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Ocean Village 2 Week Eastern Med |
| Reviewed By: Gledhill, Verwood on 1st Dec 2008 |
| Cruise Line: Ocean Village Cruises |
Times cruised before: 3-5 |
| Cruise Ship: Ocean Village |
Sailed:
May,
2008 |
| Destination: Mediterranean |
Age: 36-45 |
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Cruise around the Eastern Med
On Ocean Village
May/June 2008
The only issue with this type of cruise is the flight to/from the UK. We were held up in both directions making the whole transfer experience something of an endurance. On arrival on OV it was clear that the changes that had taken place since my last voyage had made the ship less family friendly, given the type of cruise this was that came as a bit of a surprise.
OK so thats all the bad news out of the way. The cruise itself was still great calling in Cyprus, Kusadasi, Rhodes, Mykonos, Santorini, Crete, Dubrovnik, Corfu, Cephalonia, Katakolon and Athens.
The food on OV is self service buffet. The food had improved quite a bit from last time. The shows were mainly tribute artists and acrobats but it whiled away the evenings. The daytime entertainment for both adults and children seemed more organised this time. The kids thought the clubs were much better than before. The planet show is as good as it gets on the seven seas.
Overall the experience onboard the ship is still excellent and I think Carnival UK may regret closing the OV brand in the future. Especially true as this was a low cost option for many and the credit crunch is biting.
Limassol (Cyprus): A pleasent enough little town with some nice shops and a wonderful promenade. We caught the service bus from the port into town. Very reasonable.
Rhodes : The ship docks right outside the city walls. Everything within walking distance. No need for a tour here either.
Kusadasi : The stop for Ephesus. However if you do not want to go there the Turkish authority have built an excellent duty free shopping / cafe area and the main promenade is only 5 mins walk.
Santorini : I recommend an excursion here. The most spectacular views of the whole trip. You will be tendered ashore
Mykonos : There was a shuttle bus from the dockside to the town. Again no need for expensive excursions.
Crete : This is the changeover day for OV. The port is a little walk from the town. We decided to go for the whole day excursion to get away from the hustle and bustle of the changeover. Great Greek party for the sail away
Dubrovnik : The ship anchored a short distance from the town and tendered to the shore. The taxi was as cheap as any way of getting there. Some friends of ours did walk but said it was hard going.
Corfu : Again a pleasant walk (20 mins) from ship to town. No need for expensive alternatives.
Cephalonia : We did book on an excursion here but there was plenty to do without doing so. This was another tendered stop.
Katakolon (for Olympia): Again a nice little port area for those who don’t want to go too far. Plenty of shops and Cafes. If you do want to go to Olympia then the train casts €2 return, entrance fee is €12 but beware there are not too many trains so need to be out and about early.
Athens (from Pireas) : We again chose the excursion but I think you can do easily on the metro. The port itself is also quite nice.
Overall, excellent value for money. I will be sorry to the end of this brand.
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| Quality of Food |  |
| Very Good. Much better than before | | Entertainment |  |
| Bit Samey. Tribute acts and acrobats. The Planet show is superb though. | | Shore Excursions |  |
| Excellent as ever. The beach day on cephalonia is not to be missed. | | Staff | |
| All the staff are great | | Children's Facilities | |
| I didn't see my 10 year old except when the club went to the pool !!! | | Onboard Activities | |
| | Cabins | |
| | Overall Rating | |
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