12/03/2011 carribean cruise on ventura

[mercedes125]

This is my first post and will be our first cruise in march 2011 and it is a 13nt cruise, we fly from Manchester to Barbados we will be sailing back to southampton does any one know what time we arrive at southampton and what time would we arrive back at Manchester airport just need to arrange taxi as i cant seem to find out.

 

Thankyou

[jocap]

Mercedes- I've tried to answer earlier, but either the site or my computer has swallowed it, so apologies if this appears twice!

P&O try to get their ships in early so they can empty/fill them...funnily enough, I can't find the time on P&O or cruisett.com, either. I should think, weather permitting, she'll sail in around 7am. We always self-disembark...tell reception the day before, and keep your suitcases with you. Wait in the atrium on 5 before the time they tell you for selfdisembarkation....we get there at 7.15 for 7.30. The last time we left Ventura, there were lots of taxis waiting, and we were at the station an hour early, so caught the 8.15 north, instead of the one we'd booked at 9.15. This train passes the airport, which doesn't seem far out of town.

Look after this beautiful ship for us...we're due on in May. Have a good trip!:D

Jo.

[John Bull]

Ventura will dock while you're still in the land of nod, about 5.30, and will be cleared for general disembarkation from about 7.30am. By 9.30 there will only be stragglers on board.

 

You don't say how you're travelling to Manchester airport.

 

If you are flying, you will not make the 7.10 am flight to Manchester, there's usually also an afternoon or early evening flight. Southampton airport is about 5 miles from the cruise terminals. There are 3 or more trains per hour from Southampton Central to Southampton Parkway/Airport but you'd need a short taxi hop to Southampton Central, & although its only a couple of hundred yards to the airport terminal from Southampton Parkway you'd have to use the footbridge over the line. So simpler to take a taxi from quayside to airport at about £16 to £18.

If you are using the ship's coach transfer to Manchester, you'll need to get the timing from the coach company (Eavesway?), but they'll not even be able to give you a ball-park time until closer to the day, when they've figured their schedule.

 

John Bull

[subtchr]

Sorry to jump in, I have nothing to add to the transfer discussion, but I took some great pics of Ventura from our ship, Serenade of the Seas, when we shared ports with her in Antigua and Dominica a couple weeks ago:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mercedes125]

Mercedes- I've tried to answer earlier, but either the site or my computer has swallowed it, so apologies if this appears twice!

P&O try to get their ships in early so they can empty/fill them...funnily enough, I can't find the time on P&O or cruisett.com, either. I should think, weather permitting, she'll sail in around 7am. We always self-disembark...tell reception the day before, and keep your suitcases with you. Wait in the atrium on 5 before the time they tell you for selfdisembarkation....we get there at 7.15 for 7.30. The last time we left Ventura, there were lots of taxis waiting, and we were at the station an hour early, so caught the 8.15 north, instead of the one we'd booked at 9.15. This train passes the airport, which doesn't seem far out of town.

Look after this beautiful ship for us...we're due on in May. Have a good trip!:D

Jo.

 

Hi thanks for your reply, as far as i know we will be getting on a coach back to manchester so now i have an idea as to what time we should disembark.

[mercedes125]

Sorry to jump in, I have nothing to add to the transfer discussion, but I took some great pics of Ventura from our ship, Serenade of the Seas, when we shared ports with her in Antigua and Dominica a couple weeks ago:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thankyou some great pictures we cant wait to go.

[mercedes125]

Ventura will dock while you're still in the land of nod, about 5.30, and will be cleared for general disembarkation from about 7.30am. By 9.30 there will only be stragglers on board.

 

You don't say how you're travelling to Manchester airport.

 

If you are flying, you will not make the 7.10 am flight to Manchester, there's usually also an afternoon or early evening flight. Southampton airport is about 5 miles from the cruise terminals. There are 3 or more trains per hour from Southampton Central to Southampton Parkway/Airport but you'd need a short taxi hop to Southampton Central, & although its only a couple of hundred yards to the airport terminal from Southampton Parkway you'd have to use the footbridge over the line. So simpler to take a taxi from quayside to airport at about £16 to £18.

If you are using the ship's coach transfer to Manchester, you'll need to get the timing from the coach company (Eavesway?), but they'll not even be able to give you a ball-park time until closer to the day, when they've figured their schedule.

