I've heard from a friend that Sue and Garry are posting reports on their latest cruise on another forum (I have a spy!! ). I was hoping that they would appear here, but so far not. I think it is Lindsay that has the connection with Sue. So please, is there any chance of you using your influence and getting the reports rowed over here? I do so enjoy them, and I know other members do so too.
Herewith Sue and Garry's cruise reports from Ventura.
Sunday, 28 May 2023 first days of Ventura Canaries Cruise.
We set off early Friday morning from home after reading reports of motorway tailbacks due to road roadworks which had made horrific reading,
Every few miles going South on the M 6 were another lot of roadworks and 50 mph zones. Along with the extra Bank Holiday traffic the warnings proved to be spot on. It got worse as we travelled further South with traffic on the A34 backed up and the M3 was just a car park. This is exactly why we travel down the day before due to boarding the ship.
Once at the hotel we just chilled with a bottle of wine .
Boarding Aurora on Saturday was a total doddle. So organised now and instead of the crush of everyone trying to board at noon despite having been allocated a boarding time, the port staff now only allow the passengers with the correct time showing on their boarding pass.
We were checked in within 3 minutes and sat waiting for the ship to announce that they were ready for passengers.
We were through security and on board the ship before 12:15. The lunch was a sit down menu with a choice of fish, beef, lamb or veggie. Bubbles, wine, spirits or beer were all offered throughout lunch. Around 2 p.m. the announcement came through that the cabins were ready.
There was a lovely bouquet of flowers and it didn’t take long to un pack and the sun was on our starboard balcony. We were a little later than planned sailing away and we passed Iona docked in Ocean Terminal.
There were a couple of issues with the cabin. The shower was blocked and the safe was not working. Our cabin steward and the deck manager attempted to solve the problem but couldn’t. We were assured that they would both be fixed as soon as possible. The shower was usable but the safe wasn’t.
The ship is very busy with a lot of families on board, we won’t be using the buffet and have a table for 4 with our friends in the fixed dining restaurant.
There are lots of crew and officers on board that we have met over the years and many came over to say hello.
The entertainment in the theatre was the Headliners performing On the Horizon. We left our friends as they wanted to see the show and we had a walk around the ship to get our bearings, and call at the Glass House to stock up on our preferred wine, before returning to the cabin and a drink on the balcony.
The invites for Ligurian lunch had arrived for Tuesday.
The plumber arrived and sorted out the shower.
The electricians arrived three times during the day but couldn’t sort the safe as it needed a new box.
We knew that we wouldn’t have the sun on our balcony until after lunch. When it did arrive it was hot hot hot.
Our 1 st formal night of 4 and the Captains Welcome onboard party. Chocolate covered strawberries arrived and a bottle of bubbles.
It was heaving around the atrium so we collected our complementary drinks and found a quiet area in the Glass House until it was time for dinner.
It was Marcos menu and we all opted for the Beef Wellington option. Performing in the theatre was an Irish band ‘ The Four Harps. The theatre was packed although we did find seats together. It is a long time since we were on a ship this full. It is great to see cruising getting back to normal again.
Monday, 29 May 2023 - 2nd sea day to Madeira
It was cloudier than yesterday and although the sun kept trying it didn’t manage to burn off the clouds.
I saw a pod of Dolphins and the Sea is like a Mill pond.
The safe finally got replaced after lunch. There had been a lack of communication somewhere as when we asked reception when it was going to be sorted they insisted that it had been done yesterday. We insisted that the deck officer come to the cabin and he insisted it had been delivered and left outside our cabin yesterday. I don’t what he thought we had done with it but he did deliver one and within an hour the electrician arrived to install it.
We ate at the Glass House for dinner, Sea food stew my favourite and delicious. It was busy and still need to use the app which we are happy to do. So many turning up without the app reservation and over an hour wait.
Tuesday, 30 May final sea day before we reach Madeira.
Ligurian / Baltic Lunch at noon. 120 higher tier passengers at the lunch.
When we returned to the cabin the sun was full on the balcony and I spent the afternoon sleeping off the wine.
Liking the new reclining balcony chairs and large footstools. Just like being on a sun bed but take up less space when not being used.
It was the 2nd formal night and although still full from lunch I managed another fishy meal.
It was too nice a night to bother with the entertainment so we returned to the balcony for the evening drinks.
Tomorrow is our first port of call Madeira.
Last edited by david63 on 04 Jun 2023, 15:26, edited 1 time in total.
Reason:Formatting
Ventura was docked by 8 am but the forecast for the day was poor.
It was quite warm but the sun was covered by low cloud.
