Is Ventura Going To Ocean Village?

[Tracy67]

So is it relaxed and informal as the brochure says or not? We should be able to trust brochures, not everyone booking would use these forums first.

 

And actually it would absolutely kill my 13 year old son's street cred if he had to wear anything other than jeans, trackys or shorts!:D

He has very expensive tastes now and uses his paper round money to buy designer stuff but suits ....no way!

 

We need a family friendly cruise line alternative to OV, Ventura seems to be advertising itself as this but this forum is making me wonder.

[David&Heather]

Jeeze, it wouldn't kill you to put a suit on once in a while.

 

Why? I am on holiday not attending a meeting at work:mad:

[LibraLass41]

Why? I am on holiday not attending a meeting at work:mad:

 

Then p&o is not the cruiseline for you.

Try Independence (Royal Caribbean )if you want, or NCL Jade.

 

p&o have two formal nights a week, thats all , when a tux or suit is suggested, thats FIVE nights out of seven when you don't have to wear a suit....most promotion of Pando ships shows a man in tux and lady in cocktail dress, if you detest this so much choose another cruiseline?

[fastforward]

Why? I am on holiday not attending a meeting at work:mad:

Your not attending a meeting on the Cruise, your dinning in a smart restaurant. A couple of nights a week, a few hours is that too much of an effort to make ?

[LibraLass41]

Hi

I've tried asking this before. What is there to do on Ventura if you don't want to join in with the formal evenings. How many restaurants/ bars etc are still casual? Is the gym / cinema etc still open and the kids clubs?

 

On page 8 of the P&O brochure it says the Ventura is ideal if you want "relaxed and informal evenings" and provides "the perfect family holiday".

We like to dress smart casual for dinner - linen trousers and open neck shirt / trousers and top or dress. No suits and ties! we're on holiday!

 

Will we be accomodated on Ventura or will we too have to look to NCL like David and Heather - would prefer to stay with a British company and spend ££ not $$.

The whole ship has the same dress code on formal night...

 

Perhaps NCL which has a informal dress code would be best - or bow down and wear formal clothes on a formal night like the other 98% ??? Smart casual on Ventura is 5 nights out of 7 ,as mentioned in last post.

[Tracy67]

Yet again please can someone answer my specific question- would my children have to dress up in suits / ball gowns in the kids clubs, which I've read go on until 10.30 and longer in peak season?

Also if you say there are 2 formal nights, then on page 8 of the brochure this should be made clear surely and it should not say relaxed and informal evenings. Are you saying this is incorrect?

Does anyone out there have older children who knows the answer?

[fastforward]

Tracey, we don't know the answer to your question, its pointless for anybody just to guess.

[lancashire_cruisers]

Yet again please can someone answer my specific question- would my children have to dress up in suits / ball gowns in the kids clubs, which I've read go on until 10.30 and longer in peak season?

Also if you say there are 2 formal nights, then on page 8 of the brochure this should be made clear surely and it should not say relaxed and informal evenings. Are you saying this is incorrect?

Does anyone out there have older children who knows the answer?

 

Tracy

 

Your kids would only have to observe the dress code if they were dining with you in the restaurant. The dress code does not apply to the kids clubs.

 

P&O have a family dining time in the Water side and Beach House at about 5.15pm ish and the dress code also doesn't apply at this.

 

I may get flamed by other posters for this but here goes, if you really can't stomach dressing formally for 2 nights per week then you have the option to dine in the buffet on those evenings BUT out of respect to fellow cruisers who do observe the dress code please avoid the theatre and main bars.

 

If you feel that this is not an acceptable compromise and you are of the 'it's my holiday and everyone else can go ****' persona then P&O really isn't for you and you would do better to look at NCL.

[Tracy67]

I don't know if I was meant to take that last comment in an aggressive tone but it came across that way.

I am using the forum to try to find out information - the original post title suggested that I would.:o

I actually have asked for people with teenagers/ kids to answer - they are the best people to answer my questions - I don't expect anyone to lie - the company advertises it as a family ship so I expected people with kids to use it.

 

I am not blaming anyone here for the ambiguity of the brochure but surely it is obvious that their descriptions are indeed misleading.

 

It is useful to know that the kids can eat and then go to the kids clubs if we choose to wear our posh stuff. Thanks for that useful information

 

We already have this summer's and next Easter's holidays booked so I will no doubt have plenty of time to check what changes are being made to Ventura over the next year or two.:rolleyes:

[lancashire_cruisers]

I don't know if I was meant to take that last comment in an aggressive tone but it came across that way.

I am using the forum to try to find out information - the original post title suggested that I would.:o

I actually have asked for people with teenagers/ kids to answer - they are the best people to answer my questions - I don't expect anyone to lie - the company advertises it as a family ship so I expected people with kids to use it.

 

I am not blaming anyone here for the ambiguity of the brochure but surely it is obvious that their descriptions are indeed misleading.

 

It is useful to know that the kids can eat and then go to the kids clubs if we choose to wear our posh stuff. Thanks for that useful information

 

We already have this summer's and next Easter's holidays booked so I will no doubt have plenty of time to check what changes are being made to Ventura over the next year or two.:rolleyes:

 

Umm no it wasn't meant to be aggressive I was actually trying to be helpful! :eek:

 

As someone who has cruised as a family for the last 7 years with my now 9 year old daughter I thought I'd chip in with some advice based on facts and experiences - remind me not to bother in future:(

 

BTW Ventura is a 'family friendly ship' NOT a family ship - a bit of a difference.

[southwinds]

Cant see Carnival Corp wanting to loose the goodwill of all the OV cruisers.. also Oceana and Ventura now are being marketed as friendly and informal... sounds like OV to me... just in P&O colours...;)

[BrianI]

Also if you say there are 2 formal nights, then on page 8 of the brochure this should be made clear surely and it should not say relaxed and informal evenings. Are you saying this is incorrect?

