An Introduction to cruising
I have to admit to having some reservations about cruising: would I feel claustrophobic confined to a ship? Isn't it for older people? Would I be bored? Would I get sea-sick? The answer to all my worries was NO!
We flew from Manchester to Barbados where we were taken straight from the plane to the ship - no queuing through security and immigration for us! I have to say that even after all the training I was still awe-struck as we rounded the corner and saw how huge the ship actually is! The check in process couldn't have been any smoother or faster and before we knew it we were sat on our balcony taking in the view.
Ventura is a big, family-friendly ship and can accommodate over 3,100 passengers. There are 12 places to eat including 3 main restaurants, buffet restaurants and speciality dining options, 16 places to drink, a wonderful spa, extensive kids clubs and 4 pools. The entertainment was brilliant! We especially loved the two Mark Walker shows and there was always something going on whether you wanted a show, a quiz or to listen to live music.
The itinerary was also amazing! We would go to sleep at night and wake up the following morning to find another beautiful Caribbean island on our doorstep! On our trip we visited St Vincent, Dominica, St Lucia, Antigua, St Kitts, Grand Turk, Tortola and St Maarten before returning for a night in Barbados. It's hard to pick favourites but Grand Turk was breathtakingly beautiful - and memorable for the HUGE onion rings served in Margaritaville!
We were on the Freedom Dining which meant we could choose our own time to dine which suited us rather than the other option of early (1830) or late (2030) dining. The food was amazing - an extensive choice and wonderful service. As well as the main restaurant we also tried East - the Asian-styled speciality restaurant - which was stunning and well worth a visit. There were 4 formal nights and we loved the chance to get dressed up, but there were lots of other options had we not wanted to.
This is a big ship and we didn't have the time to try out everything that was on offer! We were never stuck for different options of where to eat, drink or relax. Days at sea were spent leisurely by one of the 4 pools with a choice of spots depending on whether we wanted to be near the entertainment or in a quieter spot to relax.
At each stop we were spoilt for choice with an extensive range of tours and excursions if we wanted to explore the islands or we had the option to just wander into town under our own steam. The ship was tastefully decorated and there were huge Christmas trees in the atrium to get us in the festive mood and we were greeted into ports with steel bands playing Christmas songs.
We stayed overnight on the ship in Barbados on our last night which gave us the chance to catch up with friends there and head off to the famous Oistins Friday Fish-fry before flying back home.
I can honestly say that I loved cruising and would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone. There was so much to see and do that I almost forgot I was on a ship, I never felt sea-sick and there was a real mix of people on-board. It was one of the best value-for-money holidays I have ever had and I am sure I will be back on-board again very soon! Please give me a call if you want to hear more or would like help planning your next cruise.