How to get the most from our upcoming Ventura cruise?

[moqui_girl]

I should go to Youth Area registration as soon as this opens to register. You need both parents to get signed up regarding dropping off and collecting youngster. Whilst there enquire specifically about dropping off at 18.30 and what level of sleepiness will be required at that time in the evening. They might disclose that they just want quiet ones early on. They will likely give you a pager to recall you if necessary. But you can find out the score and work out if early children's tea is an option.

 

If you can drop off at 18.30 getting to Bay Tree restaurant in time wont be too difficult. There will be plenty of empty lifts because the buffet diners will be coming up to the high decks for dinner and vacating the lifts. You can be first in lift going down and will find it fills back up on descent to 6 as Bay Tree diners pack in.

 

If you are on a shared table tell the other diners to carry on in your absence if you are not punctual. I think you will make it by an acceptable time 18.10 at the latest. If you feel it is too late to go to the first sitting. The Buffet is an alternative however you can still check out if the upgraded restaurants have any availability on the night for now or a bit later. Beach House and Epicurean are nearby if you get recalled though Epicurean is often a sell out. Early on in the cruise a lot of people have not worked everything out and winging it is easier.

 

You just got to work out what the options are from the start and go for things. You can run things differently each night to suit, I have even seen three guys in tuxedos pushing a sleepy child round in a pushchair discussing the dinner/sleepy child/entertainment issue in a rational civilised manner. Just find out what works nice.

 

Regarrds John

 

 

Thanks. I think we will most likely be the ones pushing the buggy around in a tux (well my husband will)!! I'm not sure my daughter will actually go to the night nursery at all. She has a complex heart condition which comes with additional issues such as not being able to be left to cry and her being wary of being left with people she doesn't know very well. I am going to be registering her there though and we'll see how it goes. We might be able to leave her after dinner if she sleeps so we can enjoy some evening entertainment. We might even try and book a speciality restaurant one night if she does well at sleeping without us.

[Scriv]

Are the Beach House and Glass House speciality restaurants please? Do you pay supplements?

[djclark18]

Yes the pram is going to be an interesting challenge for us!

 

Check the width of your pram versus the width of the cabin door. We had to buy a foldaway pram specifically for this reason last year....

[Hatters cruiser]

Are the Beach House and Glass House speciality restaurants please? Do you pay supplements?

 

 

You do pay a supplement to eat in the Beachhouse and Glasshouse. I was on the Ventura in August and the Beachhouse had a £5 cover charge per night and some dishes had an extra £1-2 charge as well.

 

The Glasshouse does not have a cover charge but the dishes cost a few pounds more.

[Scriv]

Thanks all :)

[moqui_girl]

Check the width of your pram versus the width of the cabin door. We had to buy a foldaway pram specifically for this reason last year....

 

 

Thanks. I will check but we are taking our foldaway so it had better fit [emoji85]

Edited September 29, 2015 by moqui_girl

[Devon Doll]

Not sure if anyone has told you as I haven't read all the posts but as an aid to finding your way around, the carpets are differently coloured forward, midships and aft which does help.

[smj777]

The little side on map that they give you on embarkation isn't very useful. If you are on a P&O ship that is new to you, get hold of a P&O Cruises brochure and tear out the deckplan of the ship that you are on. They are all at the back of the brochure.

[Hatters cruiser]

You can also download the floor plans for the Ventura from the P&O website onto a tablet if you have one.

[moqui_girl]

All good suggestions. Thanks. I've downloaded the deck plans to my phone. The tip about the carpets is useful. I know they do it on other ships so I'll look out for it!