Boat Buddy Cruise Blog

The Big Goodbye - Port Kelang

2010-11-17T16:37:00.005Z

The last port of the cruise had finally been reached as Ocean Village arrived to see the big hitting highlights of Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur where colonial architecture meets funky modern design. Kuala Lumpur’s must sees include the KL Tower the worlds fourth tallest communications building, Independance Square and the soaring Petronas Twin Towers which are joined at the 41st and 42nd floors and dominate Kuala Lumpurs skyline.

Despite a long day touring the city of KL everyone made the effort to head up to Top Deck for the farewell Great British sailaway. With union jacks in hand, loyal passengers sang, danced and waved their flags through party tunes and patriotic farewells. There were tears of sadness from passengers and events team as “Time to Say Goodbye” was the final song of the afternoon and the Ocean Village bunting was taken down and thrown away.

Then it was time for the final night show which was an extravaganza of gargantuan proportion - a variety show containing music, laughter and dance from all the remaining artists onboard from the Freedom 2 Move cast, Resident singers Richard, Simon and Katy plus performances from Jaki Graham, The Chapman Brothers and Tony Lewis as Robbie Williams – all hosted by comedian Kev McCarthy. Emotions ran high as the final notes of “Hey Jude” were played by resident band Jet Set and the confetti cannons soared into the air. There was not a dry eye in the house.

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As some of you may remember, we said goodbye to the Ocean Village Two almost exactly one year ago after completing a similar voyage. In saying goodbye to the Ocean Village however, we don’t just say farewell to a ship but a brand of cruising that has become a much loved holiday over and over for so many.

The cruise for people who don’t do cruises was all over and Ocean Village had performed its final duty...its final cruise....and its final farewell!!

Be more, see more, do more......no more.

Tracy - Entertainment and Retail Director

The Big Goodbye - Langkawi

2010-11-12T07:52:00.006Z

Sitting just off the coast of Malaysia, Langkawi is part of an archipelago of 99 islands and has more than its fair share of natural sights. Some passengers headed inland to explore the jungle covered hills and played spot the wildlife including a trip to Eagle Square to see the 12m high statue of a brown eagle poised for flight, others headed to the peak of Machincang Mountain by cable car to soak up the panoramic views whilst those seeking the sunshine stretched out on the pure white shores of this tropical island.

The sun was back out in force and as Ocean Village sailed away from the colourful island of Langkawi onto its final port of call, a beautiful rainbow appeared over the horizon as if saying goodbye and good luck to its future voyages.

The last OV radio show from the events team was aired from the Village Sq with passengers making their final dedications and requests and as the show came off air in recognition of the 11th November a short remembrance service for those who lost their lives during conflict was conducted by passenger Lord Steven Gardner at 7pm ships time which was 11am UK time.

The penultimate night of entertainment in the Marquee was welcoming a great friend of the Ocean Village brand back to the stage for one final time. Tony Lewis and his Tribute to the bad boy of pop Robbie Williams was on top form as he belted classic Robbie hits such as Let Me Entertain You, Rock DJ and Angels to a packed theatre of Robbie fans. Tony found the whole experience very emotional as he had also performed on the first ever Ocean Village cruise and has been a firm favourite during the last seven years.

One of Ocean Village’s unique entertainment features is the delivery of daring circus performances and tonight was the grand finale. Members of the Freedom 2 Move aerialists performed their most impressive collection of amazing circus vignettes including trapeze, tissue and bamboo routines and passengers watched in amazement as they flew through decks 5, 6 & 7 of the Village Square in an aerial spectacular display.

As the evening for passengers continued in Bayside for a 60’s music extravaganza the Marquee opened its doors once again but this time for something very special...a crew only farewell show.

Members of the ships company gathered together resplendent in their ‘Big Goodbye’ Final Farewell T.Shirts for an evening to remember including thank you speeches to the crew and the shore side support teams from Captain Charlie Carr, Hotel Director Michael Lobban, Product Director Jenny Fortune and Ocean Village’s Managing Director Nick Lighton.

The evening continued with sentimental and emotional good luck messages from members of the shoreside teams and members of the Ocean Village ships company past and present within a specially produced souvenir DVD.

Then the party got into full swing as crew members were treated to performances from the Chapman Brothers, Jaki Graham and Tony Lewis as Robbie Williams. The overriding feeling of the night was one of being proud to have been a part of the Ocean Village brand and extreme sadness that it was all coming to an end. One thing was for sure, the Ocean Village crew were determined to see the ship out with a bang and not a whimper.

Tracy - Entertainment and Retail Director

The Big Goodbye - Cochin

2010-11-12T02:28:00.006Z

Ocean Village arrived in Cochin which is believed to be the oldest European settlement in India, to slightly overcast skies, but the weather didn’t dampen the spirits of the passengers who were all looking forward to a taste of India.

The ship sailed in past the giant fishing nets on bamboo poles in Cochin harbour which was around 7km from the city centre and passengers disembarked to explore the old colonial tree lined streets of Fort Cochin, or took a boat ride past the maze of sleepy backwater canals at Alleppey past lush vegetation and local life, some visited Mattancherry Palace which is now a museum displaying Indian mythological murals, portraits of the Rajas and royal costumes and some headed off to the local beaches.

Some of the Ocean Village Indian crew were able to meet up with friends and families at the port in the local Seaman’s mission - some of whom hadn’t seen their families for up to nine months so it was a wonderful opportunity to catch up.

A traditional Bollywood style sailaway was in store as Ocean Village let go the lines to make the 3 day journey to our next port of call in Langkawi, Malaysia.

Jaki Graham was in the Marquee for an unforgettable night of fabulous soul hits with classic songs such as Set Me Free, Step Right Up and Breaking Away to name just a few. Everyone was up on their feet dancing in the aisles leaving no doubt in peoples minds as to why she topped the UK charts so often in the 80’s and 90’s.It was Platform and Flares night in Connexions as the Events team went back in time with their 1970’s evening of music, quizzes and prizes plus more amazing antics and acrobatics from the Freedom 2 Move aerialists in the Village Square.

The Big Goodbye - Dubai

2010-11-11T05:04:00.005Z

After a slight change to the itinerary Ocean Village arrived in Fujairah which would be the gateway port to Dubai and all the sights, sounds and colours that this vibrant city has to offer.

Coach loads of passengers were up bright and early for the journey through the rugged landscape to the delights of designer Dubai which is the home to the tallest building in the World, and some of the largest shopping malls and glittering gold souks for all the shopaholics who wanted some retail therapy.

Those that discovered Dubai were treated to some famous landmarks such as the iconic sail shaped Burj Al Arab hotel, the Palm Jumeirah the self proclaimed Eighth Wonder of the World, the Atlantis hotel and of course you can’t fail to notice the tallest structure in the world the Burg Dubai which towers 2,000 over the skyline.

Those that wanted a more action packed day delved into Dubai’s Deserts on a four wheel drive jeep safari or a four legged camel safari!

Following their Arabian adventures passengers returned back as the sun went down and formed a beautiful sunset over the Planet structure which was fitting tribute as during our overnight call, the singers, dancers and aerialists of Freedom 2 Move would perform the aerial spectacular Planet show for the very last time.Passengers watched in amazement as countdown commenced in preparation for the final blast off for the inter planetary journey through the solar system as the aerial performers produced death defying stunts on the cloud swing, trapeze, hoop, silks and rope with fire juggling & hand balance routines to Holsts Planet Suite 40 feet above the deck. The aerial spectacular show has been the signature of Ocean Village since its inception and tonight it made its finale performance.

The Big Goodbye - Muscat

2010-11-11T04:37:00.006Z

Land Ahoy!! After 5 fantastic fun filled days with perfect weather and sea conditions Ocean Village arrived in the city of Muscat in Oman.

Those passengers who explored the city and took an Action Ashore tour visited the part medieval and part modern Capital of Oman taking in sights such as the Grand Mosque which covers over 1 million square feet, the Bait Al Zubair Museum and the Al Alam Palace.

Those brave enough to haggle roamed the narrow alleyways of the Muttrah Souk to check out the stalls selling everything from bronze coffee ports to exotic spices and those in search of adventure took in the sights of dolphin watching or a desert jeep adventure through the rugged terrain of the Hajar mountains.

The ship berthed overnight but those not planning an evening ashore were treated to a Halloween evening to remember! Manuel Martinez the comedy magician added a touch of mystery and mayhem to the Marquee with his madcap manic performance full of tricks and comedic fun. Cuba’s most entertaining export was a big hit, as ever, but eventually he performed his final trick for the final time.

The events team produced a ghoulish and gastly Halloween gameshow with prizes and competitions to be won in Connexions and the night continued until the witching hour at the Spooky Party in Bayside to the sounds of the Monster Mash & the Time Warp!

The Big Goodbye - Safaga

2010-11-11T04:19:00.004Z

Another early start for over 1000 passengers choosing to walk like an Egyptian and follow in the footsteps of the Ancient Egyptians to see the breathtaking monuments of Karnak and Luxor.

Passengers made their way from the gateway port of Safaga to explore some of the largest ancient religious sites in the world including the Temple of Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and the Luxor Temple.

The weather conditions were idyllic with sunshine skies and although another long and tiring day passengers enjoyed the halls, tombs, statues, pillars and hieroglyphics. Others enjoyed an unforgettable desert experience at a traditional Bedouin camp as part of a Desert Jeep safari tour!

On their return, the Freedom 2 Move performers performed their raunchy , sexy show Fever for the final ever time – the Marquee lounge was treated to performances from our singers, dancers and aerialists and was the first in the collection of shows from Freedom 2 Move during the crossing.

Tracy - Entertainment and Retail Director

The Big Goodbye - Port Said

2010-11-11T03:34:00.005Z

The morning started bright and early at 7am as the first passengers wiped the sleep out of their eyes to meet for their exciting day on tour in Cairo – the sphinx, pyramids and museum were just some of the fascinating highlights in store during their long and dusty day.

Two convoys – a total of 16 coaches left under police escort to make their way on the 3 hour journey to see the wonders of the world. The weather conditions were perfect with bright blue skies and plenty of sunshine which made for perfect conditions in order to see the tourist attractions that Cairo has to offer.

Fortunately husbands managed to keep hold of their wives however, that didn’t stop the locals bartering them for camels.

After a long day the hotel team were ready to welcome them back to the port and there was just time for some last minute souvenir shopping from the local vendors before getting back onboard.

All the passengers commented that it had been a very long and tiring day but that it had been worth every minute and every penny.

Tracy - Entertainment and Retail Director

The Big Goodbye - At Sea

2010-11-08T23:56:00.006Z

The sun was out the sky was blue and Ocean Village had started her final voyage.

