P&O Cruisers - What are things like where YOU are?

[Josy1953]

We are thinking of going on a cruise to the Canaries on Ventura but it is a 6 years since we last went with P&O and even longer since we went on Ventura.  We have been cruising with Princess, Cunard and celebrity rather than P&O.  I was wondering if anyone on here has been on Ventura recently and what your thoughts on her are.  

[mrsgoggins]

1 hour ago, Josy1953 said:

We are thinking of going on a cruise to the Canaries on Ventura but it is a 6 years since we last went with P&O and even longer since we went on Ventura.  We have been cruising with Princess, Cunard and celebrity rather than P&O.  I was wondering if anyone on here has been on Ventura recently and what your thoughts on her are.  

 

I have Josy, in May, and like you, I was on Sky Princess last year (and will be on her again shortly),  and we were on Celebrity Equinox at the start of the year, so our taste in cruise lines appears similar.

 

Our Ventura cruise to Spain and Portugal in May was enjoyable and the ship appeared fine to me, which is as well because we are on her for 35 nights next year.  DH particularly likes the pool (he's in it by 7 am!) as it's the deepest of the ships we use.  We had a lot of OBC on this cruise and so ate in Epicurean 4 times, Beach House twice and Sindhu once.  Loved the Epicurean experience especially. I cannot comment on the bars since I'm a non-drinker and don't use them.

 

We always requested a table for two on the 3 occasions we used the MDR for dinner and twice we were allocated the banquette seating where the neighbouring tables are only inches away, which I dislike, as my DH has very poor hearing and so if I spoke very softly he would never hear, so we eat and leave!  We had been on Iona previously and I only recall being given proper tables for 2 each time. I think that's my only gripe. The cabins are dated and the TVs small but that wasn't an issue for us.

 

Otherwise, it was a good cruise.  Oh, and as I currently have an 11 am embarkation time for Sky Princess and an 11.30-noon embarkation time with Celebrity Silhouette in my near future, the P&O system of allocating boarding times (ours was 3.30 pm) was an irritation, which has been slugged out on another thread 😁.

[Josy1953]

2 hours ago, mrsgoggins said:

 

I have Josy, in May, and like you, I was on Sky Princess last year (and will be on her again shortly),  and we were on Celebrity Equinox at the start of the year, so our taste in cruise lines appears similar.

 

Our Ventura cruise to Spain and Portugal in May was enjoyable and the ship appeared fine to me, which is as well because we are on her for 35 nights next year.  DH particularly likes the pool (he's in it by 7 am!) as it's the deepest of the ships we use.  We had a lot of OBC on this cruise and so ate in Epicurean 4 times, Beach House twice and Sindhu once.  Loved the Epicurean experience especially. I cannot comment on the bars since I'm a non-drinker and don't use them.

 

We always requested a table for two on the 3 occasions we used the MDR for dinner and twice we were allocated the banquette seating where the neighbouring tables are only inches away, which I dislike, as my DH has very poor hearing and so if I spoke very softly he would never hear, so we eat and leave!  We had been on Iona previously and I only recall being given proper tables for 2 each time. I think that's my only gripe. The cabins are dated and the TVs small but that wasn't an issue for us.

 

Otherwise, it was a good cruise.  Oh, and as I currently have an 11 am embarkation time for Sky Princess and an 11.30-noon embarkation time with Celebrity Silhouette in my near future, the P&O system of allocating boarding times (ours was 3.30 pm) was an irritation, which has been slugged out on another thread 😁.

Thank you. 

I think that we will probably risk Ventura because it seems that most other ships are not sailing out of Southampton during the winter and we have to go from Southampton because DH has a health condition that means that he is unable to fly.

I much prefer the boarding on Princess because we can select our boarding time but I think that we will take the free coach option so that we don't need to drive if the weather is poor so going on past experience boarding time should not be a big issue. 

[P&O SUE]

On 7/4/2023 at 9:25 AM, indiana123 said:

We thought about that too but it was about £320, with parking.  In the end we booked the Aegus Bowl Hilton and  parking at the port.  Still hundreds but that's the way it is going.   

 

I remember, some years ago, West Quay PI was £32 for our night before cruising!!!

