ventura christmas cruise

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. 

Free Insiders Cruise Line Guide

Ever wondered how the mainstream cruise lines compare? Cruise lines won’t tell you this, but I will.

This FREE guide shows you everything you need to know to find your perfect cruise line.

Enter your email address below:

Posted: Saturday, Sep 16th, 2017

By Visit Ventura

Island Packers’ Holiday Cruises

• mac OS Ventura Launches on a Computer Screen Near You
• The Cool Breeze Bike Ride(s) May Be the Coolest Ride You Ever Pedaled
• A Vegan’s Guide to Ventura

By Mary Noe

Discover More

Get to know Ventura, and discover the best things to do around the city.

Top 5 Holiday Celebrations SEAside at Ventura Harbor Village

Ventura holiday events you won’t want to miss, five fun things to do in ventura this weekend, island packers whales and wildlife cruise, half a century in service at the channel islands, winter is ventura’s whale of a time.

View the current Ventura Inspiration Guide online . And prepare to be INSPIRED.

Be in the know

Sign up for everything you need to know; from new hikes, to new restaurants, to upcoming festivals, music, and entertainment.

Ventura Partners With

Connect With Us

Google Translate

Visit Ventura

101 S. California Street Ventura, CA 93001 1-805-641-1400

Visitor Information

Media center, request information.

• WORLD CRUISE PORTS
• CHAT SITE RULES – here on Doris Visits
• AMBASSADOR CRUISE CHAT
• AZAMARA CRUISES CHAT
• CUNARD CRUISES CHAT
• FRED OLSEN CRUISES CHAT
• MARELLA DISCOVERY CHAT
• MARELLA EXPLORER CHAT
• RIVER CRUISING
• P&O ADULT ONLY – Aurora & Arcadia Group
• P&O BRITANNIA CHAT
• P&O VENTURA CHAT
• P&O IONA CHAT
• P&O AZURA CHAT
• P&O IONA chat group on Facebook
• SAGA CHAT GROUP
• VIKING CRUISES (all) CHAT
• VIRGIN VOYAGES CHAT
• LUXURY ADULT CRUISING
• CHAT SITE RULES
• Guidelines for Moderators
• Over 50 CRUISE NOVELS, THRILLERS & ROMANCES (all)
• FICTION@SEA Meet the writers – at crime writer’s festival in the Straits of Gibraltar
• Stuart St Paul – 50 years in the movie industry
• … and port presenter Jean Heard
• Crime Writers @ Sea Festival.
• Looking back at 2021; I cheated death, had major brain surgery, didn’t cruise. I end with a simple message.
• Jumping off the Statue of Liberty – Stuart St Paul on how and why
• Stuart’s last blog post
• CRUISE SHIP HEIST
• CSCI CRUISE SHIP CRIME INVESTIGATORS
• Love To Cruise T-shirts
• Kids Cruise T-shirts
• Iona T-shirts
• Azura T-shirts
• Cunard T-shirts
• Marella wear
• Ventura T-shirt
• WORKING AT SEA

P&O Ventura at Christmas – A Festive Voyage on P&O’s Ventura (December 2021)

Heath Thorne, a moderator on our Doris Visits VENTURA chat site spent the festive season on the Ventura. We embarked the Ventura on the 5th, in the hope to have a much-needed pre-Christmas festive cruise to Spain, Portugal and Gibraltar. 

As soon as we stepped onboard, we were greeted by the beautifully decorated atrium with various Christmas songs in the background.

During our first day on board, we explored the ship to find our bearings and we once again were greeted by many Christmas trees and various decorations at every step of the way. At that point, we did feel festive which was elevated by the great atmosphere on board as we were about to embark on our voyage.

During the voyage, P&O hosted two Christmas-themed days under the title of “Step into Christmas” these days were wonderful, and we felt very festive, the daily programme reflected the festive theme and included festive quizzes, a Christmas-themed theatre show “Deck the Halls” and a Christmas music set by the resident band “Pulse”. The days were finished with a Christmas-themed menu, naturally, a Turkey dinner was on offer followed by a traditional Sherry trifle. Ventura was only sailing with 1100 passengers on board meaning that the ship was very quiet overall as the usual operating capacity for Ventura is 3078 however this didn’t have an impact on the overall mood and the ship. 

