Free-spirited and unconventional, Ocean Village is a far cry from traditional cruising.  Created for 30-50 somethings who want to explore new places and try new things, it's a heady mix of pulse-racing action and chilled out relaxation.  The sort of holiday where you can hit the fast-forward or pause button as you choose.  And when it comes to to formal dress codes or set meal times - forget it.  This is about eating when you want and doing what you like - whether it's biking through Caribbean jungles, river rafting in the Med or lazing by the pool.

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A new day, a new destination.

You'll hit the pillow at night with one hot destination after another to look forward to.  Snuggle after a day in Monte Carlo and rise and shine in Corsica.  Bed down in Grenada and wake up in St Lucia.  While your dreaming, you'll be sailing to the next great destination.  So when you open your curtains next morning you'll find somewhere enticingly new for you outside - it's a magical Narnia-like moment without having to step through a wardrobe!  It's the most divinely stress-free way to see the best of the Med and Caribbean and the ideal holiday for everyone - couples, friends and families.

A hotel week, a cruise week!

'Stay and Cruise' holidays really do give you the best of both worlds... a week at one of specially selected three, four or five star hotel in Crete, Majorca or Barbados followed by a week onboard calling at a new Med or Caribbean destination nearly every day.  Crete is where legend meets leisure.  Get a cultural fix at Knossos, ruined haunt of the mythical minotaur, hike the dramatic Sumaria gorge or kick-start your tan on the sun-strip of beaches.  Majorca is Holiday Island - feast on seafood on Palma's old town or visit arty Deia in the nearby hills.  Party animal?  Check out the blistering nightlife and recharge your batteries by the pool the next day.  In Barbados you can spend all day on beaches to die for, clock the celebs in the swanky beach bars, head for bustling Bridgetown or watch the big surf roll in on the wild east coast beaches.

Explore the exotic souks of Tunis then hit the 'Eternal City' of Rome, packing in the Colosseum, the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain between cappuccino stops.  Explore Genoa's medievil lanes, go for retail therapy in Milan or opt for a waterfront lunch in picturesque Portofino.  Join the in-crowd on the Cote d'Azur and the lovers of Gaudi's wacky architecture in buzzing Barcelona before returning to Majorca.

Sip mint tea between bouts of bargaining in Tunis, then hike up Mount Vesusius on the Bay of Naples or explore Pompeii, the it engulfed in AD79.  Get your fill of Florence's fine art at the Uffizi Gallery, go billionare-spotting in swanky Monte Carlo or try river rafting in the mountains.  The last stop is in Corsica, the island with a Napoleon complex and plenty of monuments to its favourite son.

From the heart-stoppingly huge Pyramids to the diminutive Sphinx, Cairo is full or surprises.  Just like Cyprus, where Venus is said to have emerged from the waves, and Rhodes, with its crusader palace and legendary beaches.  Pack in historical highlights at Ephesus and the Parthenon of Athens, or opt for more modern pleasures with a zip-wire ride or a glass of Ouzo at a taverna with a view.

Explore the picturesque, medievil time-capsule of Dubrovnik or Split, then sail into the architectural jewellery box that is Venice to see St Marks Square, the Rialto Bridge and Harry's Bar (or glide around in a gondola).  Let the pretty scenery do the talking at the islands of Korcula and Corfu then hit the beaches on idyllic Zakinthos or check out where the Olympic Games started in Olympia, from Katakolon.

With its Blue Mosque and glittering Topkapi palace, Istanbul is where history becomes a living spectacle.  Chill out on the lush Greek island of Lesbos then take in the ancient amphitheatre and two-tier library at Ephesus.  Head for the Arcopolis in Athens, then leave the dusty stuff behind with a beach day in Rhodes, or explore the Knights' Quarter that still resonates with legends of the Crusades.

Tapas and Togas

Sharpen your bartering skills in the souks of Tunis then brace yourself for the cultural overload that is Rome.  Pack in three millenea of history between cappuccino and ice-cream atops, from the Sistine Chapel to the Colosseum.  From Genoa, get into retail therapy big-time in Milan or people watch in style from a waterfront cafe in Portofino, the sort of place postcards were invented for.  Pose amongst the glitz and glamour of Monte Carlo - the marina's super-yachts and the Casino's super-rich - or walk the Grand Prix course and imagine what it's like at 200mph.  Tuck into tapas on the famous Ramblas boulevard in buzzing Barcelona or check out the city's legendary architecture - don't miss Gaudi's weirdly wonderful buildings or Nou Camp, the home of FC Barcelona and Europe's largest football stadium.  Click here to view Tapas and Togas cruise itinerary

Villas and Vino

Follow your nose to the spice markets and medinas of Tunis, check out the ruins of Carthage or simply hit the beach.  Take a hike up a live volcano in Naples or drop into Pompeii and see what like was like 2,000 years ago before Mount Vesuvius last blew it's top.  Get a fix of Renaissance culture in Florence, take a sideways look at the infamous tower in Pisa or give your palatte a treat at a Tuscan vineyard.  Sample the best of French Riviera from St Raphael.  Mingle with the beautiful people in Cannes or St Tropez - Brigette Bardot's home town - or head for the hills for a thrilling river raft ride.  As the birthplace of Napolean, Ajaccio has reminders of the small man in the big hat on every corner.  To create your own power surge, whizz through Corsica's dramatic landscape on a zip-wire or by helicopter.  Click here to view Villas and Vino cruise itinerary.

