P&O Cruises has revealed the itineraries for new superliner Ventura which the operator will take delivery of in April 2008.
The company will produce a brochure on April 2 dedicated to the new 3,600-passenger mega-ship, detailing itineraries, prices and innovative features that will be on board.
The ship is the largest ship ever built for P&O cruises and has been designed to appeal to British passengers offering holidays of between two and 16 nights duration in the Mediterranean, Baltic and Atlantic Isles. Caribbean fly-cruise holidays from Barbados will be available from October 2008 to March 2009.
P&O Cruises commercial director Nigel Esdale said Ventura will be different from other superliners, heralding a new era in contemporary cruising and will be the most family friendly cruise ship sailing from the UK.
“Passengers can choose to depart on either a Friday or a Saturday from a choice of regional departure airports and unlike most Caribbean cruise holidays, ours are varied 14 night itineraries, not repeated seven night itineraries.”
Celebrity chef Marco Pierre White will make guest appearances on four itineraries in the 2008 season showing off his restaurant the White Room on the ship.
And, in a new partnership, Ventura will be joined by experts and artists from Tate modern on six itineraries from May to August to present ‘Tate Talks’, a programme of talks, interviews and creative workshops.
Other highlights include short duration cruises such as ‘The Weekender’, a two night trip to Zeebrugge calling at Bruges departing September 12, 2008, and longer sailings such as 14 night ‘An Indian Summer’, departing October 10, 2008 calling in Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Florence, Elba, Rome, Alicante and Gibraltar.
In February 2007 P&O launched a virtual tour of Ventura to give agents and potential passengers a glimpse of what life will be like on board.
- Travel Weekly has a photoset of artist’s impressions of Ventura at flickr.com