cruise on ventura

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• P&O Cruises

Cruise line P&O UK (P&O Cruises)

• Southampton (England)

Ventura current position

Ventura current location is at North East Atlantic Ocean (coordinates 43.36679 N / -8.39682 W) cruising en route to La Coruna. The AIS position was reported 6 minutes ago.

Current itinerary of Ventura

Ventura current cruise is 13 days, round-trip Spain Portugal And Canary Islands . The itinerary starts on 07 Apr, 2024 and ends on 20 Apr, 2024 .

Specifications of Ventura

•   Itineraries
•   Review
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Ventura Itineraries

Ventura review, review of ventura.

The 2008-built MS Ventura cruise ship is one of the Grand-class P&O UK liners, with sistership MS Azura .

The vessel (IMO number 9333175) is currently Bermuda- flagged (MMSI 310562000) and registered in Hamilton .

History - construction and ownership

P&O Cruises is a subsidiary company and two brands owned by Carnival Corporation - P&O UK and P&O Australia. In 2000, P&O Cruises became subsidiary of P&O Princess Cruises, which merged with Carnival Corporation in 2003. P and O is the world's oldest cruise company, starting passenger shipping operations in 1822 on the routes connecting England with Iberia.

The 3100-passenger ship Ventura was christened in Port Southampton on April 16, 2008, by the famous British actress Dame Helen Mirren (assisted by a team of Royal Marine Commandos). The liner is particularly larger - by 30 % than any other vessel in the P&O Cruises fleet. This means there's more room for contemporary facilities, like expanded children-related amenities, recreational opportunities (bungee jumping) and different restaurants. What is more, it is difficult to find any sign of traditional P&O Cruises in the hardware - no card room, nowhere to have a sit in the library, no art auctions (all the pictures are on sale, but showed with the price) and no monotonous teak-and-cream coloring (there are cheery decor and modern artwork instead). The travelers are also distinct; still quite a lot of the retired cruisers that P&O Cruises is known for attracting, but also lots of families with kids.

Decks and Cabins

P&O Ventura staterooms (1556 total, in 35 grades) include 26x Suites, 853x Balconies, 223x Oceanviews, 434x Inside, 2x Family Suites, 18x Studios (single-occupancy cabins). Most cabins are sized 165 ft2 / 15 m2. Most cabin balconies are sized 45 ft2 / 4 m2. The largest passenger accommodations are the Aft Penthouse Suites (410 ft2 / 38 m2, with terrace sized 180 ft2 / 17 m2).

The boat has 18 decks of which 15 are passenger-accessible and 9 with cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

The quality of food aboard Ventura is of a high standard for such a big ship. The menus offered in the three main dining rooms change daily, and there is a Gala Menu on formal nights as well, put together by Marco Pierre White. Cinnamon and Saffron (two of the main dining rooms) offer 'Freedom Dining', meaning that guests can turn up anytime between 6:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. and dine where and with whom they like. Bay Tree is the third MDR and offers set-time dining called "Club Dining" by the line. There are 3 specialty restaurants, 2 formal ones - Epicurean, serving molecular gastronomy cuisine and Sindhu by Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar. The one informal restaurant, which proved popular on sister vessel Azura and replaced Las Ramblas, is The Glass House by wine expert Olly Smith (for-fee tapas-style restaurant).

Follows the complete list of Ventura restaurants and food bars.

• Cinnamon Restaurant (528-seat, aft Dining Room; features Your Time dining from 6:00 to 9:30 p.m.)
• Saffron Restaurant (528-seat, forward Dining Room; with fixed seating dining at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.)
• Bay Tree Restaurant (596-seat aft Dining Room; with fixed seating dining at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.; also hosts bridge tournaments, card games, etc)
• East (138-seat Asian specialty restaurant by celebrity chef Atul Kochhar)
• The Glass House (steakhouse/seafood specialty restaurant and wine bar)
• The Beach House (324-seat buffet restaurant; serves as NYC deli for dinner 6:30 - 9:30 p.m.)
• Waterside (332-seat buffet restaurant; offers full English breakfast, lunch, Afternoon Tea, Noddy’s Tea/kids, dinner, night snacks; serves premium wines by the glass)
• Frankie’s Grill (fast food bar, complimentary pizza/ice cream bar, hotdogs, burgers)
• The White Room (182-seat Italian specialty restaurant).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

P&O company doesn't go in for huge West End-style productions. Instead, expect revue-type shows with an emphasis on the singing talents of the performer; ventriloquists, magicians, and tribute acts; British comedy. In the Arena Theatre, there are two main shows nightly. Times vary in order to accommodate the set dining times. Elsewhere on the ship, the main venues for live entertainment are Havana, at the back of the ship, and The Tamarind Club - a walk-through venue on Deck 7. In both these venues, guests will find bands or singers on at various times throughout the whole evening. There is usually a guest band too, depending on where the vessel is based. Havana is also the nightclub onboard ms Ventura. Additional amenities include: Complimentary 24-hour Room-Service, Internet/WiFi access, supervised kids program, laundry/self-serve laundromats.

Follows the complete list of Ventura lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults.

• Ventura Atrium (3-decks central open floor area and social hub);
• Atrium Shops - Regalia (clothes, souvenirs, gifts), The Wardrobe (brand fashion, watches, bags, hats), Chic (fashion boutique), Emporium (candy store), Eternity (jewelry), Essence (perfumes). Following the ship's drydock refurbishment in 2018, the onboard shopping was upgraded by adding new retail brands selling premium watches, handbags, cosmetics and perfumes, travel essentials. New is the Dufry store (travel retailer). Among the added new brands are BRICS (luggage, bags, Selfridges), Longines (Swiss hand-made watches), Olivia Burton (watches, V), Liu Jo (women's clothes, bags, shoes), Radley (designer leather handbags, purses, accessories), Cath Kidston (fashion, bags, gifts), Kipling (designer bags, backpacks, luggage, wallets, travel accessories). A new collection of British gins is also available.
• Tazzine Bar (by Costa Coffee; at night transforms into a cocktail bar)
• Chapter One (book shop and library); Cyb@study (24-hour Internet computers room, Internet packages)
• The Exchange Pub (sports bar); Brodie’s Pub; Breakers Bar; The Tamarind Lounge and Club (live music, comedy shows, cooking demonstrations, films, themed party nights)
• Metropolis Lounge; Peninsular Room (multi-purpose lounge); The Red Bar
• Arena Theatre (785-seat, 2-decks, featuring grand scale productions, live performances, game shows)
• Havana Lounge and Nightclub (live entertainment venue and disco)
• “Fortunes” Casino; Ivory Suite (vow renewal and wedding services)
• Photo Gallery and Shop; Whitehall Art Gallery; The Library (with Internet computers)
• Terrace Pool (adults only area, served by Terrace Bar); Beachcomber Pool and Bar; Laguna Pool and Bar; Aqua Park with waterside; 6 jacuzzis
• The Retreat (adults only area); Oasis Spa and Health Club (Treatment Rooms, Thermal Suite, Beauty Salon); Oasis /endless pool & bar
• Gymnasium (complimentary equipment, Fitness classes; Yoga and Pilates at surcharge)
• Kids Venues (Toybox, Jumping Jacks, Tumblers Nursery, The Den); Decibels (teen disco)
• Shuffleboard; Quoits; Sports Court (basketball, volleyball, tennis); Table Tennis; Golf Nets.

Itineraries

P&O Ventura itinerary program is based mainly on roundtrips from homeport Southampton England . The ship also used to operated Caribbean fly-cruises from Bridgetown Barbados , with Transatlantic repositioning crossings UK-Caribbean. Ex-Southampton voyages in Europe visit ports in Iberia (Portugal and Spain), Mediterranean, Canary Islands, as well as mini-cruises to Holland, Belgium, Germany. Transatlantic crossings (UK roundtrip voyages) also visit the USA and Canada and the Caribbean, with longer itineraries (30-40-days in length).

