Ventura

[bee-ess]

We are booked on Ventura for 2 weeks in Feb 2010 and have read many adverse reviews on internet review sites and am getting a bit worried.

We booked this about 15 months ago on the day it went on sale and have very preferable prices and we have tried to change to another cruise on Oceana but the costs now are far more than we paid so we cannot easily change. P&O assure me that any problems that have occurred are bring rectified.

I am intersted in anyones opinion who has travelled on it recently - hopefully we are worrying about nothing but the reviews are quite scathing - very loud,brash and overcrowded with lots of queueing, impossible to get a sunbed etc.

Any comment would be much appreciated

[tom_uk]

We are booked on Ventura for 2 weeks in Feb 2010 and have read many adverse reviews on internet review sites and am getting a bit worried.

We booked this about 15 months ago on the day it went on sale and have very preferable prices and we have tried to change to another cruise on Oceana but the costs now are far more than we paid so we cannot easily change. P&O assure me that any problems that have occurred are bring rectified.

I am intersted in anyones opinion who has travelled on it recently - hopefully we are worrying about nothing but the reviews are quite scathing - very loud,brash and overcrowded with lots of queueing, impossible to get a sunbed etc.

Any comment would be much appreciated

 

My wife & I cruised on Ventura just over a year ago - we blogged from the cruise here. We liked the ship so much that we've booked again, for next May.

 

There have indeed been some reports of bad things happening on Ventura. The most notorious was the Christmas/New Year cruise. My view of this is that there were special circumstances on that cruise:-

 

a) since the cruise was in the school holidays, the ship was absolutely full, quite probably with all 3rd & 4th beds occupied. Ventura's 'over-capacity' is 116% of normal full capacity, which is a very high figure, and which would put significant pressure on resources such as deck space. In comparison, Oriana's 'over-capacity' figure is 105% of normal full capacity;

 

b) because of a late promotion there were people on board who had paid much less than some others. I'm not saying at all that the late arrivals were the chavs; what I am saying is that there may well have been some resentment on the part of the early bookers (who would have paid £6,000 for a balcony cabin for a family of 4), when they learned that some people had paid not much more than half that amount, for an identical cruise;

 

c) and finally, thanks to bad weather (rough seas) a number of ports of call were missed. This meant that passengers were stuck on an over-full ship for days on end - it must have been an absolute pressure-cooker. (Days ashore relieve this pressure enormously. Not only do you get away from your fellow passengers, but when you see them again you've all got something new to talk about.)

 

Your cruise is in February, which is not in a school holiday, and at which time you should get good weather. I'm sure your cruise will be fine.

 

Ventura is a fine ship, and we're looking forward to going back to her. We've just come off a cruise on Celebrity Solstice (blog here). That's another very good ship, in some ways better than Ventura, but in others ways not.

[oncruisecontrol]

 

There have indeed been some reports of bad things happening on Ventura. The most notorious was the Christmas/New Year cruise.

 

 

Can you elaborate? What exactly happened on this 'notorious' Christmas/New Year cruise?

[tom_uk]

Can you elaborate? What exactly happened on this 'notorious' Christmas/New Year cruise?

 

Have a look at this thread:

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=903632

[moswinner]

We went on ventura last year to norway after reading bad reports and we also were worried, however we had a fabulous trip and are booked on ventura again next year. I think its true that you can't please all of the people all of the time and people are far quicker to complain about something than to give praise. :)

[terrierjohn]

We are booked on Ventura for 2 weeks in Feb 2010 and have read many adverse reviews on internet review sites and am getting a bit worried.

We booked this about 15 months ago on the day it went on sale and have very preferable prices and we have tried to change to another cruise on Oceana but the costs now are far more than we paid so we cannot easily change. P&O assure me that any problems that have occurred are bring rectified.

I am intersted in anyones opinion who has travelled on it recently - hopefully we are worrying about nothing but the reviews are quite scathing - very loud,brash and overcrowded with lots of queueing, impossible to get a sunbed etc.

Any comment would be much appreciated

Ventura is almost identical to Emerald Princess which is currently our favourite Princess ship. However deck space is a bit more limited on Ventura, because Emerald has 2 major outdoor pools, one with a giant movie screen, whereas one of Ventura's has the retractable dome and these do limit the amount of sunbed space.

[Marmaduke]

We had a very enjoyable Caribbean cruise on Ventura in February this year (the two weeks before half term). Initially we found the ship was rather large for our tastes but we soon got used to it and overall, the holiday experience was no different to what we have had on other P & O ships in the Caribbean. There are some features we really like on Ventura, others we are no so keen on but this applies to all ships. We have recently booked Ventura again for December. Enjoy your cruise and make up your own mind, don't be put off by the bad reviews.

[bee-ess]

Thanks for your comments - feel a bit better about it now

[Suebiker]

All I can say is I love Ventura

 

She is my favourite ship. We went in April this year and had a fabulous time. P and O are correct they have been working on past problems and in our opinion they seem to have suceeded. We were very happy and have booked again for next year.

 

Sue

[balf]

It really is pointless worrying about a forthcoming cruise. The only way to know is to go on it. Ventura seems to divide opinions more than most other ships. There does not seem to be any half way - people either love it or, while not actually hating it put themselves in the "once is enough" category.

 

We will be interesed to hear how you like it.

 

David.

[cruisebore]

We are taking our second cruise in a year on Ventura in a few weeks time.

This will be around cruise number 30.

So we are easily pleased or is it that Ventura is not really all that bad.

BTW I would not take a free cruise on any British ship in school holidays. Not because of all the children on board, but because of the prevalence of selfish 30 something parents.

 

Cruisebore

[yorvik]

Dont worry,we have been on her twice, a great ship,lots of fun and things to do. Just look forward to her,and have your own holiday. second time was even better.

[jocap]

Just left her today, and would find it difficult to fault her in any way. The passengers were just ordinary British people you meet in any town; some were richer-some poorer-never heard shouting, swearing (well, only in conversation); there were no arguments or confrontations......a few moaners, but they're everywhere. The food was good, the entertainment exceptional, and so many activities it was hard to choose- they even had a passenger's choir, and discussion groups, which I've never met on a cruise line before. I was nervous about the reviews too, but can honestly say we found NOTHING amiss!-jocap.

[anthonywebb8]

hi we just sailed on ventura,came back yesterday, its a big ship other people as said its identical to emerald princess inwhich it is, 3000+ passengers, but there were no long queues for the dining,even on sea days could not say on the sun loungers if there were anough as there were loads, but the weather on the med was not really kind to us, but theres nothing to worry about enjoy your cruise

[capasamari]

Zip lining on St Lucia is great fun, we did this a couple of years ago, my brother and sister in law are booked to do it over Christmas on the P&O excursion. Pre-book if there is a trip you particularly want to do.

 

St Maarten is the best port for duty free shopping for cameras, i-pods, jewellery etc.

 

Enjoy the Caribbean!

 

Carol x