Ventura diverted

[Bin man]

Was tracking Ventura last night thought she looked close to coast noticed she called into la Corunna guess it was a medic alert .Hope they are ok if that is case .

[CarlaMarie]

12 minutes ago, Bin man said:

Was tracking Ventura last night thought she looked close to coast noticed she called into la Corunna guess it was a medic alert .Hope they are ok if that is case .

 

Yes you are right, there was a medical emergency so they had to get to La Coruna. Apparently they have very rough weather and the forward lifts are not in operation. 

[AndyMichelle]

7 minutes ago, CarlaMarie said:

 

Yes you are right, there was a medical emergency so they had to get to La Coruna. Apparently they have very rough weather and the forward lifts are not in operation. 

I hope the passenger is OK. 

The lifts are the least of her worries. 

I have come to the conclusion that lifts on P&O ships are fairly pointless and should only be used by passengers who really need them. 

Besides, I need to walk off all that food. 😊

Andy 

[CarlaMarie]

Very true Andy! 

 

I'm only hearing this information from a crew member, but this is currently the worst weather they have ever experienced at sea. They are still scheduled to get to Lanzarote (Marine traffic has had her down for Southampton on the 21st for some reason). 

Edited December 19, 2019 by CarlaMarie

[jh1809]

34 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

I hope the passenger is OK. 

The lifts are the least of her worries. 

I have come to the conclusion that lifts on P&O ships are fairly pointless and should only be used by passengers who really need them. 

Besides, I need to walk off all that food. 😊

Andy 

I usually use the stairs for descending, or for going up a deck or two, but I do draw the line at walking up five or six decks to the Crows Nest!

 

Yes, let's hope that the passenger is OK.

[AndyMichelle]

3 hours ago, CarlaMarie said:

Very true Andy! 

 

I'm only hearing this information from a crew member, but this is currently the worst weather they have ever experienced at sea. They are still scheduled to get to Lanzarote (Marine traffic has had her down for Southampton on the 21st for some reason). 

At least she is getting a good testing in the rough weather. 

I hope she is not back until the 29th when we board. 

Andy 

[Otter18]

4 hours ago, AndyMichelle said:

I have come to the conclusion that lifts on P&O ships are fairly pointless and should only be used by passengers who really need them. 

Andy 

 

I agree. I wish more people had that attitude. I remember coming out of the gym once, and two people got into the lift, also having just left the gym, and descended one floor! Why would you?

 

We only use the lift now, if it is evening and my wife is in high heels and carrying a drink, otherwise it would take half an hour to get to the MDR.

[jeanlyon]

Yes quite unbelievable how people who can walk perfectly well use the lift for one floor.  I don't use them unless it's more than 4 floors.  I am not suggesting that those who are disabled don't use them, (before I get flack), but some people are just downright lazy.

[AndyMichelle]

It's not all gallantry, I stopped using the lifts because, in general, they are rubbish...😊

We occasionally have to suffer the snide remarks as we look healthy but Michelle cannot always manage the stairs due to poor health, but she also has a bit of a phobia and won't get in on her own. 

We try, whenever possible to use the stairs. 

Andy 

 

[brian1]

I've jumped in lifts and only gone down 1 floor,cos I didn't look at what floor I got in at,lol.Pretty embarrassing.

[Lottie A]

Not all disabilities are visible so please bear that in mind.
 

A year or two ago I was told off very harshly for getting the lift for just two decks by a rather large man. He was walking with a stick and told me he had arthritis and that I looked fit enough to take the stairs and should do so.

 

 I actually had cancer and was undergoing horrible, intensive treatment which caused severe pain and fatigue. I could barely walk I felt so ill....but on the surface I looked healthy. He really upset me by telling me off for getting in the lift when it was crowded with older people. I did not feel like announcing to a crowded lift that I had cancer of course, so I said nothing but I burst into tears when I got back to my cabin. 

