New to P&O. Help please!

[Vampiress88]

On 12/28/2019 at 11:52 AM, Presto2 said:

We sometimes wonder if we just didn't like our cabin and that didn't help. The weather was terrible too (mid August) on a very sea day 'heavy' cruise and we hated the indoor pool area.

 

LOVED Azura last year though - but we had fabulous weather early April and the cabin was perfect for us.

 

We were going to give Ventura another go but swapped it for a Fly / Med on Azura instead.

 

Whatever, it sounds like Burgmeister has a great attitude and will just go and have a good time 🙂

 

 

isn’t ventura and azura almost identical?

[grapau27]

2 minutes ago, Vampiress88 said:

isn’t ventura and azura almost identical?

Yes.

[Presto2]

4 minutes ago, Vampiress88 said:

isn’t ventura and azura almost identical?

 

We thought that, but Azura has a much more pleasant outdoor deck area. She has 2 outside pool areas - one with a big screen. Ventura has an indoor pool area that we hated ----

 

Have to say that Ventura's Glass House was better but I think they have changed this and Azura's is better now

 

I suppose we had a much better cabin for us on Azura (aft balcony) than the deluxe one on Ventura we really did not like. We had thought of trying Ventura in the same cabin we had on Azura to see if it was different.

 

In many ways you can't explain why you prefer some ships to others --- we just loved every minute of Azura and really didn't not get the same feel for Ventura. We remain fond of Azura but still feel that the holiday on Ventura had very very few special days and was almost a wasted holiday (if that makes sense) ………. we waited a long time and can't say we have memories to cherish ...

 

Not sure if that makes sense

 

 

[Vampiress88]

20 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Ventura is a nice ship and the Canaries is a great itinerary.

You will have a fantastic time in April.

Graham

thank you graham. I’m sure I will and I’ll post a trip report when I get back. It’s definitely the calm before the storm. Love no cooking and washing up on a cruise. 
I don’t want to do canaries. Hubby chose it cos he wants Tenerife. I’m just going for the sun 

[grapau27]

2 minutes ago, Vampiress88 said:

thank you graham. I’m sure I will and I’ll post a trip report when I get back. It’s definitely the calm before the storm. Love no cooking and washing up on a cruise. 
I don’t want to do canaries. Hubby chose it cos he wants Tenerife. I’m just going for the sun 

Like Andy said you could stop on the ship and sunbathe.

We personally love all the ports.

Tenerife is nice but Santa Cruz is over an hour away from Plays de las Americas and 30 minutes from Puerto de la Cruz by taxi and quite expensive.

3 weeks in Florida sounds fab and a favourite of ours but it is expensive and very tiring at the theme parks.

The Disney tickets now expire at the end of your stay whereas years ago we got never expiring park hopper tickets which lasted a few years.

[KnowTheScore]

29 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

 

We thought that, but Azura has a much more pleasant outdoor deck area. She has 2 outside pool areas - one with a big screen. Ventura has an indoor pool area that we hated ----

 

Have to say that Ventura's Glass House was better but I think they have changed this and Azura's is better now

 

I suppose we had a much better cabin for us on Azura (aft balcony) than the deluxe one on Ventura we really did not like. We had thought of trying Ventura in the same cabin we had on Azura to see if it was different.

 

In many ways you can't explain why you prefer some ships to others --- we just loved every minute of Azura and really didn't not get the same feel for Ventura. We remain fond of Azura but still feel that the holiday on Ventura had very very few special days and was almost a wasted holiday (if that makes sense) ………. we waited a long time and can't say we have memories to cherish ...

 

Not sure if that makes sense

 

 

 

It makes perfect sense to me Presto.  We feel the same.  Whilst they are physically almost identical ships, Azura for us has a better ambience and seems to have a more traditional cruising clientele.  Balcony cabin selections need careful consideration on the ships as you have discovered.  There are some longer deeper ones which are great inside but outside are totally overlooked.  There are some smaller balcony cabins but they aren't overlooked at all and there are some in the middle which are half-overlooked.   My preference is to be not overlooked whatsoever but wifey likes the slightly bigger cabins so compromise is required.

