Ventura - Just back this morning from Caribbean

[andyc567]

Two comments..

 

1) Very nice large ship, excellent food etc.

 

2) Far to many people, have to queue for everything, tables at breakfast, lifts, entry/exit from ship, theatre etc.

 

And the sunbed situation, well what can I say other than no chance on sea days, and is nothing done about towels and books being used to reserve sunbeds for hours on end.

 

On the whole, a excellent cruise, but a smaller ship with fewer people for us next time.

[KEITHH1]

You also got back today we thought the Ventura has gone down from last year also some of the acts where from last year doing the same stuff. The entertainment was not up to it the entertainment team where for to busy wanting to get off .When a quiz can be done in 15 minutes then there is something lacking.

We thought the food was not up to last year’s standard.

The staff did not have time for you in my opinion PO have let there standards slip

Keith

[Norfolk Brit]

we thought the Ventura has gone down from last year We thought the food was not up to last year’s standard.

The staff did not have time for you in my opinion PO have let there standards slip

Keith

 

Good God! The reviews for Ventura last year were bad enough, and now standards have slipped...:eek:.

 

Sir Martin

[Gerrym]

Two comments..

 

1) Very nice large ship, excellent food etc.

 

2) Far to many people, have to queue for everything, tables at breakfast, lifts, entry/exit from ship, theatre etc.

 

And the sunbed situation, well what can I say other than no chance on sea days, and is nothing done about towels and books being used to reserve sunbeds for hours on end.

 

On the whole, a excellent cruise, but a smaller ship with fewer people for us next time.

 

 

Some things never change unfortunately.

 

When will P&O 'get it'?

 

 

Gerry

[jodanuke]

We came back 2 weeks ago and even the entertainment director admitted that the entertainment was rubbish! (He was rubbish too)

[Gerrym]

we came back 2 weeks ago and even the entertainment director admitted that the entertainment was rubbish! (he was rubbish too)

 

 

lol!!

 

 

:)

[cclarke12]

I think we must be in a minority in really liking Ventura. We travel with kids and aren't keen on sunbathing and can't stand shows/cabaret entertainment; we are up at the crack of dawn with our two so queues in the buffet for breakfast are never a problem. We loved the kids club, the food in the main dining room, the reasonably priced drinks, and our own balcony to chill out on. Sunbeds and entertainment aren't really important factors in our holiday so Ventura (and Azura) was great. However, I can see they are important factors to others, so if they haven't got this right I guess it makes for a disappointing holiday.

[andyc567]

You also got back today we thought the Ventura has gone down from last year also some of the acts where from last year doing the same stuff. The entertainment was not up to it the entertainment team where for to busy wanting to get off .When a quiz can be done in 15 minutes then there is something lacking.

We thought the food was not up to last year’s standard.

The staff did not have time for you in my opinion PO have let there standards slip

Keith

 

I agree most of the entertainment wasn't that good..

 

We liked Martin Daniels and Fogwell Flax was superb, we saw 3 of his shows, and loved every minute of him.

 

It was a shame the male vocalist (Nik someone) had a throat infection, as by all accounts he was good to, but unfortunately we didn't get to see him.

 

It was my first P&O cruise so I can't comment on standards, but I think we shall be returning to our favourite Costa Cruises in the future as certainly don't get the sunbed and queue problems on those.

[andyc567]

We came back 2 weeks ago and even the entertainment director admitted that the entertainment was rubbish! (He was rubbish too)

 

If you mean that chap Huwy (however you spell it), I must agree, no personality whatsoever..

[cruisebore]

If you mean that chap Huwy (however you spell it), I must agree, no personality whatsoever..

 

Surprising! because we have cruised on Oceana on a number of occasions when Hughie Taylor has been the CD and found him to be good at his job. Could these mega ships be a poisoned chalice for CD's who BTW have no say in who the brought on 'talent' are.

 

Cb

[andyc567]

Surprising! because we have cruised on Oceana on a number of occasions when Hughie Taylor has been the CD and found him to be good at his job. Could these mega ships be a poisoned chalice for CD's who BTW have no say in who the brought on 'talent' are.

 

Cb

 

Thats the geezer..

 

I reckon you could be right about the mega ships, couild be onto something there.

 

As I said earlier, Ventura with over 3,000 people on is far to many, we shall be sticking to the smaller ships around 80,000 tons that cary 2000 people, as we have found ships around this size cope far better in all aspects.

[andyc567]

What really lets down Ventura is the complete lack of management when it comes to the sunbed situation..

 

How difficult would it be !!!

 

We saw loads of sunbeds last week with just the standard issue P&O blue towel on them, and there was no way of knowing if it was simply finished with or being used to reserve it selfishly.

 

Also witnessed at leased a few awkward situations every day of people in discussion over who could use a sunbed.

 

Judging by the amount of complaints on here, if anyone at P&O ever reads this, then please please do something about it.

[cruisebore]

What really lets down Ventura is the complete lack of management when it comes to the sunbed situation..

 

How difficult would it be !!!

 

We saw loads of sunbeds last week with just the standard issue P&O blue towel on them, and there was no way of knowing if it was simply finished with or being used to reserve it selfishly.

 

Also witnessed at leased a few awkward situations every day of people in discussion over who could use a sunbed.

 

Judging by the amount of complaints on here, if anyone at P&O ever reads this, then please please do something about it.