Due to the Coronavirus crisis, the ship Ventura was paused through October 2021.

Ventura - user reviews and comments

Photos of ventura.

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Ventura wiki.

The Fincantieri Monfalcone -built MS Ventura is one of PO's biggest vessels and also one of the biggest UK-based passenger ships, with sistership Azura (both of the Grand-Class). The ship was christened by Helen Mirren (1945-born British actress) who also sailed on the Inaugural Cruise/maiden voyage on April 11, 2008.

P&O Ventura (Monfalcone shipyard/hull number 6132) is powered by Wartsila marine diesel engines (models 8ZAV40S and 8L46C) generating total power output 67,22 MW.

Besides being a huge vessel as size and passenger capacity , Ventura is also one of the most family-friendly UK ships. Family fun activities at dedicated facilities on board are: "The Reef" (with kids club programming), Noddy (character greetings), open-air kids playing areas, "Beachcomber" and "Laguna" (family pools), "The Beach House" (casual family restaurant for dinner) and Havana Lounge (evening family shows).

During the whole summer of 2014, for the first time, P&O operated Ventura with exclusively fly-cruises to the Mediterranean from the UK. During winter, the liner offers Caribbean cruises from homeport Bridgetown Barbados , also operated with fly-cruise deals from UK ( Southampton England ). P&O UK's "flight and cruise" deals to the Caribbean are additionally inclusive of discounted airfare to and from Barbados.

The ship's current Captain (Master) is Paul Brown.

MS Ventura refurbishments review

The ship's drydock in 2018 (March 13-27, done by Damen Shiprepairs in Brest France ) resulted in the following changes:

The onboard retail shopping was upgraded by refurbishing all retail shops and adding new brands. The 2-tier Arena Theatre received a large, wall-mounted LED screen (similar to that on Azura), as well as a new sound and light equipment. Two bar lounges (Tamarind Club and Havana) were renovated and redesigned.

All passenger cabins and most public areas (the Atrium, Spa and Salon complex, all restaurants, lounges, and bars) were renovated with new carpeting. The main walkway area received new tiling, new carpet, new furniture.

New retail brands were added to the onboard shopping options selling premium watches, handbags, cosmetics and perfumes, travel essentials. New is the Dufry store (travel retailer). All the shops were completely renovated. Among the newly added brands are BRICS (luggage, bags, Selfridges), Longines (Swiss hand-made watches), Olivia Burton (watches, V), Liu Jo (women's clothes, bags, shoes), Radley (designer leather handbags, purses, accessories), Cath Kidston (fashion, bags, gifts), Kipling (designer bags, backpacks, luggage, wallets, travel accessories). A new collection of British gins was also added. To the shops on Deck 7 was added a large glass display window.

During the drydock refit were also refurbished the Waterside (24-hour buffet restaurant) and The Beach House (Select Dining restaurant).

Dixons Travel shop (deck 7) sells the latest technology gadgets and electronic equipment. During the refurbishment, the store's size was increased and new products were added, including by the brands Amazon, Apple, Bose, Canon, Fitbit, GoPro). The Photo Now (digital screen) was moved to the aft.

During drydock 2018, on the boat were installed 2 scrubbers (reducing fuel emissions and energy consumption). The hull was water blasted and painted with a new type of silicone paint (improving fuel efficiency). Also repainted was the liner's superstructure. Maintenance works included the vessel's propulsion, stabilizers, some repairs.

The list of deck plan changes after the ship's 2013 drydock (at Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg Germany ) includes:

• (Deck 5) - new Atrium entertainment programme – now with a dance floor (also for lessons) and live band music at night. Internet Cafe was transformed into the Library, while the old library was refitted into a perfume shop.
• (Deck 6) - 18 new single cruise cabins, of which 12 oceanview and 6 Interior), at no single supplement rates.
• (Deck 7) - The Glass House (wine bar) replacing the Ramblas (Latin specialty restaurant)
• (Deck 7) - East (Asian specialty restaurant by Atul Kochhar, with new Southeast Asia menu.
• (Deck 17) - The Retreat (outdoor adults-only spa terrace).
• Better (shipwide) Wi-Fi coverage.

Cruises On Ventura 2024

Ship Specifications

City Southampton

Ventura itineraries, 13 night canary islands, 10 night western europe, 4 night western europe, 7 night western europe, 14 night canary islands, 13 night spain and portugal, 5 night short break, 12 night canary islands, 12 night spain and portugal, 35 night usa and caribbean, p&o cruises fleet.

P&O Ventura – Christmas Cruise Review (Entertainment, Ship, Food & More)

I’ve just disembarked the most eventful cruise I’ve ever taken, the cruise was 12 nights long and we were at sea for Christmas day. 

We had storms, we had medical emergencies, you name it, it happened on this cruise. 

Like most people, I wasn’t able to see my family last Christmas so we decided to make this Christmas a good one. 

Cruise Ship: P&O Ventura Date: 17th December 2021 – 30th December 2021 Destination: Canary Islands

I knew that this cruise could be great, but also knew that if anything went wrong, it wouldn’t just be me affected. In total there were 6 of us taking the cruise and I really really wanted my family to enjoy the cruise. 

I thought I had worried about everything that could happen beforehand but things happened onboard and onshore that I didn’t even consider. 

It definitely wasn’t the perfect Christmas I had imagined.

We boarded the ship on the 17th of December and embarkation was pretty easy. 

Covid Testing and Embarkation – Extra Pressure!

It’s never nice doing the covid tests and worrying if you’ll test positive, but in this situation, one positive result could have meant the end of Christmas for all 6 of us. 

We drove through the covid testing centre and arrived in multiple cars so were all messaging each other ‘NEGATIVE’ when the results came through. Never has negative been so positive!

It was such a relief I genuinely could have cried. I didn’t, I was too excited, but I could have. 

The ship that we were cruising on was P&O’s Ventura. I’ve cruised with P&O before but a couple of my family members hadn’t, I’d promised them good things, so hoped that P&O wouldn’t let me down! 

I knew that there were a few things about P&O that they wouldn’t like, such as the formal nights and dress codes, but I hoped this wouldn’t be a problem. 

I had heard that there would be a formal night on Christmas day and I hoped that wouldn’t be the case, a few of my family members don’t like to dress in formal wear, so I knew they wouldn’t come to dinner in the main dining room if that was the case, which I did feel a bit bad about. 

I didn’t want them to be excluded from Christmas and the idea of having Christmas dinner in the buffet just seemed a bit sad. 

We Were as Prepared as we Could be…

For some reason our luggage tags weren’t ever available to print before the cruise, which meant we had to go to a desk to get luggage tags when we arrived at the port.

Normally you can print everything at home to avoid queuing up to get things but it wasn’t the end of the world, but I’d definitely have preferred to skip this step. 

After that, embarkation was fast and thankfully, we had all of the paperwork we needed. Cruising at the moment does need a lot of paperwork and I feel like my printer can feel it, whenever I NEED to print something, it decides it’s an impossible task and it denies all knowledge of knowing how to print. 

We needed health declarations, vaccine evidence, our negative test results, passports and travel insurance and a few other things later in the cruise line UK return forms and Portuguese entry forms. 

Comparing Ventura to her Younger Sister Iona

I wasn’t too sure how I’d like Ventura, given that I had recently cruised on the newest P&O ship Iona quite recently, I didn’t know how I’d feel about going from the biggest, most exciting P&O cruise ship to a smaller, older version. 

My brother particularly liked Iona, so I hoped he would like Ventura too. 

Boarding The Ship Was Magical – P&O Ventura’s Decorations

When we boarded the ship, we were instantly surrounded by Christmas. I hadn’t really thought about Christmas before this point, I was too nervous about one of us testing positive or forgetting a piece of paper that we needed but as soon as we boarded, it was incredible.

There was singers singing Christmas music, the atrium was decorated beautifully and there was even somebody ice skating in the middle of the atrium. I don’t think I’ve ever had such an amazing ‘wow’ moment when walking onto the ship. 

