Why is it that all the Ciao surveys that I get sent nowadays only have a reward of 10p? Or am I the...
Why is it that all the Ciao surveys that I get sent nowadays only have a reward of 10p? Or am I the only one that's getting those ones? Alexandra x (arrrrgggghhhh - it's gotten worse, the last one I received was only 5p!)
Member since:03.02.2006
Reviews:54
Members who trust:31
We have just returned from a 2 week cruise of the Caribbean with Ocean Village. It was fabulous. Anyone younger than 50 who thinks cruises are all old age pensioners having a 6 course dinner at the captain's table can think again - the company's logo is "Cruises for People who Don't do Cruises" and this is certainly true.
I've detailed below all the facilities etc that are on board the ship but outline briefly here our experience.
We flew from Manchester with Thomas Cook and they were great. You check your bags in at the desk and you don't see them again until they arrive at your cabin later that evening. When you get off the plane in Barbados a coach arrives and takes you from the tarmac direct to Bridgetown Port meaning you don't have to queue up at customs in the airport.
On arrival at Bridgetown Port one you have signed your cruise card etc, be ready to have your picture taken, the annoying ships photographer is lurking to take your photo as you get on board the ship (just think what you look like after flying for 9 hours!!!) and also wants to film you walking up the gangplank for the DVD that they will try to sell you at the end of your holiday.
Ignoring him though, once you get on the ship it's fabulous (although the pink and orange decor takes a little getting used to).
It may take you a while to get the hang of where everything is on board but most stuff you need can be found in the VillageSquare or on decks 7, 12 and 14.
We had a spacious 188 sq ft DD grade cabin on deck 10 with a double bed. It was extremely clean (they even do under the bed regularly) and had loads of wardrobe and drawer space. Cabins are cleaned daily and you even get 2 blue towels for use around the pool that they will change whenever you like - just throw them on the floor of the bathroom.
Money is not needed on board, everything is charged to your cruise card. You just register your credit card (or you can pay by cash at the end) and you receive a statement towards the end of each week, letting you know how much you owe.
Evening entertainment was tremendous. It varied every night from acrobatic shows on the deck (The Moon Show) and tribute acts (we saw Simply Red, George Michael and Cher) to comedians and quiz nights. There was certainly something for everyone. Connexions was our favourite bar and I recommend you try and get to one of the comedy nights. There was always something on for you to watch.
Food on the ship was unavoidable (thank god for the gym!!) and if you don't put at least 1/2 st on while you are cruising then you're doing extrmely well. I suggest eating at the Plantation for breakfast and lunch but dining at the Waterfront in the evening. La Luna was good for pizza at lunch but we didn't try it for dinner. James Martin's Bistro is well worth the money at least once during your cruise (it's the best cheese souflee I have ever had).
Dining is very informal - wear pretty much whatever you like - and there are plenty of tables for 2 people so you don't have to mingle if you don't want to.
There is a Spa on board.(Karma Spa) if you want to relax which we didn't try as it was just so expensive (cheapest massage £50 going up to £150+) but they did do special offers throughout the week to try and tempt you in.
My one main gripe of the holiday was the action ashore trips which were very good but also extremely expensive (cost in the region of £26-£120). Trips ranged from mountain biking and coach trips to more adventurous stuff like scuba diving and rainforest trekking. Most trips were water based. But if you didn't want to leave the ship you didn't have to.
All in all it was a wonderful experience and something that I would definitely do again and woudl not hesitate to recommend to my friends....... oh look, they also do a mediterranean cruise... i've got two weeks holiday in September....... hmmmmmmmm must speak to my husband.
***COST***
7 nights from £850 - £14 nights from £1250 (top tip - if you book on-line you get much better discounts, we paid £1100 each and got upgraded from an MM inside cabin to a DD outside cabin with a picture window, usual cost for an MM cabin is £1250!))
***DESTINATIONS***
The cruise was split into two 1 week trips:
Rum and Reggae (Barbados, Antigua, Dominica, Grenada, Isla Margarita, Tobago, Barbados)
Corl and Coconuts (Barbados, Tortola, St Maarten, St Kitts, St Lucia. Mayreau, Barbados)
If you want to do a 2 week trip you just combine the two. It just means you get to visit Barbados more than you would perhaps like.