Great weather was the perfect start to the first of our fun packed and fun filled sea days – the decks were busy with passengers relaxing in the sunshine and the ship was a hive of activity as people found their way around again, organised their Action Ashore tours in the fabulous ports of call and ensured that they got their all important table booked in James Martin’s Bistro restaurant for the final time, especially as James is due to visit during this farewell cruise.

The programme was packed full of activities including seminars and sporting activities, art classes and acupuncture demos, cooking demonstrations and quizzes, dance lessons and darts.

Passengers were thrilled at the opportunity to play darts with former professional darts champion – Keith Dellar. The Oval pub was packed with keen players and onlookers as they tried to get the highest score with 3 darts and beat the champ.

After a day of sunshine, relaxation and activity there was another fantastic evening of entertainment ahead with the first of our tribute shows. The Marquee lounge became a rock concert style venue as we welcomed Steve Larkins performing his Tribute to Freddie Mercury of Queen – Mercury Rising.

The finale of the show was complete with passengers waving their Union Jack flags to the sounds of the classic song “We are the Champions”.

As the passengers left the lounge with flags in hand one lady turned to me and asked “Is it going to be like this every night...? it was so emotional! The first two nights have made my cry – its just so sad that Ocean Village is going...it’s my fourth time onboard and this is my friends first time and she’s loving it already”

Over in Connexions it was comedy night and Dave Buck who had everyone in fits of laughter with his clever use of comedic talents with two hilarious shows.

We all had the luxury of an extra hour’s sleep as the clocks went back an hour in preparation for Port Said – the gateway port for Cairo and another momentous day in Ocean Village’s journey.

Tracy - Entertainment and Retail Director

The Big Goodbye - Heraklion

2010-11-08T08:58:00.007Z

What a rollercoaster of emotions for Ocean Village, the Final Farewell cruise had arrived at last and with it came feelings of excitement, disappointment, sadness and pride as the ship arrived in Heraklion for its final turnaround. “See more, do more, be more” was soon to be ‘no more’.

Excitement on the faces of the loyal OV devoted passengers who were about to embark on their trip of lifetime but disappointment from passengers and crew that it would be the final ever cruise. There was sadness onboard at having to say goodbye to the youth and biking team and the Heraklion ground crew but it was filled with pride at what we have achieved over the last few years of Ocean Village.

At 7pm the entertainment commenced on Top Deck for what promised to be a Farewell Extravaganza with performances from the local Greek musicians and dancers, the resident singers, the Freedom 2 Move aerialists with their fire juggling and the International classical singing sensations the All Angels who had been flown especially for this one off performance!
They certainly didn’t disappoint and truly had voices of angels dedicating their performance of “I’ll Fly Away” to the passengers and crew of Ocean Village on this Farewell Voyage.

There wasn't a dry eye on the deck!

After several enthusiastic bursts on the ships whistle Captain Charlie Carr threw the lines and Ocean Village departed on the start of her final voyage to Singapore!

Tracy - Entertainment and Retail Director

Ocean Village Crowned No.1 Cruise Line by Top Cruise Website!

2010-07-09T17:13:00.001+01:00

I'm really chuffed by some great news that's just reached me - Ocean Village has hit the number one spot as Best Cruise Line line in rankings just announced by the independent website www.cruise.co.uk.

While it's great to have won the top spot overall, what's even nicer is that Ocean Village came top for having the best staff on board of all the cruise lines - that makes all of us feel really proud, and we'll be wanting to keep things that way through to our farewell sailing in the Autumn.

See the article by clicking here

Michael Lobban

The cruise when the King of the Jungle reverted to the King of the Jingle

2010-07-01T17:04:00.011+01:00

From;

To;

The month of June has been a good one for Ocean Village and we’ve seen the summer climes catch up with us in Mediterranean waters at last. It’s also been a good one with a great line-up of entertainment, but for me the highlight was the cruise starting on the 3rd of June through until the 10th when an Ocean Village favourite and a personal favourite of mine cruised with us, celebrity and ever popular DJ and King of the Jungle, Tony Blackburn.

As Tony boarded Ocean Village in Heraklion, he actually thought he was coming to Palma and was surprised when he landed at an airport that he found hard to pronounce, a passenger approached him and said, “you look just like Tony Blackburn, are you one of the tribute acts?”. “Yes”, replied Tony, “I am. I’m appearing as myself!”

We did indeed have a star studded line up of tribute acts from Jayne Middleton as Annie Lennox, Steve Larkins as Freddie Mercury and Kelly O’Brien as Dolly Parton. All are favourites of mine but, on this cruise the star and gentleman of the week must go to our very own, all-original, Tony.

Hosting an excellent, electrifying evening of music in our nightclub Bayside, Tony was back spinning the discs and nostalgia ruled the waves. On another evening he hosted a pop music quiz in Connexions and I have never ever seen Connexions so packed for a quiz. The banter flowed and off the cuff jokes and anecdotes spun as fast as his discs did the previous evening. Sailing from Piraeus the Marquee filled for an, “Up Close and Personal with Tony Blackburn” and Tony amused all with replies to questions posed from the chair occupied by Events Team hostess Donna Randles.

During his exchange with Donna, Tony talked about his time as a DJ with the famous pirate radio station Radio Caroline, his times with Radio 1 and how he rehearsed his opening words for the first broadcast, and his selection for the first record ever played on Radio 1, The Move with “Flowers in the Rain”.

Tony then updated us on his moves to date and of course the “Jungle” was not to be missed out and he gave an incredible insight into the filming and his life in the Jungle. How he had collected wood for the fire and, because he had collected so much at one point, the producers decided to remove most of it one night! As the crowd chuckled away he then explained that he’d been upset at the loss as he’d had an affinity for the logs he had collected and, when he subsequently found some of them again down by the stream he instantly recognised them and he felt it was like being reunited with old friends.

Our last night of the cruise, departing from Santorini, Tony was back behind the microphone as host on our very own Ocean Village Radio. OV Radio is transmitted into all passenger cabins on channel three and of course live in the Village Square where an audience had gathered to watch the idol of many, perform in his inimitable style.

Thank-you Tony for bringing us so much warmth and charm and for sharing your personal experiences of your life with us here on Ocean Village.

Michael Lobban, Hotel Director

A Sunny Santorini on the 9th of June

2010-06-24T09:14:00.015+01:00

Mirror-like seas and a hazy hue over the caldera was the early-morning welcome to the idyllic, picture postcard anchorage below the small cliff-top settlement of Fira. If you’ve never visited Santorini you will marvel at the volcanic landscape, the black sand beaches, the red color lava rocks and the beautiful white houses built on the cliffs of the volcano. This is Santorini, with little white churches atop soaring cliffs, deep blue skies; Santorini is truly the zenith of a Greek island cruise experience. As we cruised into the caldera, the morning started somewhat cloudy but it was clear that any cloud coverage was going to blow over as the morning progressed.
Today was one of only three calls that Ocean Village is making this year and, as every call to Santorini does, it didn’t disappoint our passengers who were quickly dispatched in varying directions by some pretty impressive, new shoreside boats.

All of our excursions from Santorini are guaranteed to please and the breathtaking scenery is simply quite amazing. You can absorb so much in such a short time and, to visit the finest viewpoints with ease, a tour is a must to totally appreciate the scenery.

One of our tours starts with a fast boat trip to the port of Athinios where, from here, the windy road takes you up to the Mountain of Prophet Elijah, the highest point on the island. Following this there is a visit to see the classic Greek Aghios Nectarios Church.

After a quick comfort stop at the Santo Winery, where there is also the chance to sample the local nectar, it is onward on a never ending journey of natural beauty.

(The above photo is of the view from the Santo Winery, an unparalleled balm for the soul)
Lunch on the excursion is taken in a beautiful taverna called Pyrgos and entrance is gained through a rather quirky make-up of a small Grecian windmill. From inside, the view to the anchorage where Ocean Village lay peacefully in the far distance was on the left, to the right the plains looking down towards the airport and, away in front, the capital town of Fira perched high on vertical cliffs overlooking the caldera.

All too soon the whistle-stop tour was at an end and the last journey back to the ship lay ahead. Another picturesque winding road and then, from Fira, a short transfer by cable-car back down to the small port area in the distance below.(The above photograph is courtesy of our onboard photo team and is taken from the idyllic clifftop village of Oia)

Whilst waiting for the cable car

Homeward bound

Michael Lobban, Hotel Director

Ship of the First Quarter 2010 and Gold for Ocean Village

2010-06-15T17:07:00.005+01:00

Triumph again for Ocean Village as she swept a Gold award off the table in the rewards for ship of the first quarter of 2010.

The competition was hard as the choice was made between all of the ships within the P&O fleet and the competition is set to hot up and get even harder as Cunard enter the frame as of the second quarter 2010.

We were awarded the Gold award and received £500 to spend on the ship’s company. One of our criteria, amongst a host of others, was that we had continued to deliver an outstanding performance based on the results as seen from the Customer Service Questionnaires and achieved the highest and most consistent scores for the period.

A heartfelt thank-you goes out to any past, present and repeat passengers who contributed to this result! Keep giving us a “Great”!

In order that all crew could benefit, it was again decided to hold another lunchtime crew barbecue on our day at sea on Friday the 4th of June as we sailed up to the start of our passage through the Dardanelles on our way to Istanbul. It’s always a difficult decision what to do with gifted funds but I think all enjoyed the few beers, wine or soft drinks and the respite from busy work schedules in the company of fellow colleagues.

Once again the celebrity chefs from “Chefs ‘r’ Us” were out in force to ensure quality standards were kept up ……..

Michael Lobban, Hotel Director

The London Marathon, Deon Du Preez and the British Sailors’ Society!

2010-06-03T09:36:00.007+01:00

When Deon Du Preez left Ocean Village on the 18th of March for a well deserved vacation after a full contract as Finance Officer he should have been resting but this wasn’t to be! It was full on training up to readiness for the London Marathon on the 25th of April.

His fitness training regime started back on board Ocean Village in November of 2009 and, by the time March came around he’d completed over 300 miles albeit on the ship’s treadmills. Just before Deon was due to leave in March he developed an injury known as “runners’ knee” caused by over training and this injury left him little time to do any of his planned road training. He tried running again three weeks before the race and only managed five kilometers before his knee went again, therefore he subsequently went into the race not knowing if he would even be able to finish!

Sunday the 25th of April came and it was a very apprehensive Deon who made his way out of his hotel in London, where he had to leave his girlfriend Kerry behind on her birthday, and on to his assigned starting point, red, section 9, right at the back. There are three starting points around London, red is the main body of runners, blue is for the elite and green is categorised for wheelchairs and ‘fast for the age’. Between the three categories the total number of runners for the London Marathon 2010 was approximately 56,000!

