Venturas Maiden Voyage
October 12, 2008 by David ·
Ventura saw her maiden voyage take her to the Mediterranean on 18th April 2008. She left Southampton for a 14 night round trip calling at 7 different ports in 3 different countries on her travels.
Her ports of call included Barcelona, Villefranche, Florence, Santa Margherita, Rome, Alicante and Gibraltar.
The trip saw guests visit popular art galleries, top restaurants, historic buildings and the fabulous sandy beaches of the Costa Blanca.
Venturas Caribbean Christmas
October 10, 2008 by David ·
Ventura will spend her Christmas and New Year cruising the Caribbean. She will be met by guests in Barbados on 19th December 2008 for a 15 night cruise calling at 9 destinations before returning to Barbados on 3rd January 2009.
Her cruise sees her calling at many destinations including Antigua, St Lucia and Dominica, spending Christmas Day at sea and New Years Day in St Vincent.
The Caribbean gives guests the chance to enjoy a full Christmas dinner with all the trimmings and sit back and relax on the white sandy beaches of the Caribbean in a climate that is guaranteed to leave you wanting more.
Largest Cruise Ship Built
October 8, 2008 by David ·
Ventura recently joined the P&O Cruises fleet in April 2008 and is the largest ever cruise ship built for Britain. Her size means that she can offer endless facilities including eight extremely popular restaurants.
The restaurants onboard include Frankie’s Pizzeria, Frankie’s Grill, Bay Tree Restaurant, Saffron Restaurant, Cinnamon Restaurant, Ramblers and East. The cuisine available is highly varied and served to the very best of standards.
P&O Ventura Rescues Yachtsman
August 6, 2008 by admin ·
P&O Ventura rescued an injured yachtsman whilst on a Mediterranean cruise at the weekend. P&O Cruises’ newest cruise ship responded to an urgent call from a French man who had fallen and broken his hip. Ventura changed course when traveling to Malaga and rescued the man, he was treated on board by the Ventura medical staff.
The man was taken ashore when Ventura docked in Malaga. The cruise ship then continued its 16 night Mediterranean cruise.
P&O Cruises Ban Smoking
July 25, 2008 by admin ·
P&O Cruises is to go smoke free in all inside areas on board three of the ships in the fleet.
As of October this year two family-friendly ships, Oceana & Ventura, and adult-only Artemis will be no smoking in all inside spaces. There will be allocated outside smoking areas on all ships and passengers will be able to smoke on their cabin balconies.
P&O Cruises managing director, Nigel Esdale, said: “Since Britain went smoke free in July 2007 the British public has become accustomed to being in a smoke free environment with 76 per cent of the general public supporting the ban*. We hope that becoming smoke free will give all our passengers, especially children, a cleaner and more pleasant environment in which at enjoy their holiday on board.
“Cruise ships already provide so many ways to have a fun and healthy holiday, such as spas and fitness centres, and this is another step towards an even healthier holiday experience for all. Ventura and Oceana are both child friendly, and between them could have over 1000 children on board at any one time, therefore we want to ensure they are breathing clean air on board as well as clean ocean air out on open deck.”
Official P&O Cruises press release Posted 25 JuL 08
P&O Cruises Around Britain Cruise
April 23, 2008 by admin ·
P&O Cruises has published its 2009 Preview Edition brochure. The brochure features cruise holidays to 235 destinations in 82 countries and the first round Britain cruise for the line.
Ventura, the largest and newest superliner built exclusively for the British market, will sail her first full year programme, with 19 departures from Southampton and 10 fly-cruise holidays from Barbados within the 2009 brochure.
P&O Cruises managing director, Nigel Esdale, said: “Our 2009 programme is our biggest yet, offering a 30% increase in capacity for our brand with the first full year of Ventura. We have more ships, more UK departures and more breadth of appeal than any other cruise line.”
Departing on 5 July 2009, Artemis will offer an 11-night debut tour of the British Isles. Ports of call are Leith for Edinburgh, Invergordon, Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands, Moville for Londonderry, Greenock for Glasgow, Dublin, Falmouth and St Peter Port. Prices for the cruise start from £1,099.
“For a brand that has brought the world to the door of British passengers for almost 170 years, it is perhaps long overdue and fitting for us to visit the British Isles.”
Other new ports of call a little further afield include Antwerp in Belgium, the island of Hvar in Croatia and La Spezia in Italy.
“Cruise holidays are becoming an increasingly popular choice for younger couples and families and we have two ships within the fleet dedicated to serving this market in terms of length of holiday, destination, on board entertainment, facilities and dining, and pricing.
