If there was one thing I didn’t expect to be doing again this year, it was cruising. After falling head over heels in love with P&O Cruises Britannia earlier in the year (which you can read all about HERE), the cruise addiction kept on growing inside of me and I knew I had to get on another of the brands ships – but it took a lot of deciding on which one. We finally settled on Ventura and with a busy year ahead of us, we only had a few days left to play with so a mini cruise to Bruges?! Well, it sounded perfect and it was.

There seems to be so much love around for Ventura which is one of the main reasons we booked – a ship of choice for first time cruisers and the one that people love getting back on. Ventura is perfect for both children and adults and is a great size, housing over 3000 guests. Its certainly not the smallest ship, but neither is it the biggest in the fleet, that goes to Britannia – whilst their newest ship Iona launching in 2020 will be even bigger. As always, we boarded at Southampton and was on the boat enjoying a pina colada by the pool within 45 minutes.

The Atrium

Like all ships, I think the grand atriums have to be the most spectacular part of them. They’re always so glitzy, colourful and become the beating heart of your holiday. Ventura’s atrium is no exception. Set over three floors, it’s home to bars, coffee outlets and shopping galore.

Talking of shopping, two of my favourite places to walk into almost daily was the rather large luxury watch shop and the gallery. I loved the art gallery on Britannia, but this was a step up on Ventura, especially in terms of size and it actually felt like a gallery when you were inside, not on a cruise ship.

The Room

We were staying in room R719 which was located on the Riviera deck, aft of the ship and in terms of location, I think this was the best we’ve had to date. It felt close to almost everything we loved most on Ventura, particularly being just a stones throw from the terrace pool which has a bar looking out to the back of the ship and if you’re a smoker, you’ll probably be living here. A very comfy queen bed, nice enough decor, huge walk in wardrobe and a very good sized balcony. Of course there was the usual tea/coffee-making facilities, replenished daily and the complimentary shower products are kept filled throughout your cruise.

In terms of negatives to our room, there was a few. Decor was nice, but I wasn’t wowed. The shower was very small and had a curtain, though it didn’t seem to cause any problems so I can’t complain too much. Air conditioning was OK, but on a hot Caribbean holiday I wondered if it could cope. Absolutely loved being right at the top of the ship, but the overhang above means all conversations from nearby terraces on the same floor are echoed across into the room. The TV was small which meant on demand services were limited, though with these sea views, looking down below to other balconies and the nice surprise of passing the Isle of Weight on our sail out meant we barely used it.

The Lido, Sun Deck & Terrace Pool

I always like to put my photos in order of most importance when it comes to a ship and so surely The Lido, Sun Deck and Terrace Pool are some of the most important parts of the ship and the place during the day you’ll be spending most of your time – weather dependant of course. The Sun Deck, is home to the main outdoor heated pool named Laguna, with two jacuzzis attached to it, lots of places to eat and drink and so many areas to walk around. It’s little confusing sometimes with lots of staircases, but you quickly find your bearings. Grab a cocktail, walk a couple of laps around the deck and you’ll discover your favourite spots.

I loved the dedicated area on the decks for playing games, especially the giant chess and there are so many hidden deck chair areas meaning if you want, you can quickly get away from the hustle and bustle and live music – to a quiet retreat, sometimes all to yourself.

 

For those wanting the music and free-flowing cocktails, the main pool area will become your new home. Breakers Bar by the pool was my absolute favourite place to sit during the day, though even as an occasional smoker it for some reason felt really inappropriate smoking here as it’s such an important part of the ship. Right by the pool at one end there were jacket potatoes with fillings, burgers, hot dogs and other tasty bites. Whilst the Poolside Snacks venue on the opposite side served freshly made pizzas and Jude’s ice cream. In fact the food around the pool, on comparison to Britannia – I thought Ventura’s quality and offerings were slightly better.

If you prefer a little more cover and warmth, the indoor Beechcomber pool will become your own personal haven, again with two jacuzzis and a really nice bar. There was also plenty of upstairs seating and a ping-pong table for those who want to be away from the splashes of the pool. For views, the terrace pool at the back of the ship will become a favourite, much like it did for me. There’s a fantastic bar and whilst no food, the doors leading to the terrace are actually from the main buffet so you can easily bring a plate of food outside. During the mornings, this area was the busiest for watching the sunrise and so the quicker they get a coffee machine in here the better it will be. I heard quite a few people requesting single espresso but to no luck, myself included.

