Boarding Ventura

Discussions about anything related to Ventura
User avatar

Topic author
Ian Perth
Third Officer
Third Officer
Posts: 104
Joined: May 2013
Location: Perth Scotland

Boarding Ventura

#1

Post by Ian Perth »

Just back from a great cruise on Ventura, staff, food, everything was fantastic. Have to say boarding the ship was so slick, nothing like was reported on this forum and Facebook. Yes the terminal fills up with people but when boarding progresses the hall empties as fast as it filled. Caribbean and above PC members were given priority and walked straight on through the booking and security and straight on board where cabins were ready and buffet available with drinks or you could go for a lunch.

So to all the doom and gloom, the boarding was nothing like what's being reported. Well done to P&O, great service and a magic holiday.

User avatar

Dark Knight
Deputy Captain
Deputy Captain
Posts: 5119
Joined: January 2013
Location: East Hull

Re: Boarding Ventura

#2

Post by Dark Knight »

At last an objective, measured response ;-)
if you believed FB and other forums, you would think it was the end of the world, people using very emotive language to describe the simple act of sitting and waiting for your turn.
People have been very quick to throw tantrums about the new boarding times but it does seem to be the same vocal ones , time after time, which makes me wonder if it is because they are now having to do as they are told and not doing as they please??
Nihil Obstat

User avatar

barney
Deputy Captain
Deputy Captain
Posts: 5607
Joined: March 2013
Location: Instow Devon

Re: Boarding Ventura

#3

Post by barney »

Cheers Ian
The over reaction on social media to this relatively unimportant issue has astounded me

We go soon and have the same expectation that we always do

And that is to have a blooming good time :thumbup:
Empty vessels .. and all that


Lynda and David
Third Officer
Third Officer
Posts: 188
Joined: January 2013

Re: Boarding Ventura

#4

Post by Lynda and David »

Ian Perth wrote:
Just back from a great cruise on Ventura, staff, food, everything was fantastic. Have to say boarding the ship was so slick, nothing like was reported on this forum and Facebook. Yes the terminal fills up with people but when boarding progresses the hall empties as fast as it filled. Caribbean and above PC members were given priority and walked straight on through the booking and security and straight on board where cabins were ready and buffet available with drinks or you could go for a lunch.

So to all the doom and gloom, the boarding was nothing like what's being reported. Well done to P&O, great service and a magic holiday.
Thank you for posting this Ian. We're off on Ventura this Saturday and were a bit worried about the embarkation procedure after reading so many negative posts, to hear that boarding the ship was easy for you is a relief for us.

Regards


Lynda :thumbup:

User avatar

barney
Deputy Captain
Deputy Captain
Posts: 5607
Joined: March 2013
Location: Instow Devon

Re: Boarding Ventura

#5

Post by barney »

Take it all with a pinch of salt Lynda.

Someone showed me a picture on Facebook of the 'chaos' in the Terminal and it just looked to me like a load of folk waiting patiently for their number to be called.

We will just arrive when ever we get there, get a nice cup of coffee and a cake and happily wait our turn.
Empty vessels .. and all that

User avatar

allatc
First Officer
First Officer
Posts: 1419
Joined: March 2015

Re: Boarding Ventura

#6

Post by allatc »

Hi Ian, waved to you from Britannia as we sailed from Alicante.

Thanks for the send-off.

User avatar

Mervyn and Trish
Commodore
Commodore
Posts: 15262
Joined: February 2013

Re: Boarding Ventura

#7

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

Glad to hear it Ian. If it works hope they stick to it this time and don't change again in another 3 months

User avatar

qbman1
Captain
Captain
Posts: 12153
Joined: January 2013
Location: Oxfordshire

Re: Boarding Ventura

#8

Post by qbman1 »

As I am on record as saying ad nauseum, I doubt anything much has changed at all !

User avatar

Mervyn and Trish
Commodore
Commodore
Posts: 15262
Joined: February 2013

Re: Boarding Ventura

#9

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

That's because you're one of the cruising aristocracy and have curly sandwiches to look forward to. :sarcasm:

I'm just concerned for us and the rest of the peasants and from what Ian says it sounds as if it's now working for them too, which it certainly didn't on our last couple of cruises. :thumbup:

User avatar

Stephen
Commodore
Commodore
Posts: 15925
Joined: January 2013
Location: Down Souf. The civilised end of the country :)

Re: Boarding Ventura

#10

Post by Stephen »

You arrive, you wait your turn, you board ship.

What's so difficult.