“Shorter cruises on Ventura and Oceana are the perfect choice for people who are new to cruising and want to see if it’s for them without being away for two weeks. In 2009 we are offering 16 such itineraries of either two or seven nights – this is double the amount we offered in 2008.”
Early booking incentives are available before 30 June 2008, including up to 45 per cent Pricebreakers discount and free car parking on all Southampton roundtrip itineraries within the brochure, offering passengers up to an additional £115 saving on an average two week cruise.
Highlights of the brochure include:
· Party Cruise, Ventura (N920) two nights 30 August – 1 September 2009. Southampton, Bruges (from Zeebrugge), Southampton. Starting from £249.
· Cruise Break, Oceana (E913) seven nights 30 May – 6 June 2009. Southampton, Falmouth, Dublin, Bilbao, La Rochelle (from La Pallice), Brest, Southampton. Starting from £599.
· North America, Aurora (R911) 24 nights 30 August – 23 September 2009. Southampton, Wilmington for Philadelphia, New York (two full days in port), Newport, Boston (full day and evening in port), Portland, Bar Harbor, Halifax, Quebec (day and a half in port), St. John’s, Southampton. Starting from £2,599.
· Mediterranean, Oriana (X915) 14 nights 30 August – 13 September 2009. Southampton, Gibraltar, Palau, Rome (from Civitavecchia), La Spezia, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Palma, Southampton. Starting from £1,399.
Continuing the successful partnership started on Ventura, in 2009 Oceana will also be joined by Tate Modern and the remaining four ships in the fleet by Tate Britain, to present ‘Tate Talks’, an enriching programme of talks, interviews and creative workships which bring the world of modern art to life.
All four family friendly ships in the fleet – Ventura, Oceana, Aurora and Oriana – will have re-branded children’s clubs by summer 2008. Both Noddy and Mr. Bump will also be on board popular family itineraries throughout the year, to entertain the two to four and five to seven year olds.
Official P&O Cruises press release Posted 23 Apr 08
Ventura Named in Southampton
April 21, 2008 by David ·
P&O Cruise’s Ventura has officially been named by award-winning actress Dame Helen Mirren on April 16th. She was joined onboard by 1,500 guests including celebrity chef Marco Pierre White, Kate Ford and Hugh Bonneville.
Dame Helen Mirren was over the moon to be fronting the spectacular ceremony and said:
“It is the first time I have ever named a ship, let alone one of the size of P&O Cruises Ventura and am really looking forward to being Godmother.”
P&O Cruise’s managing director was just as pleased to have Dame Helen Mirren onboard as she was to be there. P&O cruises managing director, Nigel Esdale said:
“Dame Helen Mirren embodies glamour, vitality and Britishness, which are all values that will be a feature of Ventura. We are honoured that she has agreed to become Godmother. The arrival of Ventura is set to usher in a new era for the British cruise industry and will accelerate the rate of progress of an already fast growing market. We are delighted that Dame Helen is to be associated with her. At the same time, we are determined to get the bottle-smashing right, and are grateful for the military coordinated assistance of the Royal Marines.”
Ventura is due to cruise to the Mediterranean on Friday on her maiden cruise.
Ventura Heads for Southampton
March 31, 2008 by David ·
P&O Cruise’s Ventura has set sail for her homeport of Southampton after being officially handed over to P&O Cruises in Italy.
Ventura, the largest superliner that has been built exclusively for British holidaymakers will undergo an official naming ceremony in April. The ceremony will be performed by Dame Helen Mirren and is due to take place on Wednesday 16th April.
The cruise ship will arrive back in Southampton on Sunday 6th April after passing her sister ship Aurora in the Solent.
Ventura’s maiden cruise will be a Mediterranean cruise taking place from Southampton on Friday 18th April.
Dame Helen Mirren to Name P&O Cruises Ventura
February 3, 2008 by David ·
Dame Helen Mirren, with a little help from a team of Royal Marine Commandos, will name the latest addition to the P&O Cruises fleet, Ventura, in Southampton on 16 April 2008.
Dame Helen Mirren said, “It is the first time I have ever named a ship, let alone one of the size of P&O Cruises Ventura and am really looking forward to being Godmother.”
Dame Helen’s job of pressing the button to send the champagne winging its way towards the ship will be a fairly simple job compared to that of the Commandos who will assist the naming of Ventura with a spectacular abseil.
P&O Cruises are reportedly delighted that Dame Helen Mirren will be Ventura’s Godmother and feel it will be the start of an exciting new era for the cruise industry in Britain.
On what should be a magnificent day, P&O Cruise’s celebrity chef consultant, Marco Pierre White, and kid’s favourite, Noddy, will join the 1500 guests on board Ventura for the naming extravaganza.
