What if you don't like formal wear?

[LibraLass41]

Very very true pianoman!

 

Many people who have cruised on Ventura have said they will not cruise on her again after the 1st time. ..

[tom_uk]

I honestly didn't detect any difference in ambience between Oriana & Ventura. In fact in many ways I prefer Ventura. Those balcony cabins are excellent, the best cabins I've been in (without considering the balcony element). We also felt the service was slightly better on Ventura. Certainly we came across one or two examples of poor service on Oriana that we didn't encounter on Ventura.

 

They shared some weaknesses: for example, the absence of qualified sommeliers in the restaurants, but Ventura was no worse than Oriana. We've booked Ventura again.

 

Of course, the big caveat has got to be, we don't go on her in school holiday time. As I've said before I think that Ventura is a more schizophrenic ship than most, perhaps because of the high extra loading that can occur when 3rd & 4th berths are occupied: 115% of regular capacity as against most other ships' 105% or so.

[Gerrym]

I honestly didn't detect any difference in ambience between Oriana & Ventura. In fact in many ways I prefer Ventura. Those balcony cabins are excellent, the best cabins I've been in (without considering the balcony element). We also felt the service was slightly better on Ventura. Certainly we came across one or two examples of poor service on Oriana that we didn't encounter on Ventura.

 

 

 

 

Tom, it is so funny how 2 peoples opinion can be so far apart about the same subject.

 

I found Ventura to be miles apart from Aurora, Oceana and Oriana. The service in bars and restaurants on Ventura was average at times, but certainly never met my expectations at any time.

That was completely the opposite of my experience of the other 3.

 

Food on Ventura was of a much lower quality too.

 

Oh well, 10 days until Solstice, I'll let you know what I think of that!

 

 

Gerry

[LibraLass41]

Yep, 8 days and 10 hrs for me too on Oriana, and I've been on Ventura too so will compare the two - if you can...

[daiB]

I honestly didn't detect any difference in ambience between Oriana & Ventura. In fact in many ways I prefer Ventura. Those balcony cabins are excellent, the best cabins I've been in (without considering the balcony element). We also felt the service was slightly better on Ventura. Certainly we came across one or two examples of poor service on Oriana that we didn't encounter on Ventura.

 

They shared some weaknesses: for example, the absence of qualified sommeliers in the restaurants, but Ventura was no worse than Oriana. We've booked Ventura again.

 

Of course, the big caveat has got to be, we don't go on her in school holiday time. As I've said before I think that Ventura is a more schizophrenic ship than most, perhaps because of the high extra loading that can occur when 3rd & 4th berths are occupied: 115% of regular capacity as against most other ships' 105% or so.

 

 

Tom,

 

If the only difference in the ships is the staff then this is minor, as the staff move around the ships anyway and any comment regarding a ship is only valid for their time on that ship.

 

I must say that we have found that the service on all the ships has been of a constantly good standard.

 

On Ventura we spent a good amount of time in Metropolis before the evening meal and the service was excellent, as was the ambience.

 

 

 

:):)Happy Cruising:):)

 

 

 

 

:cool:

 

Dai

[stopgo]

Tom,

 

If the only difference in the ships is the staff then this is minor, as the staff move around the ships anyway and any comment regarding a ship is only valid for their time on that ship.

 

I must say that we have found that the service on all the ships has been of a constantly good standard.

 

On Ventura we spent a good amount of time in Metropolis before the evening meal and the service was excellent, as was the ambience.

 

 

 

:):)Happy Cruising:):)

 

 

 

 

:cool:

 

Dai

 

Maybe the staff look after you better Dai because of your sunny disposition.

[capasamari]

Thomson ships always have one Captain's cocktail party and formal night per week, this was extremely well complied with last December on Destiny and very nice we all looked too :) !

 

We actually thought that people were a lot more smartly dressed on the Thomson "smart casual" nights than we have witnessed on P&O.

 

All of my four formal dresses have come from TKMaxx in Tamworth and ranged in price from £27 to £40. Fantastic value. :cool:

 

Carol x

[lostinvegas]

All of my four formal dresses have come from TKMaxx in Tamworth and ranged in price from £27 to £40. Fantastic value. :cool:

 

Thats where Anna got one of her dress's from. As I said earlier it worth giving the dressing up a go as its not expensive and can be fun.

 

I agree on the staff moving round the ships. Our head waiter from Oceana 7 years ago was the head waiter on Ventura earlier this year and he remembered us. Probably because 7 years ago we were the youngest people on the ship not with our parents.

 

I have only been on 2 P&O cruises and Oceana 7 years ago was similar to Ventura. They were both similar to Carnival who we cruised with last year.