User avatar

barney
Deputy Captain
Deputy Captain
Posts: 5607
Joined: March 2013
Location: Instow Devon

Re: Boarding Ventura

#11

Post by barney »

I must be the luckiest guy around because I've never had an issue with boarding, cabin staff, waiting staff, reception staff, other passengers or any other issue on a P&O cruise

Ok, the odd little niggle here and there but always easily resolved :thumbup:

I just do as Stephen says, turn up, wait my turn, get on. :D
Empty vessels .. and all that

User avatar

oldbluefox
Ex Team Member
Posts: 11305
Joined: January 2013
Location: Cumbria

Re: Boarding Ventura

#12

Post by oldbluefox »

Stephen wrote:
You arrive, you wait your turn, you board ship.

What's so difficult.
It's hardly rocket science, is it, unless you try complicating it?

User avatar

Mervyn and Trish
Commodore
Commodore
Posts: 15262
Joined: February 2013

Re: Boarding Ventura

#13

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

oldbluefox wrote:
Stephen wrote:
You arrive, you wait your turn, you board ship.

What's so difficult.
It's hardly rocket science, is it, unless you try complicating it?
Which is how it used to be. I'd be happy to bring that back. And don't serve any food on board until 3pm. Then people would be in less of a rush to get on in case they miss something. :thumbup:

User avatar

barney
Deputy Captain
Deputy Captain
Posts: 5607
Joined: March 2013
Location: Instow Devon

Re: Boarding Ventura

#14

Post by barney »

To be honest Merv, I don't think it has really changed.

It's more like a few totally over reacting as usual and making a big deal out of it.

Food etc is a red herring and I doubt anyone would be bombing down the M3 just to get a cheese roll

Most just need the comfort of knowing that they will get there in good time and without undue stress.

Once I'm there, I don't really care how long I wait in the lounge

Anyway, I'll let you know how it all goes
Empty vessels .. and all that

User avatar

Raybosailor
First Officer
First Officer
Posts: 1195
Joined: February 2015
Location: Nottingham

Re: Boarding Ventura

#15

Post by Raybosailor »

We've got 14 months to wait for our next cruise so even a couple of hours waiting to board will be no problem, once the car and luggage have been sorted out we are happy.

Our holiday starts the day before with an overnight hotel stay, a nice meal in town and a couple of pints in my favourite Southampton pub "The Titanic" a bit of a spit and sawdust place but friendly staff and locals, my kind of pub.
I have been visiting this watering hole for years and never had a problem and apart from Southampton Boat Show week you can always get a seat.

User avatar

Stephen
Commodore
Commodore
Posts: 15925
Joined: January 2013
Location: Down Souf. The civilised end of the country :)

Re: Boarding Ventura

#16

Post by Stephen »

Raybosailor wrote:
We've got 14 months to wait for our next cruise so even a couple of hours waiting to board will be no problem, once the car and luggage have been sorted out we are happy.

Our holiday starts the day before with an overnight hotel stay, a nice meal in town and a couple of pints in my favourite Southampton pub"The Titanic" a bit of a spit and sawdust place but friendly staff and locals, my kind of pub.
I have been visiting this watering hole for years and never had a problem and apart from Southampton Boat Show week you can always get a seat.

Sound like my sort of place as well Ray. I'm not a lover of all those poncy gastro pub/bars with over exaggerated prices and smarmy chat and false smiles either. All I want is a decent pint and possibly a bar snack of some sort, not, 'will you be dining with us today' and 'here is the drinks/wine menu' co**lers.

User avatar

Raybosailor
First Officer
First Officer
Posts: 1195
Joined: February 2015
Location: Nottingham

Re: Boarding Ventura

#17

Post by Raybosailor »

Stephen wrote:
Raybosailor wrote:
.

Sound like my sort of place as well Ray. I'm not a lover of all those poncy gastro pub/bars with over exaggerated prices and smarmy chat and false smiles either. All I want is a decent pint and possibly a bar snack of some sort, not, 'will you be dining with us today' and 'here is the drinks/wine menu' co**lers.
I thought you might like this pub Stephen you seem to have the same values in life as me, what I like about this place is you get a mixed clientele in there. Over the years I have met people from all walks of life from cross dressers to tv and stage personalities, the locals are friendly and the age range varies from young to owd uns like me and I have always come out of there having enjoyed myself.
They do serve bar meals up to about 20:00 but I have only had one meal in there which I can only describe as cheap but ok, it is easily found by walking up the steps from the rear of the Leisure Centre which is adjacent to the Harbour View Hotel.
If you want a place to show off your Rolex or the OH's jewelry stay clear and like I said it does get busy during the Boat Show week due to its location.

User avatar

Mervyn and Trish
Commodore
Commodore
Posts: 15262
Joined: February 2013

Re: Boarding Ventura

#18

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

barney wrote:
To be honest Merv, I don't think it has really changed.

It's more like a few totally over reacting as usual and making a big deal out of it.