So please realise some people have to get the lift for one deck and may appear healthy, but actually are not. A friend has Multiple Sclerosis but looks fit and healthy. She has relapsing remitting MS and can have three or four good months, when she can walk well and then de can be very poorly and even bed ridden for a month. She looks young, fit and healthy most of the time but sometimes she is very ill. Much worse than arthritis! 

[CarlaMarie]

46 minutes ago, Lottie A said:

Not all disabilities are visible so please bear that in mind.
 

A year or two ago I was told off very harshly for getting the lift for just two decks by a rather large man. He was walking with a stick and told me he had arthritis and that I looked fit enough to take the stairs and should do so.

 

 I actually had cancer and was undergoing horrible, intensive treatment which caused severe pain and fatigue. I could barely walk I felt so ill....but on the surface I looked healthy. He really upset me by telling me off for getting in the lift when it was crowded with older people. I did not feel like announcing to a crowded lift that I had cancer of course, so I said nothing but I burst into tears when I got back to my cabin. 

So please realise some people have to get the lift for one deck and may appear healthy, but actually are not. A friend has Multiple Sclerosis but looks fit and healthy. She has relapsing remitting MS and can have three or four good months, when she can walk well and then de can be very poorly and even bed ridden for a month. She looks young, fit and healthy most of the time but sometimes she is very ill. Much worse than arthritis! 

 

I am sorry to hear of your experience Lottie. I do understand though. I have two invisible conditions - I have had M.E. since I was 14 (now 32) and recently a kidney condition which could lead to a transplant in the future. People look at me and think I look perfectly healthy (to the point I actually have stopped telling some people what I have as they don't think it is possible), however what they don't see is the extreme fatigue, pain and muscle stiffness on the inside and the cognitive effects. 

 

All I can say is if you need to use the lift then please do use it, ignore what others may say to you as you have every right to use them. That is what they are there for. Don't let it spoil your cruises 🙂

Edited December 19, 2019 by CarlaMarie

[AndyMichelle]

7 hours ago, Lottie A said:

Not all disabilities are visible so please bear that in mind.
 

A year or two ago I was told off very harshly for getting the lift for just two decks by a rather large man. He was walking with a stick and told me he had arthritis and that I looked fit enough to take the stairs and should do so.

 

 I actually had cancer and was undergoing horrible, intensive treatment which caused severe pain and fatigue. I could barely walk I felt so ill....but on the surface I looked healthy. He really upset me by telling me off for getting in the lift when it was crowded with older people. I did not feel like announcing to a crowded lift that I had cancer of course, so I said nothing but I burst into tears when I got back to my cabin. 

So please realise some people have to get the lift for one deck and may appear healthy, but actually are not. A friend has Multiple Sclerosis but looks fit and healthy. She has relapsing remitting MS and can have three or four good months, when she can walk well and then de can be very poorly and even bed ridden for a month. She looks young, fit and healthy most of the time but sometimes she is very ill. Much worse than arthritis! 

As I said earlier, we use the lifts as little as we possibly can, but each time we do, we seem to get abused. 

We stepped out of the lift to let a man on a scooter in, to then receive a tirade about why we shouldn't use the lift. 

Like you, we did not want to shout about Michelle's terminal illness, so we quietly waited for the next one. 

I do understand people's frustrations as P&O do not help with their maintenance. 

On Oceana recently, after muster, 1 lift in 6 was working forward... They were repaired at various times during the cruise, but we never had more than 3 at any one time. 

Andy 

 

[eddie11]

A major fault with the design of the whole fleet, it seems, is the lack of lifts.

 

P&O could help with simple changes in labelling and with a brief pep talk, perhaps at muster, on lift function and etiquette.  How many times, per cruise, do you see people pressing up and down and simply getting into the first lift to arrive?  Goodness knows how much that reduces capacity and efficiency.  I have even heard a story of someone pressing down, when they wanted to go up, with the logic that “down” would bring the lift down to them, so they could start their journey!

