You are really spoiling us Ambassador, says Louisa Gregson as she embarks on a cruise

Setting sail on the Ambassador cruise line Ambience - the flagship of the fleet and first lady of the sea, was a thrilling start to a three night adventure filled with fine food, exciting excursions and energetic entertainment.

The crew on board Ambience, inspired by the French word for “surrounding,” aim to create the right atmosphere on board so every one of the 1,400 guest feels right at home

Checking into our spacious cabin onboard we were welcomed with our names piped in chocolate beside a large box of Ferrero Rocher – a nod to the famous "ambassador, you are really spoiling us" advert - individual luxury chocolates, a generous fruit bowl and a bottle of sparkling wine.

Our cabin was roomy, with a clean, minimalist aesthetic and our own balcony in which to sit and watch the sea go by.

It always feels like a decadent treat to receive little luxuries in your room while away and luckily for us they arrive every day of our three-night bank holiday weekend trip to the Netherlands and Belgium, where we are all set for some culinary delights aboard the ship along with oodles of fun entertainment.

We were treated to wine, canapes and strawberries dipped in chocolate - a luxe feeling when returning to the cabin after a day of exploring beautiful places, being pampered in the onboard spa or relaxing onboard the impressive ship.

Dining on board Ambience is a pleasure to behold. I enjoyed every dish but the star of the show was the sailaway dinner at the Chef’s Table. It’s an extra £89 each but with a theatrical and utterly delicious eight courses with wines, a cheese board and coffee, it is worth every penny.

Applewood smoked oysters delight while the beef fillet with lobster tail is as sumptuous as it sounds and an ethereal dessert of candy floss tree adorning an espresso crème brûlée just adds to the magic.

After dinner, we head to the double-storey Palladium theatre for a high energy disco show with some fabulous disco classics.

Ambience offers dining choices aplenty. The main dining venue for breakfast, lunch and dinner is the Buckingham Restaurant, which is beautifully decorated, with some stunning art work and offers a great menu every night. The friendly and professional service is faultless. Borough Market on deck 12 offers a buffet style service, while there’s an Al Fresco Grill for sunny times and two specialty restaurants, Saffron the Indian and Asian inspired restaurant, where we enjoyed an uber tasty dinner on our final night and Sea & Grass which offers an exclusive tasting menu - a fine-dining experience for a special evening.

The ship also boasts its own spa - the GreenSea Spa and Wellness Centre located on deck 2 with an extensive beauty and therapy list at reasonable prices. Treatments include facials, massages, body treatments, manicures and pedicures. I was lucky enough to experience a relaxing, aromatic facial while my companion plumped for a pretty pedicure.

Our first stop was at Haarlem, just a 15 minute train ride from Amsterdam, bordered by canals, with the River Spaarne running through its centre. The city, which gave its name to the New York neighbourhood when the American city was still known as New Amsterdam in the mid-1600s, is postcard picturesque and somewhat whimsical. Young mothers cycle past with children on the back of their bikes and I catch a glimpse of residents' lives as we pass by the windows of pretty little houses in quaint streets - all of which seem to come with some seriously cute resident cats.

Our fabulous walking tour guide, who is included in our excursion, takes us through vibrant, bustling markets and leads us to the charming inner courtyards of almshouses, which can be discovered throughout the pretty city - including Hofje van Bakenes - a stunning, lush green oasis founded in 1395 to offer refuge to widows and other women in need.

On our second day we hit Bruges, which is bustling with hoards of tourists lining its picturesque streets and sightseeing on canal boats.

Here we sample fabulous waffles with every topping you could dream off, drink Belgian beers in a traditional little ale house and observe The Belfort, the impressive belfry tower with 366 steps overlooking the market square.

On board the ship there is plenty to keep guests entertained - from quiz nights and game shows in The Purple Turtle Pub to the spa, shopping and shows. Guests can soak up the sun on the deck, visit the gym, relax in a hot tub or enjoy food and drink in the various bars and restaurants.

The weekend escape to Holland and Belgium balanced the chance to explore fascinating destinations with plenty of time to enjoy the ship itself and the convenience of sailing from London International Cruise Terminal at Tilbury, Essex without flights.

Ambassador Cruise Line gave us a fun and exciting cruise experience on Ambience, and as novice cruisers, a fabulous insight into life at sea.

• How to book: Ambassador offers a range of mini-cruises and longer voyages to book directly through ambassadorcruiseline.com/ or call 0330 162 4111. Prices will vary depending on the length of cruise, cabin type and departure port.