Live from 35 nights on Ventura, what have I done?

[Eddie99]

Wishing you smooth seas to Southampton (forecast), trouble-free disembarkation (sorry - that was poor for us on the corresponding journey. The excuse?  Pax had bought too much stuff, so the luggage took longer to unload), and an easy journey home

 

Thank you for your blog.  I enjoyed it very much 

Edited February 4 by Eddie99

[mrsgoggins]

2 hours ago, TigerB said:

Thanks for the update, and the great photos👍🏻

 

Praia da Vitória really does look lovely. Tell me, what was the accessibility like for wheelchair users?

 

I have spoken with a lady on a mobility scooter who did go ashore yesterday. She confirmed that the shuttle was good and that dropped kerbs were there 'but you had to look for them'.

 

If you enlarge my photo showing a zebra crossing (long blue building) you can see a dropped kerb.

 

Hope that helps a bit.

 

 

[P&O SUE]

On 2/1/2024 at 7:23 PM, terrierjohn said:

What is your question?

On freedom dining you can choose when to dine, and you can request a table for 2, but you might have to wait for one to become available.

It wasn’t a question, I just said I had considered trying fixed dining as we have had some problems with Freedom on the last cruises we’d done. We’d missed entertainment we’d wanted to do as we didn’t get into the dining room as soon as we wanted. I have no problem with getting a pager and waiting but some evenings we missed shows because of that. However, if we changed to fixed dining we wouldn’t be guaranteed a table for two which we like. We’ve paid for speciality dining so that we can get to the shows we want to see, which is our choice.

[P&O SUE]

Mrs Goggins, thanks for your reviews, I do like Ventura, hope the rest of your cruise goes well.

[P&O SUE]

On 2/3/2024 at 2:41 PM, Presto2 said:

Must admit we didn't like the Beach House Menu on our Caribbean cruise - it was a special menu and everything seemed to have chilli in it or other strong spices ! Even some of the desserts ! Why they have changed it, no idea -- perhaps just a few Caribbean specialities, not the whole lot !

I agree about the Beach House. We loved it on Ventura and Azura when it was the free Italian! We couldn’t believe it was free and as the cruise went on and news got out there was a long queue every night!

However the more American menu isn’t so much to my taste and leaves me bloated! I haven’t tried the spicy one but that wouldn’t be for me. This year I might try it again, we’ll see!

[Beckett]

@mrsgoggins. Thank you so much for your reviews which I've been following avidly and thoroughly enjoyed. Your time and trouble is much appreciated. Fingers crossed for calm seas on your way home. Jane xx

[Presto2]

1 hour ago, P&O SUE said:

It wasn’t a question, I just said I had considered trying fixed dining as we have had some problems with Freedom on the last cruises we’d done. We’d missed entertainment we’d wanted to do as we didn’t get into the dining room as soon as we wanted. I have no problem with getting a pager and waiting but some evenings we missed shows because of that. However, if we changed to fixed dining we wouldn’t be guaranteed a table for two which we like. We’ve paid for speciality dining so that we can get to the shows we want to see, which is our choice.

Hi Sue, we found in January that all of the speciality dining venues were sold out by the time we got on the ship so best not to wait. That doesn't help if you want to see a show though as you won't know what is on when before hand

[P&O SUE]

10 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

Hi Sue, we found in January that all of the speciality dining venues were sold out by the time we got on the ship so best not to wait. That doesn't help if you want to see a show though as you won't know what is on when before hand

 I know that’s the dilemma, isn’t it? Don’t worry I am a planner so as soon as I can see I can book I will book things!

[Thedonkeycentrehalf]

On 2/6/2024 at 12:43 PM, Presto2 said:

Hi Sue, we found in January that all of the speciality dining venues were sold out by the time we got on the ship so best not to wait. That doesn't help if you want to see a show though as you won't know what is on when before hand

We were on Ventura in early summer last year and the dining venues were all booked up several days before departure.  Luckily, we were able to get into the Glasshouse which we really enjoyed.

