New Eastern Med itineraries from Ocean Village

New itineraries including Cairo, Istanbul and Venice are part of Ocean Village’s plans for summer 2009 in the Mediterranean.

Ocean Village Two will make its debut in the Eastern Mediterranean offering cruises to these iconic destinations from Heraklion in Crete between April and October 2009. 

The original Ocean Village ship will make Palma, Majorca, its summer base for the first time in three years operating two seven-night itineraries.

Seven and 14-night fly-cruise holidays in the Western and Eastern Med on board Ocean Village and Ocean Village Two feature next year together with new ‘Stay and Cruise’ options with pre-cruise hotel stays in Palma and Crete.

Ocean Village Two will run new seven-night itineraries from its summer base in Crete. Venice, Istanbul or Cairo are featured as a headline destination in each of the new itineraries.

The Venice itinerary becomes a fortnightly fixture throughout next summer. The ship will follow the Cairo itinerary in April and September and then offer the Istanbul option in peak summer (May to August). 

Holidays can be taken as seven- 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 seven-night cruises.

 â€˜Palaces and Pyramids’ takes in Egypt’s Pyramids and Sphinx in Cairo (from Port Said). The ship then sails to Limassol in Cyprus, Rhodes, Ephesus from Kusadasi and Athens from Piraeus.

‘Gateways and Gondolas’ showcases Croatia’s coastline with a call at Dubrovnik before moving onto Venice for a day. The next port of call is the Croatian island of Korcula, before the ship sails for Greek islands of Corfu and Zakinthos.

On selected dates, instead of Dubrovnik, the ship will call at Split and in place of Zakinthos, will visit Olympia from Katakolon in Greece. 

‘Myths and Minarets’ features Istanbul, Lesbos, Ephesus from Kusadasi, Athens and Rhodes.

Ocean Village will run a ‘Tapas and Togas’ itinerary from Palma to Tunis, Rome, Genoa, St Raphael and Barcelona.

‘Emperors and Espresso’ offers calls in Tunis, Naples, Florence and Pisa, Monte Carlo and Ajaccio.

Ocean Village managing director Nick Lighton said: “These new calls at Venice, Cairo and Istsanbul 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.”

by Phil Davies