Cruise Reviews

Very enjoyable holiday aboard Ventura
Reviewed By: Kelly, Southport on 18th Aug 2008
Cruise Line: P&O Cruises Times cruised before: 1-2
Cruise Ship: Ventura Sailed: August, 2008
Destination: Adriatic Age: 46-55
Having enjoyed Sea Princess in the Med last year we wanted to try a bigger ship and a new destination (Venice) and Ventura did not disappoint. Embarkation was straightforward but there were some delays for those bringing cars. (We stayed overnight in a local hotel and parked the car there at a cheaper price than the cruise terminal and zoomed to the front of the queue thanks to a local taxi!)

We were able to stay in a larger balcony room on D deck (junior mini-suites P & O described them) and the accommodation was fantastic. Absolutely superb surroundings and service from our cabin steward. As it's our main holiday we wanted to be lazy and enjoy when we got up so never bothered to go for breakfast in the main eateries. Just took advantage of the free room service available to everyone each morning. Breakfast in bed that was relaxed and more than enough given the amount of food available for the rest of the day. Strongly recommend you try it as it starts the day according to your pace. Heard a few criticisms about our balcony being overlooked but no bother to us. Why worry if someone looks down at you sitting in bath robes munching toast?

Found the food was good standard (typical 4 star hotel standard) but thought the buffet choice was a little limited in salads etc (Not that you're ever going to go hungry). Lunchtimes could get very busy and a few times shared a table but always found somewhere to sit and eat. Afternoon tea was pleasant providing you didn't get next to the 'moaning cruisers' (more later). Fredom dining suited us and we found we could walk straight in an get a table for two any day by about 7. That worked well because we could then make the middle timed shows which often became full (early and late performances always seemed to have space - and even the middle show had up to 30-40 empty seats 10 minutes before curtain - go down to the front!). The real adventure in dining was in East and the White room. Fantastic experience. Excellent food and the cover charge allows you to book the table number you want and enjoy as long as you want. The service in both was excellent and strongly recommend you visit and let yourself be pampered! They really do make you feel special. One tip is to book the White room as you sail away. We sat down just as we started to pull away from Venice and the views and the experience will last a life time.

Lots of different entertainment and the theatre group worked very hard and gave great performances. Thoroughly enjoyable. A superb classical guitarist (who played a wide variety of music). Outstanding vocalist and a very funny talk by ex referee Dermott Gallagher were some of the highlights. Lots of other things going on which meant plenty for everyone.

Having listened to some of the horror stories about the ship earlier this year we were impressed with the efficiency of the getting off and on the ship in port, even by tender. Often walked straight off (after a lazy breakfast on the balcony watching the early crowds. There's often a lot of time so take your time let the crowds go and saunter off at your convenience.

Lots of children and families on board but seemed well behaved and enjoying themselves,. Some disquiet over reserving sunbeds on the top decks but not being sun lizards didn't really bother us.

Plenty of bars to choose. The exchange was for smokers (up till October when smoking was not allowed) but didn't understand the fuss about walking through as you could go through the casino and avoid if needed. Never seemed to be that starved of Oxygen! Favourite was Metropolis at the top/back of the ship with the panoramic skylines of various cities and sunsets to die for.

We found the staff very friendly and attentive and met lots of pleasant couples and families on board determined to enjoy their holiday in very special surroundings and there lies our biggest problem. We were determined to enjoy our holiday but kept getting hijacked by moaning couples whose main aim in life seems to be finding as many problems as they could and, like naughty children, when they did find something making an absolute drama and crisis out of trivia: "the decks aren't real wood which slows down my shuffle board" (do I care?) "the handle broke on our toilet brush and it's a new ship" (I didn't even know we had a toilet brush) and the boring snob who declaimed to all during one afternoon tea how appalling the ship's choice of Champagne was (I suspect he never drank the stuff) and there lies the nub. Most of the moaners were just snobs and had little or no other conversation apart from comparing other cruise ships! (get a life people!). We've managed, over the years, to stay in some of the nicest hotels across the world but wouldn't dream of comparing a carpet in one to the size of the lifts in other etc etc My biggest tip if you do come across these absolute pains is to get in first and tell them you're having a wonderful holiday and the only thing that's stopping your enjoyment is meeting up with some of these whinging moaning cruisers. God help us if this is the impression that other people across the world get of our country's citizens!

Overall, it was an excellent holiday. A ship that leaves you speechless just looking up at it (no not a block of flats as one moaner described it...a skyscraper!). Enough space for everyone to find their favourite parts (yes I know the library does not have seats but there are plenty in the Atrium just outside and anyway on the last cruise the couple of dozen seats were always full of people sleeping..the moaner who was complaining about this admitted they never really sat in a library anyway!)