 

John Bull

 

Thanks for your reply, we will be traveling by coach from southampton to manchester i have heard its about 5hr jurney we just need to find out the time we get back to manchester now, i will give eavesway a ring to see if they could give me a rough idea when we will arrive at manchester.

[John Bull]

Thanks for your reply, we will be traveling by coach from southampton to manchester i have heard its about 5hr jurney we just need to find out the time we get back to manchester now, i will give eavesway a ring to see if they could give me a rough idea when we will arrive at manchester.

 

Direct travelling time by coach 4 1/2 hrs, plus minimum 45 min driver's break. But it also depends on what time it leaves Southampton (guessing 8.15 to 9.30) & whether/what drop-offs there are before Manchester.

Best bet may be to take the taxi company's phone number with you, the coach driver should be able to give you a very accurate ETA a couple of hours from Manchester. If you don't have a mobile phone, I'm sure another passenger will offer.

 

If Eavesway are unwilling to quote, I guess for the time being you could work on an hour or so either side of 3pm

JB

[jocap]

Subtchr....many thanks for the great pictures....sometimes there's a cruise ship which stands out as special, and of the several we've sailed on, on different lines, Ventura is our happy, non-pushy ship....so we'll be on her for the 3rd time in 2 years next May.

I loved the one with the crew....but they're all good.

Mercedes....is the coach coming free with the P&O package? because the train to Manchester is also a good journey.

As JB says, it's a quick ride through to Mc....the last time we came by coach, we didn't leave till 11am, and managed a lunch stop on the toll road near Birmingham around 2 1/2 hours later. We have much further to ride, alas, and can get a train to outside our house.

Enjoy!:)

Jo.

[mercedes125]

Subtchr....many thanks for the great pictures....sometimes there's a cruise ship which stands out as special, and of the several we've sailed on, on different lines, Ventura is our happy, non-pushy ship....so we'll be on her for the 3rd time in 2 years next May.

I loved the one with the crew....but they're all good.

Mercedes....is the coach coming free with the P&O package? because the train to Manchester is also a good journey.

As JB says, it's a quick ride through to Mc....the last time we came by coach, we didn't leave till 11am, and managed a lunch stop on the toll road near Birmingham around 2 1/2 hours later. We have much further to ride, alas, and can get a train to outside our house.

Enjoy!:)

Jo.

 

Hi yes the coach is provided in our package price. I hope you dont mind me asking a few questions about ventura, when they have formal nights, is there set colours you need to wear, is it best to just take english money and change it on the ship. I have lots of questions but cant think at the moment.

[John Bull]

Hi yes the coach is provided in our package price. I hope you dont mind me asking a few questions about ventura, when they have formal nights, is there set colours you need to wear, is it best to just take english money and change it on the ship. I have lots of questions but cant think at the moment.

 

Cash.

 

Your on-board account will be in sterling. You register your credit card when you board & you each receive a "sea-pass" (various names for it), this acts as your on-board charge-card & your boarding card (so take it ashore with you) & on Ventura I think its also your cabin key. Everything on board is charged to your on-board account (you present your seapass & sign for stuff) & your credit card is charged with a lump sum at the end of the cruise. If you don't have a credit card, post again - there's complications & difficulties with debit cards & cash.

 

Ashore you will need US dollars - nothing else. You can use your credit card for large transactions in major shops, but not taxis, markets, coffee shops etc.

Don't wait til you are on-board, all cruiselines offer very poor exchange rates. And if you draw cash on your credit card when ashore you'll be caned with charges & interest. Use ship's currency exchange only as a last resort for small sums.

So get US dollars before you go. Check out the rates on the internet, post-office, your bank, high street bureaux, M&S, Tesco, & all the usual suspects. Lean on them hard to give you plenty of $1 & $5 bills & don't accept bigger than $20. Change down whenever possible if you only have large bills - this improves your bargaining power & avoids the risk of receiving change in local currency.

When discussing price, make sure that the "dollars" they're talking about are USD.

 

BTW - take ashore a photocopy of your passport for photo ID & leave your passport in your cabin safe, you will not need it ashore.

Ignore any different advice you see on these boards from Americans. They don't need their passport to get back to the USA, you will need yours to get back to the UK & the risk of it being lost or stolen ashore is much greater than you missing a sailing.