 

We cruised outside the school holidays, I can imagine the ships to be very different with lots of kids on board.

 

In all cases the dress code was kept to by 99% of the passengers. I cannot comment on the casual dinning options because we did not visit them.

 

Chris

[stopgo]

I don't think its the expensive of dressing up that's the problem, it is the fact that Fred and partner don't feel confortable dressing up

[MattyBarlow]

From what Craig and myslef gathered on a cruise on OV2 recently, Carnival are going to lose a lot of the pax from OV to RCI and NCL. Now as in any discussion we have the pro and cons fighting each other. However surely if it comes down to P&O losing pax to other brands then you would rather they made changes to the fleet. Afterall if P&O cannot fill the berths then who knows what will happen. Ship sales? Lay ups?

The dress divide is a tricky one. I love the informal OV approach but i also enjoyed dressing up whilst on Oceana. However i don't think it works to combine them on one ship. Give the bow tie brigade complete formal ships, but give us Ocean Village, beer drinking tatoo wearing scum Oceana and Ventura so we can wear our sandles with pride!!!;)

[daiB]

From what Craig and myslef gathered on a cruise on OV2 recently, Carnival are going to lose a lot of the pax from OV to RCI and NCL. Now as in any discussion we have the pro and cons fighting each other. However surely if it comes down to P&O losing pax to other brands then you would rather they made changes to the fleet. Afterall if P&O cannot fill the berths then who knows what will happen. Ship sales? Lay ups?

The dress divide is a tricky one. I love the informal OV approach but i also enjoyed dressing up whilst on Oceana. However i don't think it works to combine them on one ship. Give the bow tie brigade complete formal ships, but give us Ocean Village, beer drinking tatoo wearing scum Oceana and Ventura so we can wear our sandles with pride!!!;)

 

 

No Way Sunshine:D:D

 

 

 

:)Happy Cruising:)

 

 

:cool:

 

 

Dai

[MattyBarlow]

No Way Sunshine:D:D

 

 

 

 

Dai

 

 

Money Talks Dai. It will be interesting to see what happens when OV goes.

[Single Cruiser]

It was interesting to read this interview with the OV MD.

 

 

Ocean Village to focus on switching customers to sister brands

 

Retaining and switching customers to sister brands will become the "most significant agenda" for Ocean Village over the next two years, managing director Nick Lighton has admitted.

The company hopes to move customers across to P&O Cruises and Princess as its brand is phased out and once the ships leave the UK. The first goes to P&O Cruises Australia in autumn 2009 followed by the second a year later.

Lighton said: "As time evolves that will be the most significant agenda. P&O Cruises would be the most natural brand for past passengers, while Princess Cruises is also being expanded in the UK."

But he reiterated the company's message that there would be no decrease in investment in the brand despite its phase out.

"The major message to our agents is that it's worthwhile continuing to develop Ocean Village. Clearly we will be working with agents on marketing programmes to maintain their customers," he said.

He admitted the economic climate would make it tough for the cruise sector next year but said the company was introducing new activities to boost demand, such as an enhanced youth programme, new onboard packages, and an improved entertainment programme.

"We are going to do some exciting things in the Mediterranean with our entertainment programme," he said. No details have yet been revealed.

[daiB]

Money Talks Dai. It will be interesting to see what happens when OV goes.

 

 

Yes even with discounts they would make more money out of Ventura and Oceana as P&O ships that OV's.

 

So the money when it talks will say these two vessels are staying with P&O.

 

 

 

:):)Happy Cruising:):)

 

 

 

:cool:

 

Dai

 

 

ps. someone told me 3 years ago that Arcadia was not liked by P&O cruisers and would be going within 6 months, I am still waiting.

[MattyBarlow]

Yes even with discounts they would make more money out of Ventura and Oceana as P&O ships that OV's.

 

So the money when it talks will say these two vessels are staying with P&O.

 

 

 

:):)

 

 

Do you truly believe that? The cruise market has changed as has the economy. I think thats a bold statement to make without any facts. But time will prove one of us wrong. This time last year i dont think anyone would have thought we would be in the situation we are now. If you are right dai and the money talks as you say...will it talk quick enough?

 

Also its interesting to see Celebrity introducing a form of freestyle dining. I find it highly unfair that while carnival have invested millions on the new aidia ships, RCI introduce a casual ship in the form of "Mein Schiff" that the British market should suffer.

[tom_uk]

Do you truly believe that? The cruise market has changed as has the economy. I think thats a bold statement to make without any facts. But time will prove one of us wrong. This time last year i dont think anyone would have thought we would be in the situation we are now. If you are right dai and the money talks as you say...will it talk quick enough?

