Long Review - Ventura 11/06/15 - 25/06/15

Did you price the Retreat during your cruise. This year on Azura it was £400 for a two week cruise per couple. Last year on Ventura £200 per couple. Just wondering if prices had increased this year on Ventura too. When you take off port days when you will not use it for a full day there is no saving over the day rate of £40 per couple. We had three bad sea day's weather wise sailing out from Southampton and full days in Canary Island ports so we managed just two days since they wouldn't sell half days. Quite a saving on the whole cruise tariff. Spa staff tried to tell us we might not get places on a day basis but in reality the retreat was never full and often very empty.

Even if you book a shore excursion there is no credit given back. That means you could be paying twice as much for an excursion if you add what you have already paid to the spa.

The whole cruise price would only work if you had fantastic weather and had no intention of going ashore but who wants to spend two weeks isolated in the Retreat. On Princess ships the Sanctuary area is exactly the same but pricing is flexible allowing half days.

We have sailed on Grand Princess and her sister ships and prefer them too. Think it's because for the same size ship and identical public areas there is one deck less of accommodation. On Ventura we sailed in August with total 3500 passenger. On Grand think capacity is 2600 ... Almost a thousand less people for the same public areas. Makes a big difference to seeing shows .. Meal times .... Pool area Etc.

Thank you for the review - I thought it was balanced and fair.

Just as a matter of interest, what was it that caused your on-board spend on Ventura to be higher than that on Grand Princess?

Finally, w/regard to European cities: I think that over the last 20/30 years we have become very used to not having graffiti in our cities in the UK; I always find it a shock to see so much in European cities. And in a number of cruise visits to Lisbon, I've never experienced really good weather - it's always been very changeable at best. I remember one time after a grey morning in the city we took a walk along the quay at 2pm only to get drenched in heavy rainfall, yet the Sailaway at 5:30 was held in bright and hot sunshine.

Did you price the Retreat during your cruise.

On Ventura last month they were charging £20/day/person for the retreat. I was tempted to do it on the last two days of my cruise, but never did. The place was always empty, apart from one day when I think I did see one person in there. I guessed whist sat relaxing they would be constantly trying to sell you some treatment package?

Thank you for the review - I thought it was balanced and fair.

Thank you :)

Just as a matter of interest, what was it that caused your on-board spend on Ventura to be higher than that on Grand Princess?

I think it was the fact that P&O don't do a good value soft drinks package. On the Grand, we bought a 'soda package' that gave us unlimited post-mix soft drinks (ie fountain coke, lemonade, tonic water), juices, mocktails and ice cream shakes. We made full use of this, and at night we 'smuggled' gin and vodka in miniature bottles and just ordered tonic water/cola which, of course, was covered under the package. P&O's soft drinks package just gives you 20 post-mix drinks and does not include mocktails, juices or shakes. So, on the Grand just about the only money I spent on drinks over the cost of the package was the odd pint and a few bottles of wine with dinner.

Having said that, P&O's drinks prices are considerably cheaper than Princess's and what you see on the menu is what you pay - no additional 15-20% surcharge.

It's all swings and roundabouts, I guess. We just got the feeling that we received better value for money with Princess, and that P&O are trying to 'stiff' you at every turn.