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Ventura Behind the Scened and Captain


Presto2
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Hi,

 

We are now on our countdown to our 17 night cruise on Ventura.

 

In the past we have done the Behind the Scenes tour on Oceana and Britannia and wonder if they do one on Ventura at all. If so, is it advertised, or do we just need to check at Reception?

 

We are also wondering who the Captain of the Ventura is / is likely to be mid August. We had a fabulous Captain on Oceana last year - Captain Willard - and the Captain on Britannia recently was great. We find that it makes a difference to the feel of a cruise re the type of Captain you get and it certainly helps staff morale.

 

Thanks for any help - getting excited now ------ though somewhat anxious when we are going on a 'new' ship to us, with lots of sea days....

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Hi,

 

We are now on our countdown to our 17 night cruise on Ventura.

 

In the past we have done the Behind the Scenes tour on Oceana and Britannia and wonder if they do one on Ventura at all. If so, is it advertised, or do we just need to check at Reception?

 

We are also wondering who the Captain of the Ventura is / is likely to be mid August. We had a fabulous Captain on Oceana last year - Captain Willard - and the Captain on Britannia recently was great. We find that it makes a difference to the feel of a cruise re the type of Captain you get and it certainly helps staff morale.

 

Thanks for any help - getting excited now ------ though somewhat anxious when we are going on a 'new' ship to us, with lots of sea days....

 

On Aurora a few weeks ago I was able to book the Behind the Scenes tour on embarkation day, as I know that it usually sells out within a few hours of it being advertised. I'm sure that it will be the same on Ventura. As it happened, due to high demand, they ran 3 tours, all on the last sea day.

 

I agree that the Captain can make a real difference. Our favourite captain (by a mile) was Chris Wells. He was a huge character. I believe that he is at Cunard now. Most others we have had seem to lack any charisma and provide next to no information. I'd be interested to know who you had on Britannia. We had Paul Brown, who drove me mad with his appalling announciation "cruisin', departin', evenin', enjoyin' etc

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A quick question, as I'll be in Arcadia in 6 weeks. Is it best to ask at the guest reception desk about the behind the scenes tours on embarkation day? We really would love to go on the tour.. thanks so much. [emoji3][emoji3]

 

 

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On Aurora a few weeks ago I was able to book the Behind the Scenes tour on embarkation day, as I know that it usually sells out within a few hours of it being advertised. I'm sure that it will be the same on Ventura. As it happened, due to high demand, they ran 3 tours, all on the last sea day.

 

I agree that the Captain can make a real difference. Our favourite captain (by a mile) was Chris Wells. He was a huge character. I believe that he is at Cunard now. Most others we have had seem to lack any charisma and provide next to no information. I'd be interested to know who you had on Britannia. We had Paul Brown, who drove me mad with his appalling announciation "cruisin', departin', evenin', enjoyin' etc

 

Sorry, we can't remember. It wasn't Paul Brown - we didn't warm to him on our cruise in 2015. Our favourite Captain is Captain Willard - fabulous Captain ......... oh and Hamish on Oceana on our first cruise !

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A quick question, as I'll be in Arcadia in 6 weeks. Is it best to ask at the guest reception desk about the behind the scenes tours on embarkation day? We really would love to go on the tour.. thanks so much. [emoji3][emoji3]

 

 

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That's what we did and don't give up. They sometimes put a list together before it is advertised and on our last cruise it was never advertised as it was full by the time it came.

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A quick question, as I'll be in Arcadia in 6 weeks. Is it best to ask at the guest reception desk about the behind the scenes tours on embarkation day? We really would love to go on the tour.. thanks so much. [emoji3][emoji3]

 

 

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Yes. As Presto2 says, they can fill up before they are even advertised.

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What's a behind the scenes?