My parents and brother were already onboard so they met us in the atrium and told me about the juggling elves they had just seen. 

It definitely seemed like a strange kind of Christmassy dream but apparently that was real.

The ship was beautiful, really beautiful and all the crew members were wearing Santa hats.

A British Christmas

This was definitely a good sign that this Christmas cruise was going to feel Christmassy. Being away from home for Christmas is always going to be different but given the fact that P&O are a British cruise line, and I’m British, I hoped that it would feel familiar. 

I was also very excited to try the P&O cruises’ Christmas food, P&O have some of my favourite cruise food and I knew that they’d be able to master roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings, which is very important to my Christmas! 

On to our Muster Station and Beyond

After meeting the rest of my family we had to go to our muster station to have our QR codes scanned and then we went straight onto a bar to grab a drink. 

We decided to take things slowly, as one of my family members isn’t able to walk long distances and the embarkation did involve quite a bit of walking, embarkation day is a lot of fun, but can also be stressful and tiring, so don’t forget to allow yourself time to take things slowly! 

We were on board for 12 days so had plenty of time to explore. 

We Bought Drinks Packages

We bought drinks packages from the inside pool. I bought the soda package which was great. 

Can Adults Buy P&O’s Childrens ‘Soda’ Package?

I was told pre cruise that P&O’s soda package was only available for children but the website also lets me buy it. The crew were happy to sell it to adults onboard and I was very happy to have it. It is available for adults and we never had any problem using it.

It did make me laugh to have a sticker on my card that said ‘CHILD’ but hopefully P&O will remove the ‘childrens’ from the title of the package, as it is available for all adults, and rightly so, us adults need our soda. 

Why Does Ventura Look so Familiar?

P&O’s Ventura was built in 2008 and you may recognise her even if you’ve never been on a P&O cruise ship. 

Both P&O cruises and Princess are owned by Carnival Cruise Line, in fact Carnival Cruise line owns all of these cruise lines. This means that Ventrua is the same design as the Princess ships Grand, Golden and Star Princess. 

A few years ago I took a cruise on the Golden Princess, which has since been sold and it was really strange being on Ventura and seeing the similarities. 

I almost expected to see the Princess cruises logo at the bottom of the swimming pools.

I tend to think of P&O as being the British version of Princess. 

Ventura Was at Reduced Capacity

There were lots of covid measures in place during our cruise and one of these was reduced capacity. 

At full capacity Ventura can hold 3192 passengers. 

On our cruise she had a little less than 2000. 

I did think that this reduced capacity may make the ship feel quiet but it really didn’t. I think 2/3rd full is about perfect and I’ll be sad when full capacity is in place again.

There were other ways that Covid affected our cruise, but more about that later.

Our Cabins Were on The Pool Deck (Great Location if You Like The Buffet!)

After having a drink we decided to go on to find our cabins, we had 3 cabins onboard, 2 balcony cabins and 1 inside cabin, for once, I wasn’t in the inside cabin! 

There was a little Christmas decoration outside each cabin door and inside each cabin was a little Christmas tree which was so cute.

My cabin was cabin L243 on the Lido deck. 

Our balcony cabins were next door so we asked our cabin steward if he could open the partition between the two cabins. 

It was helpful to have this open as we could all watch the sail aways and ins together without having to go in through the doors, through the cabin, into the corridor, through the cabin and back out the doors again. 

The rooms are only cleaned once per day on P&O cruise ships in the morning, this means that the housekeeping team have different jobs to do in the evenings. 

We would often see our room steward working as a waiter in our dining room. 

I have a massive amount of respect for anybody who works in housekeeping on a cruise ship, or who works as a waiter. I can’t imagine doing both jobs but the crew always did it with a smile. 

The crew were really great on our cruise, especially considering they were away from home for Christmas. 

Our cabin steward was brilliant and we tried not to make too much work for him to do.  

Magical Cookies Kept Arriving…

One thing I did need our room steward to do was to take away the plates when we had magic cookies arrive at our cabin. 

In total 5 plates of around 12 cookies arrived in my cabin during the cruise, I didn’t order them, there wasn’t a note, clearly somebody has just told the staff to keep me well topped up with cookies, and that they did! 

I found my all time favourite cookie on Ventura. Amazing. 

We Watched The Muster Drill in Our Cabins

While we were in our room, we had to watch the safety videos on our TV which we did. 

Pre 2020, muster drills were completely in big lounges or spaces around the ship but now they’re done in your cabin or phone, and I much prefer that.

To learn how muster drills have changed since the cruising shutdown of 2020, check out this post: Muster Drills Have Changed For The Better (REVIEW of New After Covid Process)

The Buffet Has Returned to Self Service

When we had finished the muster drill, we went straight onto the buffet. It was getting towards dinner time so we didn’t want to eat a huge meal but I was looking forward to P&O’s yorkshire puddings so I decided to get one. 

The buffet was back to self service which I did find a little strange. 

When the pandemic hit, almost all cruise lines changed their buffets so that the food would be served to you by the crew, cruise lines are starting to go back to self service now which takes a bit of getting used to. 

I’m sure it’s okay though, as it was impossible to get into the buffet without sanitising your hands multiple times, I saw the crew stopping people who tried to walk in without hand sanitising and the crew were really good at enforcing the mask rules too.

When do Masks Have to be Worn?

Generally speaking masks have to be worn at all times, if you are sat down drinking or eating, you can take off the mask or if you are outside and socially distanced it’s fine to take it off. 

Masks did have to be worn at all times in the theatre but there were no seats closed for social distancing. 

I’ve been on cruises before where people haven’t wanted to follow the rules and have caused trouble that way, on this cruise there was one person who was adamant that nobody could sit besides them for social distancing, it was the first time I’d ever seen somebody being so annoyed at others for not following rules that didn’t exist? 

The crew confirmed, there were no seats to be left for social distancing. 

We saw some amazing shows, including the magic show Astonishing and the shows would often be completely sold out. 

It definitely felt a little weird to be sitting next to people again, but there’s nowhere else you’ll find a group which is fully vaccinated, recently tested and mask wearing people.

Was There Covid on The Ship?

Covid is on almost every cruise ship, even with the testing, it’s impossible to reduce the risk to zero but I think it’s important to remember that even an ‘outbreak’ at sea has a smaller percentage infected than the general population on land. 

The majority have no symptoms or very few symptoms and I knew that P&O had processes in place if I did catch Covid. 

They have cabins set up for quarantining guests and I felt very safe onboard. Safer than I do on land for sure. 

I did take off my mask a couple of times to take photos, but only when nobody else was around. 

Did Covid Affect Our Cruise?

I never saw anybody question the mask rule, or try to avoid wearing a mask which was great. It just became part of everyday life and nobody really thought about it. 

Apart from mask wearing, Covid procedures didn’t really affect our cruise. 

The ship was at reduced capacity and that was great but everything was open as normal. 

It definitely didn’t stop anything from feeling Christmassy. 

The crew were all wearing Santa hats and masks, which I imagine makes an already very difficult job much harder. 

The Daily Schedule on a P&O Cruise

The daily schedule onboard mostly consisted of things like live music, game shows, trivia, guest speakers, dance classes. 

We actually did win trivia once which was amazing, I always take part but haven’t ever won before I don’t think. 

Christmassy Events on The Schedule

From the moment we boarded, there were Christmassy activities on the schedule but this really increased when we got to Christmas eve and into Christmas. 

We visited Gran Canaria and Tenerife first and were docked in Lanzarote on Christmas eve which was amazing. 

We wandered around for a couple of hours in Lanzarote, me in a dress and sandals on Christmas eve and we found a lovely beach to sit on.

It’s been a really long time since I’ve sat on a beach or felt the sunshine, it was great. 

If you’re from somewhere cold, I’d definitely recommend a Christmas cruise to somewhere warm. 

We had beautiful blue skies on Christmas eve and so lots of people were sunbathing. 