The starting gun sounded at 09.30 and the runners were off. Fortunately however, although the starting gun sounds, the individual runners’ times does not start to be recorded until the individual crosses the actual starting line. This is just as well because with 56,000 runners all starting on a line, the line and indeed the streets of London would have to be about sixty kilometers wide!

So, the gun had been sounded and the first contestants started over the starting line. It was no reflection on Deon’s prowess as a runner but he eventually crossed the starting line at 10.15 (45 minutes after the start of the race!) and this is testimony to the bottleneck effect of moving such an enormous amount of people at one time.

The race was on and Deon was off and running, trying to do his best for his chosen charity, The British Sailors’ Society, for whom he successfully raised £1,400 through his efforts.
Winding his way through runners dressed as Camels, Beer Bottles, Storm Troopers and Firemen, Deon crossed the finishing line just in front of a Fullers Beer Bottle!

How did he do? Congratulations Deon, an extremely respectable time of four hours, fifteen minutes and fourteen seconds! Out of the 56,000 runners he finished as the 14,822nd and his half way time was a very good time of one hour, fifty-nine minutes and forty-four seconds! Well done from all of us at Ocean Village and, by the way, “welcome back on board”. Yes, Deon is back on board as Financial Controller.

So how was it Deon? “I was very apprehensive to start due to my knee but I had tears in my eyes as I ran up the last stretch to the finish line, very emotional, I couldn’t believe I had finished and in a reasonable time!”

Michael Lobban, Hotel Director

Alternative Kusadasi Tour

2010-06-02T17:19:00.011+01:00

A lovely warm early morning arrival with not a breath of wind to flutter our flags, heralded our arrival into Kusadasi and another mini highlight of the cruise as passengers opted for the wondrous sights of the ancient city of Ephesus.

Passing Pelican Island on our approach, the sea looked so inviting although, being still May, the word “looked” was probably the operative word!

Ephesus is truly an amazing place where you can drink in the culture of days of yore as you pass the Library of Celsus and the Temple of Hadrian or check-out the huge Grand Theatre where St Paul preached and walk along the Arcadian Way following in the footsteps of Anthony and Cleopatra.

However there is an, insiders’ tip, an “alternative tour”! When the morning rounds have been completed, meetings have been put to rest and the paperwork has been caught up on, a general feel-good factor creeps in and this feeling needs to be fed further and what better way than a quick run ashore for a proper Turkish shave in a traditional father and son barber’s shop.

We gents look at ourselves in the mirror every morning and shaving becomes a chore that needs to be completed as part of our morning ablutions. It doesn’t have to be a chore however and, to anybody who hasn’t experienced it yet, I can thoroughly recommend the experience of lying back in the barber’s chair and letting a true professional deftly wield a cut-throat razor over your chin. Not once but twice does he perform this task in order to ensure a skin as soft, smooth and supple as a freshly born baby’s bum!

Then of course there’s the “ear waxing”! Ow ……..! This process rids your outer ears of all the tiny hairs that you’d never be able to reach yourself. Some barbers do this with a small burning cotton pad on a wooden stick and, with a flick of the wrist, burn the same hairs! The “stingy” bit is still to come though and, with fresh, lemon cologne, a face, head, shoulder and arm massage ensues before you head off into the clean fresh air outside feeling like a million pounds.

A quick cursory glance at the watch tells us that, yes, we have time for a light fresh fish and salad lunch after all!

Michael Lobban, Hotel Director

Jumping for Joy at the Pyramids

2010-06-02T17:04:00.007+01:00

Port Said (gateway to Cairo) - Saturday the 22nd of May saw the same tired group of blue-shirted travelers clutching their pillows and heading off in their mini bus for Cairo. The travelers were our beloved photography team and the early morning start turned out to be well worth it. Passengers were well informed as to who to look out for at the pyramids and were delighted that the photographers were able to capture their cultural experience. The Ocean Village Photography Team were literally jumping for joy and the day was acclaimed as being a great success for all!

Michael Lobban, Hotel Director

Bikes 'r' Us!

2010-05-27T08:30:00.005+01:00

Things are hotting up in the saddle and, as the warmer temperatures in the Med slowly emerge so are the budding off-roaders who enjoy a trip out with our Biker Boys on Ocean Village. Here on Ocean Village we have 42 bikes and they are run under the capable management of Andy Burford the Bike Manager and Trevor Adeline our Bike Guide.
The bike rides are graded according to difficulty so that passengers can feel as energetic as they wish. Whether you’re riding through picturesque olive and orange groves or passing tall Cypress trees and fragrant eucalyptus woods you can soak in the countryside and savour nature at its best. If medieval city walls and famous Roman sites are your cup of tea, then an Ocean Village biking trip will tick the box – one of the rides even visit a local winery!

Most of our biking tours offer the prospect of a cooling swim during the ride and as you can see from the below photo taken in Katakolon on the 19th May, the sea and sandy beaches look very welcoming indeed.

Michael Lobban,
Hotel Director, Ocean Village

Saturday Kitchen on a Tuesday and Wednesday!

2010-05-26T15:53:00.006+01:00

Two busy days in the Bistro with celebrity chef James Martin!

It’s always a highlight when James comes to visit us on Ocean Village and the 18th and 19th of May were no exception. Immediately after boarding James headed straight to the galley to meet up with Jnr. Sous Chef Yuri Gracias. Yuri has worked with James for many years now and has been guest at his home near Winchester, with the added privilege of being allowed to play around in the Ferrari and other cars from James’ pristine collection.

However, when the two are on board together it’s heads down to get on with work. Of course when Celebrity Chef James is on board, the passengers all want to dine in The Bistro, forcing the numbers to record highs! Both of them were highly focused in their work and the plates that exited the galley looked sumptuous and each one a culinary masterpiece.
It wasn’t all cooking though and for over an hour, just before heading off to the galley on the 19th, James sat in the Village Square and signed, and signed, and signed. Ever smiling at the cameras and his fans he signed books, wooden boxed wines bearing his name and plates with the Bistro logo.

Michael Lobban,

Hotel Director, Ocean Village

Two Martins and a Rachael!

2010-05-25T12:34:00.003+01:00

For five days, Ocean Village became the glamorous set for director Martin and cameraman Martin from the film and video production company Tigervision, as well as Ocean Village’s shoreside Brand Manager Rachael Hallett. They joined us on board to produce a farewell DVD, which is to be given to all of our crew as a great reminder of what makes Ocean Village such a unique brand. For once, it was not so much about our passengers as it was about us – “smile for the camera” requests were not needed as this attribute is what we do best on Ocean Village.
What a great team to have on board! It was fun to have the film crew with us and we now look forward to viewing the results of their efforts and their endless patience when putting up with us budding movie celebrities!

Thank you!

Michael Lobban,
Hotel Director, Ocean Village.

Olympia? Wine Tasting? Or a stroll ashore for lunch!

2010-05-21T10:07:00.009+01:00

Here we are alongside in Katakolon with the prospects of a lovely sunny day in this small, idyllic Greek port. The day has started well - there’s not a breath of wind in the air and the thought of a nice Greek salad lunch is on the cards!

For our passengers this should be a highlight as the port is a hop, skip and jump to Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games believed to have originated back in 776BC. Here you can don your trainers and sprint along the original track in the stadium where the marble starting blocks are still in place - so hopefully the passengers will be able to take some more fond memories – and holiday snaps - back home when they return to the UK.

The less energetic (or those who’ve seen Olympia before) have the option of a casual stroll through the vines and pine woods overlooking the sparkling Ionian Sea at the nearby Mercouri vineyard. What a way to spend a leisurely morning with the added bonus of being able to sample their wines accompanied with some local cheeses and hams.

For me however, with most passengers ashore, I’m taking the opportunity to enjoy a short stroll and a light Greek salad, tzatziki, large fresh grilled prawns, golden fried calamari, chicken souvlakia and a saganaki before returning on board to continue with my duties.

This was the view from our table in the restaurant (photo courtesy of Jeff Talbot Chief Engineer with technical assistance given by Gordon Morgan SETO).

Michael Lobban
Hotel Director – Ocean Village

A busy day on the water as we sailed into the architectural jewellery box that is Venice!

2010-05-20T16:30:00.007+01:00

Sailing in - or out - of Venice is always a highlight of any cruise and Sunday the 16th of May was no exception for our eagerly awaiting passengers on board Ocean Village.

It was a busy day as we shared neighbouring berths with some of Carnival’s bigger cruise ships, which made it like a big family reunion. Carnival’s other ships were: The Ruby Princess (Princess Cruises), the Westerdam (Holland America) and the Costa Serena (Costa Crociere. Also alongside were the MSC Musica and the Windstar.

It was a tight fit passing bridge on bridge with the Ruby Princess as we reversed out of the berth! In the background, although not really clear in the photograph were the snow capped peaks of the Alps – no wonder some passengers were wrapped in fleeces!

This picture shows Costa’s Serena as she made her passage out to sea and dwarfed the buildings to her port and starboard sides.

The below picture shows Piazzetta San Marco, which as always was a hub of activity with the Basilica of San Marco and the Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale), a splendid example of Venetian Gothic architecture. The Doge's Palace was the seat of government of the former Venetian Republic and the principal facades of the palace overlook the Piazetta. The Bridge of Sighs (just out of shot) is adjacent to the Doge’s Palace, where legend says that from this bridge one could hear the sighs of the condemned as they were being led to prison.

The atmosphere as we sailed out past these magnificent sights was enhanced by some fantastic music ranging from classical through Andrea Bocelli and on to Sarah Brightman as passengers sipped away at glasses of Moёt et Chandon Champagne on board that were on offer during our special sail-away promotion!

Michael Lobban
Hotel Director – Ocean Village

Planet takes off again as we blast into orbit for another space adventure!

2010-05-13T12:34:00.006+01:00

Departing Corfu on 4th of May, ‘Cyber Space Shuttle’ Ocean Village was buzzing in anticipation of our first Planet show since the Caribbean!

The ship’s navigator had set the course and it looked set for a perfect lift-off for our spectacular deck show. Countdown started under perfect conditions and aerialists, dancers, singers, acrobats and a group of space travellers from the talented ‘Freedom 2 Move’ dance troupe, took off at precisely 21.30, leaving Earth behind to explore the mysteries of Mars, Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune!

Delighted passengers witnessed an electrifying mix of international circus acts, stilt-walkers and acrobats from decks 12 and 14 in a musical, aerial and visual extravaganza.

This hi-octane performance was the first of the Med 2010 season – and the crowd went wild!

