Ventura Family
When Ventura launched, P&O Cruises made a big thing about this being the ship for the family market. If my cruise is anything to go by, they have got it right.
I spotted a lot of traditional P&O Cruises people, but mostly the ship was packed with families with toddlers and teens and everything in between.
The Reef is the biggest kids' club on any ship in the fleet and has separate rooms for kids ages 2 to 17 -- Splashers for 2 - 4s, Surfers for 5 - 8s, Scubas for 9 - 12s and h2o for 13 - 17s -- with the usual daily activities programme to keep the youngsters entertained.
But there's more. Noddy, a popular children's character in the U.K., makes regular appearances in Splashers and appears at character breakfasts for the toddlers, while Mr Bump, another kids' favourite, is on hand to help entertain the Surfers. On sea days all ages can test their racing skills on a Scalextric race track; teens who can play the guitar or drums can join the Rock School.
On deck 19, way above the waves, there's Cirque Ventura -- a bungee trampoline (£3 a go) and workshops to learn the trapeze and tightrope walking (£10 for three classes). They mostly attract kids but are great fun for all ages.
There is a kids' dip pool outside the children's club.
Havana, being directly below the kids' area, was used in the evenings for kids' and teens' talent shows and also the teens' rock school. It was also the venue for Magic, an aging tribute band that covered the songs of Queen, the Beach Boys and ELO over three shows.