 

What you highlight above is what most long standing cruisers has also experienced which is that there is no consistency across the fleet.  Each ship is unique and is managed in a unique way and has a unique ambience.  As stated on other threads Ventura has the most lax experience for me and Aurora has the best experience but it's all personal preference.  You have to try the ships and learn their traits and decide for yourself which ones suit.   You can't go on one ship then go on another and expect the same thing.  They are all unique and most have a dedicated loyal customer base who favour that ship.  Horses for courses

[Presto2]

1 minute ago, KnowTheScore said:

 

It makes perfect sense to me Presto.  We feel the same.  Whilst they are physically almost identical ships, Azura for us has a better ambience and seems to have a more traditional cruising clientele.  Balcony cabin selections need careful consideration on the ships as you have discovered.  There are some longer deeper ones which are great inside but outside are totally overlooked.  There are some smaller balcony cabins but they aren't overlooked at all and there are some in the middle which are half-overlooked.   My preference is to be not overlooked whatsoever but wifey likes the slightly bigger cabins so compromise is required.

 

What you highlight above is what most long standing cruisers has also experienced which is that there is no consistency across the fleet.  Each ship is unique and is managed in a unique way and has a unique ambience.  As stated on other threads Ventura has the most lax experience for me and Aurora has the best experience but it's all personal preference.  You have to try the ships and learn their traits and decide for yourself which ones suit.   You can't go on one ship then go on another and expect the same thing.  They are all unique and most have a dedicated loyal customer base who favour that ship.  Horses for courses

 

LOVE Oceana, LOVE Britannia and LOVE Azura -- all very, very different but all had that one thing in common --- just a great feel and amazing crew. Sadly Ventura just didn't 'do it' for us. Long may the wide choice with P&O continue

[terrierjohn]

48 minutes ago, Vampiress88 said:

isn’t ventura and azura almost identical?

They are very similar, but their differences do seem to generate a lot of comments.

The main differences are, that Ventura has a retractable roof on the pool nearest the buffet, and Azura has a seascreen above that pool, the glasshouse on Ventura was re-named from the original Las Ramblas, which IMO was, and still is a better venue than Azura, and finally Ventura has a tendency to list quite badly in rough seas, I assume this is caused by a weakness in the ballast pumps which should help to keep her stable, but aren't as effective as they should be.

[Vampiress88]

3 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

They are very similar, but their differences do seem to generate a lot of comments.

The main differences are, that Ventura has a retractable roof on the pool nearest the buffet, and Azura has a seascreen above that pool, the glasshouse on Ventura was re-named from the original Las Ramblas, which IMO was, and still is a better venue than Azura, and finally Ventura has a tendency to list quite badly in rough seas, I assume this is caused by a weakness in the ballast pumps which should help to keep her stable, but aren't as effective as they should be.

No don’t say that. I hate it when the boat rocks. I need her stable and I thought azura was bad last year! 
 

aww well we will see what the ships like. Looking forward to Iona most. Just need to have a go on Britannia and I think I’ll be happy

[Vampiress88]

13 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Like Andy said you could stop on the ship and sunbathe.

We personally love all the ports.

Tenerife is nice but Santa Cruz is over an hour away from Plays de las Americas and 30 minutes from Puerto de la Cruz by taxi and quite expensive.

3 weeks in Florida sounds fab and a favourite of ours but it is expensive and very tiring at the theme parks.

The Disney tickets now expire at the end of your stay whereas years ago we got never expiring park hopper tickets which lasted a few years.

Oh gosh yes. It’s over £400 a ticket! 
I remember the non expiry ones. Used to get them when we were kids. Only cost us £135 for ticket 10yrs ago! 
 

have to take my kids while they are little though and still believe in the magic

[KnowTheScore]

4 minutes ago, Vampiress88 said:

No don’t say that. I hate it when the boat rocks. I need her stable and I thought azura was bad last year! 