After breakfast we caught the shuttle into the centre, walked to the market, bought the Pastei de Nata, picked up some cabin supplies from the supermarket and headed to a Bar when the the rain descended. It was miserable and just not worth venturing out anywhere. Monte was covered by thick cloud so no views from there.
We stuck it out for a while thinking that it may brighten up but it didn’t and as there was no sign of any imminent improvement we headed to the Beerhouse where for the first time ever we had to sit inside. The beer was good but it would have been even better sat outside in the sun with views of Ventura.
A strange looking ship had arrived in port called the MS Deutschland which looked ancient but after contacting Mr Google we found it was built in 1998 but deliberately built in the 1920’s style.
By 1 p.m. we realised that the day was not going to improve and caught the shuttle back to the ship. It stopped raining long enough for us not get drenched whilst queuing for 20 minutes to embark the ship, the bigger the ship the longer the queues.
It continued raining for most of the afternoon but was warm enough to sit on the balcony which is partially covered. Typically as we set sail for La Palma the sun came out and so did the gin & tonic.
We had booked for the Epicurean for dinner. The best dining venue on board and it didn’t disappoint. The theatre of the Epicurean has returned and the Crepe Suzettes were made at our table whilst we were told the story of how they were invented.
Tomorrow we are in La Palma
Thursday 1 June 2023 - La Palma
A glorious hot sunny morning greeted us. Such a difference from yesterday.
The sail in was very picturesque with its rugged landscape
It is a fair walk into the islands Capital town Santa Cruz de La Palma but completely flat. We opted to walk as there was no sign of the shuttle bus and the queue for it was huge.
La Palma is a small quaint Canarian town with lots of original features like the wooden balconies full of flowers, cobbled streets and more shoe shops than any other type of shop. Lots of bars and restaurants to choose from.
We sampled a few beers before returning to the port gates where once again there was no sign of the shuttle so it was shanks pony again. At least we did our step count today.
The sun was on our balcony all afternoon and we had views over the black sand beach whilst enjoying a bottle of Rosé wine.
Plenty of evening entertainment on offer around the ship with the show Astonishing in the theatre.
Tomorrow we are docking in Tenerife.
Friday, 2 June 2023 - Tenerife
We woke to lovely warm weather again. Not wall to wall scorching hot sunshine as there was some cloud cover and an early morning drizzle which soon dried up.
We left disembarkation until after 10 am as we were in no rush to get off. This is another port with a fairly long walk through the huge terminal building only to then walk back on the outside of the building where the rotunda awaits which goes round and round and round and round again all up hill to bring you to the roadside but.... after doing this last year we then realised there was a lift to the top and we showed an elderly gentleman where it was.
We stopped by the Plaza España for a coffee in the sunshine before continuing our walk up into the town. We had intended to stop again for a beer before going for a tapas lunch but all the bars with seats in the sun were full and doing a great trade.
Garry had researched a few tapas bars with great reviews and we pounced on a table for 4 at ‘tapas 26’ as soon as they opened.
The ‘boy’ did well and I was in ‘heaven ‘ with my Octopus and goats cheese with two mojos. He wasn’t as lucky as his favourite Russian Salad was not available. The Sangria was authentic not the plastic stuff they pull from a pump. At the end of the meal the waiter brought each of us a glass of Honey Rum.
We called at the Spar to collect some cabin essentials before heading back to the terminal where there was another enormous queue to board Ventura but at least security was done in the terminal so once through boarding Ventura was quick and easy.
A snooze on the balcony before getting ready for dinner. It’s a late night stop here which will give the the crew some time to get their land legs back.
After dinner there was a local group performing a Flamenco show but we headed to Breakers Bar as some of the waiters we knew were performing a high energy dance routine and one of the bar stewards was showing off his bottle juggling skills. There was a deck BBQ which was busy with passengers wanting to enjoy the late evening sun instead of eating inside. Bernadette from the Facebook group came over to say hello which was lovely to put a face to a name. We are cruising with friends and tend to stay together most of the time.
Tomorrow we dock in Gran Canaria as we start our 2nd week on board.
Last edited by david63 on 04 Jun 2023, 15:27, edited 1 time in total.
Reason:Formatting
Another hot sunny day was forecast although looking at the early morning sky the clouds looked menacing but as promised the sun had burnt them off before we disembarked around 10:30.
Costa Fortuna was docked across the port and looked decidedly tatty compared to our gleaming Ventura. Some jokes about the name as usual.
Another port where it’s easy to get the step count up for the day.