[Sarah1974]

@mrsgoggins many thanks for your blog; I've enjoyed following along

[mrsgoggins]

6 hours ago, Thedonkeycentrehalf said:

We were on Ventura in early summer last year and the dining venues were all booked up several days before departure.  Luckily, we were able to get into the Glasshouse which we really enjoyed.

We ate in Epicurean 5 times this cruise, the last time being last night, our final night on board. The waiters were telling us that the restaurant is very heavily booked for the 4-night cruise Ventura is doing before she heads back across the Atlantic for her USA and Caribbean cruise. Obviously not by people wanting to book it with on board credit! They may be disappointed.

[Dobbers]

Thank you for your blog mrsgoggins, really enjoyed reading it.  Can’t believe it’s gone so fast 😮😊

[Gettingwarmer]

10 hours ago, mrsgoggins said:

We ate in Epicurean 5 times this cruise, the last time being last night, our final night on board. The waiters were telling us that the restaurant is very heavily booked for the 4-night cruise Ventura is doing before she heads back across the Atlantic for her USA and Caribbean cruise. Obviously not by people wanting to book it with on board credit! They may be disappointed.

Thank you for your news from Ventura. We are on her later this year and are looking forward to it. 

[mrsgoggins]

2 hours ago, Gettingwarmer said:

Thank you for your news from Ventura. We are on her later this year and are looking forward to it. 

 

I'm sure you will enjoy it. She's a nice ship with a few maintenance issues (more to come when I've unpacked). Despite my grumbles after noticing empty (reserved) tables for two in Freedom dining when we had been told 'only shared tables available right now', we have been on Ventura three times prior to this and never had any issues at all. The staff were fantastic in the main.

 

I wish you smooth seas and good weather on her.

[mrsgoggins]

My final post on the departure from our cruise, now that we are home and now both suffering from cough/throat lurgy!  Like @Selbourne this is lingering, and wakes me up multiple times in the night. I need a holiday 😉

 

Many were heartily coughing on the coach back to the North West, and during the Captain's question and answer session in the theatre on Tuesday, a woman asked him when would something be done about the air conditioning to prevent all the coughs! The Captain's reply was that since Covid, the additional filtration systems in place mean that you would not get cleaner air anywhere. I don't know what to think. Packed lifts? Packed theatres? Just unlucky?

 

I believe I mentioned earlier that I would report on the disembarkation process in relation to coming home on a coach - Eavesway in our case.

 

 

The information sheet told us where to wait and we would expect to be off the ship by 8.30-9 am. We waited in the Red Bar, and in the event it was 9.15 am before we allowed to disembark and join the hunt for suitcases. This is new to us (with P&O), since we normally self-disembark as early as possible. Our record was last March after our Iona Canaries cruise when we drove off from CPS car park at 6.50 am and were on our drive, 250 miles away, just before 11 am.

 

Eavesway had hoped to get us away by 9.30 am, but because of the delay with the luggage, it was 10.15 am before we set off. The journey was fine, other than lots of coughing, and the coach was only half full. We had a 45 minute stop at a Motorway Services, before starting the drop-offs. Our time at Burtonwood on the M62 was 3.30 pm and the Liverpool drop off was 4 pm. My brother-in-law met us and we were home half and hour later.

 

As I suspected might happen, mrgoggins, who had been enthusiastic for the coach option, it being January/February, said during the lunch stop in the midlands, '..... we would have been home by now had we come by car ......'.  So that's it, a Premier Inn room has now been booked for 2 January 2025 and we will be keeping our CPS parking option!

 

A good cruise on a ship showing her age with some maintenance issues - lifts, lamps in bathrooms (they had no replacements on board) and in our case, the TV which needed replacing. 

 

I have now completed my post cruise questionnaire, which is largely very positive of course. However, as the said questionnaire mentions several times 'feeling special' as in: 'do you want to feel special?' (well, in my case this option was unselected, as no, I don't!) and 'were you made to feel special?'. I had to point out that the reserving of tables for 2 on freedom dining for favoured guests, whilst being told I would have to share or take a pager, did not make me feel special 😉. By the way, this was no longer an issue after I made a fuss - but it's not right; IMHO.

