My wife and I are, I suppose, experienced cruisers and most of our cruising history has been with P&O Cruises
UK. In fact, this was our 24th cruise on the MV Ventura so we know it inside out and have seen the changes
onboard since we first sailed on her in 2011.
By 2011 we had read enough reviews and spoken to enough previous Ventura passengers to realise that the Ventura
was no different to any other ship so we decided to give her a try. She has become our favourite ship! We have
sailed on most of the other ships in P&O's fleet, Azura, Aurora, Arcadia and Britannia but we have no interest
in the newer, larger ships, Iona and Arvia but that's another story.
So, down to business with our review of our latest outing on the MV Ventura which sailed to the Canary Islands,
Cadiz and Lisbon on a 14 night cruise...
We are entitled to Priority Boarding and early check-in at the terminal in Southampton so we arrived at 11:15
for check-in at 11:30. Unfortunately there was a delay caused by the ship not being ready and we were asked to
return at 11:45 which we did. We park our car with Cruise Passenger Services and they were as efficient and
helpful as always. I am neurodivergent (Autistic) and my Sunflower Lanyard was recognised, offers of additional
assistance made and politely refused. CPS are wonderful and always go out of their way to help. Our luggage was
offloaded and our car driven off for its own 2 week break.😎
Once we had deposited our luggage at the terminal we were directed into the Priority Lane which allows us to
bypass the queue for check-in and we were immediately recognised by a staff member as possibly in need of
assistance but this wasn't necessary and we proceeded to check-in. The check-in lady was kind, had a good
disposition and did not hurry us and we were quickly sent on our way to security. On the way, we were waylaid by
a member of staff and asked to take a seat in the waiting area along with all the other priority passengers as
there was yet another delay but, after about 10 minutes, we proceeded to security. These hiccups do occur but
rarely.
At security, which is similar to airport security, our carry-on bags were x-rayed, our bodies scanned and then
we were free to join the ship. A few minutes later we were aboard and registered at our emergency muster
station. Being a warm day, the Breakers bar on deck 16 beckoned for a pint for me and a cocktail for my wife.
We almost always have the same cabin number onboard the Ventura albeit that most of the "standard" type cabins
are similar, the deck we choose has the largest balconies. In fact, it would be possible to have 2 sun loungers
instead of chairs comfortably but P&O don't seem to have thought of that. When our cabin was ready we proceeded
to it to find our luggage already there which is often the case. We settled in and our Steward, Cristo, appeared
to welcome us and take care lf any special requests we might have. Unfortunately, we found the bathroom floor
awash with water and Cristo told us there was a leak but it was being attended to. I must admit that I felt
there seemed to be no urgency so I applied a little pressure and soon we had a plumber and a deck manager on the
case. Within half an hour the leak was resolved and Cristo cleaned up all the standing water.
Once unpacked we did our usual inspection of the cabin for cleanliness and making sure that everything worked as
expected. The Ventura is 18 years old and to some a little outdated where decor is concerned but we like the
decor and always feel comfortable. I am not going to do the ubiquitous cabin review because there are many
available online so I'm just going to concentrate on the main points and issues.
In February 2026 the Ventura underwent a "refit" which means that many visible areas of the ship and cabins
had new carpets curtains and furniture installed along with updates to other decor elements. Bathroom sinks
had already been upgraded in some cabins previously but it looks like all the bathrooms have been attended to
and new shower trays were also fitted. Yes, the ship seemed brighter than it used to but it has retained its
character. The beds on P&O ships are really comfortable and we always get a good night's sleep and, equally
importantly, the cabin walls are well insulated and of heavier construction than some of the newer ships so
noise from adjacent cabins is not a problem normally.
Having a clean cabin is fundamental and we only occasionally have criticisms. Our steward, Cristo, seemed to do
a good job cleaning the cabin and bathroom but, as you can read below, the balcony left a lot to be desired. It
should be remembered that the stewards are expected to clean in the region of 20 cabins in a window of about 5
hours between 07:30 and 12:30 so at the very best, 15 minutes per cabin. I practice, this figure is optimistic
as the steward can only clean the cabins when the passengers have vacated them so it is a juggling act to spot
which cabin is next on the list. It is quite possible that the steward may only have 10 minutes per cabin and on
linen change days, even more work is required.