LISTEN TO OUR CHRISTMAS MARKETS PODCAST – FREE HERE

CLICK THE PICTURE or search CRUISING WITH DORIS VISITS

for all of the podcasts

The service was simply phenomenal, the crew really got to know us and our preferences which usually wouldn’t be possible on a ship of Ventura’s size.

VENTURA CHAT GROUP > CLICK HERE

The food was just wonderful in the Main Dining Room as well as in the Epicurean and the buffet, unfortunately, the same could not be said for the Beach House. We had booked this cruise after having our Christmas cruise on Balmoral cancelled and we can honestly say that all of our expectations were exceeded and P&O delivered their usual high-quality experience.

Our thanks to Heath Thorne. The Ventura is a modified Grand Class ship, sister to the Azura. Whilst the same, the differences make each unique, and each has its own fan base and a separate chat group hosted by Cruise Doris Visits on Facebook. Ventura current Global/Map position and details.

Please contact us with any blog you may have to add to the Doris Visits Ports section or the Ships and Fleet section. We love helpful information from orchid farms, to on ship specialities.          VENTURA CHAT GROUP > CLICK HERE

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Our page on cruise insurance & requirements: click> INSURANCE & TESTING

CHAT GROUPS – a fantastic way to help others and a place to find answers. We run Facebook Groups for cruisers – see the list in black boxes after the ships and fleets listed above. 

EVERY CRUISE PORT – click here       EVERY CRUISE SHIP – click here

Welcome to cruise doris visits, here to help you cruise, we film cruise port guides., our first stop 2024 will be africa..

Ex-movie makes, we now write thrilling

Pace-driven holiday cruise novels.

But we leave the chat to you under the watchful team of chat group mods & experts on our hosted FB groups

– feel welcome, join in, ask a question, start a chat thread, the doris visits chat groups.

AMBASSADOR CRUISE GROUP – UK based cruise line with two ships

    AURORA & ARCADIA P&O GROUP – the adult ships

MARELLA CRUISES GROUP – Explorer style ships

MARELLA CRUISES GROUP – Discovery (Disco 2) style ships

CUNARD CRUISE GROUP – big fav of ours – inclusive – lively – dressy

  FRED OLSEN CRUISE GROUP

P&O AZURA GROUP   – Grand Class family ships –   P&O VENTURA GROUP (no fly)

P&O BRITANNIA GROUP – the mid size family ship

P&O IONA & ARVIA GROUP – the big new family ships

SAGA CRUISE GROUP  – smaller over 50 UK style all inclusive ships  

VIKING CRUISES GROUP – smaller – adult only – US/UK/International ships – great routes

AZAMARA & OCEANIA     VIRGIN ADULT SHIPS – Adult only ships

EVERY CRUISE PORT -click here       EVERY CRUISE SHIP – click here

In 2024 we are building our AFRICA menu and visiting to film Cape Town and other ports

Dakar, Senegal. Trip to Gorée Island.

Dakar, Senegal has a very busy port which is always full of ships. Invaded many times it has changed hands over and over until it regained independence in August, 1960.

Cape Town, South Africa

This garden of wine and golf has features that include Robbin Island and Table Mountain but we start with the penguins.

Freddie Mercury house in Zanzibar

Freddie Mercury was born in Zanzibar. It is a strictly religious country so is not as proud of him as you might expect.

Tema Accra cruise port

Tema Accra is a popular port receiving over 1500 vessels a year. It is popular with cruise ships.

About Us  

Doris Visits is just a little hobby, and a way of helping people research ports and ships. It is our way of giving back as we are on the ships between 6 and 12 times a year as Guest Lecturers. The site is also supported by other guest lecturers.

Why Doris?  It was a character Jean played in a TV show and we started the port guides as a little spin-off. It took over. I mean, rode into town and said this is it.

Who is Jean ?  Jean is a West End and Broadway actress who now has her own one woman show called Royal Mistresses, which she performs at guilds and on ships. Hence, she cruises – a bit. She now presents TV and is known by many cruisers for her Doris Visits port guides.

Who is Stuart?   Featured in a clip in the 2024 Oscars – in the tribute to movie stuntmen – he was the Queen Alien in Aliens. Now, he points the iPhone at Jean when they go and explore ashore. He finished in movies as a director, and now writes cruise thrillers.