 

Also its interesting to see Celebrity introducing a form of freestyle dining. I find it highly unfair that while carnival have invested millions on the new aidia ships, RCI introduce a casual ship in the form of "Mein Schiff" that the British market should suffer.

 

Surely the most significant thing is that Ocean Village and the quite similar Island Cruises are both being shut down - if they were profitable then I would have expected them to be kept going. P&O meanwhile not only keep going but are adding expensive new tonnage to their fleets. I agree that we don't have the actual figures but what we know (one Carnival line being closed, another being invested in) is very suggestive.

 

Also: Celebrity have not yet introduced dine-on-demand. I know there was a possible website leak earlier this week, but as of this moment they're still very traditional.

[Single Cruiser]

Surely the most significant thing is that Ocean Village and the quite similar Island Cruises are both being shut down - if they were profitable then I would have expected them to be kept going. P&O meanwhile not only keep going but are adding expensive new tonnage to their fleets. I agree that we don't have the actual figures but what we know (one Carnival line being closed, another being invested in) is very suggestive.

.

 

You can read that two ways Tom. P&O see downturn, realise they have more berths to fill (with orders placed years before) with no new cruisers to fill them. See that whilst making profit they have two very old uneconomical ships that they could get rid off and use the Pax to fill the berths! :rolleyes:

[tom_uk]

You can read that two ways Tom. P&O see downturn, realise they have more berths to fill (with orders placed years before) with no new cruisers to fill them. See that whilst making profit they have two very old uneconomical ships that they could get rid off and use the Pax to fill the berths! :rolleyes:

 

Sorry, I don't see it that way at all. With OV they'd captured the business. Having closed down OV they have no idea where the passengers will actually go. Safer, if OV was profitable, to keep it going.

[Single Cruiser]

Sorry, I don't see it that way at all. With OV they'd captured the business. Having closed down OV they have no idea where the passengers will actually go. Safer, if OV was profitable, to keep it going.

 

It would be a lot more profitable on a modern ship. Surprisingly ships cost more to run when they are 20 years older. Carnivals own MD said it would be resurrected if a suitable ship becomes available. So its not the concept. The engines in OV1 were the same generation as when QE2 was converted from steam to diesel!

[tom_uk]

It would be a lot more profitable on a modern ship. Surprisingly ships cost more to run when they are 20 years older. Carnivals own MD said it would be resurrected if a suitable ship becomes available. So its not the concept. The engines in OV1 were the same generation as when QE2 was converted from steam to diesel!

 

But in that case the solution would have been to retain the OV brand and transfer one or more ships (e.g. Oceana or Ventura) to it. This would maintain the OV brand that they'd spent a lot of money building up, and would even show that the brand was valued - resources were being transferred to it. And P&O would be OK because you could argue that this would 'clarify the marketing'.

 

Once the brand is shut down, they just don't know where the customers are going to go. They hope that they'll go to P&O but they don't know that they will. They've spent a lot of money developing OV; now they've got to spend it all over again, winning back the customers they had.

[Single Cruiser]

But in that case the solution would have been to retain the OV brand and transfer one or more ships (e.g. Oceana or Ventura) to it. This would maintain the OV brand that they'd spent a lot of money building up, and would even show that the brand was valued - resources were being transferred to it. And P&O would be OK because you could argue that this would 'clarify the marketing'.

 

Once the brand is shut down, they just don't know where the customers are going to go. They hope that they'll go to P&O but they don't know that they will. They've spent a lot of money developing OV; now they've got to spend it all over again, winning back the customers they had.

 

Wow, I think we agree.. Ventura and Oceana please.. :D

[CASPALL]

Although we really enjoyed our cruise on Oceana, we felt she was so "dumbed down" compared to Oriana,Aurora. Arcadia and Artemis.

Lots of Bingo and other noisy happenings in the atrium. No chance of a quiet drink in Tiffany's. The Magnums champagne bar was no use either whenever there was football screened in the casino bar up above. Noisy!

Beautiful ship but what a waste.

 

Caryl

[MattyBarlow]

Having been on OV2 and Oceana, i would say there is very little difference. The Oceana design is actually a progression of OV2 so they are very similar inside. However i did see something i thought i would never see on OV...a family in full formal dress one night!!!

[MattyBarlow]

Wow, I think we agree.. Ventura and Oceana please.. :D

 

Slowly but surely Craig, slowly but surely!!!:p

[davecttr]

With the eventual demise of Ocean Village the best solution IMO is for P&O to adopt the Thomsons policy of having the dress code apply only to the restaurants on formal night. This makes everybody happy and you can rush back to your cabin to get rid of the dreaded dinner suit then enjoy the rest of the evening.

 

Then all they need to do is introduce fly cruises, OV cruisers won't be happy being dragged all the way from Southampton