The steward, as a bare minimum, has to make the beds, dust the cabin, clean the mirrors and surfaces, clean the
bathroom, remove and replace used towels, empty the bins etc. They should also clean the balcony!
This picture shows the state of our balcony after 10 days at sea and visiting ports. Note the salt encrusted
glass screens beneath the handrail and the paint spatters on the matting which have been there for years.
Continuous maintenance is carried out onboard which includes painting the balcony area but, the painters do
not appear to have heard of dust sheets or cleaning up after themselves. It does not help that painting on
balconies above ours results in even more paint spatter on our matting!
The balcony furniture, which has seen better days, is also covered in paint spots so the whole impression is
of neglect. One of the reasons we book a cabin with the larger balcony is to be able to sit and enjoy the sun,
views and watching the sea as we often see dolphins and whales but looking through a salt encrusted glass
sheet does not enhance the experience.
The balcony IS part of the cabin and should be cleaned daily, the following points are essential:
The sliding doors onto the balcony should be clear and free of smears and dried salt spray
The balcony furniture should be free of dried salt residue and other contaminants
The sidewalls of the balcony should be free of stains and salt
The matting on the floor of the balcony should be as clean as possible without debris
The glass screens beneath the handrail should be cleaned as salt spray accumulates and dries reducing
visibility
Not once, during our 14 night cruise, did the steward clean any of the glass or remove encrusted salt from the
chairs and handrail. This is not unusual nowadays but it is truly galling to get off of the ship and see that
other stewards have done it. Is it us? Over the years, we have asked a succession of stewards to keep the
balcony glass clean, some have, some have made all sorts of excuses and only once in recent memory has a steward
kept the balcony clean without prompting. The steward's name was Zenda on cruise number N526 in November 2025
and it didn't stop there, Zenda was marvelous in all respects.
The Waterside buffet restaurant, on deck 15 Aft, used to be an adequate alternative to the main dining rooms for
those that preferred a more relaxed, self-service dining option. Unfortunately, the layout of the buffet
restaurants on the Ventura and in fact on all the other "Grand Class" ships of similar design is awful.
Passengers are funnelled into cramped, narrow serving areas which, if everyone followed the same path would just
about work but, passengers do not like being herded and like to navigate their own course. The result is often
chaos as passengers carrying plates of food dart in every direction, ignore the clearly marked Entrance & Exit
signs and push into queues at the service stations. Add to this the lack of space for serving dishes (Gastronorm
(GN) pans) and you have limited choice in a restricted space.
Take breakfast as an example. The Ventura used to, pre-pandemic, open 2 of its main dining rooms for breakfast
in the morning but, probably due to staff shortages and cost cutting, nowadays, only open 1 dining room and the
result is that everyone migrates to the buffet. The result is too many passengers crammed into a badly designed
facility. The food is basic to say the least and the cooked breakfast is likely to only consist of eggs, bacon,
sausages and hash browns. There will probably be fried potatoes or some similar offering but try getting some
mushrooms! For years these have been a secret ingredient, kept under the counter and only available on request
but on 1 day, a dish of mushrooms was put out on the serving area. The scramble to get some was amusing. There
used to be an omelette station but that has gone to be replaced by ready made, portioned omelette under the heat
lamps.
Toast, rolls, preserves, fruit compotes etc. are available and gluten free toast is available on request but
quite what Vegans do is beyond me.
Lunchtime is just as bad especially on sea days and for some reason, many more passengers are opting to dine in
the buffet than used to be the case.
The food on offer nowadays in the buffet is barely adequate with poor choice, poor quality and often only
lukewarm. The entrées are limited unless you like spicy food such as curries (some of the curries are actually
quite good on occasions) and a single carvery option with limited accompaniments. Vegetables are often
unappetising with limited choice so salads are often a reluctant alternative. Sadly, salad items are poorly
prepared, often just chunks of salad vegetables in trays and the cold meats and cheeses on offer are limited and
not of the best quality. Don't get me started on the salad dressings as they are watered down and poorly
labelled. But, on the upside, Heinz Salad Cream is always available, if you can find the bottle. The children
running amok, unsupervised and picking at and prodding everything are a nightmare!.