The grandchildren who sometimes travel and from their son Luke Aikman. He was the young Colin Firth in Fever Pitch and appeared in Freight. He is now a producer and business entrepreneur. Their daughter helped with the plot of the first four novels and is now writing with comedian Joe Wilkinson.  Laura Aikman is known for being the girlfriend in the Christmas Gavin and Stacey, and Dyan Cannon in Archie. Some grew up with her Saturday show, Mysti.

Government Travel Advice by Country – click this box

Travel Health Pro advice by country – click here (Vaccination recommendations)

Fantastic cruise ship tours, top to bottom

Filmed guides of the world’s amazing cruise ports

Doris Visits does not collect data but our advertising partners may do. You are welcome to stop adverts, refuse cookies, and just enjoy the cruise with us.

DorisVisits.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by showing Amazon products.  We joined to publish and sell our cruise novels. Please see Cruise Ship Heist. *Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates.  Doris Visits also participates in other affiliate programs, normally cruise or book related, and we sometimes get a commission through purchases made using our the links we use you may assume links to third parties have these connections. You do not pay extra for ANY affiliate link you click, but that affiliate if they do pay us some money, is helping to pay for our server, widgets, apps and other tools we use to make this site work. To date we have never been a profit making site and the income from books supplements the cruise activity, help and advice we give. If in doubt, assume there may be a marketing link when you go through to a third party site. If you click links we use on other sites, used to drect you to cruise help, sites like Facebook, you should know that they replace our link with their own and that becomes the dominant link meaning they get paid the commission. The only site we can control is DorisVisits.com

• CruiseMapper
• 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 40.33522 N / -9.55549 W) cruising at speed of 16.6 kn (31 km/h | 19 mph) en route to Lisbon. The AIS position was reported 4 minutes ago.

Current itinerary of Ventura

Ventura current cruise is 10 days, round-trip Spain France And Portugal . The itinerary starts on 20 Apr, 2024 and ends on 30 Apr, 2024 .

Specifications of Ventura

•   Itineraries
•   Review
•   Wiki

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.

Ventura ship related cruise news

P&O UK unveils summer 2026 cruises with early booking discount

P&O Cruises UK has unveiled its summer 2026 program, accompanied by an enticing early-bird booking promotion. The itinerary collection...

Cunard and P&O UK improve Wi-Fi connectivity with SpaceX's Starlink

Carnival Corporation's UK-based subsidiaries Cunard Line and P&O Cruises UK have unveiled plans to enhance Wi-Fi connectivity fleetwide through a...

Barbie joining P&O Cruises UK's ships Arvia and Iona for summer 2023

P&O Cruises UK has introduced dedicated family zones on its 5 family-friendly ships during the 2023 summer holiday season. Passengers on P&O...

P&O UK's cruise ship Ventura rescues 3 people on a yacht off Mexico

The P&O UK's ship Ventura rescued 3 people stranded on a sailing yacht on Monday, March 20th, off Mexico. The sailors made a call to the USCG...

P&O UK's ship Ventura stuck in Southampton UK due to propeller issue

A P&O UK ship was stuck in Southampton (England) after something got wedged in the vessel's propeller. P&O Ventura was scheduled to leave...

Cunard's Queen Victoria and P&O UK's Iona among the ships visiting Southampton

Cunard's Queen Victoria and P&O UK's Iona are among the cruise ships scheduled to visit Southampton (England UK) this week. Vessels managed by...

P&O Ventura ship is the 3rd in fleet to restart international cruises

P&O UK's cruise ship Ventura is restarting operations on Sunday, October 3 as she sets sail for the Canaries after the demand for international...

International cruises to restart from England on August 2 following a 16-month break

International cruises are now able to restart from England on August 2, following a 16-month break. On Wednesday, July 28, the UK's Foreign...

P&O Cruises UK's deployment and phased restart plan for 2021

P&O Cruises UK announced its expected deployment and phased restart plan for the remainder of the year and into early 2022. MS Britannia will...

P&O UK cancels all international cruises through September 2021

P&O UK announced it is cancelling all international itineraries on 4 cruise ships (Aurora, Arcadia, Azura, Ventura) through the end of August...