Page 8 refers you to page 180 for detail, where it says "evenings are mainly casual, with the odd formal night added for a special sense of occasion". There are 5 smart casual nights and 2 formal per week.

Brian

[fastforward]

Its a matter of reading the Brochure Tracy, all the info is in that.

[David&Heather]

Your not attending a meeting on the Cruise, your dinning in a smart restaurant. A couple of nights a week, a few hours is that too much of an effort to make ?

 

With the greatest of respect P&O are selling Ventura as an alternative to OV, it simply does not work for us.

[LibraLass41]

Tracey

On a formal night I have seen a lot of children in 'posh clothes ' yes. Girls in the ex-bridesmaid dresses, or smart dresses bought for the cruise, boys in tux from age 5 up, or if not in tux then trousers and a shirt will do with tie...

 

You could avoid it, kids in club all night after eating in ss restaurant, but why miss a fab 5 course meal with lobster or beef wellington for example for the sake of not dressing up?

 

The formal night 'gala'menus are always even better than the smart casual nights.One Formal night is a black and white night when most of the ship dress in black and white.. you can buy a tux for around £50 the price of a designer jumper...

[daiB]

With the greatest of respect P&O are selling Ventura as an alternative to OV, it simply does not work for us.

 

And with the greatest respect to you (whatever that means.) P&O are not selling Ventura as an alternate OV because she is not.

 

She is a P&O ship and as such has a degree of formality. Those who cruise on her realise this and therefore 95%+ of the men wear DJ's and the ladies dress up as appropriate.

 

If this is not for you then fine, you have learned what you needed from the board.

 

P&O have enough of their own passengers, to be concerned about what is happening to old OV types.

 

 

 

:):)Happy Cruising:):)

 

 

 

 

:cool:

 

 

Dai

[Gerrym]

With the greatest of respect P&O are selling Ventura as an alternative to OV, it simply does not work for us.

 

 

Yes, we agree with that. It may not be fact (it may be but I don't know) but it does feel that way.

I love the formailty, cuisine and fellow cruisers that come with Oceana, Arcadia and Oriana (oh, and the ability to find a sunbed!).

Sadly I cannot say the same for Ventura.

Luckily there are plenty of people that do enjoy Ventura, it's just not for me.

[daiB]

Yes, we agree with that. It may not be fact (it may be but I don't know) but it does feel that way.

I love the formailty, cuisine and fellow cruisers that come with Oceana, Arcadia and Oriana (oh, and the ability to find a sunbed!).

Sadly I cannot say the same for Ventura.

Luckily there are plenty of people that do enjoy Ventura, it's just not for me.

 

 

Well the formality was there when we sailed with a greater % in DJ's than we have seen before.

 

 

 

:):)Happy Cruising:):)

 

 

 

:cool:

 

 

Dai

[Gerrym]

Well the formality was there when we sailed with a greater % in DJ's than we have seen before.

 

 

 

:):)Happy Cruising:):)

 

 

 

:cool:

 

 

Dai

 

 

 

Yes Dai, it does seem if the pair of us had very different experiences, don't know why, perhaps school holidays vs. not?

 

 

Cheers

 

Gerry

[cruisebore]

Could it be that GerryM was on Ventura during the Summer Mediterranean Season, whilst Dai (the P&O spin doctor ;)) sailed on her during her winter season in the Caribbean?

I would imagine there to be quite a different mix of passengers, summer

vis-à-vis, winter cruising. Accordingly we are not comparing like with like.

BTW I hear you will be able to cash Giro's on Ventura next summer, and there will be Pole Dancing in the Exchange, is this correct? ;)

 

Regards

Cb

[hobnob1871]

Could it be that GerryM was on Ventura during the Summer Mediterranean Season, whilst Dai (the P&O spin doctor ;)) sailed on her during her winter season in the Caribbean?

I would imagine there to be quite a different mix of passengers, summer

vis-à-vis, winter cruising. Accordingly we are not comparing like with like.

BTW I hear you will be able to cash Giro's on Ventura next summer, and there will be Pole Dancing in the Exchange, is this correct? ;)

 

Regards

Cb

 

 

Cheap shot Cruisebore . I hope for your sake you never experience the misery of unemployment .

[cruisebore]

Cheap shot Cruisebore . I hope for your sake you never experience the misery of unemployment .

 

 

Yep Hobnob

Suppose under the present climate, it was a insensitive remark

 

Cb

[Gerrym]

Cb, I didn't take it that way, I more assumed that you meant Ventura has its fair share of Wayne and Waynetta types rather then people who have suffered unemployment as a result of this recession.

 

 

Cheers

 

Gerry

[cruisebore]

Gerry

 

That was precisely how it was meant, I don't do 'cheap shots'. However, I suppose it could be misconstrued, particularly in these turbulent times by some one now unemployed, or facing unemployment.

 

Regards

Cb

[tom_uk]

I think that Ventura, more than any of the others in the fleet, is a schizophrenic ship. The difference lies in when you cruise. Go in term time and it's one ship; go in the school holidays and it's a very different ship.

 

I think I've found the reason why. Look at the normal & maximum capacities for Ventura and, say, Oriana. Here they are:

Ventura: normal 3078, max 3574. That's an extra 500 (almost), and represents about a sixth of her standard capacity - say 15% or just over.

 

Now Oriana: normal 1818, max 1928. That's an extra 110, and represents about 6% of standard capacity.

 

So when Ventura's full (for example, in the school summer holidays) she's carrying 115% or more of her normal capacity, whereas when Oriana's full she's carrying 106% of normal. That extra 10% makes a huge difference.