Ocean Village launches a brand new, fresh look brochure for winter 08/09 - summer 09 - 29/05/2008
- Full details of new Summer destinations: Venice, Cairo and Istanbul; transatlantic cruises from Barbados to Crete and Majorca; and savings of up to 45% on full brochure prices and cabin upgrades -
Ocean Village, the cruise for people who don’t do cruises, is launching its brand new Winter 2008/2009- Summer 2009 brochure on 2 June 2008. The new-look brochure has been re-worked to offer a fresh, high quality feel and features full details of the new Summer 2009 itineraries including Venice, Cairo and Istanbul for the very first time. New Transatlantic cruises from Barbados to Crete and Majorca in spring 2009 are also included.
Following feedback from focus groups, Ocean Village has re-styled its brochure, revising the use of language and signature colours to better reflect the quality of the cruise as passengers experience it. The new design retains the brand’s quirky, off-beat feel but involves a greater use of white space and bigger pictures to create a more laid-back mood and a sense of accessible but aspirational style. The itinerary spreads have also been re-formatted to give a more succinct presentation of destination information and more descriptive photographs.
Ocean Village will launch this new brochure as part of a £1 million marketing campaign beginning 2 June that includes a heavy weight TV advertising campaign. The new campaign will focus on the Granada, Central and, for the first time, Meridian regions and is partnered by the Co-operative travel in the north and midlands and Thomas Cook in the south.
Active agents receiving the new brochure next week will also receive a tin of ‘Loving the new Ocean Village itineraries….’ love hearts.
Summer season 2009
Ocean Village Two will undertake its first Eastern Med season from its summer base of Heraklion, Crete in 2009, offering three brand new 7 night itineraries. Venice, Istanbul or Cairo are featured as a headline destination in each of the new itineraries which mix big-hitter, wanna-see cities with scenic islands and favourite beach locations. The Venice itinerary becomes a fortnightly fixture throughout summer 2009, while the ship will follow the Cairo itinerary at the start and end of the season (April and September) when the weather is more temperate, and then offer the Istanbul option in peak summer (May to August).
Holidays can be taken as 7 night or 14 night sailings or as 14 night stay and cruise options with a week in Crete at a three or four star hotel before joining any of the three 7 night cruises.
‘Palaces and Pyramids’ takes in Egypt’s iconic Pyramids and Sphinx in new destination Cairo (from Port Said). The ship then sails to Limassol (Cyprus), Rhodes, Ephesus (from Kusadasi, Turkey) and Athens (from Piraeus), before returning to Heraklion. Seven-night cruises start from just £619* per person.
‘Gateways and Gondolas’ showcases Croatia’s picturesque coastline with a call at Dubrovnik before moving onto Casanova’s playground – Venice – for a day in this most celebrated of cities. The next port of call is the pretty Croatian island of Korcula, before the ship sails for the Greek islands of Corfu and Zakinthos. On selected dates, instead of Dubrovnik, the ship will call at Split – another Croatian time-capsule – and in place of Zakinthos, it will visit the birthplace of the Olympic Games, Olympia (from Katakolon) in Greece. Seven-night cruises start from just £699* per person.
‘Myths and Minarets’ blends cultural highlights with beach resorts and a touch of the exotic. From Heraklion, the ship sails for Istanbul – renowned for its Blue Mosque, St Sophia museum and glittering Topkapi Palace – before moving onto the lush Greek island Lesbos, Ephesus (from Kusadasi, Turkey), Athens (from Piraeus) and Rhodes. Seven-night cruises start from just £749* per person.
14 night combinations of the Venice itinerary with either the Istanbul or Cairo option start from just £1039* per person.
14 night Stay and Cruise hotel and cruise options begin from as little as £919* per person.
The original Ocean Village ship will make Palma, Majorca its summer base for the first time in three years and will visit some of the Med’s hippest, hottest and most happening places on its two seven night itineraries.
‘Tapas and Togas’ mixes Riviera favourites and timeless cities. The ship sails from Palma to Tunis, Rome (from Civitavecchia), Genoa, St Raphael and Barcelona. Seven night cruises start from just £699* per person.
‘Emperors and Espresso’ offers big city highlights plus the glitz and glamour of jet set resorts. Calling at Tunis, Naples, Florence and Pisa, Monte Carlo and Ajaccio, passengers can practice their bargaining skills at the souks in Tunis and then go billionaire-spotting in chic Monte Carlo. Seven night cruises start from just £599* per person.