•   show more news

Other P&O UK cruise ships

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.

Holiday Lights Cruise at Channel Islands Harbor

Book your stay, the scarlett bell holiday lights cruises are back.

Date: December 12 and 19, 2023

Place: 3600 Carbazone Circle Channel Islands Harbor , Oxnard, CA

Time: 5:30 pm and 7:00 pm

About: Spend an enchanted evening filled with holiday cheer aboard a real life riverboat at Channel Islands Harbor. Every holiday season the Harbor is transformed into a holiday wonderland with twinkling lights and dazzling Christmas displays. Enjoy complimentary hot chocolate and cookies for everyone. Adults 21 and over will enjoy discounts on holiday themed cocktails and drinks. Be sure to wear layered clothing for the brisk evening weather! Join us for a festive evening on the water this holiday season at this all ages event.

Official Event Information

For more event information, please visit the official event website by clicking the button below.

About Oxnard

Rally your tribe and head for the Central Coast. California cool, panorama-perfect, culturally authentic and vibrant beyond measure. Oxnard is home to miles of pristine white sand beaches, electric nightlife, some of the best taquerias in the state, historic Victorian era architecture, and an expansively picturesque harbor that serves as the closest access point to the Channel Islands National Park. Just 60 miles northwest of LAX and in close proximity to Santa Barbara and other major destinations, Oxnard is one of California’s best kept secrets.

Upcoming Events

Mountains 2 Beach Marathon

Starting in beautiful downtown Ojai California, the course begins at just over 700 feet, gradually descends...

Gypsy Kings in Concert at Oxnard Performing Arts Center

Best known for their international hits Bem Bem Maria, Bambaleo, Un amor, the legendary Gypsy Kings...

California Strawberry Festival

The California Strawberry Festival is back in 2024 at the Ventura County Fairgrounds.

Seaside Marathon – Full & Half Marathon

Make your new year fitness goals come true on the coast with a Full, half, 10k,...

Point Mugu Surf Contest

Surf one of California's most guarded surf spots as Naval Base Point Mugu opens the gates...

REMARKABLE EXPERIENCES

Ready to book your next adventure, visit these regions of ventura county coast.

Ventura County Coast

Port Hueneme

Channel Islands National Park

Ventura County Coast is a string of four communities that radiate warmth from welcoming people and California sunshine. The region embodies the casual and active spirit of classic, where the seafood is fresh, the beer is handcrafted and the weather is the kind you dream about. Spend the day exploring miles of beaches, incredible harbors or lush green golf courses. Hop on a boat for a day trip to the Channel Islands National Park, where you can see breathtaking views of the Southern California coastline. With a bustling culture, high end and vintage shopping, a lively culinary spirit and beautiful outdoor experiences, Ventura County Coast calls on every visitor to find their vibe. From hiking and biking to sailing and snorkeling, from shopping and dining to just plain relaxing, Ventura County Coast will fill your days with a lifetime of memories.

An hour north of Los Angeles, Camarillo is nestled at the base of the Conejo foothills surrounded by verdant green fields and cool ocean breezes. With more than 300 days of sunshine a year, enjoy Camarillo alfresco. From outdoor shopping and concerts, to delicious dining and fun events, Camarillo has it all. With small town charm and a rich history, it is the place for romantic weddings and corporate venues. Visit the historical sites and museums during the day, and walk along Old Town for dinner and drinks at night. A great getaway for everyone, Camarillo is the ideal place to Come for the Sun, Stay for the Fun.

Rally your tribe and head for the Central Coast. California cool, panorama-perfect, culturally authentic and vibrant beyond measure. Oxnard is home to miles of pristine white sand beaches, electric nightlife, some of the best taquerias in the state, historic Victorian era architecture, the California Strawberry Festival, and an expansively picturesque harbor that serves as the closest access point to the Channel Islands National Park. Just sixty miles northwest of LAX and in close proximity to Santa Barbara and other major destinations, Oxnard is one of California’s best kept secrets.

A place that embodies a casual soul and unexpected allure, Ventura is a vibrant town that checks stress and pretense at the door.  Its artistic culture, enduring history and privileged locale is crazy-inviting, very much alive, and refreshingly human.