Michael Lobban
Hotel Director – Ocean Village

“Hip, hip, hooray” – Ocean Village celebrates its 7th birthday

2010-05-12T09:29:00.004+01:00

On 28th of April 2003, Ocean Village was named by Ulrika Jonsson in Southampton and 7 years on in Piraeus, the gateway to Athens, we gave 3 cheers for Ocean Village’s 7th birthday.
Our passengers toasted the UK’s best-loved informal cruise brand throughout the day and continued partying into the evening as our “Big Night Out” party was combined with true Ocean Village-style birthday celebrations.

While the guests were celebrating on deck, behind the scenes we were busy organising a birthday barbecue for our crew. We chose the day at sea on the 30th April, after departing Heraklion, for the celebrations.

The birthday barbecue was a real success with a great turnout. Guest chefs for the occasion, keeping the grills topped up, were Food and Beverage Director Michael Shambley and yours truly!

A great event and enjoyed by all.

Michael Lobban
Hotel Director – Ocean Village

The historical highlight and must-snap Acropolis of Athens

2010-05-11T12:07:00.001+01:00

As we set sail from Piraeus to Crete on the evening of Wednesday 28th April , a beautiful Nikon D60 camera equipped with a pretty high powered 18-250 Nikon lens was sitting on ‘The Bridge’ , where a shot too good to miss was there be taken!

The camera belonged to Gary Lugg our 1st Officer (Navigator) and the budding David Bailey was our Deputy Captain Darius Balana.

For those passengers that didn’t make it ashore to visit the Parthenon in Athens, this holiday-album shot really does put the size of the Parthenon into perspective – up close it looks like a giant guarding the ancient capital below however, as seen from the photograph, the surrounding landscape makes it miniscule.

Don’t forget to check back later in the week where I’ll be blogging about Ocean Village’s recent birthday celebrations.

Michael Lobban,
Hotel Director – Ocean Village

Ocean Village Photogs go 'snap-happy' at Giza!

2010-05-07T12:39:00.003+01:00

Here at Ocean Village we like to combine business with pleasure where we can and a day at the world-famous Pyramids was the perfect opportunity for our on-board photography team.

At 07.00 the photographers made for a strange sight as they boarded their bus in Port Said armed with cushions and pillows – essential items for a day of snapping passengers, landmarks and ships of the desert!

The team split up at the Pyramids to ensure they got the best shots of our passengers but they did get a short break (pictured below) to appear on the other side of a lens!

Michael Lobban
Hotel Director - Ocean Village

Arriving into Port Said, gateway to the ancient ruins and priceless treasures of Cairo

2010-05-06T09:48:00.004+01:00

In the early hours of Saturday 24th April we made our way alongside in Port Said (pictured). At around 08.30 our eager Action Ashore passengers left in an impressive convoy of coaches for Cairo. Some stepped back in time as they peered at Tutankhamun’s treasures and relics from ancient Egypt in the National Archaeological Museum while others opted to take in famous landmarks on a cruise along the River Nile.No visit to Cairo would be complete without a stop in Giza, home of the pointy Pyramids - the only surviving ‘Wonder of the Ancient World’ - and the diminutive Sphinx, and our passengers took the opportunity to get those all-important holiday snaps.

It was more present day than ancient world for me though. Along with a handful of passengers who seemed to enjoy having the ship more or less to themselves, I stayed on board and caught up with the paperwork.

Until next time,

Michael Lobban
Hotel Director - Ocean Village

Gold Radio took to the High Seas as Ocean Village became “The Boat That Rocked!”

2010-04-26T14:41:00.004+01:00

The 15th of April was turnaround day for Ocean Village in Heraklion, Crete which was filled with uncertainty of the impact that the volcano erupting in Iceland would have in store for us. Scheduled to join us for the cruise was popular Gold radio DJ Dean Martin and a group of his faithful listeners. It was great to have Dean, his wife Michelle and their son Luke with us on board once again.

Our very first two flights from Gatwick, which included 112 dedicated Gold Radio fans, arrived to the ship safely. However, it soon became apparent that the volcanic ash would mean that our flights from Glasgow, Birmingham and Manchester would not be permitted to take off from the UK. We waited to see if the situation improved and eventually left Heraklion 24 hours later.

Undeterred that Ocean Village was short of capacity by around 700 passengers and faced with a situation where our guest entertainers couldn’t be flown in or out to the ship, every evening between 7.00-8.30pm the Bayside became the party venue, where DJ Dean Martin could be seen – and heard – spinning some of his favourite tracks. A packed-out Bayside saw Gold fans dance the evening away while competing to be the ‘last man – or woman – standing’ for a piece of Gold radio memorabilia.
Dean contributed to the overall success of a fantastic cruise and even hosted an amazing 60s and 70s disco night onboard. He also took to the mic on our own radio station ‘Ocean Village Radio’, where he proved his weight in ‘Gold’.

An amazingly charismatic character Dean can be heard on Gold Radio in 4 different ways. For more information check out the website or go to the Listen Live facility on http://www.mygoldmusic.com/.

And if you’re interested in travelling with a DJ, Tony Blackburn is on board Ocean Village on June 3rd for pop quizzes and party nights on our ‘Myths and Mosaics’ itinerary.

Michael Lobban,
Hotel Director - Ocean Village

Ocean Village Fete

2010-04-22T10:04:00.003+01:00

Hi,

Michael Lobban here with the final blog from our recent sailing from Barbados-Crete.

Our traditional Village Fete, despite the very blustery conditions and chilly weather on the Atlantic crossing, attracted stalls from every ship’s department with obscure stall names such as “Bat the Rat”, “Hmmmm….. Ahhhh”, “Snake in a Bottle”, “Got Ya!!!”, “Hoop-La”, “Sponge the Officer”, “Medieval Fruit Machine”, “Hook a Duck”, “Horse Racing”, “Thailand Special”, “Wax On, Strip Off”, “Tin Can Alley” and “Techies Challenge”. By visiting each stall in turn, passengers could have their score card marked and collect points for top-notch prizes at the end of the event.

Michael Lobban,

Hotel Director - Ocean Village

Ocean Village's Got Talent

2010-04-20T10:15:00.003+01:00

The Ocean Village crew was in the spotlight during our crossing from Barbados to Heraklion - performing in a talent show worthy of Simon Cowell.
Twenty-two members of the ship’s company gave up their time to rehearse, rehearse and rehearse - and we discovered some really professional acts. There was everything from dance routines to classical guitar performances, from vocalists and tribute acts, with each of the acts going all out to impress the audience. Su-Bo watch out!

Check back soon for details of our Village Fete.

Michael Lobban,
Hotel Director - Ocean Village

Making a show of it!

2010-04-16T09:55:00.009+01:00

Hi,

The Ocean Village crew pulled out all the stops on the crossing from Barbados to Heraklion.

There was a broad spectrum of entertainment on offer with great involvement from our crew, ranging from Asian Masterclass cooking classes in the Marquee to a seafood lunch sampler buffet in the Village Square, an intriguing demonstration of fruit and vegetable carving (can you see what it is yet?!) and a homage to the noble art of towel folding in the Village Square.

There was also ice carving, a navigational talk from the bridge officers, a Chocoholics’ Buffet with chocolate fountain in the Village Square, and the crowning glory, our very own Ocean Village crew talent show!

Make sure you check back soon for the blog on the Ocean Village Fete and the Ocean Village Crew Talent Show!

Michael Lobban,

Hotel Director - Ocean Village

Ocean VIllage - Farewell Barbados

2010-04-14T11:54:00.004+01:00

Hi,

Over the next week I will be blogging about some of the events and activities as we sailed from Barbados to Heraklion for the final time, so make sure you come back to take a look at what happened on board.24th March 2010 in Barbados was a poignant day for Ocean Village and our Caribbean agents, Foster & Ince and The Platinum Agency. With Barbados as the home port of Ocean Village during the winter months, many friendships have been made over the last seven years but now the ship was leaving the Caribbean for the last time and heading across the Atlantic for its final summer season. To mark the occasion, a group from the agency was invited to a special meal in James Martin’s Bistro – thank you everyone for all the help you’ve given us over the years!

Michael Lobban,
Hotel Director - Ocean Village

Ocean Village goes 'Back to School'

2010-03-18T14:39:00.006Z

Ocean Village has been back to school with high school students from St Adelphi High School, St Vincent and primary students from 25 primary schools across Antigua, in connecting with the local community and its aspiring projects.

Tuesday 9th March saw 16 students from St Adelphi High School, St Vincent come onboard to experience “the cruise for people who don’t do cruises” as part of their tourism and social studies classes. All students are in their final year at high school about to sit their final exams before making tourism and hospitality career choices or deciding to continue studying with further education at Barbados or Trinidad universities.

St Adelphi High School, St Vincent

Monday 15th March Antigua, we boarded 26 students representing 25 primary schools across Antigua. The students were selected top graduates from the islands D.A.R.E programme. The D.A.R.E programme is the islands educational approach to teaching youngsters all about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. It involves workers from the Police force, fire department and ambulance services whom all take classes at the schools and involve all the students in interactive events and projects to guide them to make the correct choices in life. The 26 students had all passed with the highest marks, and as a reward got to experience the Ocean Village brand and ship they see every two weeks on their door step during the Caribbean season.

Ocean Village was delighted to invite them both onboard to let them experience first hand what life onboard is really like, and certainly answered one student’s question “Do all the crew live onboard?”.

The tours started in Village Square where students were amazed with what they saw. Next was down to the main galley where Executive Chef Stuart Pitcher took all students on a culinary master class around all galley sections. All you could here was “WOW” and stomachs rumble, especially when reaching the pastry section! In the larder section Jason Ludovico the ship’s fruit and ice carver demonstrated his unique talent and skill to the students as he carved in front of their own eyes various fruit sculptures with all wanting to take some home for mum and dad.

Next was a tour of the restaurants starting at James Martin’s Bistro. Believe it or not, James’ fame stretches even to the Caribbean with at least three students saying they had heard of him.

Students then put Chef’s skills to the test in The Plantations Restaurant as they enjoyed a hearty lunch. One student did comment to a restaurant crew member that they enjoyed it very much but you can’t beat our school cook’s, chicken and bread.

The children couldn’t come onboard and not visit the command and communications centre that is ‘The Bridge’. Students were amazed and desperate to push every button as third officer Michael Kearney explained how life-like it is to “Pirates of the Caribbean”. We certainly saw some aspiring deck officers with one student commenting he now wants to be a Captain when he grows up.

Finally we ended up in the ship’s ‘Marquee theatre’ with a question and answer session. Here the students got a chance to revise and ask those burning questions in preparations for their projects and essays when they got back to school the next day.