***THE SHIP***
The ship was split across 13 levels, 10 of which were for passenger use:
Deck H (level 2) The Karma Spa, Hair Salon and The Hideout
Deck F (level 4) The Medical Centre and GG grade cabins
Deck P (level 5) The lower level of the Village Square (Reception, Charlie's Bar and the Cyber Cafe), GG, MM and LL grade cabins
Deck E (level 6) The middle level of the Village Square (The Emporium,The Kiosk and The Blue Bar), FF and LL grade cabins
Panorama Deck (7) The top level of the Village Square (Gems, The Bazar, The Photoshop), the lower level of The Marquee, Connexions Bar, The Oval, The Art Gallery, the Bistro, the Waterfront Restaurant.
Deck D (8) The top level of the Marquee, The Casino, NN, LL, HH and EE grade cabins.
Deck C (9) II, HH and EE grade cabins
Deck B (10) KK, HH and DD grade cabins
Deck A (11) Base Camp, Night Nursery, JJ, CC, BB and AA grade cabins
Leisure Deck (12) La Luna, Sunweaver Bar, Splash Bar, Plantation Restaurant, AB grade cabins
Sun Deck (14) Bayside Club and The Gym
***EVENING ENTERTAINMENT***
There are 8 bars on the ship:
Connexions - hosting quiz nights and comedy Blue Bar - a cool, formal bar to chill out Sunweaver - a good place to get a drink while sunbathing Splash bar - get ready to get wet, this bar is in the adults pool The Oval - A sports bar which shows premiership football, sports documentaries etc Charlie's Bar - a cafe style bar serving tea/coffee, snacks etc Bayside Club - the place to dance the night away (open till 2am) with disco and live music The Marquee - a two level theatre where you go to see the shows and tribute acts
The Waterfront - offers buffet dining with mainly British food inc a carvery The Plantation - offers buffet dining with Oriental and Asian food plus a different international theme each day (open 24 hrs) La Luna - poolside restaurant serving Italian cuisine (£5 charge in the evening - booking recommended) The Bistro - owned by James Martin serving modern British and mediterranean dishes (£15 charge, only open in the evening)
BBQ's are also held on deck a few times a week.
***ON BOARD ACTIVITIES***
2 pools, one with swim up bar 4 open air jacuzzis Modern ocean-view gym containing cardio and weight training facilities Spa with steam, sauna and massage rooms Pilates and Yoga classes (£5 charge) Onboard cinema (£3.50 charge) Golf driving nets Deck football/basketball court Jogging track Deck games (Shuffleboard, giant chess) Teen hideout with computer games, karaoke etc
***ACTION ASHORE***
Mountain biking, jeep safaris, river rafing, wine tasting, rainforest trekking, whale and dolphin watching, quad biking, scuba diving, helicoper sightseeing, kayaking, horse riding, swimming with dolphins, snorkelling, sailing, golf, walking tours, sightseeing by coach, beach days.
***WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THE PRICE***
Charter flights from/to the UK including in-flight meals UK Air Passenger Duty on fly-cruise holidays Cabin accommodation with en-suite faciltiies All meals on board (extra charges in La Luna and The Bistro) All basic tips On board facilities Evening entertainment Children's and teenagers programme on board supervised by Youth Team All Uk and oversees port taxes All transfers between the airport and ship All transfers from ship to shore when the ship is not berthed at port
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
cool, this sounds so much fun! i love the sound of the caberet style tribute singers and all that food! ive never been on a cruise but i would love too now! a great review too! :) x
n13roy 21.04.2006 10:47
Really well written, detailed and informative Cruise review indeed, I've always been put off on the idea of a cruise too, but this sounds OK.........Roy......
NH Hotels, the hotel chain leader in Europe, with more than 300 hotels in 20 countries in Europe, Latin America and Africa. Enter into our web site and find the best available tariff at all times
Record Rent a Car is present in the main spanish airports and has a very wide fleet. We offer: exceptional discounts, free additional drivers,
unlimited mileage... subscribe to our Club Record and take advantage of special offers.
Advantages: lots of entertainment and things to do, visits great places, 24/7 food Disadvantages: can be pricey, only skims the surface of the places you visit
frankiefromings13 17.02.2009 (17.02.2009)
·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Ocean Village Cruise
Advantages: Cabins, General cleanliness, Waiters, Cabin stewards friendly and helpfull Disadvantages: Expensive trips ,Surcharging bistro's ,Poor customer care, Entertainment
Oneon1 25.04.2008 (27.04.2008)
·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Ocean Village Cruise
Apr 13th, 2006
very helpful by (100%):
