I signed up for the Behind The Scenes tour even though it cost £75. I just felt it was worth doing once, and I did get a lot out of it even if not perhaps to the tune of £75. Sorry they didn't let us use cameras so no pictures.

We first went to the large Medical Centre which was white and clean with good facilities like X-Ray machines - the scans are sent to remote medical centres for analysis. They can do simple procedures like abscesses and ingrowing toenails. They didn't show us the morgue but there is one. The Medical Centre is not free of course, the poor person who had to stay there overnight was charged over £1000. It caters for the numerous crew too of course.

Next up was the print shop which produces the Horizon onboard magazine and other materials in all-day all-night operation like most operations on board. Masters for 4 colour printing are produced then used in a 4 and 2 colour printer. They go through a lot of paper.

The Engine control room uses a Siemens system for control which was originally customised for the Oceania. The system controls not only power but also water. It looked as complicated as that for electricity distribution and indeed the Azura can generate as much power as a small town would consume.

The Environment Officer talked us through the processes to burn paper, crush glass, crumple cans for disposal. Regulations play a large role in his life. They have different categories of liquid waste (grey and black water). The crew areas of the ship felt barer, bare pipes, metal floor. There are separate messes for the crew and officers. There was machine for crew currency exchange.

Very impressive were the kitchens, which were run almost as a military operation. But they have to be to cope with feeding the thousands on board. A labyrinth of gleaming metal cleanliness, 165 staff working round the clock, doing everything from baking rolls to icing cakes.

The Azura has to store a lot of food. We got cooled down in the walk in freezers - I was glad to see a cold store alarm for anyone trapped inside! A quick half-time break in the tour for smoothies and chocolates.

There's a lot of technology in the Playhouse theatre and other venues. As professional as any West End or Broadway theatre. Shows use multitrack recordings which are mixed locally. The lighting is technology rich, computer controlled. The Azura stage is very large, backdrops etc suspended in a space which goes up several decks, a section of stage which can be lowered or raised. A system of radio signals is used for the moves on stage for safety and synchronisation.

They took us to the changing room which felt rather olde worlde. The costumes were held on an odd system of motorised racking which snaked around the overhead space.

Next stop the mooring room at the front of the ship, where one really felt the ship forcing its way through a reluctant sea. Here birds which were rescued from the decks were held and fed before they could be safely released. The mooring lines were huge and potentially dangerous, all mechanically winched. Different lines like spring lines breast lines head lines were recited.

Finally to The Bridge for the official photographer pictures with Captain Pembridge. My picture showed me as an escaped lunatic so I resisted the urge to buy it. The radar displays could identify where ships were going and their cargo. A collection of national flags. Besides new fangled technology like GPS there's also sextants and magnetic compasses and signalling by flags. The wings of the bridge which were uncomfortably out in space had consoles for manoeuvring the ship in harbours.

Afterwards I was surprised to get an apron and a badge afterwards as memento of this interesting tour!