Ocean Village Announces New Summer 2009 Itineraries

Ocean Village, ‘the cruise for people who don’t do cruises’, has announced its summer 2009 itineraries. Venice, Cairo and Istanbul will be new locations on Ocean’s Mediterranean programme for the very first time. Ocean Village 2 will be making its debut between April and October 2009 to these new destinations from Heraklion, Crete.

Bookings will be opening on 21 April 2008 but the preview details for 2009 show exciting seven and fourteen night cruises in the Western and Eastern Mediterranean on board Ocean Village and Ocean Village Two. New ‘Stay and Cruise’ options are also available, with pre-cruise hotel stays in Palma and Crete.

Ocean Village Two will be embarking on its first Eastern Med season, with three new 7 night itineraries on offer from its summer base in Heraklion, Crete. Headline destinations will be Venice, Istanbul and Cairo, offering the chance to see not only the major must -see cities but also the scenic islands and popular beach locations.

Whilst the weather is more temperate at the start of the season between April and September, Ocean Village Two will follow the Cairo itinerary, with Venice becoming a fortnightly fixture and Istanbul being the option in peak summer between May to August. Cruises can be taken as 7 night or 14 night sailings or as a 14 night stay and cruise option with a week in Crete at a three or four star hotel before joining any of the three 7 night cruises.

Nick Lighton, Managing Director at Ocean Village comments: “These new calls at Venice, Cairo and Istanbul will create a real buzz of excitement with agents and passengers alike. They show how easy it can be to combine an easy-going, 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.”