 

For quite a while now P&O has had its eyes of the ball with its take it or leave it approach to customers. In saying that P&O do many things well, however they appear not to listen to their customers, and it is the culmination of many small things which will find the P&O regular deciding to spend his cruise pounds elsewhere. The American lines becoming more and more competitive by tailoring their products to Brits requirements i.e booze packages, stopping the 15% service charges on drinks etc. Will P&O find themselves in the same situation as M&S did a number of years ago through bad management and not enough concern for their customers?

 

Cb

[jodanuke]

If you mean that chap Huwy (however you spell it), I must agree, no personality whatsoever..

 

We were on Ventura last summer and the director was San-croix or something. He was 10 million times better.

[ROSEBASKETS]

We were on Ventura last summer and the director was San-croix or something. He was 10 million times better.

 

Leon de-St-Croix, Hes not really called Leon and he's not from the island of St Croix;)

 

The oldies LOVED him, but didn't like complaints! Would cancel quizzes or events due to lack of participation ??? ..... 3000 people on the ship and couldn't muster 2 teams for a quiz on 2 occasions in the Exchange!

 

The "adult interactive video competitions" were the best .......... They held 5 in a fortnight and we won every time because no one else turned up! If he'd have called it "Wii" in the daily rag he'd have got more takers. When we asked about this & one of the staff told us that when they called it "Wii Challenge" in the what's on section they were getting 50 or 60 people turn up and everyone couldn't get a turn so he changed the name :eek: Why just not buy another Wii ifit was so popular? :rolleyes:

[MattyBarlow]

Leanne Taylor on Azura was useless. Couldn't even pronounce Azura correctly, kept saying Azora. I haven't come across a decent P&O one. Joff Eaton of RCI is superb and almost a celeb on the ships due to the great job he does.

[daiB]

Leanne Taylor on Azura was useless. Couldn't even pronounce Azura correctly, kept saying Azora. I haven't come across a decent P&O one. Joff Eaton of RCI is superb and almost a celeb on the ships due to the great job he does.

 

Which ship came out top in another boards annual poll..... ..........error. Ventura. Odd

 

 

Gan canny

 

Dai

[MattyBarlow]

Which ship came out top in another boards annual poll..... ..........error. Ventura. Odd

 

 

Gan canny

 

Dai

 

Eh?????

[cruisebore]

Come on keep up.

 

Ventura came top in cruise ships from UK poll on Cruise.web site.

 

 

Gan canny

 

Dai

 

 

Are you sure Dai? I thought it was on the Tattoo artist guild web site:rolleyes:

http://www.tattooartistsguild.com/

 

Cb

[Gerrym]

Are you sure Dai? I thought it was on the Tattoo artist guild web site:rolleyes:

http://www.tattooartistsguild.com/

 

Cb

 

 

LOL, very good, even if it is not correct.

 

The award was actually from:-

 

http://www.football-shirts.co.uk/

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gerry

[andyc567]

Are you sure Dai? I thought it was on the Tattoo artist guild web site:rolleyes:

http://www.tattooartistsguild.com/Cb

 

LOL, very good, even if it is not correct.

 

The award was actually from:-

 

http://www.football-shirts.co.uk/

 

There was certainly many serious Tat's on show on Ventura last week, but I only noticed about 3 football shirts.

 

Seriously though, Ventura's biggest problem is to many people, the public area's just can't cope.

 

I knew there would be 3000+ passengers on board, but had thought the public area's and infrastructure would have been designed to cope, but sadly it wasn't..

 

We are now thinking the smaller 2000 passenger ships are the way to go, as never had any problems on ships of that size.

[MattyBarlow]

There was certainly many serious Tat's on show on Ventura last week, but I only noticed about 3 football shirts.

 

Seriously though, Ventura's biggest problem is to many people, the public area's just can't cope.

 

I knew there would be 3000+ passengers on board, but had thought the public area's and infrastructure would have been designed to cope, but sadly it wasn't..

 

We are now thinking the smaller 2000 passenger ships are the way to go, as never had any problems on ships of that size.

 

Try Azura. With the Retreat taking up lots of sunbathing space, I have never known a ship with sunbeds so close to each other.

[kevinyork]

Look at the reviews for the last year for Ventura on cruise.co.uk. Seems to be getting pretty good reviews of late. Maybe due to people who enjoy her returning to something they have enjoyed. Poor reviews tend to come from 'traditional cruisers' who dont like the crowds, kids, families etc.

[cruisebore]

There was certainly many serious Tat's on show on Ventura last week, but I only noticed about 3 football shirts.

 

Seriously though, Ventura's biggest problem is to many people, the public area's just can't cope.

 

I knew there would be 3000+ passengers on board, but had thought the public area's and infrastructure would have been designed to cope, but sadly it wasn't..

 

We are now thinking the smaller 2000 passenger ships are the way to go, as never had any problems on ships of that size.

 

This Class of ship designed for Princess cruises, originally only carried 2500 pax. Then the bean counters got to work and they stuck another deck of cabins on all the new builds. However the public areas and facilities remained the same as for the 2500 pax build. No wonder there are problems.

It won't be long before you have to pay to hire your sun loungers, but at least this may stop those who like to have one in the shade as well as one in the sun

 

Cb

[daiB]

Actually the people who like her most belong to the:-

 

ovappsoc.co.UK.

 

 

They all love Ventura.

 

 

 

 

Gan canny

 

Dai