of our time was spent in The Observatory, a panoramic bar offering the chance to spot whales.

Moretti on tap and £3.50 Bloody Mary’s with our package was a highlight too.

We weren’t fortunate to see any in this swanky drinking spot, despite other passengers spotting them this early into the voyage.

When it came to dinner, most evenings we ate in the main restaurant.

The view every night was just as different as the menu. Our waiters, Roshan and Jaya, presented us with highlights such as truffle risotto, goat's cheese tart and Mille Feuille.

We had four stops in Iceland on our voyage. At every port, there were different excursions you could book with Fred Olsen, the majority being wildlife watching.

We were desperate to see whales but gambled against this with the hope of seeing them from the deck of our cruise.

As part of the trip, whale spotters from ORCA were onboard.

We joined them several times, one being on our approach through the long fjords of Eyjafjörður, but we weren’t lucky enough to spot any here.

Would opting against a whale-watching tour for others prove a mistake?

Akureyri was our first stop since leaving Dover. We took a scenic ride on beautiful Icelandic ponies before exploring the town itself.

It’s the fourth most populous town in Iceland and is known as the capital of the north.

Our trip took us through rugged tracks with two guides, catching views of local birds and snowy mountain tops - despite it being pleasantly warm on ground zero.

Despite being just 100 km from the Arctic Circle, it proved to be the hottest day of the trip and even warmer than Kent that day.

The following morning we arrived in Ísafjörður, a fishing community in the Westfjords. The best way to experience this spectacular scenery was by kayak, we thought.

We had a peaceful 90-minute paddling around the fjords while trying to master tandem kayaking. Despite meaning to be ‘calm kayaking’ it caused some healthy competition between the two of us and the rest of the group!

Reykjavik was our third port of call, the capital of Iceland. We chose to take a short bus ride to the world-famous Blue Lagoon.

We were also able to see the impact the recent volcanic eruption had; roads leading to the lagoon were destroyed. So the popular tourist destination could stay open, huge mounds of earth had been built to stop lava flows from going over.

Most of the damaged roads had already been repaired and rerouted, something that had been built from scratch within two weeks.

As we drove over this, I wondered if local authorities back home in Kent could repair a highway this fast.

Our ticket gave us a face mask and a free alcoholic drink, which we enjoyed from the warm geothermal waters.

The soothing, blue-tined water was as warm as a bath, and I was so relaxed I slept the whole journey back to the city centre!

Our final stop on a circumnavigation of the land of fire and ice was Heimaey, the largest island in the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago.

An eruption in 1973 expanded the island’s land by more than 20%, and we explored this by ATV. A thrilling experience in itself and a unique way to traverse the barren but beautiful magma fields.

We also stopped by a fascinating museum built around an excavated home which had been covered by lava in the natural disaster.

As we began to leave Iceland for the last time, it was time to reflect. The trip had promised volcanic scenery; we’ve certainly ticked that off the list.

It also allowed us to spot wildlife.

We’d seen puffins, seabirds, and otters, but a whale still eluded us. It was starting to feel like we were the only passengers on board who had not seen one.

As the captain blew the horn to set sail back towards the British Isles, we knew the chances of spotting one were fading fast.

However, I opened up the balcony doors and heard a splash. It couldn’t be, could it?

I grabbed the camera, and there in front of me were two orcas in the wild.

We only caught a glimpse of two or three shiny black fins poking above the water, but I was content.

The small pod swam by rocks for about a minute, before disappearing with a quick dive as quickly as they appeared.

After a busy itinerary of sightseeing, on the next sea day, we indulged in a spa treatment onboard, took a visit to the bridge to see how the crew sailed the vessel and indulged in some speciality dining.

Our favourite was Vasco with its Goan cuisine including marinated squid, rich, flavoursome curries and tempura vegetables.

But before arriving back in Kentish waters, we had one final stop - Lerwick, up in the Shetland Islands, where we learned a lot about local life, a location I probably wouldn’t have visited if it wasn’t for this trip.

Having only been to Glasgow before, it was a chance to see the rugged Scottish landscape and its dramatic coastline.

A quirky fisherman with a thick Shetland accent told us about the struggles and joys of the catch, while throwing fish to a friendly seal by the docks.

We were also treated to a herd of native ponies, including a four-month-old foal, and a tour of a jewellery workshop.

Next was a stop in the town, where a UK classic of fish and chips was calling us both.

On a misty Monday morning, Borealis docked back in Dover.

This was my first cruise, and with other sailings to destinations from Kent, it seems if you want a stress-free, luxury-filled holiday, then a trip onboard might be the answer.

How to get there: Boarding from Dover was easy. Coming from near Wye, it took us about 30 minutes. The cruise terminal is down the road from the main port and border security, so you miss a bit of the traffic chaos.

Where to stay: We stayed in a balcony suite, the second priciest, but there are seven levels to choose from ranging from a huge Olsen suite to a terrace room.

Where to eat: On the trip we sampled all the restaurants. The main buffet style dining room always had something I fancied, as did the main restaurant. Tastes and Colours and Vasco are open to everyone with a £10 extra charge to book.