Just sixty miles northwest of Los Angeles, in the heart of the Central Coast, you’ll find Port Hueneme, the friendly city by the sea. Port Hueneme is the place for travelers looking to dig their toes in the sand, take a long walk, drop a fishing line off the pier or just kick back and relax. With walking and biking trails winding throughout the city and a perfect climate almost year round, you can revive your soul in Hueneme.

Channel Islands National Park is an American national park that consists of five of the eight Channel Islands off the coast of the U.S. state of California, in the Pacific Ocean.

WHALE, WILDLIFE, & SPECIALTY CRUISES

Departing from ventura harbor.

SELECT YOUR TRIP:

Is your date fully booked.

Join our Standby List and we’ll notify you if it becomes available!

VENTURA WINTER WHALE WATCH

Join us for a winter whale watching excursion looking for Gray Whales! Cruise and search for Gray Whales and other local marine life on this winter whale watching cruise.

• Adult (13-54): $45
• Senior (55 and up): $41
• Military (Active): $41
• Child (3-12): $32
• Infant (under 3): $0.00
• Users All Ages
• Clock 3.5 Hours
• Info Non-Landing Trip

1/2 DAY ISLAND WILDLIFE CRUISE

Wildlife Cruises are 3 ½ hour non-landing trips that include a narrated crossing of the Santa Barbara Channel, a shoreline cruise of Anacapa Island including Arch Rock, seal and sea lion rookeries, and any wildlife encountered along the way. These trips frequently make brief stops at Anacapa Island to drop-of and pick-up visitors of Anacapa.

OUTER ISLAND WILDLIFE CRUISE

These trips focus on finding wildlife in the Marine Sanctuary and along the shorelines of the outer islands of the Park. Visitors stop to view secluded beaches often filled with pinnipeds (seal/sea lions) and travel over waters typically teeming with wildlife, including whales, dolphins and dozens of pelagic and migratory bird species. These trips also visit Painted Cave on Santa Cruz Island.

As part of their route, vessels stop at Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz islands to drop off / pick up passengers visiting the National Park.

• $100 per person
• Users Ages 13+
• Clock 10 Hours

VENTURA PELAGIC BIRD TRIP

Look for a variety of seasonal pelagic species including the newly named species Townsend’s Storm-Petrel. Heading south of Channel Islands, we will search deep waters and warm currents for this range restricted Storm-Petrel. Other possibilities are tube-noses: Black-footed Albatross, Northern Fulmar, Leach’s Storm-Petrel; Pink-footed, Flesh-footed (rare), Sooty, & Buller’s Shearwater.

• $175 per person

SCI SCRUB-JAY & PELAGIC BIRDS

View Scrub-Jays on Santa Cruz Island and cruise the Santa Barbara channel for pelagic birds! Although primarily a non-landing trip, this trip allows approx. 1 hour on Santa Cruz Island to observe the endemic Island Scrub-Jay and other terrestrial birds. After reboarding, there will be ample time to explore the SB channel for more wildlife and birds, then allowing us to motor along the coast of Anacapa Island and look at the groups of seabirds congregating for the nesting season.

• $125 per person
• Clock 9 Hours

VENTURA SUMMER WHALE WATCH

Join us for a summer whale watching excursion looking for Humpbacks and Blue Whales! Cruise and search for Whales and other local marine life on this summer whale watching cruise. Summer Whale Watches are longer in duration than Winter Whale watches due to greater distances traveled.

• Adult (13-54): $79
• Senior (55 and up): $74
• Military (Active): $74
• Child (3-12): $64
• Clock 6 Hours

HARBOR HOLIDAY LIGHTS CRUISE

Take in harbor views of festive Ventura Harbor decked in lights! Cruise Ventura Harbor in marinas and part of the Ventura Keys. Seating available inside the lower cabin and upstairs. Dress Warm and Please NO HIGH HEELS. Beer, wine, non-alcoholic beverages, and snacks are available to purchase with credit card or cash. No outside alcohol permitted on board. Please notify us if you have special boarding needs. Dine and shop downtown or the harbor before or after your cruise.

• Adult (13-54): $20
• Senior (55 and up): $18
• Child (3-12): $14
• Clock 1 Hour

Cruises On Ventura 2024