My favourite question was “Why does Ocean Village have to go? It’s the best ever”, which really sums up the way people feel about “the cruise for people who don’t do cruises”.

D.A.R.E winners representing 25 primary schools, Antigua

The students certainly had an enjoyable and educational day where they learned and experienced a lot with all determined not to leave and asking how they can book to come on their holidays. All students left with a souvenir photo of their group in the Village Square by our onboard photo team which, I am sure will appear on bedroom walls and mantle pieces all over St Vincent and Antigua. Thanks were given to all the ship’s company, as everywhere they went onboard the core values of cruise were demonstrated to the highest degree in making this a memorable and educational day for all the students to cherish for years to come.

Martin Bell,
Restaurant Operations Manager,
Ocean Village.

Farewell Sailing - The Big Goodbye

2010-02-19T17:03:00.001Z

Keep an eye on your letterbox and inbox from Monday for exciting details of Ocean Village's Farewell Sailing - The Big Goodbye!

Ocean Village give Christmas cheer to St Kitts' Oprhanage

2010-01-19T11:33:00.006Z

Once again Ocean Village pulled out all the stops to ensure that the children of the St Kitts' Orphanage had a great start to the Christmas period.

The Ocean Village Youth Team, headed up by manager Jade Dimech, took the reins and headed up an action-packed day for the children and carers who visited Ocean Village during our call to St Kitts on the 20th of December.

Prior to the visit collections had been made amongst the crew, where the bar department collected $400 and purchased Bijoux Terner watches for each child, and the restaurant department collected $500. The photographers donated 10 large picture frames to the Youth department and after a very talented painting competition from the passenger’s children, ten paintings and frames were auctioned off in the Village Square before our ‘Big Night Out’ celebrations, raising a total of $617! Over 150 Christmas gifts were purchased (using some of the donated money as well as crew member’s own purchases) then wrapped by the Youth Team and given out to the children during the Santa Claus’ visit. The balance of the funds was then handed over to the carer for the charity for orphanage repairs and upkeep.

The children’s day began as they were met in the port at 10.30, where they were taken on board and escorted up to the Splash Bar to be given sport soda bottles, which were duly filled by the bar staff. After a session of face painting, PlayStation and fun and games in Base Camp and sport nets it was time for lunch in Plantations, after which Paddington Bear came to visit and walk them to Sunweavers for ice cream and another soda bottle refill.

Next the children were entertained with a fantastic hour-long variety performance in the Marquee by the Freedom 2 Move cast and Jayne Middleton as Annie Lennox, which was hosted by our zany magician Gary Keates as Manuel Martinez. After the show it was down to the MovieDrome to watch the “G Force Space Guinea pigs” movie before Santa Claus arrived for his annual visit to hand out the presents! In addition, each child received a rucksack containing a watch (from the bar staff), sunglasses and other small items before lining up for a group photograph. We then presented the group leader with an envelope containing over $900 and also gave 4 boxes of donated, good quality, clothing, two pallets of crockery and other items no longer in circulation on board.
The day finished when sad and somewhat tearful farewells were said around 16.45.

The Ocean Village Officers and Crew sincerely hope that, as we shall not be around in the Caribbean for Christmas 2010, another P&O vessel would consider taking over this very rewarding event.

Michael Lobban,

Hotel Director

Ocean Village helps passenger become an Officer and a Gentlemen

2009-12-23T14:31:00.006Z

Hi,

Clandestine planning and coordination across departments, brands and seas was called for recently when first time cruiser Michael Watson sought Ocean Village’s help as he prepared to ask the biggest question of his life.
Michael, who lives in York, had considered many different ways to propose to his girlfriend Sharon Fox but it was catching the end of the film “An Officer and a Gentleman” one night that sparked his imagination.

Michael contacted Ocean Village to ask if the team could help him dress up as an officer and propose during the couple’s cruise over a meal in the Bistro? The answer could only be yes, and we set about coordinating the enterprise. A suitable uniform was tracked down and sent across to the Ocean Village ship, a table was booked in the Bistro, music was organised and photographers arranged. The plan was in place!

Once the couple arrived on board, preparations were finalised while keeping everything under wraps from Sharon.

As Saturday 12 December dawned, the couple went swimming with dolphins ashore and the plan swung into action on board. By evening, the music was set, photographers were placed on a table close by “celebrating a birthday” and the officer’s uniform was hidden away in the back.
Michael and Sharon took their places in the Bistro and began their meal. Between courses, Michael excused himself for a few moments. In the Gent’s bathroom, a couple of helpers aided Michael’s transformation into a vision of an Officer and a Gentleman that would do Richard Gere proud. As Michael emerged, “Love Lifts Us Up where We Belong” came over the music system, and the whole restaurant seemed to hold its breath as he approached their table and gently touched Sharon on the shoulder. Sharon’s surprise and delight as she turned to see Michael resplendent in his uniform lit up the room. Michael got down on one knee and with the ring on a silver salver, asked if she would marry him. Without hesitation, Sharon said yes, to fulsome applause from all the Bistro diners and restaurant staff. The photographers whipped out their cameras to capture the moment.
Everyone at Ocean Village wishes the Michael and Sharon all the very best for their future together.

Alyn Baker,
Hotel Director, Ocean Village

Diamond Anniversary with Ocean Village

2009-12-23T12:55:00.003Z

After 59 happy years of marriage, Joseph and Brenda Jones wanted to celebrate their Diamond Anniversary in a very special way.

The couple from Runcorn cruised with Ocean Village in 2008 to see if they would like it. They enjoyed it so much they came back a year later and we had the pleasure of making it an anniversary to remember.

A celebration meal in James Martin’s Bistro was organised to celebrate 60 glorious years of marriage, and to top it off a personalised card from HRH The Queen was delivered while they had Champagne breakfast on the Bridge with our some of our senior offices which included Captain Angelo Vago and Hotel Director Alyn Baker.

The couple met in 1948 when Joseph had left the army as one of Joseph’s friends was married to Brenda’s sister. They met at a leaving party for that friend and immediately started courting.

After 12 months of courting, Joseph popped the question in the unlikely place of a “Top Deck Bus” on the way back from a shopping trip to Warrington. Brenda said yes straight away but Joseph had the daunting task of seeking permission from Brenda’s father who luckily also said yes.

The wedding took place on the 10th December 1949 at St. Michaels Church in Runcorn and was a white wedding in a funny sort of way. Brenda wore blue, but outside it had been snowing so everywhere else was covered white! From there, they celebrated the marriage with a honeymoon in Blackpool.

Joseph says the secret of the lasting marriage is there are no secrets, a bit of give and take is needed and they are best friends. They have both lived in Runcorn all their lives and are both active especially when they both go sequence dancing which keeps them fit.

One of the reasons they chose Ocean Village is the informality of the cruise, the fact it is so easy going and you are not tied to times for the meals - “It’s fantastic” they both said.Alyn Baker,

Hotel Director, Ocean Village

Children in Need

2009-11-24T15:09:00.003Z

Hello from Ocean Village,

Even though Ocean Village has just finished a busy Atlantic crossing to the Caribbean and commenced our first Caribbean ‘Beaches & Boardwalks’ cruise, we managed to put time aside to plan and organise a charity event for BBC’s Children in Need Appeal.
The event was carried over 2 days and featured some great events including:
· Art ware auction of our passengers children pictures,
· Sale of Ocean Village flip flops
· Guess the name of the Teddy
· A sponsored spin-a-long on a bike
· Slippery pole competition
· A main auction which included a sail away on the bridge with bubbly and an engine control
room visit along with dine with an officer
· Raffle
The Ship’s Company supported the event by dressing up as Little Brittan Characters and we even had Paddington bear helping us out as Pudsey was busy in the UK.

We managed to raise a fantastic total of £3604.80, which shows a great demonstration of team work and commitment from all departments to ensure that the whole event was successful.
The above picture shows two couples with Captain Hutley on the sail away, which raised a total of £750 alone.

Alyn Baker,

Hotel Director, Ocean Village

Ocean Village Two Farewell Comments

2009-11-19T15:29:00.006Z

After an emotional farewell cruise for Ocean Village Two, I spoke to some of the key figures who made the cruise - and ship -go off with a bang:

"Ocean Village Two has been like a family and the experiences we have all gained will stay with us forever. Wherever we go in the future, we will have memories from Ocean Village Two that we can share. The ship's crew have every reason to be very proud of the great holidays they have created for our passengers."
Captain Angelo Vago, master of Ocean Village Two

"Its been a real privilege to be the Hotel Director on the final voyage of Ocean Village Two. The moral and determination of everyone on board to see Ocean Village Two go out with a bang has made me really proud of the ship and its crew."
Djalit Sharma - Hotel Director, Ocean Village Two

From left to right - Colin Pomeroy (Food and Beverage Director), Tim Newman (Entertainment and Retail Director), Tracy Clegg (Entertainment and Retail Director), Daljit Sharma (Hotel Director), Angelo Vago (Captain), Jim Lakin (Chief Engineer), Caroline Cromarty (Personnel Development Manager).

"I've had a great time working onboard Ocean Village Two and I'm looking forward to seeing everyone on Ocean Village next year. I've especially enjoyed working with my team of Chefs and in particular Yuri who's develop so well as a chef over the years."
James Martin - Celebrity TV chef
Paul

Ocean Village Two Farewell Cruise - Part 9, The Finale from the Farewell Concert

2009-11-17T17:41:00.006Z

Hi again,

Paul Wright here with my final personal blog from Ocean Village Two's farewell cruise.

As we rehearsed the final night show it dawned on all of us in the theatre that this really was the final event we would work on together on Ocean Village Two. There was a really strange feeling between the team as we built the stage set, especially as it's a replica of the ship.

The show started at 10.30pm and the theatre was full to the gunnels. First on were our resident singers Katy Reilly, Chlor Du Pre and Simon Ledger we then introduced Will Martin who sang Nights In White Satin. Like a true tenor, he finished the song in Italian, to great cheers from the audience. Jaki Graham then came on stage and the dancefloor sprang to life when she sang "Ain't Nobody (does it better than you)".The Double Impact boys then took over with a disco medley which kept the audience on its feet and then Steve Larkins came on to close the show with his Freddie Mercury tribute act. He dedicated "We Are The Champions" to all the crew and passengers and as he came to the end of the song a procession of crew from all departments made their way to the stage to join in with the final chorus. This was a really emotional scene as the crew and audience hit the last notes together. There were people in the audience in tears as the confetti exploded to signal the end of what had been a truly fitting way to send Ocean Village Two off to its new home.
It's been great being on board for Ocean Village Two's farewell cruise and I hope you've enjoyed reading my blogs as much as I've enjoyed writing them.

