JANIS BUCKLAND enjoys a preview of an exciting new ship making waves in the cruise world

CHAMPAGNE beer? Always willing to try something new, I sipped a flute of Deus Brut Des Flanders Cuvee. Very nice. Had it not been, there were 65 other brews I could have sampled.

I was at Michael's Club, one of six bars on the new Celebrity Silhouette cruise ship.

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I was given a sneak preview of the ship following its gala naming ceremony in Hamburg last month. Thirty minutes after the bottle of champagne was smashed against the hull in the traditional way, the 2,886-passenger ship glided out of the harbour.

With 12 restaurants to choose from you'll never tire of the food on this, the fourth ship in Celebrity Cruises' Solstice Class.

Among the restaurants is Qsine, which offers a unique dining experience. Its internationally themed fare, from sushi and escargot to rogan josh and spicy kebabs, is ordered on iPads.

I opted for the glamorous Grand Cuvee dining room where I enjoyed pan-seared crab cake followed by crispy seared snapper with leek and lobster ragout. It was sublime.

My spacious stateroom was My spacious stateroom was balcony and a pleasantly large bathroom. After a good night's light and airy with a sizeable balcony and a pleasantly large bathroom. After a good night's sleep I was ready to check out the ship, including the gym.

If you're more into pampering than exercise, the AquaSpa offers intriguing-sounding bamboo massages and 24-carat gold facials. Room lighting, sound and scent can all be personally adjusted to enhance your senses.

The Hideaway, a quiet retreat that resembles a tree house, is furnished with comfortable chairs and "nests" (large suspended baskets) where you can literally hang out and enjoy a latte.

Walking through the art-lined main corridors is like being in a floating gallery. The stunning sculpture in the upper grand foyer, of a shimmering network of tentacles with a live tree suspended in mid-air, is amazing.

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If you're feeling inspired by the photography, sculptures and paintings, you can take a class in the art studio with a master artist from The ArtCenter South Florida.

Children (three to 12 years old) are well looked after in the Fun Factory and teenagers have their own dance club and coffee bar at X-Club.

The Lawn Club on Deck 15 is covered in half an acre of real grass and boasts hammocks and overly large Alice In Wonderland-style wooden chairs.

Eight cabana-style havens, known as the Alcoves, are available for rent around the edge of the lawns.

This really is the ideal place to relax in the sun or under the stars. Anyone having laptop-withdrawal can log on to the wi-fi here.

If you're feeling peckish, the Lawn Club has a casual cafe, with views of the "garden" and the sea, as well as an interactive barbecue where you can cook meat youself, or let the chefs do it for you.

where you can cook meat youself, or let the chefs do it for you.

In the evening, there's plenty of entertainment on offer. The Silhouette Theatre hosts Broadwaystyle shows, comedians and circus performances.

plenty of entertainment on offer. The Silhouette Theatre hosts Broadwaystyle shows, comedians and circus performances.

If that's not enough, night owls can dance until the small hours in the Quasar nightclub or, if they're feeling lucky, try their hand in Fortunes Casino.

If that's not enough, night owls can dance until the small hours in the Quasar nightclub or, if they're feeling lucky, try their hand in Fortunes Casino.

I decided to enjoy a nightcap in the Martini Bar which has an amazing selection of more than 100 different vodkas.

I decided to enjoy a nightcap in the Martini Bar which has an amazing selection of more than 100 different vodkas.

I watched in awe as one of the highly skilled barmen took five orders for cocktails, piled the filled shakers up, formed an arch with them and poured the drinks simultaneously into precisely placed glasses on the bar.

I was so impressed that I had to order another… just to see if he could do it again.

I had to order another… just to see if he could do it again.

GETTING THERE:

Celebrity Silhouette is sailing from Rome for a series of 12 and 13-night Holy Land cruises. Virgin Holidays Cruises (0844 573 4318/ virginholidaycruises.co.uk) offers a 12-night Holy Land cruise from £1,089pp (two sharing inside cabin), full board. Price includes return flights from London and transfers. Departs Rome, October 10. From November, Celebrity Silhouette will depart Cape Liberty in New Jersey for southern Caribbean itineraries calling at St Kitts, St John and Antigua.