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LoginFamily friendly - There’s always something happening on Ventura, enjoy delicious fine dining, a tranquil spa, many quiet spaces to unwind, great sports facilities and four pools. Evenings are particularly memorable, with the lavish two-deck theatre where you’ll witness elaborate shows and stand-up comedy.
I just returned from a five night cruise on Ventura to Hamburg for New Year. I have cruised before with Celebrity and Holland America. I have read the other negative reviews so was not expecting much form the ship or company. This cruise was sold out and the ship was at full capacity – and maybe a bit more! As a couple, we booked a balcony room on the saver deal, and added the classic drinks package. I like midships but as we were late booking , that selection was sold out so went for Mid – Forward. The room allocated was on the 12th floor and almost mid ships. The seas were rough on one day but the ship was stable and despite my tendency to sea sickness I was OK. Our arrival time was put back from 14.00 to 16.00 as the ship was having a deep clean. The que to check in was very long and looked rather off putting, but it was managed very well and it moved very swiftly. We were on board by 17.30, and our bags delivered shortly after that. BALCONY CABIN; The cabin was small but OK, plenty of storage space, clean, bed comfortable. I really liked having the kettle in the cabin. There are cut backs, as this was a basic balcony, no dressing gowns, no turn down service, in the bathroom ; no hard soap, conditioner or body lotion ( I had brought them with me) and no facecloths. FOOD: We had choosen 20.30 dining and were allocated the Bay Tree restaurant, at each evening meal the food was very good, with plenty of choice, always very hot and the New Years Eve Gala Dinner was fabulous. We did have lunch in the Saffron restaurant and it was a long que to get in, but the que moved quickly, the food was again really nice. For breakfast, we did go to the buffet for breakfast – again good, hot food and on the last sea day indulged in Hamburgers and fresh Pizza. So we were very happy with all the food on offer, did not use a speciality restaurant and I do wonder what the people who complain about the food eat at home? BARS & DRINK; I had the classic drinks package as I like to have cocktails on a cruise, for my taste the cocktails were to sweet with a limited selection, I tried a Gin & Tonic and again very sweet. I ended up just having Prosecco and Wine. The water was in refillable aluminium bottles but on this ship there is nowhere to refill the bottles, so we did have to bye a lot of water to make the tea in the cabin. P&O have created a very slow way of ordering the drinks, at times the tablets the staff are using lack connectivity, and having just one bar man working behind the bar on a full ship means they are overworked. If I go with P&O again I will not get the drinks package as it was not value for money for me. GYM; a good gym with very good equipment. ENTERTAINMENT; the shows were top quality, New Years Eve was fantastic in Hamburg harbour. I didn’t use any of the activities in the day. OVERALL; I was not expecting much as I had seen negative reviews, I have never been to Butlins so do not konw if this is like that!!! I thoroughly enjoyed this short, winter break with a warm ship, good food and OK wine. Even though the ship was full all the passengers were very patient and polite. This was the best New Year we have had in years and certainly beat sitting at home watching Jools Holland! I will defiantly book with P&O again if I like the cruise itinerary.
From inside cabins to balcony cabins and luxurious suites, you will find a room for every budget and taste.
All cabins are air-conditioned and well designed, to give you as much space as possible and to help you relax into your surroundings. Many feature balconies to give you additional outside space. All feature Egyptian cotton sheets, free tea & coffee making facilities, refrigerator, hairdryer, safe, in-cabin television and good sized en-suite bathrooms with toiletries pack. You will also enjoy the services of a personal cabin steward who will look after your every need, and can enjoy room service from early morning until late evening at no extra cost.
Enjoy three main restaurants offering a choice of Club Dining - the same table at the same time each evening - or Freedom Dining with no fixed seating or dining times.
There’s also the opportunity to visit the Select Dining venues of Sindhu, the first restaurant at sea from master of spices Atul Kochhar; The Epicurean, where a sense of occasion is always on the menu; and The Glass House, a wine bar and restaurant created in partnership with award-winning wine guru Olly Smith.
The ship's fantastic New Horizons programme offers to passengers the chance to leave their cruise with a new hobby, skill or passion. With classes ranging from cookery, and ballroom dancing, to feng shui and tai chi, passengers can search for true enlightenment.
When it comes to entertainment and things to do we’ve something for everyone on Ventura.
From the revitalising hydrotherapy pool, to the state of the art gymnasium, there's plenty of facilities onboard to refresh your mind, body and soul. Passengers can enjoy luxury massages and treatments in the Oasis Spa, or head out to the top deck sports court for a spot of tennis.
Ventura offers freedom for families with age-specific kids' clubs, night nursery for under 4s and dedicated family restaurants and early eating times, creating the perfect balance for families. So you can enjoy quality time together as well as time separately.