Star on board: Graham Gooch

What will you be discussing on your cruise?
I will be talking about my life in professional cricket with Essex and England over the past five decades, all the incredible players I’ve played with and all the great characters I’ve known throughout the game.

You toured the world as an England player. If you had to pick just one destination, which would it be?
To tour Australia, play test matches and compete for the Ashes is the ultimate experience for an England cricketer, so I’d have to say Oz. Nothing can beat the history and the competition for this famous old trophy.

Are you a keen cruiser?
Yes, I’ve been on several trips to the Caribbean and Europe and I’ve had a great experience every time. I’ve sailed with Princess Cruises before, and the trip was first class. We visited some brilliant destinations and the staff onboard made me feel very at home and welcome.

Can you remember your first cruise?
Yes – round Mexico on a small ship called SeaDream. That was an amazing trip.

What do you love most about cruising?
To me the best part of cruising is waking up every morning and finding yourself in a different destination. That, or sailing out of a port in the early evening with a nice cold glass of white wine in your hand and watching the land gradually disappear into the distance....

What is your ideal cruise destination?
I don’t think you can go wrong with island-hopping around the Caribbean.

Who would be your ideal cruise travelling companion?
My partner, Julia. She used to work for British Airways and travelling is second nature to her, so cruising is a great holiday for both of us.

As a former pro sportsman, do you make use of the fitness facilities on board?
I still like to keep myself in reasonably good shape and I get a lot of enjoyment out of training and working out, so you’ll probably find me in the gym at some stage on board the ship. Keeping in shape comes naturally to Julia and me and we love taking long walks together. In fact, a few years ago we completed Wainwright’s coast-to-coast walk for charity.

How do you manage to stay in shape with all those foodie temptations on board?
It’s always difficult to avoid the buffet and all that gorgeous food – you just need to pick and choose what you’re going to eat, otherwise it’s going to be tough getting on the scales when you arrive back home.

You’re packing for a cruise: what goes into the suitcase?
Just the usual shorts and T-shirts, with something a bit dressier for the evenings.

What’s your top travel tip?
Wherever you’re visiting, make an effort to embrace the local culture – then you’ll enjoy your time so much more.

Any travel plans for this year?
We’ve booked a trip to Crete, a few weeks in north Norfolk, a visit to the Canary Islands and a short trip to some Christmas markets in Europe at the end of the year. So lots to look forward to.

Get on board with Graham: A 10-night ‘Canary Islands’ cruise aboard Sky Princess with guest speaker Graham Gooch, roundtrip from Southampton, departs October 19, 2022, from £1,399 per person, princess.com.