If one or more of your party has special dietary needs be prepared for a long wait for an alternative dish to be
provided if you are lucky enough to find someone to arrange it with. Most of the buffet staff are very helpful
but if you get the one that clearly doesn't want to be there, expect a lot of reluctance. The managers are often
happy to help but again, not all.
I am pleased to say that the main dining rooms, of which there are 3 on the Ventura, are an oasis of tranquility
compared to the buffet restaurant. That said, they are not perfect but they work and the food is amazingly good
given the base ingredients are not of the best quality. Being autistic means that I arrange to be seated at a
table away from the large tables which can become noisy. I also need routine without staff changes and the MDR
staff are always very accommodating.
Our waiters on this cruise were Adrian and Ari and they were excellent and went out of their way to make our
dining experience enjoyable. My wife has special dietary needs and Ashwin, our head waiter couldn't have been
more helpful. We struck up a good relationship with him and successfully identified that he was from Mauritius,
a challenge he was surprised we passed.
We have seen much criticism of the food served in the MDRs but we do not agree, especially the complaints about
portion sizes. Remember, the menu is 5 courses if you choose to eat them all and if you are used to eating a
single plate at home piled high with food, you may feel slighted but that says more about your lifestyle than
the menu. Being a cook myself, I know enough to recognise that the base ingredients are not always the best
quality but I admire the way the galley is able to produce thousands of plates of such consistent standard.
Their sauces and gravies are excellent!
Our only complaint was the other passengers and the wine service! Why are people so noisy in restaurants
nowadays? The large tables seating up to 10 people do not help as they end up shouting over each other and on
one night we actually had to ask a head waiter to speak to a rowdy table right behind us but our request fell on
deaf ears I'm afraid to say.
Is it unreasonable to expect wine to be served properly? Because only I drink alcohol, I order wine by the glass
but since the demise of the Sommeliers on P&O ships it is impossible to get a glass of red wine without the risk
of sediment in the bottom of the glass. This is not only wrong but, to me, a source of extreme stress. Ask to
speak to someone about the wine and they send some youngster from the bar who has no idea what you are talking
about! Mention "fining" and their eyes glaze over!
P&O take note: when I order a glass of wine and pay £8 or £10 or more for a glass I expect wine, not wine and
complimentary sediment.
It is bad service to serve wine with sediment but when the mantra is "Get every last drop of wine out of a
bottle" you are doomed to failure. What I don't get is why so many passengers don't bat an eyelid when they find
sediment in their glass. I no longer order red wine in the MDR or bars on P&O ships!
I find it a little ironic that cruise lines will spend large amounts sourcing attractive wine lists and
designing elegant wine menus, only to undermine the experience by treating the last inch of a bottle as if it
were liquid gold. Sometimes the cheapest improvement isn't a more expensive wine, it's simply teaching staff
when not to pour the final few milliliters.
Sadly, food and wine on normal non-luxury cruise ships is suffering from cost restraints so it isn't just P&O
that is affected.
As well as the 3 main dining rooms and the buffet, there are a number of other restaurants which have a cover
charge:
The Epicurean: A fine dining restaurant with a £42 per person cover charge. This is a good
restaurant but it only has 2 menus which change on a weekly rotation. The food is good albeit from a limited
menu. Old specialties such as flambe crepe suzette or filleted sole done at the table have gone but, the
service is excellent.
Sindhu: An Indian/Western fusion restaurant with dishes charged on an À la carte pricing
scale. Personally, I think a better description would be "Indian/Western confusion" as we find the offerings
confused with no clear origin. Frankly, if they served good curries as well it would be a winner. Many
passengers are of the same opinion.
The Beach House: Offers an American/Caribbean-inspired grill mix and has a cover charge of
£11.50pp but some dishes carry an additional charge. It is situated in a cordoned off section of the buffet in
the evenings. Portions are large and there is a reasonable menu choice. We can remember when this restaurant
was included in the fare, oh happy days!
The Glass House: Featuring wines chosen by Olly Smith. The menu includes steaks and fish as
well as a sort of Tapas. This restaurant was originally a Tapas bar and it still features an olive tree
growing up through the main area. The food is generally good and is À la carte priced. We like the Glass
House, it's no nonsense good basic food.
