Enjoy Las Vegas-style luxury and a little old-fashion glamour on a cruise to remember.

By Emily Pennink

One of the ship's black-tie waiters discreetly poured a fine Australian sauvignon blanc at the Captain's table, a formal affair with white brocaded uniforms, matching dinner suits and ladies in finest evening gowns.

Then he paused, looking inquiringly at colleagues positioned by other tables around the luxurious dining room - and lurched into frantic action at the opening bars of Abba's timeless party track Dancing Queen.

With the waiters taking the lead, guests were swept up, singing, clapping and even dancing on some of the empty tables for the five minutes between the starters and the main course.

For this was a Carnival Victory cruise, and on this 102,000-tonne ship there is no place for traditional British reserve.

With a Virgin Cruise And Stay package, you have time ashore based in a hotel before the cruise starts - a concept the company pioneered in 2007 - before heading to an exotic selection of ports including Venice, Dubai, Miami and New York.

The idea is a hit on two counts.

Usually it offers great value, because much of the accommodation is all-inclusive and you have paid for most of the trip before you leave.

Secondly, it appeals to families who like a fast-changing scene and lots of action, so the average age of cruise passengers is much lower than usual.

I relished some lazy days languishing beside the pool at the four-star Almond Casuarina Beach Resort in Christchurch, Barbados to get into a laidback mood for my voyage.

The former British colony is a great place to explore the underwater world of brilliantly-coloured tropical fish, sea turtles, shipwrecks and coral reefs with a snorkelling day trip on a boat.

We embarked on Carnival Victory in Bridgetown for a cruise steeped in rum punch, adventure and tales of piracy which makes no concession to the millionaire lifestyle: seven islands in seven days in Las Vegas-style luxury.

Some of this ship's statistics are mind-boggling: about 2,700 passengers, a casino with more than 320 slot machines, and the longest water slide at sea - about 200 foot long.

Travelling by night, the floating resort glides into port in the early morning to allow passengers the whole day to explore each destination from the lush mountainous Dominica to the golden beaches of Antigua and the salsa bars of San Juan.

There's no need to get off at every stop: around the ship's 13 decks you find bars, restaurants, swimming pools (one enclosed by a magrodome - a retractable glass skylight - on cooler days), fitness centre, spa, running track, theatre, casino, mini golf, nightclub and free kids' club.

Many luxury berths come with balconies, an ideal spot for two newlyweds to sip champagne while the sun goes down.

Young families, honeymooners and fun-lovers of all ages are welcome, if they leave their British reserve on the gang-plank.

Carnival Victory passengers have to let their hair down: it is hard to be po-faced at late-night karaoke or the nightly spontaneous staff singalong at dinner.

The decor reflects the exuberant atmosphere, fusing brash Italian glamour with American glitz.

No expense is spared, from the lifesize mermaid figures in the dining hall to the gigantic jellyfish-like light fixtures from famous Italian glass maker Moreno. Giant statues of Neptune mark either end of a nine-deck-high indoor promenade.

But keeping the Carnival Victory show afloat must take almost military precision and planning.

An army of stewards is on hand, making up the suites with attention to the tiniest details, from the sliver of chocolate on the pillow to the signature, fun animal origami towels.

It takes 90 waiters, 50 washer-uppers and 110 chefs to rustle up 12,000 meals a day with the slick professionalism you expect from an American-owned operation.

The hold contains 100,000 bottles of wine, as well as gigantic quantities of meat and vegetables sent from Miami.

Breakfast, buffet lunch and formal three-course dinners are included in the price of the trip, along with glittering Broadway-style stage shows for mum and dad and supervised activities to keep children and teens amused.

Extras such as organised shore excursions and alcoholic drinks are paid by a cashless card system onboard.

Our first stop was St Lucia, a tiny volcanic beauty spot once furiously fought over by the French and British that's now home to the more laidback Creole-speaking population and was recently the rehab domicile of troubled singer Amy Winehouse.

A trip into the maintains is not complete without a visit to the mud baths downstream from the acrid-smelling, spluttering crater.

Getting covered in hot black volcanic mud straight from a stream may not sound that appealing, but it's fun and reputed to be very therapeutic.

Antigua is best known for long golden beaches, ideal for showing off your freshly mud-cleansed bikini body and topping up the tan before the next stop, St Kitts.

British influences can be seen here too, amid ghostly ruins of colonial plantations.

Romney Manor's immaculate manicured garden is a lasting testament to the determination of British settlers to bring order to the world.

Strolling beyond the well-managed borders, it's a wonder how its architects could have failed to appreciate the complex jungle ecosystem full of plants and trees with incredible healing properties.

No time for English reverie, as the party ship sets off for vibrant Puerto Rico at sunset, accompanied by exuberant dolphins ducking and diving ahead of the stern.

The port of San Juan is American-controlled, but Latin in character and dominated by impressive forts - the stone walls are etched by imprisoned pirates dreaming of their lost schooners as they await an inevitably grisly end.

The maze of narrow streets in the Old Town contains lively salsa bars and little courtyard tapas restaurants to while away a lazy afternoon drinking mojito cocktails with the locals.

The little island of St Thomas offers more activity aboard a Farr 40 yacht.

After a morning racing around the bay, a hearty Creole meal in a local eatery was in order: chicken curry, rice with peas and fried plantain washed down with a tropical fruit juice.

The last stop was Dominica, perhaps the most beautiful and unspoilt of all the islands. A location used in filming Pirates Of The Caribbean, it now enjoys a roaring eco-tourism trade.

Tourists follow in the footsteps of Captain Jack in search of Blackbeard's treasure on a rainforest trek, swinging on loose vines Tarzan-style and sampling Aphrodisiac tree leaves, with dubious benefits.

And the very last remnants of British reserve are cast off with the hiking boots and spray-soaked T-shirts to dive into the cool water of Middleham Falls - a fitting finale to the Carnival Victory experience.

Key facts - Virgin Cruise and Stay Caribbean trip

:: Best for: Seeing a lot of Caribbean in one trip. Families and wedding parties well-catered for.

:: Time to go: Winter and spring are popular.

:: Don't miss: Swimming with turtles off Barbados.

:: Need to know: US dollars accepted in most places and convert onboard the ship into cashless payment system.

:: Don't forget: High factor suncream.

Travel facts

Emily Pennink was a guest of Virgin Holidays Cruises, which in November offers 10-night Barbados Stay & Caribbean Cruises from £1,299 (two sharing inside cabin).

Package includes three nights' all-inclusive in four-star Almond Casuarina, Barbados, and seven nights on Carnival Victory sailing to St Lucia, Antigua, St Kitts, San Juan, St Thomas and Dominica, Virgin Atlantic flights and transfers.

You can start your holiday at Virgin Holidays' V-Room at Gatwick for £17 per adult and £10 per child.

Virgin Holiday Cruises reservations: 0871 781 9893 and www.virginholidayscruises.co.uk.