Big Stevie

Im in

Any thoughts/opinions on what its like on Ventura E Deck?

Looks like we have been allocated cabin E615 on E Deck. We requested an obstructed window cabin and a quick search on P&O website states..

Tender obscures a majority of the view.

At least its not fully obstructed. But doesn't look like we have been upgraded either?

I can't access my personaliser (safari) today, never had a problem logging in previously.

We are on Ventura on 28th May for a 14 night Mediterranean cruise and was wondering if there is any way of finding out the dates of the formal nights?

Apparently there are 4 x formal nights, but I can't find any dates on my P&O personaliser. Ive just purchased a dinner suit so Im keen to wear it.

Thanks.

Frustrating for you.

I do hope the Epicurian Restaurant will be open for my cruise on the 28th May.

On our forthcoming Mediterranean cruise at the end of this month we have prebooked a P&O excursion to Rome to see the colosseum, due to the distance from port and hopefully to avoid queues at the colosseum.

We've paid over £3K for our cruise so another £50 each for an excursion doesn't worry me. The last thing I want whilst on holiday is to get that dreaded sunken feeling in the stomach when you realise you might miss the ship.

For Monte Carlo and Gibraltar and cities that are a short distance from port, we will do our own trips.

It called the Epicurean on my P&O personaliser. Thanks for the replies, I think I shall book a table for the evening of our Monte Carlo visit, after a day walking past the very expensive shops & restaurants it will be nice to have a posh meal onboard.

Edit - just discovered we you have to pay at £56 charge at time of booking, I was wanting to use our OBC so looks like we will have to wait until we board.

We are wanting to dine in the Epicurean restaurant on the Ventura and was wondering if children are allowed?

We have an 8yr old son and to be honest the food will be wasted on him, and he might not even like it, but I recall reading that kids can dine with the kids club (Surfers), so maybe thats an option on the night we visit the Epicurean? Not even sure when the Surfers Club closes?

Any other suggestions welcome.

Cadiz is often used as the port for Seville or Jerez.

Is Seville worth visiting, or would it be better to remain in Cadiz?

If I was braver than I am, then id also do a DIY excursion to Rome.

Rome is the only excursion we've booked in advance for our Ventura cruise at end of May. I accept it can be done DIY, but as its our first time cruising I want the comfort of knowing I won't be stranded.

Hasn't it just changed name?

We sail on Thursday 28th May which is towards the end of a school half term holiday week.

What bike do you ride Sue?

We booked our May 2015 cruise only a few weeks ago (Feb 2015) and got a 3 berth cabin with double OBC of £820.

The ship's water is very pure and has to be passed by the chief engineer.

Well I'm certainly not drinking it if its passed through the chief engineer :eek:

But hats off to him, passing that much water every day can't be easy!

Ventura is doing Netherlands & Guernsey 20th to 24th, then Belgium & Guernsey 24th to 28th, then a Med Strictly come dancing cruise from 28th til 11th June

Thats the one I'm on. But whats the Strictly theme all about? Are they just encouraging folk to dance? Or is there more to it?

Edit - Just googled it..

We’re proud to continue our exclusive partnership with Strictly Come Dancing into 2015, and will be joined by two of the show’s professional dancers for some wonderful demonstrations of fleet-footedness on four fabulous cruises next year. To ensure the dancers don’t get too comfortable on board (as we know, it’s easily done aboard a P&O Cruises ship!) we’ll even invite along a judge and a guest celebrity from the show to ensure they stay on their toes!

Where is Ventura going on 24th May? I hope she's back in time as Im sailing on her from Southampton on 28th May.

Ive been watching the Ventura webcam solidly for the last 3 hrs. Apart from a brief moment of almost shear panic when she nearly collided with a seagul, its been pretty none eventful :D

This will be our first ever cruise and I dont own a suit, so I need to buy one. I shall be buying a charcoal coloured suit as it will be more suitable for other occasions, and I will pack a black tie. If I'm the only bloke wearing a non black suit then I honestly couldn't care less.

Forgive my ignorance, but how does the normal disembarkation work? After putting your bags out the night before, where do they get put the following day?

So if one waiter takes your order, and different one delivers it, which one do you tip?

I'll get my coat :D

Im sure I read somewhere that kids can eat at a separate kids restaurant whilst parents dine elsewhere. Is this correct?

CC - Caravan Club? :D

I thought about this yesterday when we went out for Mothers Day as in most nice restaurants in our area, there was 12.5 % 'Discretionary Service'.

 

So if you have a 3 course meal costing you around £33, you pay £5. So £5 per person for one meal.

 

So surely the auto tip of £5 per day which also covers the cabin steward cannot be described as an unreasonable charge.

But unlike the waiters on your cruise, the waiter in your local restaurant isn't getting his accommodation and meals provided is he.

They get locked in a sound proof cupboard :)

I am a first time cruiser in July on Azura. I think I am now more confused than ever regarding tips. I was going to leave on my auto tips but now it seems people have said they are tipping on top of this to the waiter staff on the last night and you may be the only one on a full table not doing it. Do the staff look for a tip on top of their auto tips almost hand out type of thing. Or can I safely avoid embarrassment and leave on my auto tips and that is it. Do I need to tip any other staff anywhere else, if auto tips only covers some staff. Also it seems some tables in the MDR are not as nice as others and not in such a desirable position as others can someone expand on this for me.

I'm a cruise virgin myself, but here's my take on it...

I will no doubt now be leaving auto tips on, but I seriously doubt that I will be tipping anyone in addition to this. Nor will I feel obliged to do so regardless of what other people on my table are doing (although I'm on freedom dining). I accept if others are tipping on the last night might make me/you feel obliged to do the same, but maybe these tippers removed auto tips? Regardless, I won't allow what others do to influence myself. If I don't want to tip extra (and I doubt I will) then I won't do so. Others can do as they please. Maybe some of them doi it to feel self important, or richer than others on the table. However, I don't have such insecurities.

Rant over :)