In this day and age it is commonplace to pop out for a glass of wine on a lovely summer's evening, but it was not always that simple.

Those who remember the austere post-war years and lived beyond the bright lights of our major cities may well share memories of having to trek to the local chemist to place an order for a bottle of wine to be delivered at some indeterminate future date and where choice was confined to either red or white.

How things have changed.

But if you want the ultimate in "popping out" for a glass of wine, look no further than the specialist cruise ship, MV Spirit of Adventure. This is the Heineken of cruise ships – the boat that literally reaches the parts other ships can't get to.

So if you want to appreciate a really good bottle of Bordeaux, why not board the Spirit of Adventure, cruise your way along the Garonne River to Bordeaux's city centre, park up and pop into a local vineyard and select your own St Emilion.

And don't be confined to just the reds of Bordeaux, pay a quick visit up the Loire River and try some Muscadet. Or if you want a break from the blossoms of the vineyards, wend you way instead through the oxbow bends of the River Seine to Rouen, which is just a short trip away from Giverny and Claude Monet's spectacular home and gardens, featuring those iconic lily ponds.

Aboard for our trip were wine experts such as Claire Blackler, from Case Studies Wine School in Edinburgh, who debunked some of the snobbery and mythology surrounding wine and wine-tasting and taught us instead how to simply take pleasure in the wines we enjoy.

We didn't even have to confine ourselves to French wines. If we'd stayed aboard for an extra week and we could have sampled the vineyards of Portugal and Spain, too.

But there is a lot more to the Spirit of Adventure than a floating victuallers. At one stage, Captain Kees Spekman, whose home is in Worcestershire, compared the ship to a village. He was speaking of the fact that at sea it is a self-contained entity.

But he could just as well have been speaking of the spirit of the ship, for it truly is a floating village. And it would triumph in any seaborne "Neatest and Tidiest Village" competition, just as it would have be able to boast a sign on the outskirts of the village saying: "Spirit of Adventure – the village that makes you welcome."

And that was true from stepping on board at Portsmouth to disembarking in Bilbao.

Compared with some of the aircraft- carrier sized cruise ships around today, this is a relatively small ship, grossing 9,570 tonnes, with 352 passengers using 206 well-appointed cabins, watched over by a crew of 170. And the crew had an eye for detail, nothing was too much trouble and they had a pride in doing the job well.

Captain Spekman said he was a calm man and the only thing that made him really cross was a crew member who said: "It's not my job." And the captain practiced what he preached as we walked along the deck and he automatically folded down a deck seat to prevent the cover being blown away without even breaking stride.

The sole aim is for passengers to enjoy themselves, be it a morning coffee in bed or a sumptuous dinner, beautifully served in the evening. The trouble is, with a free ice cream maker, devilishly tempting afternoon teas, ever-present snacks and very reasonably priced drinks, this is not a trip for weight watchers, even if you do visit the gym and use either the indoor or outdoor pools.

The only hope is if you could summon the energy in port to join Clive Carrington on one of his bike tours (when he isn't playing the piano in the Yacht Club). Otherwise, you just have to go with the flow and enjoy what the ship has to offer.

That could include the many escorted trips ashore, most of which are included in the price. Or it could be the music of the Romanov Trio, the baritone voice of Anthony Lloyd or perhaps the lectures on history, art and wine. Nothing is thrust upon you; the choices are merely laid out by cruise director Neil Horrocks.

Or you could visit the ever popular library to read, do a jigsaw or check up on the next port of call through the internet. You could even go shopping, have your hair done or book a beauty treatment.

There always seemed to be quiet nooks and crannies, though, where we could get away from things. People will happily have a chat if you are in that mood or leave you alone if you want peace and quiet – something that veteran newscaster Peter Sissons surely enjoyed during his trip.

The Spirit of Adventure is far from being a one-trick pony. Vineyards are just one facet of its portfolio. This year and next it will be proving its credentials again by taking in the souks of the Arabian peninsula, the legacy of ancient Rome, the secrets of Vietnam, the Spice Trail, Hadrian's Wall, a taste of the Arabian nights, the dragons and temples of the mystic East, the fjords of Norway and a host of other adventures across the globe.

And if you are worried about security, don't. Several of those friendly smiling crew members are actually highly-trained ex-Gurkhas, ready to go into action at a moment's notice.

The MV Spirit of Adventure sets sail on a 14-night Rivers and Wines of France and Iberia cruise on August 19, 2010, with fares costing from £2,459 per person.

The fare includes travel to the ship and from the returning airport, return flight, four meals a day plus snacks, excursions, shuttle buses, gratuities, travel insurance and additional cancellation cover.

The cruise will include all on-board food and wine tasting sessions and visits to local food producers and vineyards.

There is a guarantee of no surcharges and that the value of any reduction in the price will be passed to passengers who have booked either in the form of a higher grade cabin or other added- value benefit.

For more details visit www.spiritof adventure.co.uk or call 0800 300 432.