Aboard Ventura with P&O Cruises
Cruise Overview
Lying near the head of Southampton Water, a peninsula between the estuaries of the Rivers Test and Itchen, Southampton is Britain’s largest cruise port.
It has been one of England’s major ports since the Middle Ages, when it exported wool and hides from the hinterland and imported wine from Bordeaux.
The city suffered heavy damage during World War Two and as a result the centre has been extensively rebuilt, but there are still some interesting medieval buildings including the Bargate, one of the finest city gatehouses in England.
La Coruña, the largest city in Spain's Galicia region, is among the country's busiest ports.
The remote Galicia area is tucked into the northwest corner of the Iberian Peninsula, surprising visitors with its green and misty countryside that is so much unlike other parts of Spain.
The name "Galicia" is Celtic in origin, for it was the Celts who occupied the region around the 6th-century BC and erected fortifications.
La Coruña was already considered an important port under the Romans.
They were followed by an invasion of Suevians, Visigoths and, much later in 730, the Moors.
It was after Galicia was incorporated into the Kingdom of Asturias that the epic saga of the Pilgrimage to Santiago (St.
James) began.
From the 15th century, overseas trade developed rapidly; in 1720, La Coruña was granted the privilege of trading with America - a right previously only held by Cadiz and Seville.
This was the great era when adventurous men voyaged to the colonies and returned with vast riches.
Today, the city's significant expansion is evident in three distinct quarters: the town centre located along the isthmus; the business and commercial centre with wide avenues and shopping streets; and the "Ensanche" to the south, occupied by warehouses and factories.
Many of the buildings in the old section feature the characteristic glazed façades that have earned La Coruña the name "City of Crystal." Plaza Maria Pita, the beautiful main square, is named after the local heroine who saved the town in 1589 when she seized the English standard from the beacon and gave the alarm, warning her fellow townsmen of the English attack.
With a permanent resident population of 1,500 households, Hamilton doesn't qualify as a major metropolis.
Yet it has enough stores, restaurants, and offices to amp up the island’s energy level.
Moreover, it has a thriving international business community (centered on financial and investment services, insurance, telecommunications, global management of intellectual property, shipping, and aircraft and ship registration), which lends it a degree of sophistication seldom found in so small a center.
The central parishes cover the large area of Paget, Warwick, and Devonshire.
These parishes are much sleepier than Hamilton and provide great nature and beach respites when you tire of city life.
Convenient bus and ferry connections connect the parishes, so trips outside of Hamilton are easy and a fun way to get off the tourist track.
It has been one of England’s major ports since the Middle Ages, when it exported wool and hides from the hinterland and imported wine from Bordeaux.
The city suffered heavy damage during World War Two and as a result the centre has been extensively rebuilt, but there are still some interesting medieval buildings including the Bargate, one of the finest city gatehouses in England.
La Coruña, the largest city in Spain's Galicia region, is among the country's busiest ports.
The remote Galicia area is tucked into the northwest corner of the Iberian Peninsula, surprising visitors with its green and misty countryside that is so much unlike other parts of Spain.
The name "Galicia" is Celtic in origin, for it was the Celts who occupied the region around the 6th-century BC and erected fortifications.
La Coruña was already considered an important port under the Romans.
They were followed by an invasion of Suevians, Visigoths and, much later in 730, the Moors.
It was after Galicia was incorporated into the Kingdom of Asturias that the epic saga of the Pilgrimage to Santiago (St.
James) began.
From the 15th century, overseas trade developed rapidly; in 1720, La Coruña was granted the privilege of trading with America - a right previously only held by Cadiz and Seville.
This was the great era when adventurous men voyaged to the colonies and returned with vast riches.
Today, the city's significant expansion is evident in three distinct quarters: the town centre located along the isthmus; the business and commercial centre with wide avenues and shopping streets; and the "Ensanche" to the south, occupied by warehouses and factories.
Many of the buildings in the old section feature the characteristic glazed façades that have earned La Coruña the name "City of Crystal." Plaza Maria Pita, the beautiful main square, is named after the local heroine who saved the town in 1589 when she seized the English standard from the beacon and gave the alarm, warning her fellow townsmen of the English attack.
With a permanent resident population of 1,500 households, Hamilton doesn't qualify as a major metropolis.
Yet it has enough stores, restaurants, and offices to amp up the island’s energy level.
Moreover, it has a thriving international business community (centered on financial and investment services, insurance, telecommunications, global management of intellectual property, shipping, and aircraft and ship registration), which lends it a degree of sophistication seldom found in so small a center.
The central parishes cover the large area of Paget, Warwick, and Devonshire.
These parishes are much sleepier than Hamilton and provide great nature and beach respites when you tire of city life.
Convenient bus and ferry connections connect the parishes, so trips outside of Hamilton are easy and a fun way to get off the tourist track.
Cruise Itinerary
Aboard Ventura
Launch Year: 2008 Length: 290 Width: 36 Currency: GBP Capacity: 3078 Crew Count: 1205 Deck Count: 14 Cabin Count: 1556
Family friendly - There’s always something happening on Ventura, enjoy delicious fine dining, a tranquil spa, many quiet spaces to unwind, great sports facilities and four pools. Evenings are particularly memorable, with the lavish two-deck theatre where you’ll witness elaborate shows and stand-up comedy.
Ventura Facilities
Ventura Includes
Cabin Details
From inside cabins to balcony cabins and luxurious suites, you will find a room for every budget and taste.
All cabins are air-conditioned and well designed, to give you as much space as possible and to help you relax into your surroundings. Many feature balconies to give you additional outside space. All feature Egyptian cotton sheets, free tea & coffee making facilities, refrigerator, hairdryer, safe, in-cabin television and good sized en-suite bathrooms with toiletries pack. You will also enjoy the services of a personal cabin steward who will look after your every need, and can enjoy room service from early morning until late evening at no extra cost.