JB

[jocap]

Hi, Mercedes....there's 2 formal nights a week, but they're not as strict on Ventura as other P&O ships. Most people do dress up- some very grandly- and a suit or evening suit is the usual wear for men. Women can wear full evening dresses, or simple mix and match....I always take black velvet trousers and sparkly tops, and a long skirt, which can be dressed up. They'll have a black and white night, so if you've a white top or blouse to go with a black skirt- sorted!!

We don't eat in the main dining room much, except to give the waiters their tips, which are part of their wages. They set the tables in the buffet with fresh linen and cutlery, and have wine waiters on an evening...and each night they have speciality food. If you like Indian food, their Indian chefs do really good food that night.

We always dress up for an evening at Marco Pierre White's....last time, Marco was in the kitchen.

Try the pub called Ramblas....excellent tapas and paella, for a very small price. The house wine is cheaper there, too! There's a Costa coffee bar on 5, across from the library and book sales.

Enjoy....ignore the few grumbles about children, too big, no sunbeds....it's the same on all ships, but some people are just unused to P&O having such a massive ship!:cool:

Jo.

PS...there's a free laundry on every deck, so don't over pack...do a wash in the middle of your cruise. Take a few tablets, as you may not be suited with what the ship sells.

[deje5]

Cash.

 

Your on-board account will be in sterling. You register your credit card when you board & you each receive a "sea-pass" (various names for it), this acts as your on-board charge-card & your boarding card (so take it ashore with you) & on Ventura I think its also your cabin key. Everything on board is charged to your on-board account (you present your seapass & sign for stuff) & your credit card is charged with a lump sum at the end of the cruise. If you don't have a credit card, post again - there's complications & difficulties with debit cards & cash.

 

Ashore you will need US dollars - nothing else. You can use your credit card for large transactions in major shops, but not taxis, markets, coffee shops etc.

Don't wait til you are on-board, all cruiselines offer very poor exchange rates. And if you draw cash on your credit card when ashore you'll be caned with charges & interest. Use ship's currency exchange only as a last resort for small sums.

So get US dollars before you go. Check out the rates on the internet, post-office, your bank, high street bureaux, M&S, Tesco, & all the usual suspects. Lean on them hard to give you plenty of $1 & $5 bills & don't accept bigger than $20. Change down whenever possible if you only have large bills - this improves your bargaining power & avoids the risk of receiving change in local currency.

When discussing price, make sure that the "dollars" they're talking about are USD.

 

BTW - take ashore a photocopy of your passport for photo ID & leave your passport in your cabin safe, you will not need it ashore.

Ignore any different advice you see on these boards from Americans. They don't need their passport to get back to the USA, you will need yours to get back to the UK & the risk of it being lost or stolen ashore is much greater than you missing a sailing.

JB

 

Hi, Mercedes....there's 2 formal nights a week, but they're not as strict on Ventura as other P&O ships. Most people do dress up- some very grandly- and a suit or evening suit is the usual wear for men. Women can wear full evening dresses, or simple mix and match....I always take black velvet trousers and sparkly tops, and a long skirt, which can be dressed up. They'll have a black and white night, so if you've a white top or blouse to go with a black skirt- sorted!!

We don't eat in the main dining room much, except to give the waiters their tips, which are part of their wages. They set the tables in the buffet with fresh linen and cutlery, and have wine waiters on an evening...and each night they have speciality food. If you like Indian food, their Indian chefs do really good food that night.

We always dress up for an evening at Marco Pierre White's....last time, Marco was in the kitchen.

Try the pub called Ramblas....excellent tapas and paella, for a very small price. The house wine is cheaper there, too! There's a Costa coffee bar on 5, across from the library and book sales.

Enjoy....ignore the few grumbles about children, too big, no sunbeds....it's the same on all ships, but some people are just unused to P&O having such a massive ship!:cool:

Jo.

PS...there's a free laundry on every deck, so don't over pack...do a wash in the middle of your cruise. Take a few tablets, as you may not be suited with what the ship sells.

 

 

wanted to thank you both for the great info..

also the pics are great

just 5 more days & we are on the Ventura in the caribbean..car,nt wait now

[jocap]

Have a wonderful trip! :D

Wish I was coming with you....:cool:

Jo.