All eyes are on the lanky Texan – minus his Stetson hat – as he presents his lady with a blue velvet jewellery box as candles flicker and moonlight dances across the waves. You can hear the hushed ahhs as a “look at me” ruby surrounded by dazzling diamonds tumbles out and is placed around her neck. Impressive? Yes. Out of place? No – after all it’s Valentine’s Day and the intimate Restaurant2 aboard Seabourn Sojourn is perfect for a romantic dinner.

Content with a perky red rose presented to me by the charming maître d’, we embark on a culinary journey with 11 small courses bursting with sensational tastes and flavours that resemble still-life masterpieces.

Dinner starts with a cocktail of crispy foie gras and port wine splash, followed by lobster roll and yoghurt caviar sauce, avocado and tomato salad and seared king salmon with white bean salsa and piquillo coulis.

The shiraz-braised oxtail presse, white asparagus with a vanilla cappuccino and mushroom toast is superb and the drunken John Dory, porcini with Swiss chard and hazelnut vinaigrette, Tuscany veal and mascarpone mashed potato are even more impressive. The sweet finale of dark chocolate ganache, espresso citrus panna cotta and ice-cream brings just as many “oohs” and “aahs” from satisfied diners as that ruby.