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Senior Captain
Group: Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 18:34
Posts: 135,
Visits: 140
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| If you try cruisecritic.co.uk you will get a good mix of reviews from the Members Reviews section. You need to get an overview of the reviews and can then choose to accept or reject opinions. Some people are high maintenance and can easily be spotted so I would choose to disregard a report. The same is of tripadvisor. Often a negative review from a once only reviewer when the majority of reviews are good are out to cause trouble.
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Senior Captain
Group: Members
Last Login: 17 November 2009 20:04
Posts: 174,
Visits: 365
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| We had a fantastic cruise on Ventura last Oct. Cant wait to sail on her again in Jan 10. Only 57 days to go. ( not that i am counting.) Have agreat cruise. Bob
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Commodore
Group: Members
Last Login: 18 November 2009 20:17
Posts: 257,
Visits: 439
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| What 'floats one man's boat' does not necessarily float any other's boats. (forgive the pun!) You will get very different views on the ship depending on what previous experience people have had. We have just come back from her a few weeks ago. It was our first time on Ventura after having a great time on Aurora. We knew of lots of first time cruisers on board who thought the whole cruise was absuolutely fantastic - excellent food etc etc. We thoroughly enjoyed our cruise but thought the main restaurant evening food was not as a high standard as that on Aurora or the service as attentive from the restaurant waiters. We also knew a couple that had sailed on Ventura during it's first year and it was dreadful but they loved it the second time around. They said it had imporved so much. Every new ship needs to find its niche market and you'll find people go on new ships just to say they have been on them and then only comment on what they don't like. Some even go on and intend to not enjoy themselves??!!! How does that work?? It's good to look at critic web site and forums like this but the most value is looking at what is important to you and what you expect from a ship / cruise - truly fantastic or truly awful is not particular helpful when not supported by examples.
Suz xNext cruise Ventura N024..sooooo long to wait!!!! Life is not a practice...........enjoy every day....you're worth it! x Have enjoyed the Black Prince, Aurora and Ventura
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2nd Officer
Group: Members
Last Login: 2 days ago @ 17:57
Posts: 13,
Visits: 37
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| Have just returned today from N925 on Ventura. The ship is in beautifull condition and immaculately clean, the only problems I encountered were not caused by Ventura or her crew, when entering the port of ST THomas the US border agency did not supply enough border guards initially to cope with the 3000 passengers and 1200 crew members that had to be immigrated, this compounded with people who think that appointment timings are not applicable to them and then get in the queue causing more problems than neccessary. If your cruise is half as good as the one i have just been on you will have an excellent time. Ventura performed well no matter where we went. The service we had in the Bay Tree Restaurant every evening was first class, Richard and Sachin our waiters could not be faulted, neither could Ellarose the Wine Waiter, the only sad part is that we had to come home.
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Commodore
Group: Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 14:21
Posts: 380,
Visits: 222
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| As you say there were some problems last year but have been on twice in 2009 and loved every minute. Have a great time.
Captain Cook"Life is not a rehearsal, enjoy yourself!" QE2 , QM2 Royal Viking Sun, Pacific,Sea and Royal Princess.Costa Atlantica,Celebrity Summit,Norway. Canberra, Victoria,Oriana,Aurora,Artemis,Arcadia,Oceana and Ventura.
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Senior Captain
Group: Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 18:48
Posts: 134,
Visits: 84
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We've been on her 3 times now, and back again in 3 weeks so I guess that speaks volumes as my other half calls me Victor Meldrew !!
We didn't experience any problems at all when we were on in April last year (maiden season) and things were even better in April and August this year - a few minor niggles had been resolved so they are obviously paying attention.
I posted a long review of our trip to the Adriatic in August this year in the Reviews section of the site here
N
Future Cruises - Ventura N928
Previois Cruises - Oriana 109 2001, X608 2006 Norway; Aurora R704Y 2007 , Ventura N804 2008 Canaries, N908 2009 Western Med, N918 Central Med 2009
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Cadet
Group: Forum member
Last Login: 18 November 2009 20:32
Posts: 2,
Visits: 1
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| Hi Our friends went on the ventura in august in the med and thoroughly enjoyed it. the only thing they would do differently would be to go when there are less children on board. they are in their 60's and 70's and although do not sunbathe much felt there should have been more chairs/ sunbeds available as on sea days they were very scarce. We are joining ventura in March 2010 and can't wait. best wishes Kipper 29
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Cadet
Group: Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 16:39
Posts: 3,
Visits: 8
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I think Ventura is a very different ship in school holidays and out of them. Obviously she's marketed as a family ship, so not surprisingly in the school holidays a lot of families cruise on her. What makes Ventura especially sensitive to this is the normal capacity vs. berths ratio. 'All berths' - that is, when all 3rd and 4th beds are in use - is about 116% of standard full occupancy. This is a higher proportion than on other P&O ships; for example, the figure for Oriana is about 106%. These 3rd and 4th beds will mainly be occupied by children cruising as part of a family party. This means that in the school holidays Ventura is likely to be extremely full, with great pressure on deck space, loungers, pools, etc. I think that a lot of the worst reviews come from cruises at these times.
The moral of the story is: pick a date safely in school term-time, and you're unlikely to experience the on-board conditions that have caused problems. We did this in late September 2008, and had an excellent 12-night Canaries cruise. We've booked again for next spring.
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Cadet
Group: Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 22:09
Posts: 7,
Visits: 16
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| We had a fortnight in August last year. Fantastic ship service food. There were/are no teething problems. We did the white room - fabulous. regret not doing East You will have a great time.
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