Again, Stay and Cruise options are available combining a week-long hotel stay in Majorca with a week onboard - options start from just £819* per person. 14 night sailings that combine the two itineraries are available from just £899* per person.
From April 2009 the original Ocean Village ship will be offering a brand new 14 night transatlantic crossing from Barbados to Palma, Majorca, taking in St Lucia, Dominica, St Maarten, Madeira, Cadiz and Palma, Majorca. 14 nights start from £979pp and flights are from Gatwick, Birmingham or Manchester.*
Ocean Village Two will also offer a new transatlantic option including a 15 night cruise from Barbados to Heraklion, Crete. Sailing from Barbados, the itinerary visits Dominica, St Kitts, Antigua, Madeira, Malaga, Palermo (Sicily) and Heraklion, Crete. 15 nights start from £1,029pp and flights are from Gatwick, Birmingham and Manchester.*
Ocean Village are offering fantastic savings of 45% on full brochure prices. Book early and you can save a further £80 per person with the cruise line’s early booking discount on 14 night ‘Stay & Cruise’ holidays.
Upgrade to a balcony cabin from just £239 per person on any 7 night, Ocean Village Two cruise in the Med or Caribbean. Or, if you’re travelling as a group of four, share and save more with Ocean Village’s 3rd/4th passenger offer - those sharing a cabin will save up to £250 each per week!
Kids won’t miss out on the action with children’s prices for Mediterranean 2008 holidays starting from just £99 for any under 14 travelling on a 7-night sailing from Crete – excellent value with flights included and free use of the popular Base Camp children’s centre on board
Can get there under your own steam? Discounts of between £200-£300 per adult are available on 7 and 14 night Summer 2009 ‘Cruise Only’ holidays from Crete or Palma, whereby the cruise is booked without Ocean Village’s flights or transfers between the airport and the port.
Nick Lighton, Managing Director at Ocean Village comments: “These new calls at Venice, Cairo and Istanbul are already creating a real buzz of excitement with agents and passengers alike. They show how easy it can be to combine a laid-back, high-quality cruise with a shot of culture, time out on the beach, big-city sights, retail therapy and the chance to get active – all at a great value-for-money price. The Ocean Village philosophy has always been to offer a fresh take on cruising and these new holidays are a wake-up call for everyone who hasn’t yet realised the how much fun a cruise can be, as well as a great reason to come back for more for people who’ve already lost their cruising virginity.”
Winter 2008/2009 cruises start from as little as £879 per person for a seven night sailing. Passengers can choose from 4 itineraries across the Central and Southern Caribbean. One week itineraries can be combined to form a 14 night sailing starting from £1, 209 or passengers can opt for a Stay and Cruise option, combining a week’s hotel stay with a week onboard, from just £1,309 per person. New for 2008/2009, the 3* Barbados Beach Club joins the brochure. Early bird bookers can save up to £70 per person on 14-night Stay and Cruise holidays.
For more information or to book, see your ABTA travel agents for details, visit www.oceanvillageholidays.co.uk or call 0845 4567 888.
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For further information, please contact Claire Honey or Samantha Darlaston at Consolidated Communications on 020 77812 300 oroceanvillage@consol.co.uk.
Notes to Editors:
* Flight supplements apply
Ocean Village combines action and relaxation at sea and ashore into a fresh new take on holidays for thirty-five to fifty-fives: younger, more upbeat passengers who want to get more out of their time away. With no formal dress codes, Ocean Village's casual on board style includes high quality 24/7 buffet dining, plus waiter service options at the Bistro with a menu created by TV celebrity chef James Martin. Calling at six destinations nearly every seven days, the fleet offers a choice of one and two week itineraries in the Mediterranean and Caribbean. The one week options can be added to a week's hotel stay in Barbados, Majorca or Crete to give a 14-night stay-and-cruise option.
Action ashore options include abseiling, river rafting, jeep safaris, aerial rainforest adventures, swimming with dolphins, wine tasting and rides on the ships' own fleet of mountain bikes.
Flights are available from a wide selection of UK regional airports to join the ship in Majorca, Crete, Barbados or Montego Bay and are included in the price, as are transfers, buffet dining and basic tips on board.