The Retreat & Oasis Pool

For pure relaxation and a little added luxury, The Retreat is where you want to be. It’s a bit steep at £25 per person, but on sea days when everywhere else outside is busy, you can guarantee a bed here and they’re extra comfy. Fresh towels, close proximity to the adults oasis pool and food. Breakfast and lunch are served buffet style, as well as tea, coffee, juices and water.

The Promenade

One thing I love doing in all of my cruise reviews, is finding out my favourite part of each ship and what makes it special. For me on Ventura, it has to be the promenade. It’s beautiful and I’ve fond memories of sitting here, looking out across the water, with the warm sun on my face at each sunrise or sunset. That 5pm golden hour was always the best when everything seemed to glow.

Where to Eat & Drink

My favourite part of cruising – eating food and drinking cocktails! It’s what every cruiser will be doing most of the day and it’s my highlight. Having just three days to explore all of the food, we didn’t eat in any of the speciality restaurants on this occasion, but spent lots of time taking photos of them. Fine dining, burgers by the pool, snacks on the terrace or small plates paired with wines. There is something for every taste on Ventura and steak lovers will be particularly pleased with the quality.

Allocated & Freedom Dining – Saffron/Cinnamon/Bay Tree

If you don’t want to spend much on extras, then you’ll probably want to spend most of your time in your allocated restaurant. Thankfully, P&O Cruises will be going freedom dining on all ships next year, because 6:30pm is a little too early for me and 8:30pm (these are the general times you’ll be allocated if not on freedom dining) means I can only watch one evening show and I always want to watch them all. Service in the restaurant was always swift and food was ALWAYS hot. It’s quite impressive really given the grand scale of it all. For starters, the prawn cocktail is a solid choice, but we loved these spiced crab pasties.

The salads we ate were fresh too and while the risotto isn’t much to look it and it never did on the occasions we ordered it, but it was full of flavour and well-cooked. A four course dinner became normal for us this time around, generally having a soup or salad between our first courses.

Steak, steak, steak! We’re big meat eaters and time and time again, we couldn’t help ordering the steak. It’s great quality, arrives hot and it’s always cooked to our medium-rare specification. From minute steaks at lunch, sirloin steaks during dinner or thick slabs of beef on Sunday as part of their roasts. The chips and béarnaise sauce are rather good too. Formal nights see the gala menus by Marco Pierre White and the beef Wellington is one not to miss.

The fish is also very good too but if I had to pick my second favourite meal, it would be these succulent tandoori lamb chops with rice, vegetable curry and raita. I’m still dreaming about them now, washed down with a good glass of wine.

Lunch time in your allocated restaurant? It’s all about those sharing platters and the Indian one was my favourite. Vegetable samosas, onion bhajis, cauliflower pakora and poppadoms.

Desserts are probably P&O Cruises weakest area we’ve now discovered. Sometimes they get it right and they’re delicious, but mostly they’re just nice. It’s pot luck to be honest, but I’m a big fan of their sticky toffee puddings and if you see a lemon posset on the menu – order two!

Waterside – Main Buffet Restaurant

The main buffet restaurant Horizon is where we come for our breakfasts, which are very nice. A quick late night snack is always popular after a dance in one of the bars and if we want to dine less formal, we’ll come here for lunch/dinner. If you come here for anything, desserts are a step up from the allocated dining in my opinion and the roast dinners are really rather good.

Epicurean

Epicurean is P&O Cruises flagship fine-dining restaurant and you want to treat yourself or celebrate – this is the restaurant to do it in. Celebrating fine dining traditions of the past and combining them with contemporary presentation, you really feel like your dining in a high-end London restaurant. This is a specialty restaurant so a cover charge will apply and at time of writing it’s £28pp. On a warm evening, you can even sit outside and watch the sunset.

Sindhu

Sindhu is backed by the famous Indian chef Atul Kochhar and as a cruise ship restaurant, it’s stunning and can easily rival some of the best Indian restaurants in the UK. It’s become a firm favourite with so many frequent cruisers and it’s our favourite P&O Cruises restaurant. My advice, book as soon as possible because on a short cruise it can get busy very quickly.

The Glass House

The Glass House is where small plates and delicious wines await for you. Varieties from all four corners of the globe, by the glass, by the bottle – but still serving your favourite cocktails or beers. Headed up by award-winning wine expert Olly Smith, The Glass House is the perfect location for a light bite, lunchtime tipple, afternoon apéritif or informal evening out.