Food etc is a red herring and I doubt anyone would be bombing down the M3 just to get a cheese roll

Most just need the comfort of knowing that they will get there in good time and without undue stress.

Once I'm there, I don't really care how long I wait in the lounge

Anyway, I'll let you know how it all goes
I'm not bothered if it has changed Barney. In fact I am one of those hoping it has because we have been caught in long and frustrating queues in the recent past. If it was first come first served, as it used to be years ago, I didn't mind queuing. I just got hacked off when P&O issued times which they said would be strictly adhered to, we made the effort to be there at the time they told us, and then we queued behind people who hadn't. But if it's now working, change or not, I'm happy.

User avatar

Gill W
Senior First Officer
Senior First Officer
Posts: 4897
Joined: January 2013
Location: Kent

Re: Boarding Ventura

#19

Post by Gill W »

Glad you had a good cruise in all respects.

Very encouraging about the boarding.
Gill

User avatar

oldbluefox
Ex Team Member
Posts: 11305
Joined: January 2013
Location: Cumbria

Re: Boarding Ventura

#20

Post by oldbluefox »

Mervyn, I'm not quite sure how you knew that all of those people who were ahead of you were early arrivals. With a capacity for Britannia of 3647 passengers to be screened and boarded within a four hour slot I think it is inevitable that the embarkation lounge is going to be pretty crowded and busy and queues are inevitable, whatever system they use. Add into the mix those who arrive early, and those who arrive late and it is little wonder the passage of passengers can never be an exact science.

Best just to relax, go with the flow and look forward to what is to come. If some are arriving early surely it will be quieter later on. Either way it doesn't really matter to me.

User avatar

Mervyn and Trish
Commodore
Commodore
Posts: 15262
Joined: February 2013

Re: Boarding Ventura

#21

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

Not all Foxy, but a lot. And we knew because some were openly boasting about it. Plus we had a 1pm arrival time and I can't believe half the ship had an earlier time. But the detail is irrelevant Foxy. We arrived at the time we were asked to and waited over an hour to be called for check in so whatever the cause it wasn't working. I'm just pleased to hear it now seems to be.

User avatar

barney
Deputy Captain
Deputy Captain
Posts: 5607
Joined: March 2013
Location: Instow Devon

Re: Boarding Ventura

#22

Post by barney »

I think we've now got a definitive answer from Linda's review.

It appears that on arrival, you are checked on your ticket and given a coloured card to correspond with that time.
The colour of your card determines your time of boarding, irrespective of arrival time.

So, if your boarding time is 2.00 but you arrive at 1.00, expect an hour wait before boarding.

Interesting that she said that the desks didin't open for all until 12.45, which should deter those who like to arrive at 11.00.

To a simpleton like me, this seems a good solution and pretty much how an airport operates

Next Sunday, we will still aim to be there for around 1ish and will quietly wait our turn for boarding at 2.00
Empty vessels .. and all that

User avatar

qbman1
Captain
Captain
Posts: 12153
Joined: January 2013
Location: Oxfordshire

Re: Boarding Ventura

#23

Post by qbman1 »

barney wrote:
I think we've now got a definitive answer from Linda's review.

It appears that on arrival, you are checked on your ticket and given a coloured card to correspond with that time.
The colour of your card determines your time of boarding, irrespective of arrival time.

So, if your boarding time is 2.00 but you arrive at 1.00, expect an hour wait before boarding.

Interesting that she said that the desks didin't open for all until 12.45, which should deter those who like to arrive at 11.00.

To a simpleton like me, this seems a good solution and pretty much how an airport operates

Next Sunday, we will still aim to be there for around 1ish and will quietly wait our turn for boarding at 2.00
They've been operating something like that system in the Ocean Terminal for years! Since the Mayflower refurb, they have the capability to do the same there now. Like we've said on other threads - nothing much has changed.


Lynda and David
Third Officer
Third Officer
Posts: 188
Joined: January 2013

Re: Boarding Ventura

#24

Post by Lynda and David »

Hello

We’re off on Ventura tomorrow; I’ll let you all know in a couple of weeks how we got on with our boarding slot of 1.30pm.

Our original plan was to leave home about 11.30 which would have got us to Southampton about 1pm allowing for road works but the problem tomorrow is the rugby final at Twickenham and that our route out of London is the road straight past Twickenham Stadium (the A316). I was told yesterday that the road will be closed all day so we now have to head down to the M25 then round to the M3. We’ll leave home about 10.30 and if we’re early we’re happy to sit and wait but if we’re late it will be interesting to see if we are allowed to check in straight away.

Regards


Lynda :)

User avatar

qbman1
Captain
Captain
Posts: 12153
Joined: January 2013
Location: Oxfordshire

Re: Boarding Ventura

#25

Post by qbman1 »

Have a lovely time.

Return to “About Ventura”