The facts and figures are simply staggering; every day a brigade of 104 chefs and cooks create 12,000 meals for 1,900 passengers and 850 crew.

A classic British cruise ship, the 76,152 ton Aurora has two main restaurants, the Medina and the Alexandria together with a number of other dining options including Café Bordeux, with its menu created by celebrity chef, Marco Pierre White.

Aurora’s main galley is a vast, stainless steel clad area equipped with every type of cooking equipment used to produce everything from bread rolls and countless desserts to gala dinners and elaborate buffets.

During an average two-week long cruise the galley staff, who work in shifts around the clock, will produce about 116,500 main meals.

On the deck below is the crew galley and two, still lower, decks house the enormous larders’ chill rooms, and stores containing all the fresh food and provisions needed for the voyage.

During a turn-round day between two cruises the ship will take on an average of 130 tons of food and drink while alongside Southampton docks.

On an average 14-day cruise Aurora’s passengers and crew will consume: 15 tons of meat 7 tons of poultry and game 3.5 tons of bacon, ham, and gammon 28 tons of fresh fruit and vegetables 51,000 eggs 10,500 litres of milk 4,000 litres of ice cream 42,000 cakes and pastries 70,000 bread rolls 3,600 loaves 1,150 bottles of champagne 6,500 bottles of wine 200 gallons of draught beer 10,000 cans of soft drinks At present Aurora is on a sell-out, 24-night trans-Atlantic voyage to New York, USA’s eastern seaboard and Canada before arriving back in Southampton on Wednesday, September 23.