Ooh I’ve been looking at the Ageas Bowl for a couple of years and funnily enough was looking this morning for my cruise next March. Prices started lower but for a room overlooking the cricket pitch it was £146 so I might book it!

[P&O SUE]

On 7/4/2023 at 11:15 AM, davecttr said:

My  house insurance renewal notice just arrived, a hefty increase but still good value so I will renew.

 

Also had an email yesterday from Premier Inn for my stay in Southampton West Quay next week. there is no air conditioning and no reason why. 😠 A lengthy search online revealed the problem is building work which has been delayed for months. The discussion suggested Southampton Airport as an alternative which apparently has working A/C. I booked the airport hotel and will cancel the West Quay one without charge. Also change my August booking as well.

 

The port transfer firm will be happy that they don't have to drive into Southampton.

 

I’ve gone off Premier Inn lately as the last two or three times I’ve stayed the air conditioning has been so fierce I have been freezing! I particularly don’t like the breeze over my face! There doesn’t seem to be a way of turning it off either.

[kalos]

17 minutes ago, P&O SUE said:

Ooh I’ve been looking at the Ageas Bowl for a couple of years and funnily enough was looking this morning for my cruise next March. Prices started lower but for a room overlooking the cricket pitch it was £146 so I might book it!

 

Was that price by a comparison site Sue ? 

Using them direct and signing up as a member (costs nowt) gives you cheaper prices .

[P&O SUE]

42 minutes ago, Josy1953 said:

Thank you. 

I think that we will probably risk Ventura because it seems that most other ships are not sailing out of Southampton during the winter and we have to go from Southampton because DH has a health condition that means that he is unable to fly.

I much prefer the boarding on Princess because we can select our boarding time but I think that we will take the free coach option so that we don't need to drive if the weather is poor so going on past experience boarding time should not be a big issue. 

 
As you know I’ve been on Ventura recently and I wouldn’t hesitate to go again. Of course it was a short cruise so that makes a difference but I do like the layout of the Grand Class of ship! 
I would be interested to hear how you get on on a longer cruise as the most of the best itineraries from Southampton are on Ventura as she isn’t stuck like Iona on the same itinerary every week!

[P&O SUE]

13 minutes ago, kalos said:

 

Was that price by a comparison site Sue ? 

Using them direct and signing up as a member (costs nowt) gives you cheaper prices .

No it was on the hotel’s own site and booking dot com! Surprised they were the same as the latter is usually cheaper!

[terrierjohn]

25 minutes ago, P&O SUE said:

I’ve gone off Premier Inn lately as the last two or three times I’ve stayed the air conditioning has been so fierce I have been freezing! I particularly don’t like the breeze over my face! There doesn’t seem to be a way of turning it off either.

I have never had problems with switching the heating/AC off in a PI, and the reception staff are generally very helpful if you have any issues 

[P&O SUE]

Just now, terrierjohn said:

I have never had problems with switching the heating/AC off in a PI, and the reception staff are generally very helpful if you have any issues 

Interesting, perhaps we need to ask 😃

[Fionboard]

Good reviews from some of you on Elizabeth House. So am using for my Arcadia 24 nighter in September. £268 including parking. Not bad and cheaper than my usual, Holiday Inn. Hope it is ok.

[kalos]

19 minutes ago, P&O SUE said:

No it was on the hotel’s own site and booking dot com! Surprised they were the same as the latter is usually cheaper!

strange !  They usually have a headline price that Booking.com would quote  and at the side a members price which should be cheaper .

Providing your sorted and happy all's ok .🙂

[P&O SUE]

4 minutes ago, kalos said:

strange !  They usually have a headline price that Booking.com would quote  and at the side a members price which should be cheaper .

Providing your sorted and happy all's ok .🙂

I haven’t booked yet because I have to check with he who thinks he’s the boss 😉

[yorkshirephil]

33 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

Good reviews from some of you on Elizabeth House. So am using for my Arcadia 24 nighter in September. £268 including parking. Not bad and cheaper than my usual, Holiday Inn. Hope it is ok.

We have stayed at Elizabeth house and it was fine, cracking breakfast, but of course that was BC. It is close enough to walk into town in the evening. We paid £156 for 2 weeks. 

