Love the P&O Caribbean cruises as you fly into the Caribbean rather than having to travel from USA so you get to visit extra islands. First time on Britannia, first impressions were fantastic and the cruise lived up to those first impressions. The embarkation was a breeze and we were first on the ship, there were lots of flight issues due to snow back home so we were some of the lucky ones to arrive on time, maybe if more flights had been in at the same time it would have taken longer. Main dining was very good, lovey food and occasionally service not always up to normal expectations. Are at Sindhu, Beach House and Glass House. All very good but the glass house was our favourite and would definitely eat there on next visit, thoroughly worth the few extra pounds per plate. Entertainment was good, House band and group were brilliant and saw lots of their performances. Main theatre was very impressive, the sets and performers were great but the story line on the main show was a bit weak. Would definitely travel to Caribbean on Britannia again but not in the aft balcony cabins. See cabin review. Read Less

My second Clipper cruise...first was Star Clipper and that was so unique and amazing that I wanted to spend Christmas on the Royal Clipper out of Barbados and tour the Grenadine islands. As I was alone I booked a smaller stateroom and while they do sell it for two I found it perfect for one ... well designed with wood paneling, great bed, lots of mirrors and quite a large bathroom...all marble. I was very forward so I did hear the anchor but I didn't care much. There is a lot of stairs going up and then down a bit and up some more but you get used to it. The grand dinning room, at the lowest deck was a touch of Paris with an Atrium up to the top deck and the sky light is actually the bottom of the pool. A white grand piano sits like Juliet on a special balcony so it can be heard at all levels and he had another on deck for the after noon buffet. There is a piano bar, a shop, a library, top deck bar and plenty of sun beds....no need to HOG and reserve them. The tenders to shore are great and the back of the Royal drops down to the ocean like a draw bridge and you can swim off it and they have lots of fun water toys. They feed you four times a day and I mean really feed you. Great buffet breakfast with Egg station...Buffet Lunch...both in main dinning room and then the on deck Buffet they set up everyday on deck at 5 p.m. The bars are great on deck and inside the Piano Bar. The Christmas decor was wonderful with trees and garlands...music and ginger bread houses and Yule logs....l ate so much I felt like ballast. There are a lot of shore excursions to choose from but I felt those on excursions were always at the foreground...we would stop at, not very nice ports so they could board a bus while we had nothing to see in port....I didn't like the split days...a stop in the morning and then move to someplace else in the after noon. Too rushed....some stops you could do without (except to board a bus) others Like Martinique we had too little time and had to rush to see anything. One fabulous beach day they dragged everything from the ship and had a huge BBQ on shore while we swam and sunned...all delicious...they even bring the desert. Each time we leave port and they start raising the sail they play the most magnificent music...classical with a Male choir ... WOW...it is so moving and makes you feel like a Viking off to war...I wanted to throw a spear at somebody. The mail pool of three where bar patrons can see you through under water windows was very nice. We could even climb the mast for the most amazing photo Op. Then there are nets at the front figure head you can just lay there like a fish in a net with the water rushing below. Now for the best feature....THE CREW...I have never seen such a hard working group and always pleasant, smiling and helpful, and remember everything has to be lugged up and down countless flights of stairs...from the kitchen which is somewhere underwater and all the way to the top deck...up and down...My room attendant was fabulous and I felt very pampered...everything perfect always. As the tips are based on Per Person they get a bit cheated when there was so many solo travelers it literally cuts they tips in half...so as I was alone I doubled my tip (not much ) and ensured he would earn the same as if it were two. The sing songs, the talent show, the Christmas Carols, the Steel Band who came aboard for a couple of hours...the Campaign party...the Lobster, the Turkey, and all the specialties to eat...you can't go wrong and as I said....This is NOT Disney Land at sea. This is a fabulous, luxurious, unique cruise under sail and you need this in your memory for every. Thanks to all on the Royal. Read Less