 

Despite my initial misgivings about 5 weeks - and I would have been happy to have been home after 4 - I am quite pleased that we have signed up for both January 25 and January 26 on Ventura. Notes to myself include such nuggets as 'Do not take much chocolate; it was brought home untouched' and 'Do take a pot of French mustard to use with steak' 😁

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Beckett]

Thank you @mrsgoggins for your very enjoyable blog. I hope you and MrG feel recovered from your coughs soon. Ventura has always been my favourite ship with P&O and I'm happy you enjoyed her so much. Jane xx

[Eddie99]

… and a final thank you from me

I enjoyed sailing along with you before, during, and after my regulation 2 week holiday

We’re 2 weeks back, and I think we now feel confident in saying that we have come through unscathed.  However, we also deliberately avoided some situations and activities we would normally have enjoyed.  Swings and roundabouts…

 

So, get well soon and continue your planning for action replays in 2025 and 2026.  You have so much information to help you make the most of it - down to the need for French mustard

[Dermotsgirl]

5 hours ago, mrsgoggins said:

 

Many were heartily coughing on the coach back to the North West, and during the Captain's question and answer session in the theatre on Tuesday, a woman asked him when would something be done about the air conditioning to prevent all the coughs! The Captain's reply was that since Covid, the additional filtration systems in place mean that you would not get cleaner air anywhere. I don't know what to think. Packed lifts? Packed theatres? Just unlucky?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've never felt as if I got to the bottom of what P&O (and other cruise lines) did to improve air filtration on their ships.

 

I think there may have been an assumption the hepa filters were fitted, but I can't actually find anything from P&O to confirm this. On their website, the said that air conditioning systems had been 'improved' to 'enhance' air filtration - but no mention is made of actual hepa filters. Perhaps this is something that @molecrochip would be able to clarify.

 

However, air filtration alone isn't enough to stop airborne viruses, but there seems little appetite from the cruise companies and passengers alike to take further steps that may be more effective. 

 

I have to say, I would have taken the captain's remarks about 'not finding cleaner air anywhere', with a large pinch of salt!  

 

I'm not really involved much with cruising anymore, but I checked back from time to time to read your reports.

 

It brought back happy memories of our 5 week cruise on Oceana in February 2016.  In a different world, I would have no doubt done a similar cruise on Ventura by now. 

 

Thank you for all your efforts, and  hope you feel better soon 

[SeaJane]

Thank you @mrsgoggins for your interesting blog. Our longest cruise so far has been 22 days and I’ve often thought about a longer trip to visit further afield. Reading blogs such as yours gives food for thought! 

[TigerB]

@mrsgoggins, I don't know why but I missed your post from Saturday. I'm all caught up now. Thank you so much for taking us along with you; it's been great reading your posts. I'm not sure we're ready for a 35 nighter just yet, unless we could sneak on our little CoCo!😉

 

We board Iona this weekend, and are really looking forward to that. I won't be doing a live blog, but will write daily notes and take loads of photos, including food porn, and post upon our return.

Edited February 14 by TigerB

[mrsgoggins]

44 minutes ago, TigerB said:

@mrsgoggins, I don't know why but I missed your post from Saturday. I'm all caught up now. Thank you so much for taking us along with you; it's been great reading your posts. I'm not sure we're ready for a 35 nighter just yet, unless we could sneak on our little CoCo!😉

 

We board Iona this weekend, and are really looking forward to that. I won't be doing a live blog, but will write daily notes and take loads of photos, including food porn, and post upon our return.

Your input was invaluable and I smile each time I see CoCo. I’m desperate to give a home to a cat (or two) but it is our long trips away that stops me; for now!

 

I’ll be very interested in your Iona post when you return. Meanwhile I wish you and your lass, the very best trip without any lurgy encounters 🤞