OCEAN VILLAGE 2, OCT 07
Review of Ocean Village Ocean Village 2 by JR (25 Oct 07)
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Overall Rating
My cruise on the ocean village 2 was my second cruise this year, after going with Royal Caribbean earlier in the year I was not sure what to expect from Ocean Village. The cruise for people who dont cruises. It was fantastic from start to finish. I flew from Gatwick to Palma on a thomson fly flight, it was only a very short flight, but entertainment was put on and flight meals all included. I then picked up my luggage at the airport in Palma, put it on the transfer coach and didnt see it again until it was delivered to my cabin later that day, which was nice. Check in on the ocean village was quick, I was given my cruise card and cabin key, and registered my credit card for payment all within just a few minutes, very easy. I made my way to my cabin once I had boarded, I was surprised at the size, it was bigger than many of the cabins I have stayed in before, I had an ocean view cabin on deck 9. Lots of hanging space and drawers and a huge Shower. Tea and coffee in the cabin and biscuits that were replaced every day if you eat them... so make sure you do!! I was then off to explore the rest of the ship. I was very pleased to see 2 pools of a good size, and many many sunbeds. I found the staff very, very helpful. I was with a big group of people, the bar staff were always happy to bring drinks over to us and soon noticed if you needed a refil. The first night I dined in the Waterfront Restaurant, which is buffett style, as is the Plantation. I found there to be plenty of choice, from burgers and chips to Thai curry and roast dinners. There really is something for everyone. One night there was even a Indian theme night in one restaurant. The bistro is well worth a visit. This is the James Martin restaurant, there is a cover charge, but well worth it and its waiter service and there is a lovely menu to choose from which they change every 5 days, so you can go more than once and pick from a new menu. La Luna is also worth a visit, this also has a cover charge, but there is so much to choose from, and the portions are very generous. I got to try black pepper Ice cream with hot strawberries, possibly one of the strangest combinations ever. Im still deciding if I liked it. If this isnt for you, they did have many other options, but there is the chance to try something new if you want to. On the Final night of the cruise was the biggest treat of all... a huge chocolate fountain with different fruits and marshmellows to dip!
The following day of the cruise we were at sea, I spent most the day on deck sunbathing and sipping the cocktail of the day. This changes daily and is always a special price. There was a bbq by the pool at lunch time which everyone seemed to enjoy, as well as lunch being served in the plantation and waterfront. La luna is worth a visit in the day as there is no cover charge at lunch, and they serve lovely pizza, I had a very hot one with tabasco and hot green peppers which i loved.
Every night there was a different show in the marquee from comedians and magicians dancers and singers, there are 2 showings so you never have to miss out. One night of the cruise there was an excellent acrobatic show up on deck which was amazing. There are live singers and bands in the connexions bar every evening and often there were quizes should you want the chance to win some free drinks. A quieter bar was the casbah bar should you want to get away from it for a while. I finished most night in Players, the casino and disco bar, the DJ was happy to go on playing as long as we wanted or as long as we were on the dance floor. The casino is fantastic if you're feeling lucky, they even have an electronic poker table which is great fun.
On to the excursions... I would definately recommend taking these, a coach will meet you from the ship, take you to your destination and return you to the ship in time for departure to the next port. In Naples I took an excursion to climb mount Vesuvius, this was great, the guide on the coach gave us all the information and history before we got there and told us all the local information which was very interesting and made the coach ride seem to fly by. When we got there we were free to make our way up the volcano at our own pace which was nice, I was a little worried about keeping up, but you can go as fast or slow as you want. The view from the top was just breath taking, well worth a visit. When we had finished the coach took us back to the ship, I then took a walk into Naples and had a pizza of course and had a look round the local shops. I also took a excursion in the port of Livorno, this took me to both Florance and Pisa in the same day. There was a guide to take us round and we also got some free time to explore by ourselves. The tour guides spoke good english and were very knowledgable. I got to see all the sights. The final excursion I took was in Corsica, the ariel adventure, I was a little worried about this one as it invloved swinging from trees on a zipwire. It turned out to be the best day of the week, once you got going it was so much fun, my only complaint was that I couldn't stay longer. All in all the excursions are great value for money and you know you are going to be looked after. At the other ports I just took a wonder round myself, taxis are by every port and there are alot of attractions nearby. In Palma I got a taxi to the town for a wonder round and lunch before the flight back, this was a very pretty place.
Finally, I must just mention the spa, its wonderful. I decided to treat myself on the last day to a facial which was great, very relaxing. The thearipist was very nice and told me all about the products she was using, but not too much that I couldn't relax. After the treatment I decided to visit the sauna and steam rooms, there are so many different ones to choose and a relaxation room to unwind in.
Overall I can honestly say I loved the ocean village, it was brilliant, I would definately go with them again. A different port of call almost everyday, its great value for money.
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