Eastern Med Cruises with the Original Ocean Village in 2008!

Temples and Tavernas

Clock the time-capsule of red tiled roofs in the medieval city of Dubrovnik, a great jumping-off point for exploring Croatian villages and the Dalmatian coast.  Check out the picture-postcard bays and lush citrus groves of Corfu, then capture a 'Captain Corelli' moment in the spectacular landscapes and beaches of Cephalonia.  Wannabe world champions can go through their paces on Olympia, the birthplace and spiritual home of the Olympic Games dating back to 776BC, or stand on the Acropolis on Athens at the epicentre of Ancient Greece.  Click to see full Temples and Tavernas Itinerary

Olives and Ouzo

Follow in the footsteps of Aphrodite who, according to legend, stepped ashore at Paphos in Cyprus.  Walk the old town walls in Rhodes, or head for the sandy beaches and temple-topped acropolis of trendy Lindos.  See the marble walkways of ancient Ephesus, where Anthony and Cleopatra once trod, then rub shoulders with the current in-crowd in Mykonos, island of chich boutiques ad hip beach parties.  Then step ashore to a fantast film-set of tiny churches, sugar-cube houses and flower-decked cafés in Santorini.  Click to see full Olives and Ouzo Itinerary

Join Ocean Village 2 in the Western Med in 2008

Marinas and Medinas

Sailing from palm-fringed Palma, this holiday takes in the very best the Med has to offer.  Stroll around the casbahs in colourful Tunis where the scent of spices lingers in the air or take a hike up Mount Vesuvius in Naples.  Treat your peepers to a view of Michelangelo's statue of David in Florence or polish off a plate of pasta overlooking Pisa's Leaning Tower.  Pose amidst the glitz and glamour of Monte Carlo then chill out in Corsica.  Once ashore what you do is up to you, but if you're looking for inspiration we've got some great excursions to tempt you.  Click here to see full Marinas and Medinas Itinerary

Villas and Vineyards

Sharpen up your bartering skills in the souks of Tunis or gaze at the amazing architecture in remarkable Rome, where you can pack in three millennia of history in between cappuccino stops.  Get a taste for la dolce vita in gorgeous Genoa, hang out with the jet-set in St Raphael on the galmorous Côte d'Azur of check out the street theatre from a tapas bar in Barcelona's famous Ramblas.  Explore alone or book onto one of the activities - either way you'll find there's plenty to see and do on this cosmpolitan holiday!  Click here to see full Villas and Vineyards Itinerary

Cool Caribbean Cruising with Ocean Village in 2008/09

Treetops and Turtles

Go swimming with dolphins in tropical Tortola or snorkelling with stingrays off one of Antigua's beaches.  Sway to the sounds of a steel band in downtown Barbados or swing in a hammock in sizzling St Barts.  Inhale the scent of exotic spices in Grenada or savour French Creole dishes in magical Martinque.  Which ever island you find yourself on, a plethora of pleasures await you!

Taking in six stunning islands, this holiday really does offer something for everyone.  Get up close to a simmering volcano in steamy St Lucia or go off-road in the rainforest in Dominica.  Learn the basics of scuba diving in St Kitts or gen up on the history of rum in French Guadaloupe.  Stock up on duty free goodies in St Maarten or get down to some serious tanning on a beach in Barbados!

Play pirates of the Caribean in stunning St Vincent and stoll on the beaches where parts of the blockbuster movies were filmed.  Explore the wildlife-rich mangroves of Isla Margerite or the colourful capital of Dutch Curacao.  Need to cool off?  Take a dip in a waterfall-fed pool in the Dominican jungle or go snorkelling in Aruba amongst dazzling fish.  Or go all Robinson Crusoe on microscopic Mayreau, a beachcomber island so tiny you'll walk a lap in less than an hour!

Your adventure starts on the boomerang-shaped island of Bonaire.  Encircled by a marine park, you've only got to peep below the surface to become part of a sea life spectacular.  Prefer to stay above water?  Let rip on a zip-wire in St Lucia's lush rainforests or rack up the knots on a racing yacht off Barbados.  Laze on one of Tobago's sugar-sand beaches or take a tour round a spice plantation in sweet smelling Grenada.  Ready for a change of pace?  Hit the buzzing streets of Caracas, a city that lives to a wild latin beat!

For all of our latest Ocean Village cruise offers Freephone 0800 027 8890 or contact us with our online enquiry form