 

 

Ok a reality check is needed here.   Aside from the simple fact that the more you cruise the more likely it is you will run into bad weather, high swells and high winds, your chosen itinerary is also a prime factor that should be considered when choosing a cruise and very especially if you are prone to motion sickness..   FYI I also suffer from motion sickness despite all my time at sea, I have never gotten my sea legs, but I simply take tablets (Stugerons) at the right time and I cope just fine.

 

What you need to understand is that certain itineraries are far more likely to see you run into adverse conditions than others and of course the timing/seasons also impact this.   A cruise into the Mediterranean is a very good choice for those who don't like a lot of motion.  You risk getting at most 2 days bad sailing across Biscay and down the side of Spain, Portugal but once in the Med it is (in the main) very wonderful sailing (occasionally not but 90% of the time wonderful).

 

A trip to the Canaries from Southampton in my opinion is NOT a great choice for someone who suffers motion sickness.

You are going to cross into the Atlantic which is massively fickle and very often quite rough.  I don't say this to scare you or put you off.  I say it because it is reality and if you are forewarned you can be forearmed.  I've done a Canaries cruise about 4-5 times most latterly this Christmas just gone.  Before that it was quite a few years because I had personally vowed not to do the Canaries again as I was so sick of it always being rough.   However it does vary a lot and there will doubtless be numerous people testifying that they've been many times and it has been great for them.  This Christmas was horrendous, for 3 solid days all the way down, very high swells, very uncomfortable, sick bags constantly out on the stairwells and for us very noisy in the cabin.  It happens.  It is absolutely nothing to worry about, the ship is perfectly safe and copes fine but for people who suffer motion sickness it can be debilitating.  It's vital for us to have good tablets and to take them at the right time, which is well before you run into bad conditions.   You can't take them once you start feeling ill.  Too later then.  So it's important to keep studying the metoffice shipping forecasts to know what conditions you will be sailing into.   If you're in any way unsure about how you will fare then buy a couple of packs of Stugeron just in case.  Don't rely on the silly wrist bands which are a psychological placebo which will leave you in a very ill state in really rough weather imho.   Select a cabin that is mid-ships to minimise the effect of any swell.   I ALWAYS without fail get a mid-ships cabin.   I could never have weathered the Christmas cruise this year at the front or back where the effects of swell are 10 times worse.

 

Prepare well and you will do just fine.

 

[AndyMichelle]

11 hours ago, Presto2 said:

 

LOVE Oceana, LOVE Britannia and LOVE Azura -- all very, very different but all had that one thing in common --- just a great feel and amazing crew. Sadly Ventura just didn't 'do it' for us. Long may the wide choice with P&O continue

It's funny how we all have different perspectives, one of the great things about cruising. 

Michelle loved Oceana, I wasn't so keen. She disliked Ventura and Azura, I quite liked them. 

We both love Britannia and Aurora for different reasons. 

Time of year and itinerary definitely plays a big part as this drastically affects clientele. 

We have now done 13 P&O cruises in a relatively short period of time, so still fairly new to this, but have thoroughly enjoyed every one. 

That doesn't mean things were perfect, far from it, but our overall experience has been more than satisfactory. 

Andy 

 

[Burgmeister]

Hi again everyone

 

Back again with more questions!

 

When you take your litre of alcohol onboard, does it have to be in your luggage or your hand luggage?

 

Also, is it 1 litre per person or can it be combined as 2 litres per couple?  i.e. could we take 2 x 750ml bottles and a 500ml bottle between us?

 

Thanks

[pete14]

25 minutes ago, Burgmeister said:

Hi again everyone

 

Back again with more questions!

 

When you take your litre of alcohol onboard, does it have to be in your luggage or your hand luggage?

 

Also, is it 1 litre per person or can it be combined as 2 litres per couple?  i.e. could we take 2 x 750ml bottles and a 500ml bottle between us?

 

Thanks

Either and yes it can be combined.

Edited February 9, 2020 by pete14

[wowzz]

2 hours ago, pete14 said:

Either and yes it can be combined.

Just as aside, currently we are on Oceana and there are no checks on bringing alcohol on board. Security is being handled by the port authorities, and they are not interested in bottles.