JOURNEY: very easy to check in online few days before and then just drop off bags-and not see them again until we got on board the ship-this was great and took away all the stress of travelling -The dream liner is a fab plane and a very comfortable way to travel .I am glad that Thompsons offer complementary drinks with the service for long haul, just adds a personal touch instead of being appearing money grabbing like some airlines. SHIP: never been on Celebration before-lovely little ship –the Broadway showroom was like a traditional theatre with an upper balcony and had a nice feel to it. FOOD: Food was plentiful and sufficient variety to suit all tastes-my hubby is a keen meat eater –I prefer fish. We only had one evening when the food in the main restaurant was not very appetising and a bit cold but we came late and they were very busy. We ate once in Mistrals which was a lovely dining experience-because we went on the second night it was not busy and we have excellent service. You are asked if you wish to dine alone or share with others –we did both, it is nice to meet people from all walks of life. STAFF: what can I say 99% of the staff were warm and friendly and could not do enough for you-they appeared to love their job and enjoy meeting new people. They worked so hard to ensure we had a good time and it was lovely to see some greeting returning guests like lost family. ENTERTAINMENT: We did not attend much other than two shows in Broadway and one night in Liberties but everyone seemed to enjoy what was on offer-plenty to do day and night. ITINERARY: loved this-the ABC (Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire) islands were so beautiful, very clean and felt very safe. Castries; St Lucia Port was a bit grim (we were too tired on first day to do a trip) worth a visit but I did not like the constant haggling of taxi drivers and tour operators. The Market did not feel that safe. Grenada: lives up to its name of the Spice island- everywhere you went the air was filled with the most amazing smells and although there was some pressure selling it was acceptable-people just trying to make a living but were gracious when you said no. A must is the great rum punch in the market square but lethal so only have one. Curacao: What a pretty island-I was somewhat pressurised by the tours operators on the ship to do the Dolphin swim, but as I had done on in the past am glad I held out my ground to do the observation only at £25 it was very affordable ,do not be told you will not see or hear anything-I got the best photos and was up close and personal –you also could walk around the rest on the sea life centre and also access the Mambo beach, which was stunning-as get transported there and back-well worth doing. Aruba: Beautiful beaches-we took a local bus $7 return to Eagle beach-took 20 mins and paid a further $15 each for the day for a sun bed each and palm tree shade and table, there are toilets and a couple of beach bars and water sports activities if you wish-very relaxing and busses run every 15-20 mins Bonaire: what can me say-little Holland-it looked like a beautiful brightly coloured toy town-there was a children’s carnival in progress and the atmosphere was so happy, there was no touting, hassle free .I took a long walk along the Harbour /Marina front alone and felt completely safe. Barbados: Sadly for others the day to Barbados falls on a Sunday when all the shops are shut but for us it was fine as we have friends who live on the island so we spent the last day with them. Read Less

As a couple in our 30's, this holiday suited us brilliantly. This was our 2nd visit on the Celebration. Yes, the ship is tired in places and doesn't have many venues to spend the evenings, but I'd recommend the ship to family and friends. Our Steward, Jaya, was pleasant and helpful, friendly and very good at not disturbing us during our stay. The cabin was cleaned daily and couldn't fault his hard work. We ate mainly in the Lido and the food is varied, plentiful and the buffet was open 19 hours daily. Rey/Ray who manages the Lido, works extremely hard making sure the restaurant was clean, tables cleared and working like clock-work. Well done Ray!! Paul Evans, the Cruise Director, made us laugh every day and we always looked forward to his announcements and good Bolton humour. We only wish he had have participated in the 'male ballet dancer' section of one the shows, it would have been more funnier!! Paul get your tights on next time!! Excursions are very expensive and not really good value for money, much cheaper to organise taxis. Having said that, Thomson run trips take away the stress and hassle. In conclusion, we're currently looking for Christmas cruises on the Celebration for next year Read Less

