Wiz201

Well he's confident - he says he won't set off until 10am on the saturday! Doesn't want to do overnight hotel either.

I have asked my dad if he wants to stay overnight in a hotel; no answer yet but I have taken your comments on board (no pun intended lol).

I suppose even on a Friday night we don't need to leave til after six so we can get down in traffic that's getting quieter and just do three hours. I may just have to spread out my packing and pack anything I don't need previous evenings after work.

But if he does insist on driving down on Saturday all the way, then I'll remind him that he'll be the one to take the blame for it if we miss the boat lol

When closed the pools are covered by a net. Once they are removed (which is well before 7am) the pools are open.

thanks. Also the adult only pool near the spa, is that free to use?

oh btw do they have any restrictions on people using the pools early in the morning? Sometimes I like to get up early and use the pool as much as possible when I'm on holidays with pools available. Early as in 7am I'm thinking.

You will have a great time on Ventura. I am late 20s and my hubby is early 30s, and since our honeymoon we are addicted to cruising. We have been on Ventura, Azura and Oceana with p&o and enjoyed them all. I would love to go to Guernsey and we were meant to on one cruise but unfortunately the weather stopped us so we went to Cherbourg instead. One day we hope to get there! Where in Spain and Portugal are you going? What cabin type have you gone for? :)

Cabins with shower/balcony - C635 and C637. We're stopping in Vigo and two other ports in spain/portugal then St Peters port in Guernsey.

Yeah thats right!

 

You can do the drive in 4.5 hours, its just over 200 miles but that it based on clear roads all the way.

 

If you are doing the M1 there a MAJOR sections of it that are currently down to 50mph for works, these stretch around 20 miles, add on the snarl ups etc and it can soon add up.

 

I'm sure you will be setting off early enough to add some contingency time in, but day 1 of a cruise can be quite tiring and involve waiting in lines, add on a long drive and you might feel you lose day 1.

 

No idea if its a cost thing or lack of annual leave thats stopping you but I would still be tempted to go down the day before.

 

If the Southampton hotels are expensive (they usually are the night before a departure) then you could get a Premier Inn say 50 miles out of Southampton the night before for £29 then at least you have broke the back of the journey.

 

Just an idea....

I'm leaving it up to my dad; he's doing the driving. Step mum is also on the audi's insurance so she can drive if he feels tired. He got us out of bed in the middle of the night to get down to Portsmouth for a ferry crossing to France before. I get 30 days annual leave but I'm two days down so only 28 due to several reasons last year. I'm taking Friday off to do washing/packing/sorting out other things but that's really it. Its a good thing I get bank holidays so I get Monday off free.

I'll suggest the hotel to him but if he says its fine then I'll go with whatever he does.

Ive no idea where Guernsey it but have a great time regardless.

 

Ive done the drive, will take you about 6 hours, presume you are going down the day before and staying over?

No we're setting off early in the morning on the day of the cruise pending on check in time. Its 4 and a bit hours according to google but we may stop somewhere for a break.

Guernsey, that's the right spelling isn't it lol!

This will be my first cruise, complete newbie. Going for my 30th birthday this year. Have read all the help and advice on P & O website but it'll be useful coming here for those tips that I may never have thought about before.

Anybody else coming on this cruise? We're driving all the way from West Yorkshire to Southampton.

Hi new here. I'm booked on a cruise 25th April on Ventura for the first time so picking up as many tips as possible.

Good tip about the landyards, I think I'll take the one I wear for work as its actually mine anyway, I'll just leave my work pass behind at home. I'm 30 but I won't see it as an age thing, I think its practical.