We walked past the shopping centre and up the main street towards the golden sandy beach. No black volcanic sand here. The surf was up and being a Saturday it was busy with locals as well as passengers. We stopped for drinks at a bar overlooking the front but sheltered from the wind.
We have a favourite tapas bar which we visit whenever we are here. Don Manue is situated along the main shopping street and has a large choice of tapas or small plates of food as well as larger portions.
Garry finally got his Russian Salad but his other favourite the Spanish Omelette was off the menu. We ordered a vast selection including sea food, chicken and Chorizo sausages. The warm home baked bread and Aioli was delicious. I can definitely recommend this bar.
We called at the shopping centre where there is a supermercado Dino on the ground floor to pick up some cabin supplies. Mainly water as the ship no longer sell the large bottled waters for environmental reasons. The small cans just don’t touch the sides.
Our starboard balcony was full in the sun when we returned mid afternoon, the perfect place for an afternoon snooze.
Thank you so much Sue for putting your cruise report on here. It's great being able to read and remember my cruises on Ventura to the Canaries, hopefully I will be doing another one in the not too distant future.
Here are the latest cruise reports from Sue and Garry.
Sunday, 4 June 2023 - Lanzarote
We woke to another sunny hot day but again some lingering clouds. There must have been some early morning drizzle as the balcony had drops of rain on the varnish.
Sunday in Arrecife where the ship docks very quiet. There was a shuttle to the Marina but still a reasonable walk into town from there where very little opens on a Sunday.
Last year as it was a Sunday call we went to Teguise market. Hundreds of stalls at very reasonable prices. P & O do a trip there but with 4 in a taxi it is more economical.
Today we opted to get a taxi to Puerta del Carmen, again P & O have a trip there but as there are 4 of us we opted for a taxi. 30 euros each way which included a decent tip.
The town itself has been cleaned up since we were last here around 10 years ago. The beach is huge and has imported sand. Sun beds and Pedalos were available. There are lots of lovely walking areas and many plants growing despite the dry windy climate.
The downside is that it is very much a touristy resort with all the gimmicks and cheap prices that go with it. 1/2 litre of Ice cold beer for 2 Euros but a small bottle of sparkling water was 2 Euros 50.
My mission today was to find a make of swimwear that can only be found in the Canaries called La Rocha. It is more expensive than many makes, but lasts forever unless like me you ‘grow out of it’
With the help of the lady working at the bar who knew immediately what I was looking for and gave us directions I completed my mission successfully we returned to the bar to thank her and had beer and tapas there for lunch.
Not the traditional Spanish tapas that we are used to but very tasty and would fill the gap until dinner tonight.
We easily flagged down a taxi to take us back to the port area and it was the same price as the outward journey.
Sailaway was slightly delayed because of some small boats who had a death wish and the pilot had sone strong words for them. It was a lovely evening and as we were eating in the Epicurean later than our usual dining time we stayed on the balcony with a G & T.
The Epicurean menu 2. The best thing about Ventura are the fabulous crew throughout the ship and the amazing Epicurean Restaurant.
We had asked our wine waiter last night to send 2 bottles of our favourite Sauvignon blanc to the Epicurean as we are not keen on their selection up there. This worked perfectly and they were nicely chilled ready for our arrival.
We started with a fruity amuse bouche.
The very generous portion of smoked salmon was carved at the table,
and was delicious but I was slightly envious of Garry’s Octopus and Prawn avocado salad. He asked for just prawns instead of the Octopus and I wished out loud that I could have tried the octopus. No sooner said than an Octopus and prawn avocado salad appeared before me. It was equally as delicious as the smoked salmon. I felt truly spoilt and deserve any weight gain.
The next course was a full lobster followed by a gin & tonic pre desert and then more theatre with a crème brûlée flambéed at the table with a white chocolate sphere filled with popcorn and meringue.
Coffee and chocolate Turkish delight finished the meal.
As we finished the meal our Main dining Room waiter brought up tomorrows menus. It is formal night tomorrow but definitely not a formal night menu. We all decided that we would eat at a speciality restaurant again tomorrow, we have found the food served in the main dining room to be very good/excellent but the choice on the menus is very limited compared to cruises we took prior to 2020.
Monday, 5 June 2023 Sea Day to Cadiz
Another find day and the sun soon burnt off any cloud. The sea was very calm a perfect sea day with the sun on our balcony until late afternoon.
It was a formal night and after getting ready for dinner Garry tried to join the Glass House queue but it wasn’t available. He eventually went down to the restaurant to ask what the problem was only to find many passengers down there asking the same question. It was closed for operational reasons.
He went to Sindhu to try book there but it was fully booked. The Maitre’ d took his cabin number and told him he was booked in for tonight for 4 people. He thought we had booked Lisbon night.
