Lovely cruise
Ventura Cruise Review
Contributor Level:
First Mate
Cruises: 7+ cruises
Reviews: 22
Helpful Votes: 224
Review summary
A stop gap cruise before sailing to the Canaries next month. Worthwhile if a first time cruiser to give insight of what a holiday at sea is like.Embarkation
Port used for embarkation only which was quick and easy. Onbord ship within 15 minutes of arrival.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
The food has improved noticeably both in the buffet and MDR's since we last cruised on Ventura a few months ago. Special dietary requirements are still lacking though. Portion sizes have shrunk too. Order extra vegetables with your main course to make the meal more substantial.
Onboard Activities
The usual quoits, gym, swimming pools etc on offer.
Entertainment
This cruise was on the theme of Global Explorers. The audience with Ben Fogle and Monty Halls were both very informative and entertaining. P&O should organise more of these events.
Busker Max was very good too.
Service and Staff
Shortage of staff was very noticeable bur those we interacted with were friendly and professional.
Ship Quality
Ship is showing its age and despite a recent refit is still showing signs of wear & tear.
The layout is easy to navigate though.
Cabin / Stateroom
Our cabin L259 was on lido deck which made it easy to access all the facilities.
It was large compared to others of the same grade with a decent sized balcony. However, it looked a bit jaded especially the carpet areas which were threadbare in places with patches of fibre coming off in clumps.
The steward kept it immaculate which compensated.
Ports of call
We walked along the harbour then into the city centre. Plenty of architecture to look at and shops/cafes to visit. The container sculpture is worth seeing. You can't miss it due to the bright colours.
Thumbs Up
2
We took an organised tour to the Kinderdijk Windmills. The drove there was very picturesque along with the boat ride to get a close up view of them. The site is very peaceful and relaxing.
Disembarkation
Self disembarked and were home by 10.00 am.