It was around 25c (77f) which to us Brits is really warm.

P&O Conducted Covid Tests

In the morning we had a covid tests done onboard, we needed these in order to visit Portugal on Boxing day.

Around 50% of passengers decided to have the test so that they could disembark in Portugal, the remainder stayed onboard. 

The covid test was done in the speciality restaurant Sindu and it was very easy, the test cost £18 per person and this was added onto our onboard accounts. 

We Visited Sindu – A Speciality Restaurant

We did visit the restaurant Sindu during our cruise. It’s described as Indian cuisine with a British twist and I decided to treat my brother and mum to a meal there, as I know how much they like it. 

It is a specialty restaurant which means that it costs extra and each dish had a price, the same way as it would in a restaurant on land. My dad unfortunately couldn’t make it to dinner as he was too seasick, but more about that later. 

Does Santa Visit Cruise Ships?

Santa does visit cruise ships! He can often be seen dancing on the pool deck or giving out presents in the atrium.

On our cruise he arrived on the pool deck and the house band were playing Christmas music. 

This was the first time our cruise had ever felt busy and I wondered where all of these people had come from. 

In the evening there were Christmas carols in the atrium, the atrium did fill up pretty fast so we sat there for half an hour or so before the carols having a couple of drinks. 

P&O have Costa Coffee Cafes Onboard

On the bottom level of the atrium was the Costa Coffee, the rest of my family had bought a soft drinks package which allowed them to have hot drinks from Costa. 

They’d order coffees and hot chocolates while I would order myself a Pepsi.

All of the cakes and food from Costa are included in the cruise fare which is nice. 

It’s here I found my all time favourite cookie. 

I know technically, this is a biscuit not a cookie but I needed to expand the definition a little for my cookie quest! 

I know also that P&O didn’t make these onboard, but that doesn’t matter to me, my contest was based solely on how much I enjoyed eating the cookie, and this was my favourite. 

An Evening’s Entertainment with Asa Elliot & Other Celebrities

In the evening we watched a special Christmas show in the theatre with a man called Asa Elliot which was great, you might recognise him from the TV show Benidorm. 

He wasn’t the only celebrity we had onboard, Ann Widdecombe the politician and author was also onboard and she did a lot of talks in the theatre.

I never went to any but P&O certainly got their money’s worth for whatever they paid her, she was hosting talks and Q&A sessions every few days and they were always fully booked.

The theatre shows had to be pre booked on P&O cruises app, as did meals in most restaurants. 

Joining Virtual Queues Was Much Easier

One part of the app that I loved was the ‘virtual queue feature’ which meant that we would join the ‘queue’ without actually having to go to the restaurant. 

The app would let me know when our table was ready and then we would walk down to the restaurant. 

We decided to pick freestyle dining but there was also the option for fixed dining. 

We usually didn’t have to wait for our table for more than 5-10 minutes but we were almost always eating early when the restaurant opened at around 6pm. 

When we tried to book a table for 6 at 7.30 or later, it would sometimes taken 20-30 minutes for the table to be ready. That isn’t a new thing, but the virtual queue meant that we could stay wherever we were, rather than having to queue up or get one of those buzzers that vibrates when your table is ready. 

The App is Missing a Few Basic Features

P&O cruises app has some great features like being able to book things on the go, and to check your onboard account but it is missing a few basics. 

The daily schedule isn’t in the app, or at least I’ve never managed to find it, which meant that my phone’s camera roll ended up full of photos like this:

If you are taking a cruise where the daily schedule isn’t in the app, definitely take photos like this. 

If you don’t everybody will be asking ‘in what venue was that thing we wanted to go see?!’. 

The App Didn’t Update

The app did cause quite a lot of confusion on our cruise as it turns out that P&O aren’t able to update the app during the cruise. 

Due to bad weather, more about that later, we had shows cancelled and the days changed, the app never reflected the change. 

If you had booked a show on night one, but the show was swapped with whatever was on night two, your booking stayed for the same night, but not the show.

It seemed like a weird way to do it, but I booked the theatre almost everyday so it didn’t make a big difference to me. 

An Angry Man Stormed Off…

Some guests did get quite angry about it though, one man was being incredibly aggressive, shouting and swearing at a person who worked for P&O. 

All because the show had changed and he didn’t have a ticket. 

Each show was on 3x a night, and the remaining seats that hadn’t been booked were released 5 minutes before showtime. 

He definitely could have seen the show, even though he didn’t have a ticket, but when he became aggressive he was asked to leave and he stormed off. 

The things that the crew have to put up with, blows my mind. I don’t know who thinks it’s okay to shout and swear, over a cruise ship theatre show. 

Christmas Day Onboard P&O’s Ventura

For some reason I didn’t make it up in time for the 7am fab abs which was held on the ship on Christmas Day. 

I had a lay in and ate Chocolate for breakfast, just how Christmas is meant to be!

One of the best things about cruising at Christmas is not having to worry about presents, we each had one present to open and as is Christmas tradition, I got some new Christmas pyjamas which was perfect. 

We watched the movie Miracle on 34th Street and had a pretty lazy Christmas day playing games which was nice. I had already watched the best Christmas movie of all time on another sea day, ELF! 

Christmas Day Dress Code Disappointment

I was sad to see that the Christmas day dress code was formal because I knew that meant that a few family members of mine wouldn’t be coming to Christmas dinner in the main dining room. 

There were other options where they could eat but I’m definitely more of a ‘Christmas Jumper’ kinda Christmas girl than formal wear. 

On P&O’s formal nights men have to wear a jacket and a tie or bow tie as a minimum. 

P&O are quite strict on their dress codes and they do like their formal nights. 

We had 3 formal nights during this 12 night cruise. 

Christmas Dinner Onboard P&O’s Ventura

Our Christmas dinner was really nice, it was 5 courses long and it was really busy in the restaurant. 

We usually had freestyle dining but for Christmas dinner, dinner was served at a set time. 

In total the meal took just over 2.5 hours which did feel like a long time. I’m usually an in and out in an hour kinda person but the food was great and I loved the Christmas crackers, we all wore our hats as you should! 

There were plenty of vegetarian options on the Christmas day menu as there always were, P&O are very good at vegetarian and vegan dining, on every menu is at least one vegan starter, main and dessert which I thought was very good. Plus multiple vegetarian options.

I have photos of everything I ate on this cruise, with their descriptions and dietary information in this post: 51 Meals I Ate on my P&O Cruise (Photos and Menus) – Food Review

Don’t read this one if you’re feeling hungry! 

Other Dining Options

We usually ate in the main dining room when it came to dinner time, because there were 6 of us, we would often be doing different things in the day and then would come together at dinner to catch up. 

We also ate in the buffet quite a lot and I had some really good food there, the buffet wasn’t huge by bigger cruise ship standards but there was more than enough choice.

They also had ‘late night snacks’ from 11pm so we would often visit the buffet before bed to get a snack or a cup of tea.

The tea and coffee and water in the buffet is always available and free, even if the buffet is closed because they’re changing from one meal to the next. The drinks machines are there and free to use and they are back to self service again.

If you are somebody who likes a different type of tea than the standard breakfast tea it’s usually a good idea to take a couple of tea bags from the buffet to your cabin. 

I mainly drink peppermint tea so in the evening I would take a couple of tea bags back so that I could have my morning tea. 

My Favoruite Restaurant Onboard Costs £7.50 – The Beach House

We also ate in the beach house which was my favourite restaurant onboard, it costs £7.50 per person which is pretty cheap as far as specialty restaurants go and it’s basically set up in a section of the buffet. 

I had a halloumi sizzler, my brother had a giant and I mean giant burger and I had chocolate cake for dessert. The portions were pretty huge and I washed it down with pints of Pepsi.

Every British Cruise Ship Has a Pub, Ventura is no Exception

In the evening we went back to the theatre to see the Christmas show and then went on to watch Karoke in the pub. 