Please check back regularly as we will be adding some more quotes, events and images from what truly was an incredible farewell cruise.

All the best,
Paul

Ocean Village Two Farewell Cruise - Part 8, Will Martin joins Ocean Village Two

2009-11-13T15:20:00.003Z

Hi everyone,

Will Martin rose to fame when his debut album ‘A New World’ achieved double platinum status in his native New Zealand, and upon release in the UK it debuted at Number 1, making him the youngest tenor in musical history to reach the top of the classical charts. But before that he had been regularly seen on board Ocean Village where he performed as lead vocalist, and at one point there had been a scramble of record companies pursuing Will around the Caribbean to sign him up. So naturally we are delighted to welcome Will back on board for Ocean Village Two’s farewell cruise.
He gave an ‘Up Close and Personal’ informal chat to passengers along with a live performance singing hits from his Number 1 album as well as some of his favourite songs by Elton John, Billy Joel and Crowded House.
Will performed as the opening vocalist in the Village Square during Ocean Village Two’s inaugural events and naming ceremony back in April 2007, and he will be taking to the ship’s stage one last time as part of the final night show. So having been the first, Will will also be the last vocalist to sing on board Ocean Village Two. Which feels sort of appropriate…

Paul Wright

Ocean Village Two Farewell Cruise - Part 7

2009-11-13T15:12:00.002Z

Hi again from Ocean Village Two’s farewell cruise.

‘Roll up! Roll up!’ was the cry as the Captain and Ocean Village staff were joined by passengers on a packed top deck for a fun-filled village fete.
The staff hosted different themed activities including ‘Bat The Rat’, ‘Ball in the Hole’ and ‘Hook a Duck’ where the passengers competed against each other to win some great prizes, with the top prize up for grabs being an Action Ashore tour of their choice in either Langkawi or Singapore.

Tracy Clegg, our Entertainment and Retail Director, even took to the stocks where passengers threw wet sponges for the chance to score a point on their scorecard!
The Ocean Village spirit lives on!

Paul

Ocean Village Two Farewell Cruise - Part 6, James Martin takes to the stage

2009-11-06T14:32:00.005Z

Thursday 5th November saw Sweet Baby James take to the Marquee stage on board Ocean Village Two to show budding chefs some tricks of the trade.
It was just like an on board version of his BBC hit show ‘Saturday Kitchen’. Gastro-maestro James was assisted by Kenny, who has worked in James’ on board Bistro as Head Chef, to demonstrate how to cook the perfect steak commenting “the steak should be soft enough to eat with a spoon”.
At the end of his hour-long demonstration James showed the crowd how to spin sugar before taking the time to meet the passengers, and sign copies of his book and souvenir plates from the Bistro as well as pose for memento photographs for over an hour, something which was hugely appreciated by the passengers.
Top celebrity TV chef James will be back on stage over the next couple of days in an ‘Up Close and Personal’ chat show to talk about his appearance on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ as well as his prime-time BBC show ’Saturday Kitchen’.

Paul

Ocean Village Two Farewell Cruise - Part 5

2009-11-06T12:32:00.004Z

On Wednesday 4th November Ocean Village Two received a special visit from a professional belly dancer to add a splash of local custom to the ship’s two-day call in Dubai.

The top decks were full to see the Russian national (who now lives in Dubai) perform 2 half hour shows. She wooed the passengers with some mind-boggling moves and dance combinations and was on stage for the final 30 minutes of our call in Dubai, before we set sail for Cochin, India.

Paul

Ocean Village Two Farewell Cruise - Part 4

2009-11-05T10:39:00.006Z

Hi,

Paul Wright here with the latest instalment of hot happenings from Ocean Village Two’s farewell cruise.

On Tuesday 3rd November, while in the port of Dubai, the talented ‘freedom2move’ team performed the final show of our Deck Spectacular ‘Planet’. With Dubai’s glittering skyline in the background the visual, aerial and musical extravaganza was performed on and around the custom-built four-point structure that stands 40ft above the top deck.

For those of you that don’t know, Planet is a thrilling, space-age re working by Micha Bergese Productions on Holst’s ‘Planets Suite’ – the most-performed composition of any English composer. It features heart-stopping acrobatic feats, a powerful modern re-interpretation of this musical classic and eye-popping costumes in an all-singing, all-dancing sensory experience.
Around 800 people joined us on the top decks in ideal weather conditions to watch the farewell show perfectly delivered by the international cast of singers, dancers and aerialists. Micha Bergese Productions also sent out a representative out from the UK to see the final show and to thank the cast for all their hard work.

Until the next update,

Paul

Ocean Village Two meets HMS Cornwall

2009-11-04T15:27:00.000Z

The sight of HMS Cornwall and the accompanying chopper on 30th October 2009 was a real sight to see for everyone on Ocean Village Two as we sailed through the Gulf of Aden. While the helicopter buzzed overhead, a member of the flight crew took this dramatic photo of the two ships.
High quality copies of the photo are being sold on board Ocean Village Two with all profits being donated this year's Poppy Appeal.

A big thank you to the Ministry of Defence for permission to use this shot.

Ocean Village Two Farewell Cruise - Part 3 - A Special Visit

2009-11-02T11:45:00.001Z

Hi from onboard Ocean Village Two

Since you last heard from me, Ocean Village Two has had a surprise visit. During the evening of Wednesday 29th, October Captain Vago received the news that Ocean Village Two would receive a visit from a very special guest... The UK Naval ship HMS Cornwall would be coming alongside at 6.00am on Thursday 30th October to say hello.

By 5.45am Deck 12 was full of passengers and in the distance under the rising sun we could see HMS Cornwall heading towards us. Tracey Clegg, our onboard Entertainment and Retail Director, explained that HMS Cornwall (with over 250 crew members) is currently the flagship coordinating the multi-national task force off the coast of Somalia.

As the ship approached, Tracey announced a helicopter would also be making an appearance to wish everyone well. Then from nowhere, the Lynx helicopter appeared by the side of the ship. The sound was incredible and we could see the pilot and crew waving down at everyone onboard. The helicopter circled us about 4 times and stayed for about an hour so the passengers could take their memento photos.

This unexpected visit has made this final cruise of Ocean Village Two feel even more special than ever.

Paul

Ocean Village Two Farewell Cruise - Part 2

2009-10-30T11:07:00.000Z

Hi,

Paul Wright here with my second blog from onboard Ocean Village Two’s farewell cruise.

After leaving the Egyptian sun spot of Sharm El Sheikh we set sail for the Oman capital of Muscat with 5 days at sea, so we had to make sure there was plenty to keep the passengers entertained and with Ocean Village there’s just as much going on when the sun goes down as there is during the day!

The evenings of Friday 23rd and Wednesday 28th were all about Cher and Robbie Williams respectively... Jayne Louise performed as Cher and was great on stage singing all the classic songs from the rock Diva – her costumes were just like you see in the videos. Jayne was on stage for nearly an hour and had the dance floor in front of the stage full of people by the end of her show.

Five nights later saw Tony Lewis perform as Robbie Williams. Tony was in the final of the BBC show ‘The One and Only’ and had the audience on Ocean Village Two up on their feet shouting for more as he sang Rock DJ. He really does look just like him and he is just as naughty as the pop star himself. It really finished off what’s been a great day onboard after a day in the sun at sea.

It was nice at the end of his show to see him thanking all the staff as this was his last ever show on Ocean Village Two. So far we have seen tributes to Dusty Springfield, The Bee Gees, Lionel Richie and we’ve still got Elton John, Freddie Mercury and the real James Martin to come...

Paul

Ocean Village Two Farewell Cruise - Part 1

2009-10-30T10:55:00.000Z

Hi, my name is Paul Wright, Entertainment Manager for Ocean Village and over the next 2 weeks I’ll be blogging key events from on board Ocean Village Two’s farewell cruise from Crete-Singapore.

Ocean Village Two set off from Crete on Thursday 22nd October packed full of eager passengers as we made our way to Cairo, where most passengers took the opportunity to get off the ship and explore bustling Cairo and of course, the world-famous pyramids.

From Cairo, we made our way to Sharm El Sheikh, via the famous Suez Canal. This impressive 119 mile canal divides Europe and Asia and as you can see from the photos below it was like a mill pond. We took our position at the front of a convoy of 28 ships to pass through the Suez Canal. Everything was silent as we listened to the broadcast onboard telling us the history of this stretch of water. We were given the lead position as the fastest ship in the convoy and the top deck was full of passengers for hours as we led the other ships through the canal.

The first picture shows the ship waiting for us to start our passage through the canal with the other ships joining the convoy.

Paul

Ocean Village sets new record for Carnival UK

2009-10-02T16:27:00.000+01:00

Casual cruise line scores top marks for passenger satisfaction for 23 consecutive weeks!

Ocean Village is celebrating after a record-breaking run of holiday feedback scores that sets a new record for brands within Carnival UK. 'The cruise for people who don't do cruises' was given a glowing report card, achieving 90%+ scores from passengers for 'overall cruise enjoyment' for 23 consecutive weeks, the longest series ever recorded above the 90% company target.

Ocean Village's informal dining continued to prove a big hit with passengers with a 90% average score whilst 'The Bistro', the on-board restaurant of TV celebrity chef James Martin, was also top of the menu over the last 23 weeks, achieving a score of 93.9%. Offering fantastic value for money, Ocean Village's free of charge daily kids entertainment club scored a whopping 92.8%, with the highest score going to the on-board team with the dedicated crew collectively scoring 96.3% for friendliness and attitude.

Click here for the full article.

BRAND NEW Ocean Village Caribbean cruise TV ad

2009-09-14T10:17:00.000+01:00

With the summer over and all the kids back at school your last holiday is probably just a distant memory. Well never fear - Ocean Village's winter sun cruises to the Caribbean start as early as November and our Caribbean TV ads are back on screen from Monday 14th September.

Don't forget this is Ocean Village's final Caribbean season so if you haven't experienced the cruise for people who don't do cruises or are thinking about getting back on board, time to enjoy the UK's best-loved informal cruise ship in the gorgeous tropical sun is beginning to run out!

This really is the cruise for people who don’t do cruises, and what's more, our winter 2-week Caribbean cruises are now from only £649* per person per week. And don't forget, you're saving 5% on when you book online so prices start from just £617pp per week for 2 weeks in the Caribbean sun.
For more details, see our Mediterranean and Caribbean cruise holidays, or check out our Caribbean cruise deals.
*£649 price is per person per week when booking a 14 night Caribbean cruise (selected dates only, subject to availability).

