Announcement from Ocean Village
- Message from Nick Lighton, Managing Director, Ocean Village -
I wanted to share with you some news announced today by our parent company, Carnival UK.
As you may be aware, there are several cruise brands within Carnival Corporation and from time to time the decision is taken to redeploy ships to different brands and to new areas of the world.
It has been decided to transfer both Ocean Village ships to the P&O Cruises Australia brand, with the first ship moving in time for Christmas 2009 and the second a year later. The profile of Ocean Village is very similar to that of P&O Cruises Australia and the Australian market is a very buoyant one with great growth potential.
Ocean Village will continue to operate a single ship in the Caribbean in winter 2009-10 and the previously published programme will be adjusted, with existing bookings amended accordingly. A new European programme will operate in 2010.
I would wish to assure you that our ships will operate as normal until they eventually leave for Australia and everyone on board and on shore will remain fully committed to ensuring that you enjoy a great value, relaxing and enjoyable holiday with Ocean Village.
If you have already booked for the Caribbean for winter 2010, we will be in touch with you directly or through your travel agent to advise you of the changes to your holiday.
The welfare of our ships’ crew is a top priority and we will make every endeavour to develop their careers with Carnival by either transferring to Australia or joining other parts of our fleet around the world. We greatly value our staff and the key role they play in the enjoyment of your time on board and they in turn remain fully committed to giving you a wonderful holiday.
Nick Lighton
30/10/2008
What does the Ocean Village announcement mean for me as a passenger?
The changes announced today only affect Ocean Village Two from the autumn of 2009 and Ocean Village from the autumn of 2010. The ships will operate normally until then and everyone on board and shore will be just as committed to ensuring all our passengers enjoy a great value, relaxing and enjoyable holiday as before. So you can look forward to a great time on board with confidence!
What if I've already booked for the Caribbean in the winter season of 2009-2010?
We'll be in touch shortly either through your travel agent, or with you direct if you booked through the Ocean Village website or our call centre. Whilst Ocean Village Two holidays will no longer be available in the winter of 2009-2010, Ocean Village will have a new Caribbean itinerary, starting and finishing in Barbados, which will take you to just as many fantastic tropical islands as originally planned. We'll give you full details of the new Caribbean holidays shortly, and whether you are booked on Ocean Village or Ocean Village Two, we hope you'll join us for the new Caribbean itinerary on Ocean Village.
How will the ships maintain standards on board during the change-over?
Our staff are professionals as well as being friendly, helpful people and they will be just as committed to giving you the holiday you deserve. As other Carnival UK’s cruise operations are continuing to expand, we hope that all staff who wish to will be able to transfer to other parts of the worldwide fleet, so everyone has a good reason to keep up the standards which have made Ocean Village such a great holiday choice.
Why is Ocean Village phased out if it's been so successful?
Booking levels are good and Ocean Village is an award-winning cruise line which has consistently delivered high quality and great value, but the increase in fuel and flying costs over the last two years have meant that the economics are less favourable.
What are the options if I'm looking for an informal holiday option?
While still upholding some of the established cruise conventions, both P&O Cruises and Princess Cruises offer increasingly informal experiences on a number of their ships.
