Ventura – The Colourful Ship!

I have just been lucky enough to spend a couple of nights on board Ventura, one of the two larger P&O ships. A group of us were hosted by Zoe and Duncan from P&O as a thank you for all the business we do for them and what a brilliant time they gave us. Their passion for P&O and Cunard is infectious I have to say,  and I have arrived home full of renewed enthusiasm for these brands.
I was curious to see how Ventura had matured in the five years since her launch. Was she as vibrant as I remembered? Was the food and service as good? Would she still ‘Wow’ me?

 I am pleased to respond with a resounding yes to all of these questions!

Ventura is a good all round ‘family friendly’ ship with something for everyone. More lively areas for the younger generations and relaxing, peaceful areas for the more mature passengers.

 I particularly enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere of the Oasis Pool, an adult only area near the Spa, on Sunday afternoon having spent the previous evening and early hours enjoying Havana, where a Robbie Williams tribute act was the highlight (along with plenty of liquid refreshment!).

The Glass House is a new addition, having replaced Ramblas. This is now a lovely elegant wine bar where amongst other refreshments you can enjoy a ‘flight of wine’, all recommended by Ollie Smith.

Dinner in the Baytree restaurant was delightful both evenings. The food was excellent and service equally so.
While on board I also ate in Beachcomber, The Waterfront and Saffron restaurants, all of which were excellent.

A particular highlight was pre-dinner drinks on Saturday evening in Metropolis. Positioned at the rear of Deck 18 this bar gives you panoramic views as you sail along. We were blessed with fantastic weather so it was a lovely place to be as we sailed out of Southampton and along the coast of the Isle of Wight – Zoe even pointed out Osborne House to me.

Another new feature since my last trip on Ventura is the addition of single cabins, proving that P&O do respond to demand from their loyal clients. These cabins provide excellent, more affordable accommodation for single travellers.

I had a lovely cabin on board, a balcony cabin, mid ship on A Deck. The cabin was a good size, and so too was the balcony which was furnished with two reclining chairs, a table and a footstool.

 One thing that really impressed me was the separate dressing/storage area between the bathroom and main cabin area. I knew that the Superior Deluxe Balconies had this feature but did not realize that the standard balconies had it too so this was a real bonus.

As I wandered around the ship during my time on board, taking it all in, I was charmed by the diverse decor. Each ‘area’ on the ship has its own particular feel and character. From the sumptuous, rich feel of the Tamarind Lounge to the modern contemporary feel of Metropolis, or the casual relaxed feel of the Waterfront, every area is unique.

 Do you know that the carpets on the stairwells are colour coded so that you will be able to tell whether you are forward, midship or aft? How clever!

All this of course leads me to my very favourite subject – you guessed it – cruise ship carpets! Ventura has the most wonderful, diverse collection of them. I have scattered them throughout this post for your pure enjoyment. I hope they give you a feel of this wonderful British ship.