Big Night Out

2009-09-11T14:36:00.000+01:00

Every week on board Ocean Village and Ocean Village Two you can now pull on your glad rags and add a dash of glamour and fun to your holiday at our special 'Big Night Out' event.

As part of the celebrations you can be nominated to become the ship’s ‘Godmother’ for the week and join the Captain for a special 'ship naming' ceremony in the Village Square to smash the customary bottle of fizz!

Tuck into a celebration dinner menu, take part in the Oscars-themed events as well as enjoying special promotions in our shops and spa. Still want more? Join the Ocean Village staff in the Players Bar or Bayside, where the celebration party continues with a boogie and a countdown to midnight. At the 'Big Night Out' you can get involved as much or as little as you like.

Keep an eye out for further details when you’re on board.

Hit The Deck

2009-09-09T16:47:00.000+01:00

At Ocean Village we're always looking for ways to improve and enhance things for our passengers, which is why we’ve recently introduced a few changes to how the open areas in the middle of decks 12 and 14 work.

If you like to take things easy then the front area is just the place to swim in the adults-only Crystal pool or relax on the sun loungers, with minimal noise coming from the stage area. We've also placed extra tables and chairs outside both the Sunweaver bar and the La Luna restaurant so you can sit and chat or soak up the sun over a drink. Like things a bit more lively? The rear area by the Riviera pool is where you can watch – or get involved with – our entertainment events, enjoy our live music or just hang out around the family pool.

Looking for a late cruise deal? Then check out our great selection of Mediterranean and Caribbean cruise deals.

A transatlantic crossing to remember

2009-05-05T11:55:00.000+01:00

After another successful season in Caribbean, Ocean Village commenced its transatlantic repositioning cruise on 21/04/2009 from Barbados. the first three days saw us calling at St.Lucia, Dominica and St.Maarten where we said a wonderful farewell to the beautiful Caribbean with a sail away party on top deck.

The team prepare for the British Sail Away :: Captain Ian Hutley opens the Village Fete

The theme was ‘British Sail Away’, where most of the passengers and crew enthusiastically participated in cheering and enjoying the event. As well as the local people and ports, we said our mutual goodbyes to the passengers of a Royal Caribbean Cruise liner which was docked alongside us.

After Captain Ian Hutley completed the safety checks, we were ready to set off on the six day voyage across the Atlantic to the scenic Island of Madeira. By the time we arrived in Madeira Ocean Village had covered a distance of 2632 nautical miles!

The first three sea-days brought the good weather averaging about 24C with a fresh breeze from the North East. During the day passengers were involved with the many activities provided by the Entertainment crew such as Salsa, Juggling and Trapeze work shops. We even managed to catch some live action from the English premier league football in the Oval Bar, which was not expected while crossing the Atlantic! And the fun didn't stop there. The Evenings were packed with some great tribute shows including George Michael and Elton John, hilarious antics of comedienne Mia Carla, and a chat with Will Martin ‘the youngest UK top ten classical singer’ in our ‘Up Close and Personal’ talk show. The host Paul Maffey got the nitty gritty from Will, asking all those burning questions that were on everyone’s mind and later Will Martin performed to a full house in the Marquee show lounge.

On 28th April, the fourth day at sea, Ocean Village celebrated its sixth birthday. To make this day even more memorable, the ships company held a ‘Village Fete’ with a mix of fun and games for the passengers. The event was inaugurated by the Captain cutting the ribbon to signify the start of a fun-filled day between crew and passengers with every department of the ship's company putting on a different challenge for the passengers to test their skills. In total we hosted 18 stalls for them to score as many points as possible towards the ultimate first prize of a VIP seat with the Captain to one of our 'Big Birthday Bash'. The games ranged from the Bar team’s ‘Show your Flair’ challenge to ‘Hoops in the Pool’ by Events, ‘Snake in a Bottle’ from Accommodation, and many more from other departments. We didn't realise how much passengers wanted to get their own back on the ship officers until we saw how busy the 'Throw a wet sponge at an Officer’ stall was! Officers of the ship were summoned to the stocks like villians taking their puishment, yet the true villians were soon to be known when buckets of ice water found their way over the unsuspecting heads of those in the stocks. I would say this game was a definite highlight of the crossing for many!

Captain Hutley soaks the Hotel Director!

The Hotel Director seeks his revenge...

And even more revenge...!

The whole day saw a real Carnival type atmosphere was an incredible testament to the spirit and liveliness that is Ocean Village, and for which we have become so renowned for. Ocean Village’s birthday was concluded with the 'Big Birthday Bash' party in the Marquee show lounge with all the performers putting on a show of such variety that it had the Marquee filled to the max all night. Even 1 Bar Team member made an appearance onstage to dazzle the passengers with his hidden vocal talents.

So another successful voyage blessed with good weather so far. We have yet another 1000 miles or so to sail before we reach our final port of call in Palma, Majorca and many spectacular places and entertainment still to experience on this trip. One thing we can be sure of if anything is that we will have many more good times to report!

Thanks for reading our post. What kind of events would you like to see on board?

Ghandi Raj & Kalpesh Nikam

Ocean Village Olympics

2009-03-24T12:25:00.000Z

Hi, Caroline here. I work on Ocean Village Two as the Personnel and Development Manager supporting the Officers and Crew onboard.

Over the last few weeks we’ve been busy enjoying the last leg of our Caribbean itinerary before setting sail to the Mediterranean for the summer. For some of the team, it's the first time that they have been to the Caribbean so we thought it would be a great excuse to celebrate a great maiden season!

To end on a high, the accommodation team organised an Ocean Village-style Olympics competition. They organised themselves into four groups, each with their own team Captain, and the games commenced! The teams set about competing in a series of events in either the crew gym or ashore in St Vincent on 12th March, with challenges ranging from a tug of war, to relay races on the treadmills, to time trials on the stationary spinning bikes. And never to let a social event pass without a party, two of the accommodation team donned their DJ caps and put on a real show in a local nightclub at the port.

Our Olympic athletes in St Vincent

And, it didn’t end there... A few days later, the entire hotel team (who report to the Hotel Director) had a beach party in Isla Margarita, making the most of the stunning surroundings.

Thanks to Vincy Gomes and Marivic Quilicol who stepped up and devised a whole series of team games and challenges. As you can see, we all had a blast!

Caroline.

Ocean Village on Twitter

2009-02-09T15:58:00.000Z

Hi there.

If you are interested in keeping up to date with Ocean Village, why not check out our Twitter page?

Click here to see Ocean Village on Twitter >

What is Twitter?
- Twitter is a social networking and 'micro-blogging' tool that helps you keep up with the your friends' status updates (or 'Tweets') within your network. You can simply choose who to 'follow', who you would like to follow you, and apply privacy settings accordingly.

Why would you want to use Twitter?
- It's an easy and quick way of finding out the lates 'news' your contacts want you to know.

Why should you follow Ocean Village?
- We're using Twitter as a fast way of letting our contacts know about the very latest deals, availability, news and info at Ocean Village.

So don't miss out...!

Click here to see Ocean Village on Twitter > or look for Ocean_Village and follow us!

Ocean Village Take Two!

2009-01-22T12:02:00.000Z

Hi, I'm Wilson and this is my blog about a recent rare double sighting we had in the Caribbean recently...

Although the Ocean Village ships are always in largely the same part of the world (either Med or Caribbean depending on the season), their paths don’t tend to cross. In other words, whilst I am on Ocean Village in Central Caribbean, my equivalent aboard Ocean Village Two, Aby, will be in the Southern Caribbean. So it was unusual for both of us to be on the same pier of the same island at the same time recently, and it did allow for an outbreak of healthy rivalry between the two crews!

Ocean Village and Ocean Village Two side by side in Grenada

The two ships sailed into Grenada on Monday 12th January, giving both sets of passengers a rare sight and a double dose of Ocean Village in one hit. I’m sure this was pretty cool for them as many will have been on their first cruise and probably wondering what the other ship looked like. So although they couldn’t go onboard the other ship, they got to see them together on the dockside and could get a peek at the other from the top decks (and hopefully thought they might like to try the other one next time!?)

An officer reunion!

L to R Michel Benner, Food & Beverage Director, Tracey Clegg Entertainment & Retail Director, and Sharma Daljit Hotel Director from Ocean Village Two, alongside Michael Lobban, Hotel Director, Mark Hudson Entertainment & Retail Director, and John Brodie Food & Beverage Director from Ocean Village.

Meanwhile, once our work was done some of the crew faced each other in a ‘friendly’ 20/20 cricket match on dry land. With a lot of pride at stake, competition was fierce in a tense but highly enjoyable game for the players and supporters from both ships. And the result...
Ocean Village Two’s ‘Accom Knights XI’ beat a mixed OV team (OV2 won, appropriately enough, by just two wickets)!

Ocean Village Two's Knights XI in grey and Ocean Village's mixed team in red coutesy of the photo studio

And then all that was left to do was a ‘honking’ competition in a big Sailaway ceremony as both ships prepared to head out to their next port of call. And I am delighted to say that this time it was Ocean Village's turn to take the winner’s title with a deafening salute as we were leaving the pier! Not that we're at all competitive of course...

The next and final time the ships will meet will be in Grenada again on the 9 March. Are you going to be there to join us and cheer on your ship’s team?

A Merry Onboard Christmas!

2009-01-08T14:08:00.000Z

Christmas away from family and friends can be tough, and we often miss out on parties and get-togethers back home, but luckily we’re all a pretty sociable bunch onboard too! It’s one of those times that we’re all in the same boat (no pun intended) so we all pull together and help keep each other’s spirits up.

Now we’re fully underway into the Caribbean season, we decided it was time to organise our Christmas party for the Accommodation team, and as we now have an overnight stop in St Vincent, we thought we’d celebrate on dry land for a change. The staff all clubbed together to raise money for a ‘do’ (partly helped along with a welcome donation from the Accom management team), and the Accom Committee decided to hold it at the terminal building at the port.

And after we'd tucked into a festive buffet and drinks, we shared Secret Santa presents, played a few silly party games and sang Christmas carols, we finished it all off in a real party-mood with some music and dancing.

Our carol concert!

All in all, 102 accommodation and laundry staff came, as well as some extra special invites for those members of the crew who work ‘behind the scenes’ e.g. plumbers and carpenters. It was such a fun night and we all had a brilliant time. It really was a great way to end the year, and made sure we were well and truly in the festive mood!

Festive fun with the Accomodation Team

Hope you had a great Christmas and hope to see you on board in 2009!

Mari

A playground at sea!

2008-11-18T09:43:00.000Z

Today is sea day and all the youth team are ready for a busy fun filled day ahead...