We spent quite a bit of time in the pub but I definitely think that P&O should have hosted the activities like trivia, that they hosted in the pub in a bigger venue. 

The seats were always taken and if you wanted to go to an event there you’d have to be there very early, which just seemed silly when bigger lounges like the tamarind club and havana were often empty at the time. 

A Gingerbread Surprise!

Outside Havana there were these incredible gingerbread houses and christmas cakes, I very much doubt anybody was able to eat any of this, especially in Covid times but it was impressive how they had made the display entirely with gingerbread. 

One day it wasn’t there, and the next it was! 

There were lots of big lounges onboard like the Metropolis located at the back of the ship which has amazing views from all sides. 

I really didn’t expect to like Ventura as much as I did but I loved the open spaces and felt very comfortable and happy onboard. 

We Loved Our Cabins

After spending such a long time in our cabins, they really did start to feel like home. 

I personally love the design of cabins like this where there is a separate wardrobe area as you walk into the cabin.

There was tons of storage, a kettle so that we could make tea a couple of times a day and very very comfortable beds. 

The design does look a little dated and the tv was tiny and falling off the wall, but I felt very comfortable here and didn’t turn the TV on. 

The bathroom was small and it did have the dreaded shower curtain, but I have a shower curtain at home so this really doesn’t bother me. 

The great thing was that even though the bathroom was small, you could step out into this wardrobe area to get changed. 

The inside cabin was an almost identical design to our balcony cabins and it felt really spacious. 

There were huge mirrors on all sides and it also had the separate closet area. 

This Review Isn’t The Complete Story

I have missed out quite a big part of my Christmas cruise in this video. 

Our cruise was 12 nights long and we spent a full 7 days at sea. 

It was the roughest cruise I’ve ever taken and it did affect quite a few of my family quite badly. 

I didn’t want to include the information in this video, because I don’t want it to take away from the brilliant Christmas I had. 

I loved Ventura, P&O were so helpful, the food was amazing, we saw the sunshine and overall we had a great cruise but I think it’s important though to show you the full picture so I will be bringing you a storm related video next, showing you what it’s like inside a cruise ship during gale force winds. 

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Total solar eclipse 2024 live updates: Watch video and see photos of the sky spectacle

EAGLE PASS, Texas − In a moment of cosmic alignment that was precisely predicted yet undeniably mysterious , the moon crept across the face of the sun as seen from Earth, casting its shadow onto the United States on Monday.

And then it was over: A total eclipse of the sun has come and gone.  

The partial shadow crossed into the U.S. in Texas just after noon local time, and a bit more than an hour later, the minutes of “totality” began. The total eclipse of the sun then traced a path from southern Texas to northern Maine, where it exited into Canada and the ocean beyond.

The rare event was an astronomical experience like no other. Monday's eclipse was unusually accessible to millions of people. It was widely anticipated not only for its remarkable period of darkness, but for its rare timing: No total solar eclipse would be visible from the contiguous United States again until 2044. While millions of Americans may have seen today’s eclipse, a small group in Texas was among the very first.

Edge of eclipse shadow began in south Texas

Alejandra Martinez, a seventh-grade science teacher from the south Texas border city of Eagle Pass, peered up at the gray, gauzy sky, anxiously awaiting the solar eclipse’s entrance into the USA.

Sitting with a telescope under a camping canopy in a corner of the county airport, Martinez, 42, and two other science enthusiasts had been recruited by NASA to participate in an effort called Citizen CATE 2024, where more than 30 teams perched in the eclipse’s path will record the shadowy trek across the country. 

In this spot, less than five miles from the U.S.-Mexico border, she and her team would be among the first people in the U.S. to witness the phenomenon. Eagle Pass sits near the very beginning of the eclipse’s track from southwest to northeast across the country. It also sits very near dead-center of it, where the period of “totality” will be the longest. That total shadow was still more than an hour away when the edge of the shadow began to darken the sky.

Martinez, dressed in a “This Totality Rocks” T-shirt and eclipse-themed skirt, watched as the penumbra crept across the airfield, about 10 minutes past noon local time. She put on her eclipse glasses and peered up at the sky. The gauzy clouds parted. “There it is! There it is!” she yelled. “First contact. It’s begun!”

Clouds came and went as the shadow grew for the next hour. As totality approached Eagle Pass, the sky shaded a dull gray then a heavy brown and the temperature dropped a few degrees. Only a sliver of the sun remained.

A few seconds before 1:27 p.m. CT, the crowd counted down, “3..2..1…” The sun was gone, completely covered by the moon. Darkness spread over the small airport grounds. “Oh my god,” Martinez said, a hand covering her heart. “This is so cool!”

How to tell if you have eye damage from looking at a partial eclipse?

For those who took a chance and looked at the sun without protective eyewear during the eclipse, concerns may arise if their vision starts to seem impaired. Have they suffered eclipse blindness?

Looking directly at the sun even briefly without the proper safety glasses can result in eye damage, either temporary or permanent. The body's natural squinting reaction in normal circumstances prevents people from staring directly at the sun, but that reflex may not be activated during partial eclipses, even though a partly shielded sun can still burn the retina.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology says pain won't be an indication of damaged eyes because the retina lacks pain nerves. Worrisome signs are instead blurry vision, headaches, light sensitivity, blind spots in the central vision, distorted vision and changes in color perception. Anyone experiencing those symptoms should see an ophthalmologist, the AAO says.

What was the timeline of the 2024 solar eclipse?

The total eclipse began in Mexico at about 11:07 a.m. PDT, Monday before crossing into Texas at 1:27 p.m. CDT. It ended in Maine at 3:35 p.m. EDT. Even those who weren't in the path of totality could see a percentage of the eclipse.

To find out exactly when the eclipse occurred in your area, you can search by  USA TODAY's database by ZIP code  for a viewing guide.

Students in Washington get hands-on learning

Dozens of students spilled out of Ida B. Wells Middle School in Washington, D.C., gripping cardboard solar eclipse glasses and chatting with excitement. “Why is the sun shaped as a moon?” one student asked after looking toward the sun. “Why is it not getting dark?’’ asked another.

Teacher Troy Mangum, who the students called “Mr. Mango,’’ slowly explained the science behind the experience as he cautioned others to put on their glasses. Students at the school in northwest D.C. had had lessons about the eclipse leading up the day’s teaching outside the classroom.

“Anytime we can get hands on or dynamic learning … it’s invaluable,’’ said Mangum, a social emotional learning coach. “We talked about it so much. It’s nice to see them get excited about qeeky Mr. Mango type of stuff.”

Skylar Cruel, 12, had come outside with her science class. “I just really wanted to see it,’’ she said. “You get to see it turn from light to dark.”

Steps away at Whittier Elementary School, which focuses on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), younger students put on their glasses and tilted their heads up toward the sun behind their school.

Michael Haile joined his daughter, Markan Worku, 9, a student at Whittier, and brought along his 5-year-old son, Keab. He called it a memorable experience for his children. Markan, who had been learning about solar eclipses in her third-grade class, simply said, “This is cool!’’ 

− Deborah Berry

In Michigan, a bonding experience for a mother and her three kids

In Michigan, eclipse enthusiasts packed a watch party along the Detroit Riverwalk near Cullen Plaza. They sat on the grass, on benches and berms. For Janelle Ikonen of Waterford, it was a chance to bond with her three children − Hannah, 9; Elim, 12; and Isaac, 14 − whom she took out of school for the day.

“I wanted to experience a unique event with them,” said Ikonen, 47. “It’s one of my big deals to me, to experience things with my kids. … I hope they’ll remember spending time with me.”

In Grand Rapids, where 94% coverage of the sun was expected, viewers gathered on the city's “Blue Bridge,” which offered a view of the eclipse over the Grand River. With no cloud cover over the city, visitors had an unobstructed scene. The Grand Rapids Public Museum set up a series of solar telescopes.

Jill and Wes Johnson, 50 and 14, were among those awaiting max coverage. They’d considered traveling from Grand Rapids to a place with total coverage, but decided 94% coverage was worthwhile enough to stay home.