We flew out to Ventura on the 31st Dec in time for New Years Eve. We were on her previously last Christmas and also in May 2011. We had yet another very enjoyable cruise. We were a couple of 45 and 50 with my sister of 50 and my Mum of 76. Overall we had a superb cruise. Ventura does most things well. Its a reliable cruise experience and is relatively good value. We booked at only 1 months notice and got a great deal. The ports were mostly great. We didnt take any excursions as Mum need a wheelchair where walking distances is required but still enojoyed our jaunts ashore. Our favourites were St Maartin and Grenada. Having been on here three times in 13 months we did notice some differences. None of these spoilt the cruise but for regular passengers on her it may be worth nothing the following: Showtimes On previous trips on Ventura and Azura, the evening show in the main theatre usually had three performances at approx 7pm, 8.30pm and 10.30pm. This allowed a choice of performance for any club sitting passengers. Those on first sitting could choose the 8.30 or 10.30 show and those on second sitting could choose the 7 or 10.30 show. You could also coordinate it to fit in the a performance in Havanna or Tamerind. However, things had changed on this trip. The theatre only had two performances, 8.30 and 10.30. This doesnt affect those on first sitting so much but if you are on second sitting you only have the option of the last showtime. It also means you cannot get to fit in a performance in Havanna as well as the start times clash with those in the main theatre. Its a bit of a double whammy for second sitters and also meant those on freedom dining may have needed to be more selective in their choice of dining times in order to fit in performances. Also as there was one less theatre show per evening the others were much busier. One one evening, we finished our second sitting meal at 9.50, went straight to Havanna for a 10.30 act and there were no seats left. We walked though to the theatre and again could not get in so no entertainment for us that night. We chose second sitting based on our previous experiences so we could see an early show, have dinner and then take in an act in Havanna or Tamerind alas this was not possible on this trip. As we had seen many of the shows and acts previously this did not impact on us as greatly as it may impact on others but it is a major change to the way in which the evening entertainment is scheduled and I overheard others complaining. I did get to speak to one of the entertainment team about this and they advised that as this 2 week cruise included a lot of people who had opted to take the 1 month cruise they decided they would not need three shows per night for our 2 weeks. I pointed out how it affected us and others particularly those on 2nd sitting and she advised she had just come off Azura and had found the 7 o'clock show to be quiet and therefore it was better to concentrate people into two shows per evening. I hope this is not permanent change they implement. The theatre holds 700 for a ship of 3000+ passengers and therefore only two performances isnt good enough. Feedback from the forum seems to suggest P&O have done this before on Azura which is a little worrying. Drinks prices Some prices have risen. For example in Dec 2010 a pint of Stella was $2.95. It is now $3.50, a rise of 18%. You could previously buy a litre caraffe of house wine in the MDR for $11.95. This has now gone and house wine is in 75cl bottles at $12.95. Thats a rise of 50%. Other drink prices have also risen incl some cocktails but these are the prices I noticed as they are the ones we have previously partaken of. Bottled water too has risen in price. Now P&O still have good value drink prices however such sharp price rises appear to be more than simply reflecting inflation and may hint at a subtle change in direction for P&O onboard pricing. Menus This was the first time we have experienced the new menus in the MDR. The changes are not enourmous. As has already been reported the 'always available' Chicken, Salmon and Steak options have gone. As has the prawn cocktail, unpublished, but always available starter. We found the choice of starters a little more difficult than previously. Many were simply trying to be too fancy and we did find we were trying them but leaving our choices more than previously.The soups however were extremely good and better than before. There is extra choice in the mains sections which now usually features a from the grill section and/or local produce option dependant on your port of call. Also the veg served seperately has been reduced from three to two options but this is still plenty. Fish appears much more frequently, in fact on one evening fish formed 3 of the 7 options. Two of our party love fish so this pleased them however it has to be said the fish portions were very small but nicely cooked. For those who dont like fish their choices have been reduced. We did crave a simple steak or piece of salmon from the always available section on occassion and it is a shame this has been dropped (we did find out half way through that the chicken option remains always available but I am unsure why given that its not mentioned anywhere and only offered when we enquired). This was the first time we had moved from freedom dining to club dining and our views of the service we had previously received in freedom dining have been reinforced. The service in club was far better: much more personable, friendly and attentive and at the end of the two weeks we definately thought they had earned their tips. We had a great rapport with our waiters and they got to know our preferences. Our previous views of the service in freedom dining have been that it was mostly functional but hardly warm and friendly and had been occassionally disorganised with widely varying meal durations. We had tried it on Azura once and twice on Ventura and had the same experience each time and having now had the comparison of the service levels in club dining it is clear that the waiters in club work for their tips. It will be interesting to see if standards in club slip once the tips start being automatically added to passengers onboard accounts this year. Our waiter in Club had actually been our waiter in Freedom dining twice in May last year and the difference in his level of service was so visible. I have to mention that for the second time in a year we experienced Huey Taylor as Cruise Director. I hate to pick someone out personally but this role has a huge impact on passenger enjoyment and on how they view the connection between the cruise company and themselves and unfortunately Huey just doesnt suit Ventura at all. He was uttely invisiable apart from daily lacklustre announcements reading out the contents of Horizon. He appears to delegate everything to his team (who are excellent) and I really cannot understand why he is in this role on this size of vessel. A CD needs to inject enthusiasm but he lacks any connection with passengers. What is it with P&O and cruise director role? Surely there are better in the ranks who would jump at the chance to bring some enthusiasm to this job? Anyway, despite the differences noticed between this and previous cruises, we loved out New Year cruise and would not hesitate to chose Ventura again. Read Less

Having read some of the negative reviews that i saw once i had booked to go on this ship i was a little worried but came with an open mind. The flight with Thomas Cook out from Gatwick was well organised but the check in was very hard on anyone who seemed to have an ounce over in thier luggage. However leaving the airport at the other end was super; bypassing border control and straight to the ship. Priority embarkation to the ship for the suite passengers was a joke ie you just got your cruise card a bit quicker and then just joined the queue with everyone else. Once on the ship friendly staff greeted us and basically just told us the way to the stateroom. Perhaps my expectation of priority boarding for the large sum of money i had paid for this cruise was wrong. On getting to my stateroom i was quite pleased with the size of it and the layout but the much mooted butler service just did not happen -no champagne on ice waiting -no unpacking of the luggage for you as promised, no pamper pack, just stuff left in the fridge and a guy who introduced himself as the butler once he was well sure we had unpacked ourselves and told us "the room stuard does the toilet, i do the cups" the room steward was much better and more hardworking however. The light of day came the next day and all was revealed: dirty walls ,the remnants of the last couples sporting activities on the bed valance,the shabby balcony with the old weather worn furniture the stink of smoke in the room. After having the customer service manager in for a conference and laying down what i expected of service from the staff things got better but the impression was already there. The staff generally on this ship were very friendly and polite and i would have to say had more class that the ramshackle bunch that made up most of the passengers -all over tattoos-compare the beer belly competitions in the sun very bad fake designer bags - get the drift this was the real letdown of this cruise- if your idea of a good time is a working men's club or the British Legion on a Saturday night - then this is the place for you. Food on board was surprisingly good with the bay tree,white room ,east and ramblas putting on some really good food the exception however was waterside where i would eat with great caution esp poultry. Bar prices were very fair with most things at pub levels and i found my on board credit went a long way. would i cruise p and o again -yes- would i go on ventura again-not if you paid me. As a foot note my partner came down with a really bad case of food poisoning at the end of this cruise and the only time we ate off this ship was on an organised tour as i said caution is the word. Read Less