If like us you work hard all year and look forward to your holiday then there is more than enough to keep you inspired. Just be positive and enjoy the experience and that trip to the White room and/or East will leave you feeling very special!
Quality of Food5
Entertainment4
Shore Excursions4
Staff5
Children's Facilities5
Onboard Activities4
Cabins5
Overall Rating5
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Comment by Goodwin, Caterham (15 Sep 08 11:48) about this REVIEW.
What a fantastic review. My husband and I, too, get fed up with people determined to find fault with every little thing where no fault exists at all. We absolutely love P&O and think that the staff are wonderful, especially considering the hours that they work. We've not been on the Ventura nor are we likely to as we don't have children. Our next cruise is on the Artemis in January, can't wait!
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Opinion: Agree Comment by Madden, Belfast (13 Sep 08 13:31) about this REVIEW.
What a brilliant review. You made the airs on the back of my neck stand up. and my brother got goosebumps. broght tears to my eyes. Cant wait until our cruise In October. I agree totally about the sobs on board you seem toget them every where.
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Opinion: Agree Comment by thomas, prenton (13 Sep 08 10:52) about this REVIEW.
agree with previous comment. going on ventura in september and pleased to see a positive review.
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Comment by Hetherington, Prenton Wirral (31 Aug 08 12:08) about this REVIEW.
Boy "o" boy have you cheered my wife and I up. We are booked on the canaries trip at the end of Sept and have been reading reviews and all the bickering between smokers aand non-smokers.Shoulders were going down as like you we cannot be bothered with moaners, when they start on us we just say Aye Aye {A Scot in exile } and try to avoid them. Spirits have been lifted, Thanks again.
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Comment by boitoult, rochford (27 Aug 08 13:59) about this REVIEW.
waht a lovely review, we are going on the ship this coming sunday and like a lot of people was a bit worried as a lot of people moaned about the ship.however as you said some people just go away to have a good moan. really looking forward to booking the white room oh and by the way MARCO PIERRE WHITE will be on our cruise so you never know i might even get a cooking lesson. enjoy your future cruises won't you
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Opinion: Agree Comment by maguire, birmingham (20 Aug 08 12:26) about this REVIEW.
Totally agree with your review. It was our first cruise and we really enjoyed it from the moment we got on the ship at Southampton. the ship was brilliant and as it was our very first cruise were unsure what to expect. I was a bit worried as I had read a lot of negative comments about the ship but was glad that I have experienced the ship it was great. Food - we ate in the cinnamon freedom dining and never had a bad meal. Enjoyed trying the many different places to eat.You must try the three course lunch in the saffron at lunch time and the afternoon tea. As we were first time cruises which shocked some of the maoners we have not got a bad thing to say, but I must admit unless you talk about cruises some of he snobby moaners would not have anything to speak about to you - sad people.Loved the cabin nice and spacious. Entertainment something for everyone. Ports of Call brilliant the ship saling in and out of Venice what an experience. Me and my husband celebrated our 25th Wedding Anniversary and renewed our wedding vows in the Ivory suite with the Captain. Had a wonderful day very well organised followed by champagne and evening meal in the White Room. Also ate in East that was loveley. There is only one probem we are home now but would love to go on Ventura again - as long as the moaners choose another ship.
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Comment by VICKERS, PURLEY (20 Aug 08 19:37) about a COMMENT by maguire (20 Aug 08 12:26)
THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS BOTHE MYSELF AND HUBBY ARE CELEBRATING OUR 40TH AND OUR DAUGHTER AND HER OTHERHALF GET MARRIED THE DAY BEFORE THE CRUISE AS THEY COULDNT GET BOOKED IN FOR THEIE WEDDING ON THE CRUISE SO WE ARE BOTH RETAKING OUR VOWS AND SHE CAN WEAR HER WEDDING DRESS. SOME PEOPLE MOAN AT ANYTHING BUT I MUST ADMIT I WAS GETTING WORRIED JUST HOPES EVERYTHING GOES AS WELL IN NOVEMBER THE ONLY THING I DONT QUITE UNDERSTAND IS THE FREEDOM DINING WE HAVE BOOKED AS OUR LAST 2 CRUISES WERE ON OCEAN VILLAGE ALSO ARE NEWAL OF VOWS ON A SEA DAY AND ARE THE FORMAL EVENINGS ON SEA DAYS WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR ANY TIPS YOU CAN PASS ON TO US WE ARE THERE TO HAVE A GOOD TIME AND NOT MOAN.
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Comment by maguire, birmingham (21 Aug 08 10:43) about a COMMENT by VICKERS (20 Aug 08 19:37)
We arranged ceremony for a sea day 5th of August out in the Med it was loveley. I booked the renewal of vows package when I booked the cruise.The day after boarding the ship we had an appointment to meet michell head of food and beverages who aranged evertything for us. On the day flowers for myself and button hole for my husband arrived in cabin. The ceremonty took place in the ivory suite which was beautifully decorated with fesh flowers ,with the captain and it was a loveley ceremony. Wh had photgraphs taken , signed a certificate with the captain who was very nice. We had champagne and a cake. We had some lovely photos taken and had a truly memorable day.I hope your day goes well it was very special to us.We went to The White room on the evening which was loveley as it gets booked up very quickly I did mention on my booking form we wanted to eat in the White room that evening.Michelle organised this for us. Re newal of vows -You wont know what day it will be on it will be a sea day but they gave us a couple of choices at the meeting . Freedom dining. some people used to just turn up in the cinnamon restaurant and may have had to wait but we prefered to book a table for two which we used to do each morning we just used to phone down to the cinnamon and say what time we wanted to eat it just saved having to wait for a table each night. It worked well for us. Hope you have a great time and I wish you all the best.
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Opinion: Agree Comment by Parkinson, Warrington (20 Aug 08 08:33) about this REVIEW.
Excellent review. I agree 100% about the moaners, they are a real problem at the moment.
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Comment by Johnstone, Glasgow (20 Aug 08 05:55) about this REVIEW.
Thank you very much for this review. More people are startring to come through with positive comments about this ship, which I'm pleased to see. We are going on Ventura in October and were seriously thinking about trying to change the holiday because of all the negative reviews. I'm glad we are not. We will take your advice for dealing with the 'moaners.' It was good to see you had alternatives i.e going through the casino to avoid the smoke, rather than just moan about it. We have been on one cruise where the champagne, not being a snob, but I didn't like the taste of it). Did we moan? No. We got on with enjoying our holiday.
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