Ventura to undergo changes due to “challenges”

After considering customer feedback P&O cruises have decided to make changes to their £300 million ship, Ventura after the cruiseline has admitted to facing “challenges” in her inaugural season.

The changes will include alternations to its dining, while the company will look at the complaints over the lack of sun loungers.

Nigel Esdale, P&O cruises director said: “In general newcomers have reacted very favourably to Ventura and we continue to see this as our primary focus.

“That said, we have had some challenges in marrying the differing needs and expectations of a new audience with those who have travelled with us many times before.

“Indeed the first year of operation for any ship is always its most difficult and the team on board have worked extremely hard to consistently deliver against our passengers' expectations.”

Esdale conceded that the ship had experienced “particularly heavy demand” for Freedom Dining at peak times, especially during the summer school holidays.

“In order to realise this concept to the full, and thereby ensure that it does indeed offer customers the flexibility that they desire, we have increased the number of tables within the Cinnamon Restaurant and will be introducing specialist software to enable the team to effectively manage the utilisation of the range of restaurants around the ship,” he said.

“More significantly though, passengers will no longer need to book a table in advance. Instead they can enjoy the ultimate freedom of arriving at the time they would like to dine and, where possible, they will be seated immediately.

“This is the system that we operate on board Oceana with great success.”

The entertainment programme will also be improved to offer increased choice and flexibility at a range of different times, to help reduce ‘peak time’ demand.

In the casual dining areas the standard of presentation will also be enhanced.

The Beach House, which is the family orientated restaurant will be able to offer an additional informal dining venue with waiter service.

Esdale has acknowledged that the availability on the sunloungers “has been an issue” during some of the summer school holiday cruises.

“In order to address this we have decided to devote some of the space originally allocated to Cirque Ventura on Deck 19 as an additional sunbathing area,” he said. “This will give those passengers who like to spend some time relaxing in the sun more space to do so.

“We will retain the bungee trampolines which have been a real hit with passengers aged from 8 to 84. And we will continue to offer the Cirque Ventura circus skills school teaching the art of juggling, tightrope and stilt walking.”

New furniture, including a reclining chair, will be introduced to cabin balconies in next spring.

“This will have the added advantage of helping to alleviate the high demand for loungers on the open deck, which we experienced during the summer school holidays,” added Esdale.

The ship will be using a new terminal at Southampton next year.

Esdale added that “the sheer number of people boarding this vessel has inevitably meant a greater requirement for car parking.

“This has been at the forefront of our minds when planning for the brand new cruise terminal currently under construction and, as a result, the new terminal will be better able to accommodate such demands when it enters use next year.”