Prepare to be dazzled... speeding across the sea

Massive swimming pools, hot tubs, sun loungers, cool bars and plenty of shopping are all things you might reasonably expect to find on a huge cruise ship.

- By DANIEL MOXON

But a giant theatre, a Swarovski crystalencrusted staircase, and Lewis Hamilton's racing overalls? That came as a genuine surprise.

All of these features can be found on board MSC World Europa, one of the largest cruise ships in the world, with 22 decks, more than 30 bars and restaurants and room for nearly 7,000 passengers.

As someone completely new to cruising, I was invited to tour the ship while it was docked in Barcelona last week.

The MSC Europa was launched in December 2022, and has been making waves since then. Several things left me genuinely stunned, not least the steel Venom Drop at the Spiral - the longest dry slide at sea, with its thrilling 11-deck drop.