 

 

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Behind the Scenes tours last 3 to 4 hours. In a small group, you are taken around most of the areas that you don't see as a passenger, such as the Medical Centre, M1 (main staff thoroughfare on deck 4), print room, chiller rooms, waste disposal and recycling areas, engine control room (Note - this is a bank of computers and monitors - you DONT actually see the engines or the mechanical bits), anchor and mooring deck, main galley, backstage at the theatre and culminating in a visit to the Bridge, followed by drinks and a Q&A session with the Captain. At each place a senior member of staff (e.g Chief Engineer, Executive Chef, Ships Doctor) will explain what happens there and answer questions. All the senior staff are rolled out for it. Mid way, you will have a break with a drink and snacks in the restaurant (whilst it is closed, so nice and exclusive). A ships photographer will take a snap of you on the Bridge, with a captains hat on, sitting in his chair (if you wish). They also have a small gift waiting in your cabin for you for when you return. It's not cheap (£75 per head, from memory) but well worth it and it's a great way to spend half a sea day.

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On Azura last month there was heavy advertising by the Captain over several days before it was due, so I guess there were not many takers at £75 per head.

 

The daily newspaper continues to advertise events that have sold out. I guess that they slot them in to an advertising schedule and aren't very adept at checking on the status and then removing them - perhaps as they have nothing else to replace the advert with! We booked the one wine tasting in The Glasshouse and the only Sindhu lunch on Aurora recently. They both sold out very quickly (friends tried to book but couldn't) yet both continued to be advertised right up until the events. I've never known a Behind the Scenes tour not to sell out. All the ones I've been on have been sell outs and I have spoken to a number of other passengers who were disappointed at not being able to book. Sometimes, if there is a lot of demand, they will add additional tours, but not always. I remember on our first cruise on Britannia, the Captain mentioned the tour (which was on the last day of the 14 night cruise) during his welcome reception on the 2nd night. As he finished talking, I went directly to reception to book, only to be told that it had already sold out. I went back to the atrium and spoke to the Chief Engineer, expressing my disappointment. He said that he would have a look at it and, to be fair, I had a call from reception the next day to say that they had added another tour and I had secured a place. I think £75 is a bit pricey and, of course, nobody has to do it, but for me it is a great experience and a really interesting way to while away half a day (I don't sunbathe and get bored easily on sea days as the daytime 'entertainment' schedule is rarely of interest to me).

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Behind the Scenes tours last 3 to 4 hours. In a small group, you are taken around most of the areas that you don't see as a passenger, such as the Medical Centre, M1 (main staff thoroughfare on deck 4), print room, chiller rooms, waste disposal and recycling areas, engine control room (Note - this is a bank of computers and monitors - you DONT actually see the engines or the mechanical bits), anchor and mooring deck, main galley, backstage at the theatre and culminating in a visit to the Bridge, followed by drinks and a Q&A session with the Captain. At each place a senior member of staff (e.g Chief Engineer, Executive Chef, Ships Doctor) will explain what happens there and answer questions. All the senior staff are rolled out for it. Mid way, you will have a break with a drink and snacks in the restaurant (whilst it is closed, so nice and exclusive). A ships photographer will take a snap of you on the Bridge, with a captains hat on, sitting in his chair (if you wish). They also have a small gift waiting in your cabin for you for when you return. It's not cheap (£75 per head, from memory) but well worth it and it's a great way to spend half a sea day.

 

 

 

Ah yes I think I have seen them but I have a suspicion it was on a port day. I will add it to my list for Britannia! Thank you [emoji4]

 

 

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On Aurora a few weeks ago I was able to book the Behind the Scenes tour on embarkation day, as I know that it usually sells out within a few hours of it being advertised. I'm sure that it will be the same on Ventura. As it happened, due to high demand, they ran 3 tours, all on the last sea day.

 

I agree that the Captain can make a real difference. Our favourite captain (by a mile) was Chris Wells. He was a huge character. I believe that he is at Cunard now. Most others we have had seem to lack any charisma and provide next to no information. I'd be interested to know who you had on Britannia. We had Paul Brown, who drove me mad with his appalling announciation "cruisin', departin', evenin', enjoyin' etc

Not wanting to be accused of criticising you, as personal opinions are just that, but we have had Paul Brown twice on Britannia, and we found him very good and approachable. He even joined in the sail a ways.

