opinions of Ventura

[bonniecharlie]

Hi the family and I are thinking of a caribbean

cruise next November on the Ventura

I would like to hear from the C C folk who have been on her and give me your opinion

Thanks

[wales4ever]

Been on it twice, once to the Caribbean. Nice ship, nice cabins, ok food. Drink prices ok, food so-so.

 

About all you need to know :)

 

Though if you ask 10 people on here you will get 10 different answers........

[tom_uk]

I've done three cruises on Ventura, tho' all in Europe. I'd be very happy to go on her again.

 

I blogged from each of the three cruises, so if you go to my blog (link below) and look at the 'Previous Cruises' section (r/hand side of the homepage) you'll find my reviews of each of them and the daily blog entries I did.

[blitznbobs]

Food in buffet - school dinners. Food in dining room good gastropub fayre. Cabins great facilities good. Atmosphere fantastic. Kids clubs the best I've encountered. Prices reasonable. Ventura is my fave ship - if they could sort the buffet out it would be unbeatable !

[daiB]

Food in buffet - school dinners. Food in dining room good gastropub fayre. Cabins great facilities good. Atmosphere fantastic. Kids clubs the best I've encountered. Prices reasonable. Ventura is my fave ship - if they could sort the buffet out it would be unbeatable !

 

What buffet?

 

No one told me.:rolleyes:

 

 

Gan canny

Dai

[kevinyork]

Friendly ship, good food (not excellent but good), not snobby, good bar prices, excellent kids clubs, nice cabins, plenty of bars, 3 shows per evening, fun sailaways. Been on her twice and on on her again at New Year.

 

You will get many varied comments and Ventura doesnt tend to suit the traditionalist cruiser however if you take a wide cross section of reviews you will see the vast majority really like her.

[jocap]

We're on her for the fourth time next year.....my OH joins in everything going, so is disappointed on smaller ships without as many activities. We'd like to try Azura, after being on her for the naming ceremony, but no indoor pool isn't a good idea from Southampton.

Jo.

[Freecall]

It depends what you are comparing her with.

 

We enjoy her immensely and no doubt will sail on her many times into the future.

 

Do bear in mind however that she is a Grand Class design with an entire extra passenger deck above the bridge. The extra passengers do not get any additional public space so if pools or entertainment venues are important you may find them somewhat crowded compared to other ships.

 

.

[geecee1]

Hi the family and I are thinking of a caribbean

cruise next November on the Ventura

I would like to hear from the C C folk who have been on her and give me your opinion

Thanks

 

 

 

 

Agree with Bitz n Bobs (below) re food. Possibly a bit harsh on buffet, but spot on re MDR food. However there are other alternatives .i.e East, Tapas etc.

Go and enjoy her, do not be put off by P&O traditionalists, she is a big vessl with lots to do.

[Sandielle]

Here's a nice web cam capture from her bridge cam at Barbados tonight. Looks like Christmas! :D

 

VENTURA at ShipWatcher

[sammydo]

back from her just yesterday, and would not hestitate to book again.

this was our second time on Ventura, and definatley think the service has improved from last year.

agree with over crowding on decks on sea days, but we had a balcony, and spent our time there on sea days (only 4). otherwise think sea days could have driven me crazy, i'm not one to want to get up early to reserve my sunbed with a towel for later use - lol !!!!!...seriously, they do do it !!!

I'm sure you will love it, we had a great time, and will definately book again.

[Iain1873]

Food in buffet - school dinners. Food in dining room good gastropub fayre. Cabins great facilities good. Atmosphere fantastic. Kids clubs the best I've encountered. Prices reasonable. Ventura is my fave ship - if they could sort the buffet out it would be unbeatable !

 

what Blitznbobs say , although the buffet was a hit or miss for me (no inbetween i'm afraid) , lots to do , lots on and if you look you will find some quiet spaces as well , we've only ever cruised the Med before and this year was our first P&O experience enjoyed it so much we came back in July and booked in August for End Nov 2012 around the Caribbean , looking forward to sailing on her again , not quite sure how the age demographics will work in the caribbean during winter but when we travelled in the summer i would put the average age at 40 something....give it a go i'm sure you'll enjoy it :)

[Stitchman]

I've met some wonderful people on Ventura ........ And Dai (lol).

She is a great ship and apart from the casino shutting too early in the Caribbean (couldn't figure that one out when punters were literately throwing money at them) and the night club being in a silly place.

Hoping to get on the end of Jan 2012. Just love the Caribbean :)x

[daiB]

I've met some wonderful people on Ventura ........ And Dai (lol).

She is a great ship and apart from the casino shutting too early in the Caribbean (couldn't figure that one out when punters were literately throwing money at them) and the night club being in a silly place.

Hoping to get on the end of Jan 2012. Just love the Caribbean :)x

 

 

:mad:You can be dealt with, mark my words. We have vays:rolleyes:

 

 

 

Dai:cool::cool:

[Stitchman]

Lol Dai you crack me up !!

The buffet was upstairs, the waterside I believe, but I love the club dining food. Mind you I am quite easily pleased really. If I get a table full of great pax I get distracted with conversation and don't even notice the grub lol. To busy jawing !

And the portions are ok really, I don't like going out after on a really full stomach, it ruins my dancing and gambling :)x

 

Stitch :)x

[alvin moondust]

Well Nic and I have have just returned from Ventura at the weekend and we have to say we cant understand some of the rediculously negative comments we have read about this ship, We really could not fault any aspect of the cruise at all.

We felt that the entertainment was varied and very high standard, something for everyonem you could have Kareoke and pub quiz or stroll along to the Tamarind club for West end show tunes and the ships orchestra.