 

My suggestion would be that one lift in each bank should be exclusively for those relying on wheels - scooter, wheelchair, baby buggy or walker.  They should obviously get priority.  I also think officers should marshall lifts on leaving day, to allow pax free movement up & down to get their breakfast and to allow everyone to move their remaining luggage

 

Of course we should all use the stairs where possible, for all sorts of reasons, including our own health,  but even the fittest find the climb from 5 to 15 etc on the larger ships a bit of a strain and ladies in long dresses and high heels don’t enjoy stairs either

[terrierjohn]

We only have experience of lifts on P&O, Princess, Celebrity and RCI, the first 2 have fairly small lifts, which I measure by how difficult it is to spin the wheelchair around. However Celebrity and RCI lifts are much larger, in some of theirs I can spin the chair around, even with some passengers in them, something completely impossible with P&O and Princess. 

I can only assume it is a cost issue, but surely a false economy.

Edited December 20, 2019 by terrierjohn

[brillo]

The lifts are there for the use of all passengers and it is no business of anyone else who uses them, rant over !

[beachmad123]

Just thought I would add my experience of the lifts. On the last Ventura cruise I can honestly say we never waited for one. We only use if going more than 5 floors maybe we were lucky with our timing. However I did observe people cramming into them which at times I observed made those at the back feel uncomfortable especially if they don't like confined spaces already. 

However we will never change the lift situation you're either a thoughtful person or thoughtless. 

[hollyjess]

My husband used a mobility scooter so had to rely on lifts. I agree that at least one lift should be allocated for passengers with wheelchairs buggies etc.P and O if you read the posts referring to this matter please take note.!

[AndyMichelle]

2 hours ago, eddie11 said:

A major fault with the design of the whole fleet, it seems, is the lack of lifts.

 

P&O could help with simple changes in labelling and with a brief pep talk, perhaps at muster, on lift function and etiquette.  How many times, per cruise, do you see people pressing up and down and simply getting into the first lift to arrive?  Goodness knows how much that reduces capacity and efficiency.  I have even heard a story of someone pressing down, when they wanted to go up, with the logic that “down” would bring the lift down to them, so they could start their journey!

 

My suggestion would be that one lift in each bank should be exclusively for those relying on wheels - scooter, wheelchair, baby buggy or walker.  They should obviously get priority.  I also think officers should marshall lifts on leaving day, to allow pax free movement up & down to get their breakfast and to allow everyone to move their remaining luggage

 

Of course we should all use the stairs where possible, for all sorts of reasons, including our own health,  but even the fittest find the climb from 5 to 15 etc on the larger ships a bit of a strain and ladies in long dresses and high heels don’t enjoy stairs either

On Oceana, 2 lifts in each bank were labelled as disabled, but, as you would expect, they were both out of order for most of the cruise... 

Andy 

[Bin man]

Agree with Brillo but as I started this post as VENTURA DIVERTED how did it get hijacked about lifts ? First reply mentioned lifts not in use which I guess was to do with the weather and the medical emergency but beyond that the post has got well side tracked .

[jeanlyon]

I always have to smile at the notice that says the lift will hold 20?  20 Cruise passengers??  What's the max you have ever seen in a lift.  Nowhere near 20.

[CarlaMarie]

Just so you all know, Ventura isn't stopping in Lanzarote anymore. The port has been cancelled.

[eddie11]

Any reason given?

Or rumours doing the rounds?

 

Poor Ventura doesn’t seem to be having a lot of luck lately

[CarlaMarie]

No not rumours. It has definitely been cancelled. They still have rough weather, so I presume the medical evacuation and the weather has caused them to fall behind schedule. If I find out anything more I will let you know. 

[ralphrj]

I’m currently onboard Ventura. We did divert to La Coruna for a medical evacuation in the early hours of Thursday morning. This put us a little bit behind but the poor weather in the Bay of Biscay has hampered the attempts to catch up and it was not a surprise to hear that the visit to Lanzarote had been cancelled. Ventura is now heading directly to Gran Canaria at reduced speed for comfort as the seas are still rough.