“I think people are excited to see something unique,” Jill Johnson said.

− Georgea Kovanis and Arpan Lobo, Detroit Free Press

US women's soccer team takes in eclipse ahead of title game

COLUMBUS, Ohio − The U.S. women’s national soccer team took a break from SheBelieves Cup preparation to watch the eclipse. 

Several team members, including World Cup veterans Crystal Dunn, Alyssa Naeher, Naomi Girma and Trinity Rodman, coaches and staff members donned eclipse glasses and went outside their hotel to see the rare event.

As the sky darkened and the moon moved in front of the sun, someone yelled, “Come on, keep going!” Columbus is just outside the path of totality, so all but a sliver of the sun wound up being covered. 

The USWNT is in Columbus for the final of the SheBelieves Cup on Tuesday night against Canada.

− Nancy Armour

Witnessing the first total eclipse from a cruise ship

Passengers aboard Holland America's Koningsdam cruise ship eagerly gathered on the top decks at 10 a.m. local time to watch the spectacle of a solar eclipse.

Positioned off the coast of Mazatlan, Mexico − the first city in North America to witness the total eclipse − the ship provided an ideal vantage point for viewing the celestial event. Accompanied by an astronomer, the captain meticulously adjusted the ship's position to ensure the best possible view.

Dan Fueller, an experienced eclipse observer who had previously seen similar phenomena from ships in 1991 and 1998, emphasized the advantages of viewing the eclipse from a cruise ship. He noted the flexibility of the ship's mobility allowed for optimal positioning along the eclipse's path, ensuring unobstructed views.

"You're on a cruise ship and (the best view) is a little bit farther to the west or a little bit farther to the east − along the path, there's a clear sky − the ship can move. If you're on land and there's not a road there, you better have a tank."

− Joshuan Rivera

Partial eclipse 'like a little Pac-Man taking a bite out of the sun'

In Parthenon, Arkansas, the eclipse began near the Buffalo National River. Five friends traveled from Florida to be on a rock outcropping to witness the celestial event.

“Yes! I see it!” Angie Printiss exclaimed.

“Oh ya! You can see it,” said Kate Estes. “It’s like a little Pac-Man taking a bite out of the sun.”

At 20 minutes before totality, the sky got noticeably darker. The shadow of crescent sun shapes played off the limestone rocks.

“It looks like water − like fish scales,” Estes said. “That is so weird, when the trees move you can really see it.”

− Jennifer Portman

New Englanders travel for better view of the eclipse

Crowds ballooned into the thousands midday Monday in the center of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, as the nearly cloudless sky and warm sun boosted temperatures to an unseasonably 60 degrees.

Jim and Kim Cooper drove over from New Hampton, New Hampshire, their first time doing more than just passing through the town locals call St. Jays. Their son had proposed to his girlfriend in Tennessee during the 2017 eclipse and then had an eclipse-themed wedding, but the Coopers had never seen a total eclipse for themselves, so they decided to come to the closest place where they could be assured of a good view.

Jeffrey Breau had seen that 2017 eclipse for himself and was so impressed that he convinced family members to join him this time. Breau’s girlfriend, Nell Hawley, came up with him from Cambridge, Massachusetts, while his brother Alex and his girlfriend Diana Ventura drove up from New York City. The Breau brothers' father, Walter, joined them in taking in their first eclipse.

“I would have been OK watching it in the yard,” Walter said, though he would only have seen a partial eclipse from there. “That’s what you think now,” Jeffrey said quickly. “Talk to me in two hours.”

− Karen Weintraub

Kids bring homemade eclipse viewers to National Mall

Lucas and Lucy Porto Banco didn’t need to buy fancy eclipse glasses – the 7- and 10-year-old siblings made their own eclipse viewers from two cardboard shoe boxes left over from a couple of their mom’s recent shoe purchases.With the help of a YouTube tutorial video, they made two holes in each box with a whittling knife and taped tin foil over. Then they used dry spaghetti to poke holes in the tin foil for the sun’s light to pass through and project onto the dark inside of the box.The kids put together the viewer in little more than five minutes, Lucy said. “Maybe 15, with covering all the gaps in the shoe box,” she said.Even with his own eclipse-viewing creation, Lucas said he may still take advantage of his eclipse glasses. “I’m going to do both,” he said.

− Cybele Mayes-Osterman

What is an 'umbra?' − and other eclipse words

Astronomers and eclipse enthusiasts used a bunch of specialized words Monday as the nation experienced its first solar eclipse since 2017 and the last one for until 2044. Here are a few of those terms and what they mean, according to the American Astronomical Society .

Baily's Beads – This refers to the beaded appearance of the moon's edge as the eclipse nears totality. Shafts of sunlight shine through deep valleys on the moon's surface, which causes the effect known to observers as Bailey's Beads.

Umbra – The darkest part of the moon’s shadow, within which the entirety of the sun's bright face is blocked. An observer standing in the umbra sees a total solar eclipse.

Penumbra: The lighter part of the moon's shadow, making up its outer portion, where light can reach.

Corona – The sun’s upper atmosphere, visible as a pearly glow around the eclipsed sun during totality.

Totality – The maximum phase of a total solar eclipse, during which the moon’s disk completely covers the sun's bright face. It can last from a fraction of a second to a maximum of 7 minutes, 31 seconds, depending on viewing location and other factors.

− Dale Denwalt, The Oklahoman

A last-minute search for glasses for 'a perfect spot'

Patsy Faoro walked toward a half dozen people gathered at the gate of Turner Farm Park in Great Falls, Virginia. The people were awaiting the opening of an eclipse viewing event complete with telescopes and educational presentations.

Faoro, who lives near the park in this upscale Northern Virginia neighborhood, just wanted glasses to safely view the eclipse.

She visited CVS, Safeway and a 7/11 convenience store, all of which had advertised the availability of glasses to view the eclipse. None of the retailers had any glasses remaining when Faoro checked this morning.

“We have this great big open space that’s a perfect spot,” said Faoro, who viewed her first eclipse in the 1970s. “We just need some glasses.”

− Ken Alltucker

Indianapolis Motor Speedway event draws tens of thousands

Tory Patrick, 41, is hoping to give her four children a once-in-a-lifetime learning opportunity. Patrick and her family traveled 160 miles to Indianapolis Motor Speedway from their home in Granger, Indiana. They were expected to have 97% totality at home, but it’s not the same as total coverage, she said.

“They will be getting the full experience that they can’t read about in textbooks,” Patrick said.

Patrick and her sister Cally Gannon, 39, from Cincinnati, met in Indianapolis to view the eclipse from the speedway. They camped outside IMS over the weekend ahead of the event and on Sunday afternoon saw a double rainbow over the speedway’s iconic pagoda. An estimated 50,000 tickets were sold for the day’s festivities, presented in partnership with NASA and Purdue University.

Elsewhere in the stands, Ryan Harper, 30, knows today is special.

“We’re right in totality,” he said. “This sometimes doesn’t happen in people’s lifetimes.

— Sarah Bowman and Jade Thomas

Family travels from Baltimore to Rochester, N.Y., to view the eclipse

When Maze Pelham of Baltimore was a fifth-grader, he watched news of the 2017 solar eclipse and vowed to witness the next notable solar eclipse. That eclipse, and that day, has come. And this is why he and his parents, Janice and Sonney Pelham, left Maryland around 1 a.m. on Monday and drove nearly seven hours to Rochester, New York.

“I said to myself I would go to the next one,” Maze Pelham said while seated with his parents on lawn chairs at downtown Rochester’s Parcel 5 park, where he and hundreds of others are awaiting a view of the full eclipse. “It’s a promise I made to myself.”

– Democrat and Chronicle, part of the USA TODAY Network

In Brooklyn: Eclipses glasses, check. Lawn chair, check.