The food we thought varied from very good in the main dining room, always hot with excellent waiters serving us, to absolutely superb in the speciality restaurants, yes you pay a cover charge but worth every penny. We also thought the breakfast buffet was very good and varied,

Our cabin was fab although we had upgraded to a superior deluxe so we had a large balcony to use which was nice.

 

The only criticism is the same one everybody has, lack of sunbeds, or rather lack of vacant sunbeds as much of the time they are half occupied and half reserved with a towel and a book, we saw many that were empty for long periods of time. I dont know what the answer is but perhaps there could be a ticket scheme that entitles you to a sunbed for a couple of hours, or even charge by the hour for them, at least that would stop people hogging them all day.

 

Anyway other than that Ventura was a lovely ship with excellent service everywhere and we would definitely cruise on her again

 

Ste

[Denarius]

Here's a nice web cam capture from her bridge cam at Barbados tonight. Looks like Christmas! :D

 

VENTURA at ShipWatcher

Looks like the Royal Clipper with her masts all lit up - a magnificent sight.

[alvin moondust]

Looks like the Royal Clipper with her masts all lit up - a magnificent sight.

 

Thats right it is the Royal Clipper, We departed Barbados not long after that pic was captured, Earlier in the day we had chatted to an American couple who were about to board her and it sounded like an exciting trip to some smaller obscure places was in store for them.:)

 

Steve

[mikejt26]

The food on the ship is a similar quality to a four star hotel. The buffet is a buffet fast food catering . The speciality restaurants are excellent. Do not forget the beach house I had one of the best fillets I have ever eaten:D. Sunbed wise yes it is busy on sea day but every cruise is the same. We went to the sunbed area above the spa, handy for the pool toilets not so close to the bars . More of a sun worshipers area. As the sun is extremely hot mid-earlier afternoon . We had an earlier breakfast 8:00am then had our choice of sunbed and swam in the pool for an hour then fried all day. If you are a late riser you will get a limited choice.

You have to remember the most important part of the cruise is the number of islands you visit . Top tips ,

St Lucia Cosol tours, best tour ever:D

Barbados silver moon . Second best tour ever :D

Aruba Diy bus to eagle beach and get off at amsterdam manor.

Tobago taxi to pigeon point.

Tortola diy to virgin gorda.

St Maarten is diamond time.

Antigua loads of private tours to Nesons dockyard etc.

Dominca Levi baron bumpimg tours

etc etc

[Rachie B]

just back from 2 weeks on Ventura

 

wow amazing time had by all ( 2 30 somethings plus 15 and 9 yr old sons) best holiday ever

staff are all fabulous esp the waiting staff and cabin stewards and reef rangers

 

kids club is excellent,very varied and something for all kids

we barely saw our 9 yr old ! he came in later than us every night bar one !and he cried when he had to leave his new friends and head home to rainy Wales ! :(

 

we had xmas dinner in the White Room ,wow 8 courses and 4 glasses of wine and apperitif etc was well worth the £30 per person extra. fantastic service and food and attention to detail

 

pretty good well equipped gym

 

couldnt fault the food in any of the restaurants we ate in,and something to please even the fussiest of eaters ( my 9 yr old !)

 

cannot wait to go back ( xmas 2013 )

[bazzaw]

For those who have commented on the "overcrowding" - how would this affect non-users of sunbeds/pools. ? Would overcrowding still be noticeable??

 

Ventura is a sub-class of the Grand class - as is Diamond Princess (in a different sub-class) . There appears to be about 400 extra passengers in Ventura/Azura - when compared with Diamond. Diamond gets a good reception here in Australia - quite well liked and I don't think I have ever heard complaints about overcrowding on her?? But Azura is heading our way as well next year - wouldn't mind trying her out when she gets here. Of course, being Aussies - we don't "do" lying in the sun!!! :rolleyes:

 

Barry

[tom_uk]

Ventura is a sub-class of the Grand class - as is Diamond Princess (in a different sub-class) . There appears to be about 400 extra passengers in Ventura/Azura - when compared with Diamond. Diamond gets a good reception here in Australia - quite well liked and I don't think I have ever heard complaints about overcrowding on her?? But Azura is heading our way as well next year - wouldn't mind trying her out when she gets here. Of course, being Aussies - we don't "do" lying in the sun!!! :rolleyes:

 

Barry

 

I've been on Ventura but not Azura. On the former we found that there was considerable crowding around the pools on the Lido deck but the further away from there you went (upwards), the more space there was. On Azura, however, the Sanctuary takes up a big chunk of space that's open and available on Ventura.

 

Here's a picture from our Ventura cruise in May/June 2011. Notice also the towels reserving the loungers!

[jeanlyon]

My problem with overcrowding on Azura was not only round the pools but inside the ship when the weather was inclement. There was no roof over the pool, so everyone was inside. It was awful. Also, the queueing to get on and off the ship in port was terrible. Only 2 gangways and we waited nearly 40 minutes in 95 degrees to get back on board.

[fenwick699]

We went on the Ventura 1st timers last Feb, loved it all, we had nothing to compare it to other than the traditional 4 star type holiday. The food was good my hubby (the breakfast expert) loved the buffet breakfasts. To be honest we thought some of the entertainment was average, but we just relaxed and enjoyed and lets face it it was up to us what we did or didn't do. I went to the photography sessions which were well run and informative. We met some lovely people, yes there are always the superior types no matter which hol you go on let them get on with it, they don't interest me I can gab with anyone who wants to gab back!:p We enjoyed it that much we are going again Feb, can't wait:D

[sanmarco]

Been on the ventura twice booked again for the med in September love the ship You need to find your way around but loved the atmosphere:)