P&O's Ventura brochure launched

Ventura's maiden voyage sold out in hours when it went on sale, with the cruise line taking 18,800 bookings, many from first-time cruisers, in one record day. The average age of passengers is 49, five years younger than P&O's typical passenger and an encouraging sign to the cruise line that the ship is appealing to the family cruising market.

The 115,000 ton ship has been built specifically for Brits (although other nationalities are not excluded) and will have broad appeal, from first-time cruisers to young families, honeymooners and groups of friends, carrying 3,096 passengers. The interiors will be stylish and contemporary and some 57% of the 1,546 cabins will have a private balcony.

The emphasis of the new vessel will be on fine dining, modern and contemporary art and family entertainment.

Marco Pierre White, renowned as the first British chef and world’s youngest to win three Michelin stars, will create a fine dining restaurant on board Ventura, to be called The White Room, with a menu reminiscent of the finest dishes found in the most memorable hotels and restaurants across Italy, and outdoor dining on fine nights. He will also be advising the cruise line on The Beach House, a casual restaurant for families, with a cheerful beach theme. In addition, there will be three main dining rooms (two with Freedom Dining and one for more traditional, fixed seating dinners), an Asian-fusion restaurant, a tapas bar, casual buffet, a pizzeria, grill, smart cocktail bar with snacks, and – a first for P&O Cruises – dinner, with menus inspired by Marco Pierre White, served on your private veranda.

Ventura will have fantastic family facilities. Older children will be offered lessons in how to become a rock star, learning how to play guitar, keyboards and drums. The ship will have special family cabins, a night nursery and a baby-listening service. Families will be able to go on special child-friendly shore excursions, too. Aqua parks, camel rides, nature trails and theme parks all feature, ensuring everyone the family is entertained and educated about the ship’s ports of call. Back on board, few will be able to resist the massive Scalextric set.

Art will be an important element on board Ventura, with an amazing 7,000 pieces from 55 contemporary artists on display. The ship will also have a proper Art Gallery with a dedicated sculpture area and consultation desk.

Needless to say, health and fitness will be high on the agendas of many passengers. The Oasis Spa will be a haven for pampering treatments, many of which are being created specially for P&O Cruises, and the variety of exercise options and range of healthy dining choices will ensure cruisers return revitalised. The ship will have a high-tech gym and a sports court on deck 17 and there will be healthy menus available to help prevent guests piling on the pounds.

With 3,000 passengers to entertain, you can expect some spectacular nightlife venues on the new ship. An amazing feature will be Metropolis, a bar with a huge, 20-metre plasma screen video wall displaying real-time footage of seven of the world’s most famous city skylines, from Paris to Las Vegas. The Arena will be the home of Ventura’s theatre company and will host cabaret shows, interactive game shows and 3D family films and for dancing after the show, there will be a Cuban-themed nightclub, Havana.

The many other bars include the Indian-inspired Tamarind Club, a comedy club venue, the glamorous Red Bar, the funky Exchange, with live bands and plasma screens, and a large casino. On fine nights, there will be stunning sound and light extravaganzas on deck.

The array of facilities really is spectacular, with other features including weddings at sea; a bookshop; Cirque Ventura, with bungee trampolining and flying trapeze lessons for all the family; and children’s fitness classes. Ventura will be a ship of firsts – and no doubt, hold great appeal for people who had never considered a cruise before.

The ship's first season will include Mediterranean cruises, northern European cruises and Caribbean cruises, with all the European voyages departing from the British port of Southampton.

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