MV Ventura

Ventura in the Port of Civitavecchia, Rome, Italy
Career
Name:	Ventura
Owner:	Carnival plc
Operator:	P&O Cruises
Port of registry:	Bermuda, Hamilton
Builder:	Fincantieri, Italy
Yard number:	6132, Monfalcone
Laid down:	29 August 2006
Launched:	8 June 2007
Christened:	16 April 2008 by Dame Helen Mirren
Acquired:	31 March 2008
Maiden voyage:	18 April 2008
In service:	April 2008
Identification:	Call sign: ZCDT2 IMO number: 9333175 MMSI no.: 310562000
Status:	Operational
Notes:	[1][2][3][4]
General characteristics
Tonnage:	116,017 GT 85,676 NT 8.400 DWT
Length:	290 m (950 ft)
Beam:	36 m (118 ft)
Draught:	8 m (26 ft)
Depth:	36 m (118 ft)
Decks:	19 (14 passenger decks)
Deck clearance:	27.55 m (90.4 ft)
Propulsion:	6 × Wärtsilä diesel engines
Speed:	21.7 knots
Capacity:	3,092 passengers 3,597 berths
Notes:	[2][4][5]

MS Ventura is a cruise ship of the P&O Cruises fleet. The ship was built by Fincantieri at their shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy. At 116,017 tonnes, Ventura is the largest of seven ships currently in service with P&O Cruises. She is also the sister ship of MS Azura. She officially entered service with the company in April 2008 and was named by Helen Mirren.^[5]

Overview

MS Ventura is a Grand class cruise ship owned by Carnival UK and operated by P&O Cruises. When she entered service in April 2008, she was the largest cruise ship built for the British market, succeeded in 2010 with the launch of sister ship Azura, at 116,000 tonnes. Ventura can accommodate 3,100 passengers, it has 1,550 cabins, of which about 60% possess private balconies.^[6] It features fourteen public decks, eight restaurants, six boutiques, five pools and three show lounges, including the largest theatre on a British ship. Passengers are also able to walk to the very front of the ship to the bow, which is not possible on other P&O ships. This is accessible on the Promenade Deck.

The ship is intended to be family friendly, offering toys and games, mp3 players, and appearances by the children's character Noddy.^[7] It will include children's play areas and two pools specifically for families.

After being handed over on the 29 March, Ventura arrived in Southampton in the morning of 6 April 2008, ahead of its first mini cruise to Belgium on 11 April, and her Maiden voyage on 18 April.^[1][8]

British actress Dame Helen Mirren officially christened Ventura and became the ship's Godmother, prior to her maiden cruise to the Mediterranean Sea.^[9] In a break with tradition, instead of Dame Helen simply pressing a button to send a cradled champagne bottle towards the ship, she commanded a team of Royal Marine Commandos to assist her in naming Ventura in a dramatic abseil.^[5]

Art gallery

P&O Cruises has partnered with art experts Tate Modern to host ‘Introduction to Modern Art’ special interest cruises to be held throughout the year. These cruises will be hosted by experts from Tate Modern and give passengers the opportunity to attend seminars, presentations and practical art classes on cruises throughout the year.

Ventura is to feature GB£1 million in British contemporary art with 7,000 different pieces from 55 artists decorating the ship. The cabins also take a break from the norm, with canvasses decorating the walls instead of traditional prints.

The three stairwells are to be a highlight of the art on board, with each stairwell being created by a contemporary British artist to provide passengers with perceptual experiences and visual illusions.

• Paul Critchley is using more than 120 pieces of cut aluminium, which are covered with canvas and painted to create 24 multiple piece paintings of interiors, square globes, people, clothes, groups of objects. Paul’s works will adorn the aft stairwell and create ‘ten more exciting rooms for Ventura”.
• Vanessa Ballard is creating 42 artworks from just under 90,000 digital photographs,^[10] which will be hung in the midships stairwell. Each work will have a central form that is understandable from a distance, but as you move closer it becomes apparent the image is made up of many much smaller pictures. Vanessa will travel the globe in search of the pictures that will also provide myriad hidden clues.
• Johnny Bull occupies the forward stairwell with 42 lenticular works of art. This new technology means Johnny can create land and cityscapes in layers, featuring people from photographs of the places he has visited. Each image will be made from approximately 20 plastic lenses that create an illusion of depth and movement, much like a hologram.

Dining

Ventura features two restaurants and a coffee lounge where the menu has been created by celebrity chef Marco Pierre White. The White Room is the larger of the two restaurants and offers alternative dining to the main restaurants on board. Marco Pierre White has also created a menu for the first 24 hour buffet style family restaurant, The Beach House, located on Deck 15. There is also tazzine which is an Italian styled coffee lounge that sells snacks and beverages.

Main restaurants

Ventura features three main dining rooms that require passengers to book a sitting at either 6.30pm or 8.30pm. The largest is the Bay Tree Restaurant with the Saffron and Cinnamon restaurants being two similar sized smaller restaurants.

Other restaurants

One of the alternative restaurants on Ventura is East, located on Deck 7 (aft) and serves Asian and Pacific cuisine. Located on Deck 15 is the Waterside Restaurant which is Ventura's main food court and is open from breakfast to late afternoon. This is an informal daytime dining venue. Frankie's Pizzeria is located by the laguna pool and is inspired by the informal restaurant chain created by Marco Pierre White and Frankie Dettori, and Ramblas, which is named after the historic avenue in Barcelona, is a Spanish themed tapas bar on Deck 7.

Family orientated activities

Cirque Ventura

On the 19th deck of Ventura is 'Cirque Ventura' which is the first contemporary circus school on any superliner. It holds workshops by performers teaching such activities as tight wire, acrobalance, clowning, break dancing and juggling. It also features bungee trampolines which allow passengers to reach heights of over 100 metres above sea level. The activity is complimentary and circus shows are also planned regularly on board, that enable passengers to take part in a live performance.

Scalextric

Another partnership on Ventura is with Scalextric, who have created a large digital Scalextric track, located in the Havana club. This is one of many family orientated features of Ventura.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Ventura leaves on maiden voyage". BBC News. 18 April 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/7353924.stm. Retrieved 13 May 2010. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "Advanced Masterdata for the Vessel Ventura". VesselTracker. 2011. http://www.vesseltracker.com/en/Ships/Ventura-9333175.html. Retrieved 17 January 2010. 
3. ^ "Keel Laying for the Superliner Ventura" (Press release). Fincantieri. Tuesday, August 29, 2006. http://www.fincantieri.it/cms/data/browse/news/000068.aspx. Retrieved 17 January 2011. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Micke Asklander. "M/S Ventura (2008)". Fakta om Fartyg. http://www.faktaomfartyg.nu/ventura_2008.htm. Retrieved 17 January 2011. 
5. ^ ^{a b c} "Ship statistics: Ventura ". P&O Cruises. 2006. http://www.pocruises.com/Cruise-Ships/Ventura/Ship-Webcams/. Retrieved 17 January 2011. 
6. ^ Carnival to present new ship to P&O, South Florida Business Journal, September 22, 2005, accessed 2007-02-20
7. ^ Cut prices and upgrades lure us to more cruises, The Scotsman, accessed 2007-02-20
8. ^ Ventura handed over to P&O Cruises, Travelmole, accessed 2008-04-08
9. ^ "Marines help Dame Helen name ship". BBC News. Wednesday, 16 April 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/7349906.stm. Retrieved 17 January 2010. 
10. ^ Vanessa Ballard

External links

• Ventura P&O website
• Paul Critchley