Ralph Emerson held a pair of paper sunglasses in his hands while riding the subway to Brooklyn's sprawling Prospect Park on Monday. He exited the train with a folded lawn chair strapped across his shoulder, and said he felt energized and full of anticipation.

"This is special," Emerson, 61, said. "I haven't woken up with this much excitement since the Super Bowl."

Walking to the park's botanic garden, Emerson said appreciating natural phenomena makes it easier to manage the stresses that come with living in a big city. Also like a big sports game, the eclipse will draw lots of people together to experience something much larger than themselves, in community, he said.

"A lot of times it's tragedies that bring us together, but sometimes things like this do," he said.

− Claire Thornton

Texas Eclipse Festival cut short by weather

The Texas Eclipse Festival was canceled Monday in Burnet County, 50 miles northwest of Austin, because of weather concerns. The festival, which included bands and other events, began Sunday and was supposed to wrap up Tuesday.

"We regret to inform you of the severe weather forecast, including risks of high winds, tornadic activity, large hail, and thunderstorms for later today, including during the eclipse, Tuesday, and Wednesday," festival organizers said on their website. "Your safety is our top priority."

Festivalgoers were urged to leave early for safety and to beat traffic. Guests, however, were allowed to stay "provided they pack and are prepared to depart after totality."

Traffic jams, collisions mar eclipse watchers' travel

Traffic crashes and road delays were reported across the nation as Americans flocked to prime locations to gaze up at the rare solar eclipse . Local roads and highways in states including Texas, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Vermont and New Hampshire were overwhelmed with eclipse chasers, many of whom were from out of state. The most intense bottlenecks appeared to be in the path of totality , where spectators will be able to view the full eclipse.

In Oklahoma, a crash around 7:30 a.m. local time narrowed eastbound lanes on I-40, a major transcontinental highway that runs from California to North Carolina. The crash occurred not far from several state parks that were hosting eclipse events, and it's also within driving distance of the full eclipse path, which includes parts of southeastern Oklahoma and Arkansas.

Multiple crashes were reported on an interstate in Waco, Texas, a city in the path of totality, where several festivities and eclipse viewing events were scheduled. The crashes all occurred on I-35, which runs from southern Texas to Minnesota.

"Expect major traffic delays in this area," the Texas Department of Transportation said in a statement .

− Christopher Cann

Airport draws a crowd of jets for eclipse

EAGLE PASS, Texas − Maverick County International Airport in Eagle Pass, Texas, usually sees maybe three private planes a day. By 10 a.m. CT on Monday, more than 10 planes crowded the tarmac, including Cessnas, Pipers and at least one corporate jet − all there to catch an early glimpse of the total solar eclipse. Eagle Pass will be one of the first American cities to witness the phenomenon. Some watchers, like Brandon Beck, 43, flew in Sunday night from San Diego and spent the night in a sleeping bag on the tarmac next to his friend’s Mooney single-prop piston four-seater.“We’re so lucky to be on a planet where the sun is the perfect size and perfect distance to create that effect,” he said. “It’s obligatory. We have to see it.”

First the Cherry Blossoms, then the eclipse

WASHINGTON − The Cherry Blossoms brought Ali and Aurore Youssouf to the city all the way from Paris, but the pair were delighted to learn that their trip would overlap with the eclipse. The day is extra special for Aurore Youssouf, 43, who has never seen an eclipse before. On Monday morning, the couple arrived by chance at the National Mall early enough to snag a few pairs of free eclipse glasses distributed by the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum for the occasion.“We didn’t even know. We just ended up here and found out that they were giving away some glasses,” said Ali Youssouf, 46.

Awaiting eclipse − and hail − in Texas

KERRVILLE, Texas − Forecasts called for considerable cloudiness, rain and possible hail, but retired NASA engineer Jeff Stone stayed positive as he and his wife prepared to host more than a dozen people for a watch party at their hilltop home in Texas Hill Country. Stone, an eclipse enthusiast who had met family in Missouri to watch the solar eclipse of 2017, said he recently reviewed video footage of that event and said current conditions weren’t that much different than they were back then.

“I’m outside and seeing patches of blue among scattered clouds, so we’re remaining hopeful,” he said.

About 150 miles to the northeast in Gatesville, lead pastor Eric Moffett of Coryell Community Church said a similar forecast did little to deter an expected gathering of about 800 visitors for the church’s family-oriented “Eclipse at the Crosses” event. Many, if not most, were from out of town or even out of country − Canada, Wales, France, Italy. Many locals were staying home to avoid the crowd, he said.

“It’s partly cloudy, but the sun is shining on me right now,” he said. “We are praying that it stays that way.”

− Marc Ramirez

What is the difference between a solar eclipse and a lunar eclipse?

A  total solar eclipse  occurs when the moon comes in between the Earth and the sun, blocking its light from reaching our planet, leading to a period of darkness lasting several minutes. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the moon and the sun are on exact opposite sides of Earth. The Earth blocks the sunlight that normally reaches the moon. Instead of that sunlight hitting the moon’s surface, Earth's shadow falls on it.

A lunar eclipse can last for a few hours, while a solar eclipse lasts only a few minutes. Solar eclipses also rarely occur, while lunar eclipses are comparatively more frequent. While at least two partial lunar eclipses happen every year, total lunar eclipses are still rare, NASA says. Another major difference: No special glasses or gizmos are needed to view the a lunar eclipse, and people can directly stare at the moon.

− Saman Shafiq

Solar eclipse, lunar eclipse: What is the difference?

Can you drive during the solar eclipse?

The  2024 solar eclipse  will shroud much of the United States in darkness on Monday, leaving many people to wonder: Is it safe to drive during the solar eclipse?

It is safe to drive during an eclipse as long as you don't look up at the sky. AAA is telling drivers to be focused on the road if they are operating a car during the total solar eclipse. But the automobile insurance company is advising Americans who want to safely view the total eclipse to "find a safe place to park (not on the side of a road or highway) away from other traffic and then wear your eclipse glasses," said Aixa Diaz, a spokeswoman from AAA.

"Pack your patience, whether traveling a great distance or locally," Diaz said. "People will be out and about to catch a glimpse of the eclipse."

A similar scenario  played out in 2017 during the nation's last total solar eclipse : Congestion in some areas lasted for up to 13 hours after totality,  according to Transportation Research News , a National Research Council publication. An analysis of traffic patterns from that year suggests the worst of the traffic – on interstates and rural back roads alike – will kick off after the eclipse ends and everyone tries to leave all at once.

− Kayla Jimenez

When will the next solar eclipse happen?

It will be 20 years before there's a chance to  witness a total solar eclipse  in the United States again. According to NASA, after Monday's total solar  eclipse , the next one viewable from the contiguous U.S. will be on Aug. 23, 2044.

Unfortunately, the 2044 total  solar eclipse  won't have the broad reach across the U.S. as the 2024 eclipse. The path of totality during the 2044 eclipse will only touch three states, according to the Planetary Society, a nonprofit involved in research, public outreach and political space advocacy. The eclipse will begin in Greenland, sweep through Canada and end around sunset in Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.

But another eclipse scheduledfor Saturday, Aug. 12, 2045, will trace a path of totality over California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida and Georgia.

− Mary Walrath-Holdridge, Gabe Hauari and Eric Lagatta

Eclipse and pets: It's not the sky that's the problem

An  eclipse  itself isn't dangerous for domestic animals such as dogs and cats, but experts say it's probably best to not bring pets to  experience the April 2024 total solar eclipse . Experts' biggest concern is not what’s happening in the sky but on the ground as crowds of excited and  eager people gather , said Dr. Rena Carlson, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Dogs especially will take their cues from their owners rather than  the celestial event.

“Rather than the effects of the eclipse, I would be more worried about the excitement and all of the people,” Carlson said.

− Elizabeth Weise

A guide to the solar eclipse for kids

Here's an easy-to read, illustrated guide to help kids understand what the  April 8 total solar eclipse  means, where it will be visible and how you can watch it safely. It also shows them how an ordinary kitchen colander can easily be used to view a solar eclipse − the colander's holes can project crescent images of the sun onto the ground. There are even pages that can be downloaded and colored.

