Service very good. Entertainment, some better than others , you can’t please everyone. Baggage claim at Southampton very poor and chaotic, needs looking at.
We were on the Ventura a couple of years ago and in the main it is the same ship. We did notice that some of the little 'extras' were missing, such as afternoon tea in The Retreat (which we complained about so much was nominally reintroduced). I suppose my main disappointment was with the entertainment, especially in the Arena where they decided to raise the volume considerably and then add too much echo so that much of the singing became a piercing shrill and ruined much of the enjoyment. One production from Headliners was so bad that whole rows walked out. Also, there were several 'Tribute' acts; Adele, Gary Barlow, Frank Sinatra & Eric Clapton which, for me was too much and some were not very good either. We did hit extremely bad weather and so missed out on the Greek Islands and many complained, but you can not control nature and the Captain and Crew did the right thing by protecting us and the vessel from danger. But all things considered we really had a great time and would definitely recommend it.
We had a great cruise. We went on 18th Sept until 5th Oct 2018. The staff on P&O Venture were great. I had occasion to require help with a damaged shoe & Christina at reception was great help in repairing it for me. It was a great shame we were unable to get to Santorin, but that is just par for the course when conditions won't allow. We made good use of the Spa. The girls knew my husband very well by the end of the cruise. The only down side was being stuck on a table with a woman who could bore for Britain every night. If it had not been for the other couple on the table, we would have blankly refused to share with her & her partner. It was her first every cruise,& the first few days, but she already knew where to complain to when she got home!!
For a deluxe balcony it came up short as it seemed very tired ,and not very clean with a lot of dust especially round seat of chair, bottom of table and where tea and coffee is kept. Also toilet did not flush all the time and one night got blocked.Long wait for lifts ,and some didn’t work.
For our 1st cruise very enjoyable cannot fault the service. the only draw back but no fault of any bodies was the rough seas. Food excellent great choice at the buffet. Afternoon tea and evening meal at the epicurean was, (quote), "an extraordinary gastronomic journey"
Having travelled on the ship some 10 years ago, was in good condition, clean and well presented. Personnel were generally welcoming and helpful. The sole critics was the buffet service which was crowded most of the time and badly laid out. This created continuous food and variety shortages during service. Booking was straightforward and efficient both before boarding and at the port. I would recommend the holiday to others considering a winter break- it’s good value for money too!
Mostly excellent however the £7/person/night. is not popular, personally I like to tip my cabin staff and waiters etc as and when I feel it is called for, make NO mistake , I tip generously. but in the right direction, also I think an all inclusive drinks package should be made available, I understand that a few can abuse this but it is not surmountable. All in all a pleasurable experience:
Not enough good frequent music for dancing. Long delays with nothing. Excellent shows except for "comedian". Limited fresh choice of salads and vegetarian food
Enjoyed the cruise very much and for people going solo it’s not a problem. Every one makes you welcome from passengers to Staff. Loved my Cabin,Even when you are not in it a lot it’s nice to go back to somewhere very comfortable and have quiet time on the Balcony. ThAnkyou planet cruises for organising my cruise. Just wish they didn’t charge such a lot for solo travellers. ThAnkyou Planet cruise for your organisation I will use you again.
Been on many P&O cruises over the years. They now charge for many things that were previously included. For example if you want to eat in your cabin apart from breakfast they charge for each item. Gala dinners, poor entertainment in theatre, most I had seen years ago. Lecturer poor. Enjoyed the cruise as had pleasant company on my table for dinner. All helped by good weather, hot sunshine as we reached the Mediterranean.