Great result as Epicurean was fully booked as was the Beach House until later tonight. We had visions of eating the Chefs special Lancashire Hotpot on formal night or even worse a Salmon fish cake.
We all enjoyed the meal and even though the restaurant was fully booked we didn’t feel rushed.
The evening entertainment was not to our taste with a magician in the theatre other than most passengers dressed in their finery it really didn’t feel like a formal night at all.
Our Main Dining Room waiter brought up the menus for tomorrow night and surprise surprise it is the Celebration Night menu even though it is a Smart Casual night.
Tomorrow we are docking in Cadiz. There are some drills going on and the gangways will be closed from 11 a.m, for 2 hours to allow certain checks to take place.
They did that when we did the Aurora Canada/USA trip back in 2018. Why on earth they would put a Marco menu with a smart casual evening and then a Formal evening with an ordinary menu we couldn't fathom.
Tuesday 6 June 2023 - Cadiz
Another hot sunny day. After a leisurely breakfast, Garry visited the laundry for the final time this cruise.
There were ship manoeuvres planned for today. Something that happens every six years.
The gangways were being closed between 11 am and 1 p.m. and passengers were informed a couple of days ago, and repeated in the Horizon newspaper and again this morning. Either disembark before 11 am or after 1 p.m.
The sun was on our balcony so I was happy just soaking up the rays.
We were staying local so disembarked after the rush but before 11 a.m. we walked into town, the narrow cobbled streets were in the shade and it was very pleasant.
We stopped for coffee and churros but as I was allocated the seat in the sun (being the youngest in the group I of course do as I am told) I waited for them to order their coffee then ordered a beer for myself. I said I wasn’t sitting in the sun drinking coffee and the churros went down just as well with beer. It was lovely just people watching soaking up the rays.
We called in Carrefour for some soft drinks and then found an outside table in our favourite fish restaurant. More beer followed with lots of mixed fish and a Russian salad. I love the Spanish life style so relaxing with food and drink at the centre of everything.
When we returned to the ship we found that because it had been turned round us lucky Starboard balcony dwellers had the afternoon sun as well as this mornings sun. Result!
Garry offered me a Gin & tonic to celebrate and it would have been rude to refuse.
We had dinner in the main dining room with the Celebration menu on a casual night then left our friends to go to the theatre and we went up to the Metropolis for the Salted Martini cocktail.
Tomorrow we dock in Lisbon which is our final port of call.
Wednesday, 7 June 2023 - Lisbon
The weather forecast from the Captain was better than we had expected as we had been following the forecast all week.
Normally here we would disembark early and taxi to the train station for a visit to the fishing town of Cascais and bbq sardines for lunch.
It needed to be good weather to make the trip worth while and there had been dark clouds and rain spots so decided to shelve that idea.
We disembarked just after 10:15 to find we had another route March just to get through the port area. Once there we joined the shuttle queue and it wasn’t long before we were on our way. We should have walked into town. The usual route was blocked no idea what with, we were on the bus for well over an hour and saw the very seedy part of Lisbon that we hadn’t seen before and don’t want to again.
When we finally stopped many took one look and stayed on the bus and the queue to get back to the ship was already huge.
We set off and soon found our bearings. There was a food and drink event set up in the main square and we decided to sample the port sangria. Very nice. Garry soon found the port shop he was looking for and we made our purchases to take home.
The next stop was for the pasteis de Nata . The weather wasn’t great and kept trying to rain but the wind was fierce. We walked through to Black Horse square and by this time it felt like breakfast had been hours ago.
We found a restaurant near the beer museum and ordered drinks. I sampled a pink port sangria this time and found a new favourite drink.
The food was Portuguese tapas style and I ordered the octopus salad which was excellent. My travelling companions are not very adventurous where food is concerned but we’re content with their choices. The men were happy as the beer was brewed at the museum next door.
We walked back to the ship and it stayed fine but very blowy. It was a much quicker journey by shanks pony back to the ship than it had been by coach from the ship.
We delivered a pack of the pasteis de Nata to reception for our officer friend and then headed for our balcony to devour ours sat in the sun with a coffee.
We will be setting sail shortly and the Captain has just informed everyone that it will be a smooth sailing with only a half meter swell through the BOB.
I won’t have WiFi for much longer so this will be my last post until we are back in Southampton on our way home.
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). I was hoping that they would appear here, but so far not. I think it is Lindsay that has the connection with Sue. So please, is there any chance of you using your influence and getting the reports rowed over here? I do so enjoy them, and I know other members do so too.
