The best restaurant on the Ventura is the White Room, and I shall be eating there later this week. As it happens, Marco Pierre White is on board this weekend, paying one of his regular visits to make sure everything is running smoothly.
And when Marco is on the ship, he does not just keep himself to himself and his kitchen team.
Today he has spent an hour in the Arena Theatre, talking about his life and his career and answering questions from passengers.
He spent three hours signing copies of his book, and having his picture taken with everyone who asked.
He even took time out to act as witness at a wedding on board.
But the highlight for the Yorkshire-born chef was the 20 minutes he spent in the ship’s Exchange bar, calling the bingo numbers – and adding his own twist.
For example, “Famous steps . . . 39
John,
Strange that Mr White should be so critical of fish and chip shops in the Weymouth area. When he has visited them in the past, the visits have been documented in our local press, and on each occasion he praised them and their cooking staff to the hilt. It seems to be very easy for him to criticise when he is in the Caribbean out of earshot.
Also odd that he should be relishing the Gordon Ramsay scandal, because it was reported in the Daily Mail that he approached Gordon back in September in the first class compartment of a transatlantic flight in order to make up their fallout. How two faced.
Apart from the events you have detailed in your account, what exactly was his involvement on the ship? Does he stay for the duration of the cruise?
Are there cookery demonstrations?