Trump's eclipse experience lit up internet in 2017

Seven years ago, when the last  total solar eclipse  crossed over North America, a photo of then-President Donald Trump  seemingly gazing at the sun with his naked eyes set the internet ablaze . During the afternoon of Aug. 21, 2017, Trump, who was president at the time, was joined by then first lady Melania Trump and their son Barron  to watch the rare phenomenon from the Truman Balcony  at the White House. Photos taken by members of the media captured all three donning eclipse glasses while looking at the eclipse.

But at one point during the viewing, the former president was captured in photos and videos without proper eye protection, seemingly gazing directly at the sun. Looking at an eclipse before or after the brief phase of totality without proper eyewear  can lead to eye damage .

− Natalie Neysa Alund

When is the next total solar eclipse? What to know about the next eclipse's path, timing

How to make a solar eclipse viewer

People who didn't manage to get their  hands on glasses  are not completely down and out. There are other safe ways to view the eclipse , say experts, and a lot of them only require a little bit of craftiness and items you can find lying around the house.

Steps to make the cereal box eclipse viewer (And here is a video aid) :

• Get an empty, clean cereal box.
• Cut a white piece of cardboard that will fit snuggly in the bottom of the box, or secure it permanently by gluing it in place.
• Cut the top of the cereal box, removing both ends and leaving the center intact.
• Put a piece of tape across the center of the top to securely hold it closed.
• Tape a piece of heavy-duty foil or double a single layer for additional strength, covering one of the openings at the top of the cereal box. The other opening will remain open for viewing.
• Using a small nail (approximately 3mm in diameter) push a hole in the foil.
• Cover the entire box with construction paper, leaving the single-viewing opening and the foil uncovered.

The finished box should be held with the pin-hole side facing the sun. It may take a little practice pointing the box. With your back facing the sun, look through the viewing opening. A small image of the sun, about ½ cm in diameter, can be seen projected on the white paper inside the box.

− Mary Walrath-Holdrid

What is the path of the solar eclipse called?

Those in the direct line of the eclipse will be treated to an incredible sight as the moon completely blots out the sun's disk, ushering in uncharacteristic darkness and revealing the sun's elusive outermost layer called the corona. That moment is called "totality" and this year the path of totality crosses through 13 U.S. states.

The last total solar eclipse to cut through North America was in August 2017.

How to look at eclipse without glasses

A total solar eclipse offers skygazers the rare opportunity to witness the eclipse with the naked eye. However,  solar eclipse glasses  are still needed until totality is reached. 

Certified solar eclipse  glasses are crucial for spectators to avoid the sun's retina-damaging rays. But when the moon moves completely in front of the sun and blocks its light, you'll know it's  safe to remove the glasses  for a short period of time.

How fast does an eclipse shadow travel?

According to a post from the  National Weather Service  in Indianapolis on X, an eclipse shadow travels at speeds from 1,100 to 5,000 mph. Near the equator, it travels at around 1,100 mph and increases in speed as it approaches the poles.

The eclipse party is over? Time to recycle those glasses!

Astronomers Without Borders , or AWB, a non-profit organization running its second nationwide  eclipse glasses recycling drive . Her business will join over 300 schools, museums, city governments, commercial businesses, community organizations and local libraries that will collect and ship an estimated  millions of glasses  to be repurposed for use by underserved communities around the world in  future solar eclipses .

AWB launched its first run of the program after the last solar eclipse in 2017 when volunteer centers across the country collected millions of the glass. After vetting them for reuse, more than  half a million glasses were distributed to Africa, Asia and South America.

People can visit  AWB's website  to find their nearest participating collection center and learn more about recycling the glasses, said Andrew Fazekas, the organization's communication manager.  

"We figure there's probably going to be tens of millions of glasses out there at the very least," he said. "And most of them are probably very gently used."

How these cruise passengers missed boarding, got stranded in Africa

Both Americans and Australians were left at port after an excursion ran long.

After what seemed like a dream trip, several American travelers were left stranded at port in West Africa mid-cruise while traveling from Cape Town, South Africa, to Barcelona, Spain.

Jay and Jill Campbell told ABC News Myrtle Beach affiliate WPDE that they were in the first week of a three week voyage aboard Norwegian Cruise Lines when they stopped just off the coast of West Africa.

The couple and others opted to tour the nearby island of São Tomé and Príncipe on the afternoon of March 27, and when the excursion ran late, they said they brought it to the guides' attention.

"We were like, 'our time is getting short,'" Jay Campbell recalled, at which point he said the guide let them know, "'No problem we can get you back in an hour.'"

Upon their return, the passengers said cruise officials refused to let them aboard the ship, even as the local Coast Guard had ferried the group to the anchored vessel.

"The harbormaster tried to call the ship. The captain refused the call. We sent emails to NCL the customer service emergency number," Jay Campbell said. "They said the only way for us to get in touch with the ship is via email. They're not responding to our emails."

The Campbells say they were left stranded along with four other Americans and two Australians -- of whom one is a paraplegic, one has a heart condition and one is pregnant. Some did not have credit cards or medication that was left on board.

Cruise expert Stewart Chiron, known as The Cruise Guy, told ABC News that "the bottom line was, they were hours late, the ship was ready to go."

"More than likely that the anchor was already up, and the ship was already possibly moving," he said.

He continued, "Any operation at that point to get these passengers back on the ship would have caused tremendous delays, and safety would have been a major concern."

In a statement to ABC News, a spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Lines said, "On the afternoon of March 27, 2024, while the ship was in São Tomé and Príncipe, an African island nation, eight guests who were on the island on a private tour not organized through us missed the last tender back to the vessel, therefore not meeting the all aboard time of 3 p.m. local time."

They continued, "While this is a very unfortunate situation, guests are responsible for ensuring they return to the ship at the published time, which is communicated broadly over the ship's intercom, in the daily communication and posted just before exiting the vessel."

The spokesperson added that the passports for the passengers who did not return at the all aboard time "were delivered to the local port agents to retrieve when they returned to the port, as per the regular protocol."

"Our team has been working closely with the local authorities to understand the requirements and necessary visas needed for the guests to rejoin the ship at the next available port of call," they said.

The Campbells said that their eight person group spent 15 hours traveling through six countries in an attempt to rejoin the Norwegian Dawn ship in Banjul, Gambia, on April 1. However, the ship couldn't dock due to low tide, so they are now trying to get to Senegal where the ship is meant to dock on Tuesday.

The Norwegian spokesperson said, "Unfortunately the ship was unable to safely dock in the destination due to adverse weather conditions, as well as tidal restrictions that require specific timing for safe passage. While we share in our guests' disappointment, this modification was made with great consideration for their safety and that of our crew, which is our top priority."

The cruise line contacted the guests "regarding this itinerary adjustment and provided them with authorization to rejoin the ship at Dakar, Senegal on April 2, 2024."

In light of the "series of unfortunate events outside of our control," the spokesperson said Norwegian Cruise Lines "will be reimbursing these eight guests for their travel costs from Banjur, Gambia to Dakar, Senegal" and are still in communication with the guests to provide additional information as it becomes available.

In a separate, unrelated situation that took place coincidentally on the same day of the voyage, the spokesperson said, "An 80-year-old woman was medically disembarked after being evaluated by our onboard medical team, who thought it best that she receive further assessment and treatment as needed from a local hospital."

"In instances such as these, as the guest was released from the hospital and in a coherent state, our protocol is to contact the guest directly, as we would not have the authority to share any medical details with anyone else without their expressed consent," the spokesperson added, saying they worked with the port agent to receive updates.

"The guest has since been escorted on a flight to Lisbon, Portugal, and then put in the care of airport staff to continue her journey to the United States, where she has now made a safe return," they said.

Related Topics

• NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE
• U.S. & WORLD
• CRUISE SHIP
• NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINES

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