Metropolis

The best bar or Ventura? It’s Metropolis, located right at the aft of the ship on Sky Deck. This unique venue brings you all the excitement of the world’s most famous destinations via innovative 20 metre floor-to-ceiling video walls, displaying cityscapes of Paris, New York, Sydney and more. There’s always live jazz playing too or a pianist who takes requests – a good opportunity to listen to your favourite show tunes.

The Red Bar

As red as its name suggests, the Red Bar which overlooks the grand atrium is a little more sophisticated than some of its other bars and on a formal night, it’s great to see all of the women dressed up and the men in their tuxedos, sipping on a cocktail whilst listening to the live pianist. It’s the perfect setting for a pre-dinner drink or after dinner nightcap. They make the best Bloody Mary in this bar too.

Entertainment

As I mentioned in my previous review of P&O Cruises Britannia, I got a little addicted to the entertainment and for good reason. It’s excellent! Spectacular performances to rival West-End shows, plus you get to choose your own seat meaning you can be right at the front or if you like, right at the back. My favourite part, that little tables which pull out for your glass (or two) of wine.

The Arena Theatre

The arena theatre is where it all happens and where all of the best shows on the ship are put on. Split over two tiers, meaning it’s accessible from two floors, arrive early to get your favourite seat. West End-style shows and cabaret light up the technologically advanced stage. During the day – it’s home to more talks and the latest movie releases on the big screen.

Tamarind Club

The one place that I really got the wow factor from is The Tamarind Club. Located on deck 7, imperial and exotic touches add for an opulent night out. It’s a gorgeous setting for an evening filled with comedy and live music. During the day you can enjoy enrichment lectures, port lectures and other special events.

Fortunes Casino

The flashing lights of the slot machine, temptation of a game of blackjack or even a game of roulette. It’s hard not to resist the casino and Ventura’s is great, especially as The Exchange bar has been integrated into the area to create a lively entertainment venue that’s perfect. Soak up the atmosphere over a drink whilst playing in the casino, watching the football across the room or listing to the live music played most nights.

The Destination – Bruges

Only one stop for us on this cruise, Bruges – and what a place it was! Now our ship didn’t actually arrive in Bruges (as it’s not on the coast), but moored into Zeebrugee, where a free coach service drops you into Blankenberge. It was a same it doesn’t take you all the way into the city, but the coach stops at Blankenberge station and gets you into Bruges Central just 8 minutes later. It also costs less than €5 each return. The moment we arrived we took a slow walk into the historic centre, passing some of the beautiful buildings, canals, art galleries and horse-drawn carriages of which there are plenty.

Our lunch restaurant of choice was La Dentelliere, where we enjoyed a nice Bruges beer, local cheese croquettes, rich meaty stew and what was probably the best mussels we’ve ever eaten. It was a great little find and whilst I’m sure there are better places, it’s an authentic taste of Bruges and the staff were lovely.

Words can’t even begin to describe just how beautiful Bruges is, especially autumn as all of the trees match the colours of the buildings. I searched high and low for some of this cities most beautiful areas and if you want to see them too – pop these locations below into your google maps, all in order as above pictured. Cafe Kasteel Minnewater for THE most spectacular river views in a castle. Rozenhoedkaai, for the best central views over the canals. Visit the Bruges Sky Scraper (the Bruges whale) made out of plastic pulled from the Pacific Ocean. Finally and the most tranquil way to end a day in Bruges – the very Instagrammable canal on Gouden-Handrei. Of course, stopping for beer, chocolates and waffles on the way back to the ship for that cruise back to the UK.

As you could probably tell, we had yet another amazing cruise with P&O Cruises and I simply can’t wait to get back on board with them again and explore the rest of their fleet. Food galore, first class entertainment, stunning port locations and a touch of cruise glamour. What’s not to love? I still prefer Britannia on comparison to Ventura if I had to pick, but this ship does have its classic charm which is why so many people fall in love with it. It might be a bit tired in some areas, but it’s not the newest ship and given just how many people pass through it every year – she’s still looking rather good.

If you want to read more about my P&O Cruises Britannia cruise experience then click HERE or for more information on booking a mini cruise then head on over to P&O Cruises official website www.pocruises.co.uk.