Sea day is the 2nd day of the cruise after leaving the home port the night before, so there’s always lots of fresh-faced kiddiewinks, along with those just getting stuck into week 2 of their holiday. We opened base camp at 9am and waited for all the new children to arrive, and before we knew it we had a full house ready for the fun to begin.

The morning began with crafts with children making Captain’s hats and stripes, joining in colouring competitions and much more to keep us busy up to lunch. Then once they’d had time to refill their little tummies and recharge the batteries, we all marched down to deck 7 singing all the way to meet an extra special guest we had on board - Basil Brush! Sadly he was only with
us for the day as a trial to see is the children took to him or not, but he went down a storm so hopefully he'll be back with us really soon.

After the show the little ones were full of energy so we walked around the outside decks of deck 7 (still singing the songs!) in time for our ‘Captains Coketail’ party in Connexions bar. And as if Basil Brush wasn’t enough, the special guest was Paddington Bear for photos and cuddles, some old favourite party games and even a bit of a boogie!

Paddington dishing out one of his famous cuddles!

But the fun didn’t stop there and it was time for cheesy grins in the Photo Studio before making our way back up to deck 14 where the kids played freely with the games, toys, PS2’s and in the ball pool until it was time to be collected, by which point they were all well and truly worn out!

Giving it some pedal power

2008-10-30T10:27:00.000Z

Working on the ship can be tiring, and getting time to go to the gym and stay healthy can be a bit of a task. So I decided to take advantage of working in the Action Ashore department and get fit the fun way.

It started with a call in La Goulette (Tunisia), and as I haven’t exercised for a while I thought I’d have a go at wangling my way on to one of my biking tours. Any room for a small one (I’m only just 5ft)? I managed to get on, so all 37 of us grabbed our bikes and headed off into Tunisia with our bike guides Aaron, Russell and Randall. To see what it was really like doing the trip as a passenger instead of Destinations Manager (and so that I didn’t show myself up!) I was incognito in civvies for once.

Getting ready to set off

Our journey took us through the town of La Goulette, and I know you’d expect me to say this but I really do mean it, but there really isn’t much to do there unless you are on a tour. As we rode over to the Roman ruins at Carthage, Aaron told us that the streets we had just ridden through were in films such as Monty Python’s The Life of Brian and Jesus of Nazareth. Thankfully it was then time for a breather for those of us already feeling the strain. As I gulped down the water provided, I thought to myself that I think I have a higher opinion of my fitness than my body does!

After our stop at Carthage we started en route to the hill top village of Sidi Bou Said, and when Randall said ‘hilltop’, he meant it! It wasn’t really a steep hill but it was a long one top get to the top of, so we all shifted down a few gears before the slope took its toll. There was just time for another breather before the final push to the village, when we all suddenly realised that before us was a VERY steep hill. We all looked at each other (secretly thinking ‘he’s not going to make us cycle up that is he?’), when Aaron told us that we get off and wheel the bikes up that bit! Relief is probably the best word to describe what we were feeling at that point.

Our bike guides (L to R - Aaron, Russell and Randall)

Reaching the top, I dived in the nearest café to grab a drink and some shade as the it was absolutely boiling, and we all swapped stories of how we were finding the ride. On the way back to the ship we went via the WWII memorial for the British and US soldiers and past some stunningly ornate mosques and while Aaron (a vision in pink lycra) stopped traffic while we wobbled our way across the local roundabouts. Then there was just time for a group photo by the beach before heading back to the ship for our 12.30 deadline.

Me and my fellow bikers (I'm 4th from the left on the front row!)

All in all the cycle tour was a great morning out and a really different way to see somewhere you probably would think twice about exploring on your own. The locals were friendly with a ‘Bonjour’ as we cycled past – probably because they have a good laugh at a group of Brits cycling through their towns and villages in single file every Thursday! Needless to say, my legs were like jelly when we got back on board and I think I might have to eat a few more chips before I go again – either that or get a more padded saddle - but a great trip, good staff and keeping fit to boot….

Tomorrow... hiking Up Mount Vesuvius in Naples. I’m going to be shattered by the end of this cruise!

Bernie

We are family!

2008-10-22T17:24:00.000+01:00

Over the years, I have got used to being so far from loved ones when working on cruise ships at sea, but it can be hard when it comes to important dates like birthdays, festivals and anniversaries - espcially when they are big family occasions where we all get together and celebrate. So with India’s Independence Day coming up knowing my whole family were thousands of miles away I wasn't exactly expecting the usual event.

I’d just got used to the idea that this year was going to be different and that I would just be celebrating it with a few close friends on board, when I overheard something being organised by the Indian officers and crew. Indian Independence Day here on Ocean Village Two! I can’t even begin to tell you how surprised I was! It wasn’t going to be like home, but it already made me feel a lot better.

And we weren’t disappointed - the whole evening was so much fun! What I thought would be a small gathering turned into a celebration with about 500 of the ship's crew below deck, starting with the Reception and Comms team dressed in traditional outfits they’d had sent from India. Upstairs in the crew mess, we had a gala dinner with some of my favourite traditional foods (prawn biryani, and a sweet dish with carrots called gajar ka halwa … mmm!), and a full bar run by the Laundry team. Then it was time for the highlight of the night… the entertainment! As well as the DJ skills of various people from the different departments, we also had a ‘Bollywood’ number and an Indian dance performed by British and Filipino crew members!

Some of the girls performing as the Indian dancers

It was such a good night and really kept our spirits up at a time when we could have otherwise been sad to be missing home. What made it even better was that it meant so much to know that so many people were willing to join in and make the night a real success - especially as all of the duties and expenses were shared through voluntary contributions even from those that would not normally celebrate the festival. It helped me to realise that although my family are so far away, I have a new family here on board that are also very special.

Radley

From cruise ship to record deal

2008-09-25T14:09:00.000+01:00

It’s amazing to think that it was on this very day, two years ago, that I departed my home in New Zealand to take up my first ever cruise contract. Not only would it be my first time working on a ship, but it was also going to be my introduction to entertaining UK audiences; something I viewed as a truly daunting prospect!

I boarded Ocean Village on the Tuesday in Palma de Mallorca. There were hundreds of people boarding along with me, however they were most definitely in holiday mode. I was in more like, where-am-I-and-what-am-I-doing mode !?!

The crew greeted me, with a mixture of smiles and concern… (“is this ‘child’ going to be capable of entertaining our passengers ?!?”) … but, I gradually adjusted to the ins and outs of the ‘cruise ship performer’ job, as well as the needs of the UK audience. Not only that, but when I departed some weeks later, I left knowing that I had met some amazing people, people who I knew would be my closest friends for years to come.

It certainly brings a smile thinking back to my first cruise contract. After all, it was whilst working onboard Ocean Village that record label representatives flew out to witness me “do my thing”. My end of the negotiations, was initially done via the Cyber Café! Now, I’m fortunate enough to be signed to ‘Universal Classics and Jazz’, with my debut album ‘A NEW WORLD’ in stores THIS WEEK!

I'm about to go back on board Ocean Village this weekend to see where I started, so I'm looking forward to singing a song or two in some familiar places. Bring on ‘The Marquee’, ‘Balcony Bar’, and late night snacking in ‘Plantations’! I'll also be finding out what position my album enters the classical charts on Sunday so hopefully we'll have something to celebrate too!

See You Soon …

Will Martin
Vocalist on Ocean Village - Sep to Nov 2006

Onboard with an original ‘guitar hero’

2008-09-15T13:17:00.000+01:00

I'm used to seeing celebrities on board from time to time, but last week we were lucky enough to have ex-Stranglers legend Hugh Cornwell travelling on Ocean Village Two. Rocker to cruiser – I never thought I'd see that!

Hugh Cornwell nowadays

After all of the stories you hear about rock stars, I didn't really know what to expect before he arrived but luckily it seemed Hugh’s punk days are long behind him. I briefly met him and he told me he's now solo artist and is actually working on a book, which prompted a rather unusual request: what did we know about Roman archaeological sites around the Greek Islands and North Africa? I can tell you, I don't know a lot!

To try to help him with his book research (and also to wow him), Hugh was taken on a tour up to the Bridge to meet the Captain as we sailed away from Genoa, down to the Club Lounge for a glass of wine, and then on to 'The Bistro' to tuck into one of James Martin’s gourmet creations.

After his slap-up meal watching the sun go down, we then took him outside to watch our aerial deck show ‘Planet’ where he mentioned how impressed he was to see this sort of show on a cruise ship. To be honest, that's what we tend to hear most weeks - Planet is always a big attraction for guests, which is hardly surprising given that it’s performed by acrobats 40 foot above the pools while the ship is moving.

The spectacular Planet deck show

And then Hugh got what most people like to do on their cruises... the opportunity to park up on a sunbed, catch a few rays and get ‘Golden Brown’... Sorry but I couldn't resist that one!

Phil

James Martin shows us his stuff!

2008-09-01T18:46:00.000+01:00

Hi there and welcome to Boat Buddy!

Working in the Operations team for Ocean Village, it’s not every day you get to spend time with celebrity chef James Martin, but last week I happened to be on board when he was cruising with us. It was great fun for me and the passengers who bumped into him around the ship.

James joined the ship in Cephalonia a day after me to catch up with his crew in his restaurant The Bistro, and even managed to don his chef whites and squeeze in a cookery demo on deck. We usually have a bit of healthy rivalry in 'cook-offs' between The Bistro and La Luna, but this time it was all about James. In his usual laid-back style, he made panfried scallops with a pea shoot salad and at one point he even pretended to use his tea towel to blow his nose. Don't worry though - he quickly covered his tracks by producing the famous hand sanitiser we all know and love for a quick hygiene lesson! Nevertheless, as you can imagine the end result looked delicious, leading to a stampede in the direction of the buffet lunch!

James showing off his stuff

Whenever I’ve seen James on the ship he’s always a massive hit, and this time was no exception. It was pretty obvious he’d arrived on the ship when I found a huge queue in the Village Square waiting for him to sign his cook books, and the Bistro was buzzing the whole time he was onboard. I overheard one diner saying they could even watch him and his team cooking their dinner in the galley on the TV screens mounted on the walls, so I guess he’d stopped joking around by then! In fact, I was even told that James had mentioned to the Hotel Director that he was so happy with his team in the Bistro that he was going to book them all onto a helicopter ride as a thank you. Now, that’s the kind of boss I want!

Before he left the ship I managed to catch James for a quick pint in Connexions but he was soon off chatting to passengers, posing for photos and signing autographs. Hopefully I’ll be able to grab some more time with him when he’s next on board Ocean Village in September.

Paul