[yorkshirephil]

Bit dull here again, about time it warmed up a bit, we don't seem to be getting our share of global warming. Looks better for tomorrow then rain and cooler Sat onward, boo.

[Josy1953]

38 minutes ago, P&O SUE said:

I haven’t booked yet because I have to check with he who thinks he’s the boss 😉

I find it easier to book and then tell him where and when we are going.

[purplesea]

2 hours ago, P&O SUE said:

No it was on the hotel’s own site and booking dot com! Surprised they were the same as the latter is usually cheaper!

I have been looking at the Hilton at Bristol Airport for January and it is the same price on most of the sites.

[purplesea]

55 minutes ago, Josy1953 said:

I find it easier to book and then tell him where and when we are going.

That's what I do too!

[Ardennais]

14 hours ago, indiana123 said:

 

Strange, my good pal and I were only talking about this last night.  Mine were teenagers first then hers followed and we helped each other out.

 

I definitely would not want to deal with teenagers now.  It was bad enough then, and ours weren't too bad

I actually miss those days! The girls were all home and we had great times. Yes, they had their moments, but so did I! Seeing the world through the eyes of children and young people is a real privilege. Very often, they’re better company than adults! 

[Harry Peterson]

10 minutes ago, Ardennais said:

I actually miss those days! The girls were all home and we had great times. Yes, they had their moments, but so did I! Seeing the world through the eyes of children and young people is a real privilege. Very often, they’re better company than adults! 

Absolutely. Our two were great as teenagers for most of the time (obviously the odd disagreement, but nothing of consequence) and they still are. One more year and our daughter will have her own teenage daughter, but they get on so well together I’d be amazed if they had major issues. Perhaps it helps if everyone’s broadly on the same wavelength on social and generational issues.

[Eglesbrech]

@Harry Peterson I hope your family were indoors when the weather struck. Sunshine first thing, 20 minutes of drenching, soaking, pummelling rain - then sunshine again!

 

Seems to have been the same right across the country today.

 

Hope they are having fun in Auld Reekie.

 

 

[Harry Peterson]

2 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

@Harry Peterson I hope your family were indoors when the weather struck. Sunshine first thing, 20 minutes of drenching, soaking, pummelling rain - then sunshine again!

 

Seems to have been the same right across the country today.

 

Hope they are having fun in Auld Reekie.

 

 

Thanks - they are. Everything was planned out in advance (she’s a teacher who gave up teaching to home educate) quite meticulously, including several of the things you mentioned, but additional local knowledge always welcomed! 
 

This extract from an email sums it up:

 

“We're off to the zoo today. 

 

Having a very lovely time...I really, really like Edinburgh. A lot. 

 

It’s proving to be a really very pleasant city to be in. I'm amazed that we haven't been here before but I'm pretty certain we'll come again.”

 

They’re off to Paris in August, rioting permitting. I always boast about being there, on the boul’mich, in ‘68, carefully omitting to mention that it was in August and not the Spring.

 

 

[davecttr]

2 hours ago, yorkshirephil said:

Bit dull here again, about time it warmed up a bit, we don't seem to be getting our share of global warming. Looks better for tomorrow then rain and cooler Sat onward, boo.

I had a hot Gazpacho episode. This is Gazpacho is hot I said, He looked puzzled. eventually the head waiter arrived and I explained the Gazpacho soup on the menu was HOT. No explanation forthcoming so I reckon someone in the galley thought you had to heat the Gazpacho soup because their boss did not tell them not to, anyway the tomato soup tasted fine.

[Splice the mainbrace]

5 hours ago, P&O SUE said:

Ooh I’ve been looking at the Ageas Bowl for a couple of years and funnily enough was looking this morning for my cruise next March. Prices started lower but for a room overlooking the cricket pitch it was £146 so I might book it!

I put in a random March 2024 date at the Holiday Inn by Mayflower Park Southampton and the prices are from £88 for a room and £223 including breakfast and up to 15 days parking.

[Josy1953]

We had to go into town this afternoon and walking past a trave agency DH suggested we went in to  book on the Ventura cruise that we saw on online this morning.  It will be our our first P&O cruise for a while.  We haven't booked with an agent since having problems with an online agent when our P&O cruise was cancelled due to the Covid pause.  I just hope that we have done the right thing but we will enjoy ourselves whatever happens.