Having just completed our first P&O cruise (aboard the Ventura )I thought I’d post my comparison with the Celebrity Solstice class ships, as most of the cruises we have done were aboard Celebrity, the last one being on the Silhouette this time last year.
The ships are roughly the same size in tonnage , but Ventura carries more passengers, and I believe has a higher ratio of crew to passenger. ...
This was a last minute cruise booking because we had to cancel our earlier booking on Azura due to having to care for my mum. We have been cruising now for 4 years, my wife loves it. This is the third cruise with P 0 Cruises and second on Ventura. I have to say despite this bad review the staff and crew were always courteous and polite - could not fault that.
Our issue started when we arrived ...
Good itinerary inc. Rome/Naples/Sardinia, and whilst we are not anti-kids this was the first one outside the school holidays.
Usually take a suite but prices were crazy, typically double what we normally pay, and P&O were still offering a suite at top price on the morning we sailed. Opted for E730 Superior Deluxe and it was great with the big end/corner balcony, and none of the horror stories ...
Always use Penguin Parking, their service is outstanding. From our luggage being taken at the quay, we were on the ship in 10 minutes, and enjoying coffee and cake in the Waterside buffet. This was our fourth Ventura cruise and our 7th P&O ( Oceana & Britannia previously.
Chose an inside cabin forward, on deck 12 (A) very quiet, new carpets and throughout the ship too on it's re-fit last ...
Having been on Ventura twice before, thought we would be ok in E112, deck 8 , (affectionately now named "roller coaster" deck), bad mistake - which was admittedly our own fault. After 5 days was unbearable, P&O duty managers excellent and very understanding and changed our cabin to C424, which was so much better. Were told interactive service in cabin was not working for this cruise, however it ...
Thought I ought to write a review as I did look on this site for reviews prior to going so only fair really. So in our opinion:
PRO's
Check in at Southampton took 15 mins and was very straightforward. Compared to boarding a flight from Heathrow its just magical.
Staff are very good and often very sweet (must do it because they enjoy it as I expect the wages are terrible)
We were on ...
Chose it after not enjoying hard sell on last celebrity cruise.
Rude oppo initially when trying to sort car out...but luggage in cabin once on board....
Ship,difficult,to,find way around as no logical flow
Cabin adequate but miss having a balcony....
Freedom dining good in Saffron or Cinnamon and other options good for cover charge - Sindhi -Indian/Thai and The Glass house for ...
Very smooth and efficient embarkation at Southampton. Our luggage was outside our cabins when we got there. We were disappointed that the late departure meant missing Cadiz, and if P and O were aware of this problem, then surely they should have sorted it. The visit to Vigo in Sunday was a non event, my husband stayed on the ship, my son and I got off. The place was dead apart from some Africans ...
We selected this cruise as it was one of the only ships that had a suite with two bedrooms and was traveling to Monaco between the two Grand Prixs and the track was set up;
Our cabin was the Oriana Suite with a balcony Situated at the front Port side of the ship;There are two bedrooms which we had set up as two king beds; There were two Pulman beds in the second bedroom which we did not use, ...
Friday 11th May. Departure delay due to ‘technical difficulties’ which I have now seen from various forums was experienced by the previous cruise. ‘Sail away’ party abruptly cancelled and finally left Southampton without ceremony at 23:00.
First port (Cadiz) due to be visited on Monday 14th May replaced by Vigo on Sunday at 17:00. Pointless stop for passengers as the port was closed except ...