Having just read recent reviews about Ventura, I felt I had to add my experience of my husband and I's recent cruise with P&O. We have cruised many times before with several other cruise lines and this was our first (and last) with P&O which unfortunately did not compare very favourably.

A previous reviewer wrote 'Butlins at sea serving canteen food' and this describes it perfectly.

Food quality and choice was very poor, not to mention the abysmal portions served up for dinner in the main restaurants. One evening we eagerly awaited our prime rib to be utterly deflated with one very thin (you could almost see through it) slice accompanied by tasteless vegetables. The starters and desserts were unimaginative and we gave up on the soup after two nights of floury, bland efforts. This was to be the norm every evening and on complaining to the food and beverage manager, we were told they are "catering for the British market!" Lunch times were worse with a choice of 5 different ways with potatoes, boring salad combinations, curry, mince and possibly another sloppy casserole on the menu day after day. We did try the speciality restaurants which were good but we felt this was the food quality and service which other cruise lines serve in their main dining rooms without extra charge. Read more