SeaJane

I agree we decided to try freedom dining for the first time on Ventura in May and didn’t like the uncertainty. For our future cruises we have reverted to our usual 2nd sitting shared table.

Yes I was interested to read that you had also had a similar poor experience. It was only the excellent meals in Epicurean that redeemed our dining experience on Ventura! We also received an apology and OBS for our next cruise on Aurora. On that cruise we are returning to our preferred option of fixed dining, second sitting.

I was one of the people who experienced dreadful food in the MDR on Ventura in May. When we had a phone call afterwards to discuss our complaint we were assured that due to a volume of complaints the issue was being addressed as a matter of urgency. I’m pleased to hear that it seems as though considerable improvements have indeed been made and that she are enjoying the food Sarah. The photos that you posted of your meal on the first night certainly looked excellent and bore no resemblance to anything we were served!

Our complaint about the quality of MDR food on Ventura was also dealt with on day 27. We were satisfied with the response and the award of extra OBC for our next cruise.

I agree with what others have said about Dubrovnik, Split and Zadar and we have wandered around all of these ports. We have been to Corfu several times. There is usually a shuttle which drops you close to the main town and it is pleasant to walk around and find a restaurant for lunch. We usually end up walking back to the ship rather than getting the shuttle. It is worth noting that if you pay select price P&O shuttles are free. If you are on a saver fare the shuttle usually costs about £4 or £5 per person per trip.

We were on Ventura in May and agree it did feel very crowded. Although it was not school holidays there were a lot of children on board. We had good weather and the outside decks and pool side was extremely busy and it was impossible to find a quiet spot to sit. Fortunately we had our own balcony so were able to sit there. The ship was in good condition and we had 3 fantastic meals in Epicurean, however the quality of the MDR food was, in our opinion, poor.

Anyone who read my recent comments on our May Ventura cruise may remember how disappointed we were with the quality and presentation of food in the MDR throughout the cruise. We lodged a complaint onboard and wrote to P&O on our return. We have now had a telephone call from someone in the Executive office. She acknowledged that there were issues with the MDR on Ventura which they are apparently addressing. As compensation we have been given some additional OBS for our upcoming Aurora cruise.

On Ventura in May the embarkation lunch was a served meal in Cinnamon restaurant and there were very few attendees, but apparently there were a high number of new cruisers on board. The drink flowed freely, but sadly the food quality wasn’t good as mentioned in my previous feedback.

Hope you have a fantastic cruise.

So sorry to hear your tragic news - my sincere condolences to you and your family.

Hope you both have a wonderful time!

We sailed on Ventura last month and were able to book Epicurean in advance.

Magazines were available at Mayflower terminal last month.

We had a similar note about the bottles of toiletries on Ventura last month.

Thanks for alerting us to this. We’re on a 19 night cruise in October so have just booked the package which with our peninsular discount as well means a considerable saving.

We usually do 19 night cruises from Southampton so fortunately we’re not restricted on amount of luggage! As we opt for set dining on a table for 8 I like to wear something different every night. However I often wear trousers and might wear the same pair more than once, but with a different top. OH is less bothered about wearing something more than once 🤣

We tipped ours £15 on a recent 7 night cruise. He was one of the better more experienced ones we have encountered, but we only used him for room service lunch twice and delivering a couple of bottles of wine.

We didn’t receive anything for our recent Ventura cruise.

Yes

Technically it’s a litre per person of any alcoholic drink so includes wine and beer.

Vigo - is a very short walk into the town. Lisbon - there is a shuttle bus which takes you to a square in the city, however due to traffic and one way systems it takes about 30 minutes. It is much quicker and more pleasant to walk into the centre if you are able as the ship is docked very close. Porto - P&O shuttle into city takes about 40 minutes, but is certainly the best option if you have not been before as Porto is well worth a visit. Alternatively there is a port shuttle to the dock gates at Leixoes and you can then spend time in this small town or visit the beach. We did a similar itinerary on N313 a week ago and St Peter Port was cancelled due to forecast high winds making tendering dangerous. The Captain made the decision early and substituted La Coruna.

No it isn’t. P&O always used to recommend Holiday Extras, but not sure if that is still the case.

Our insurance is with LV and we can claim £150 each for a missed port.

Sadly on Ventura last week the chicken was very dry and overcooked - not at all tasty. Very disappointing as that always used to be my go-to when nothing else on the menu appealed.

Your experience of the food on Ventura sounds similar to ours last week. We made a formal complaint on board and have since written to Paul Ludlow’s office. I feel very strongly that anyone unhappy with the deterioration in the quality of food in the MDR should make their voice heard. In view of your comments above have you also formally complained?