Ventura

Ventura joined the P&O Cruises fleet in 2008. Since then, she has become a much-loved vessel due to her contemporary amenities and variety of facilities. Welcoming 3,080 passengers, Ventura is one of the larger ships in the fleet and will be refurbished in 2023.

On board experience

Accommodation

There are eight cabin types on Ventura; Penthouse, Suites, Superior Deluxe Balconies, Superior Balcony, Balcony, Outside, Inside and Singles. Despite only being 160 square feet, Inside cabins actually feel very spacious with two lower beds that can convert to a king size, two small bedside tables and a writing desk with a television.

Similarly, Outside cabins have two lower beds that can convert to a king size bed with a wardrobe and drawer space. Bathrooms vary between a shower or a shower over a bath. Balcony cabins have sliding doors that offer panoramic views and an entrance to a personal balcony. Superior Deluxe cabins have a separate living room area with a sofa, table and space for two chairs, two televisions (one for the living area and one for the bathroom), a wraparound desk and a wardrobe area with plenty of storage and hanging space.

Suites are filled with special touches; personal butler service, daily canapes, a magazine and newspaper selection, a Senseo coffee machine with complimentary pods, bathrobes and slippers, a fruit basket, flowers, chocolate and champagne on arrival. There are 24 suites on Ventura, all of which have a separate living space with a corner sofa (which can be converted to a single sofa bed), a table and chairs, a dining table, flat-screen television with a DVD player and an MP3 player.

Dining

As expected, the food on Ventura is of an exceptionally high standard. Cinnamon, Saffron and Bay Tree are the three main dining rooms. Cinnamon and Saffron offer Freedom Dining which means you can eat anytime between 6.00 pm and 9.30 pm whereas Bay Tree has fixed dining times with one sitting at 6.30 pm and the other at 8.30 pm. The menus in all three restaurants change daily and there is a special Gala Menu on formal nights, designed and executed by Marco Pierre White.

The Glass House, Sindhu and Epicurean at The White Room are Ventura’s Fee Dining restaurants. The Glass House has an a la carte menu and offers both small and large plates. Every dish has been paired with an accompanying wine by wine expert Olly Smith. Food & Wine Pairing Dinners are offered twice a week for £30 per person. The pairing dinners include a delicious four-course meal with wines for each course, plus a guide to talk you through the choices.

Sindhu, on Deck 7, has a truly authentic Indian feel. The menu matches the beautiful decor with a variety of outstanding Indian dishes; enjoy shammi kebab, jai tarang or gosht ke dhuandhar soole. Epicurean at The White Room is an outstanding experience from the beautiful decor to the delicious cuisine and lovely setting, it is a restaurant not to be missed.

Entertainment

During the day there’s plenty going on to keep you occupied. There’s a full programme published in The Horizon every day, which is delivered to your cabin the night before. There are quizzes and bingo in The Exchange pub, tennis and table tennis on the sports deck, deck quoits and shuffleboard on the Sun Deck and bridge in the Peninsular Room. If that’s not enough, films are shown throughout the day in the Arena Theatre and at night, two main shows are performed here either at 7.00 pm and 8.30 pm or 8.30 pm and 10.30 pm.

There is a range of bars and lounges for you to sit back and relax in. The Exchange serves a wide range of beers on tap and in bottles. As you’d expect from a traditional British pub, The Exchange regularly shows sporting events on wide screens and hosts karaoke evenings. Adjacent to the pub is Fortunes, the ship’s casino.

The Tamarind Club is a lovely option for a pre-dinner drink thanks to the live music that is regularly played here. Similarly, Havana hosts singers and bands at various times throughout the evening. The classes spot on board, The Metropolis Bar has one of the best views, reminiscent of a city centre 5-star hotel bar.

Destinations

Ventura sails the Caribbean sea in January and February before journeying to the Mediterranean between May and September and finally, the Canary Islands between October and December.

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