I have even had a long chat with him, and found him to be a great bloke.

As we are carrot cruncher's, maybe we accept his strange pronunciations, as being "not strange". We even forgive those that "yah super" all the time.

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On Azura last month there was heavy advertising by the Captain over several days before it was due, so I guess there were not many takers at £75 per head.

Strange isn't it, but we did one on Carnival that was FREE. I don't know if they have started to charge now as we have jumped the Carnival ship so to speak. When we have been on RCCI, I believe they were charging $150 ..... eek.

Having been on one, and been fascinated, I am not sure that a second one would be as impressive, as I now know the expectations, and have seen it on many tv shows.

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Davenew. I agree with you about Paul Brown as we also had him as Captain on Britannia recently and really thought he mingled and interacted well. We are from "up north" Yorkshire & Lancashire so his pronunciation was no problem at all ha ha.

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I also agree about Paul Brown, I think he is very good, interacts well and joins in with the sail away parties. He should be judged on how he does his job not how he speaks and it certainly shouldn't be described as 'appalling'.

 

Then again I'm from Merseyside so I probably can't speak properly either.

 

We had a Captain once who spoke the perfect 'Queen's English ', he was Captain Fennelow and he was as dull and boring as they come. Give me Paul Brown any day.

 

 

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Have to say that Paul Brown is not our favourite Captain, but I do think that we had been spoiled with Hamish and Capt Willard who I think is spot on. Thinking about it though, Paul Brown took part in the Great British Sailaway and it was hilarious. :)

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Have to say that Paul Brown is not our favourite Captain, but I do think that we had been spoiled with Hamish and Capt Willard who I think is spot on. Thinking about it though, Paul Brown took part in the Great British Sailaway and it was hilarious. :)

 

Not seen that side of him! He's obviously livened up a bit since the last two cruises which we did with him. We've got him again in a few months time. To be fair to him, of the 8 or so different P&O captains we have had over the years, only two were real personalities. I take it for granted that they all are superb seafarers (or they wouldn't be in the job), but as they are commanding a floating holiday resort with thousands of people who are on holiday, I agree with others that a really engaging one can make a huge difference. To take our all time favourite, Chris Wells, he would broadcast every morning with interesting info about our overnight passage and arrival, do most of the noon announcements (again, with really interesting facts), explain the sailaway procedures and route, highlight points of interest (including dolphins etc) and always had something amusing to say. He held passenger Q&A's (informative but also really funny) and was seen around the ship engaging with passengers. He would also have major ships whistle (horn) competitions with any other cruise ship we encountered, which were hilarious and enjoyed by all. He was a major (positive) talking point amongst the passengers, and we were delighted to find that we had him as Captain on another cruise a few years later. Haven't come across the other two good ones you mention, but I'm pleased to hear that there are others out there.

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Anyone any idea who is on Ventura at the moment and likely to be on in August?

 

 

 

I have actually been sent a 'moments' magazine this year, for some reason I didn't get one last year. It says 10th July- 17th Sept is Marcin Banach

 

 

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I have actually been sent a 'moments' magazine this year, for some reason I didn't get one last year. It says 10th July- 17th Sept is Marcin Banach

 

 

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Who? Have not heard of him. What nationality is he?

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Who? Have not heard of him. What nationality is he?

 

 

 

I think he isPolish and this might sound mad but I think he was our Captain on our first cruise! He's quite young and I liked him! I've been trying to find out who he was, he was very re-assuring and reminded me of Camby in a way because he gave an emotional last broadcast thanking all the crew.

Perhaps someone else can confirm? We had him on Azura in 2012 and I wondered where he'd gone!

 

 

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Have looked him up and he seems a nice enough Captain. As long as he toots at other ships and has a sense of humour we will be ok ;-)

Didn't do any tooting in March but he did gave a thought of the day at noon most days, some of which were hilarious.

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