Bad food and bad entertainment reported

Newbie2Cruises · 05-06-2007, 10:38 AM

Hello everyone, I'm completely new to cruising and will be booking a cruise in the next 4 weeks once some finances are sorted out. My sister went on the Ocean Village ship to the carribbean last year and was not impressed at all. She said that the food was awful and resembled school dinners, she also said that the entertainment was dreadful as well. My sister also said that the cabin wasn't that good either. She goes on Thompson cruises but they don't do a decent Greek island cruise unless I want to go on a old ferry boat thompsons are dragging out called the Calypso this year. Yuck!

I want to go on ocean village, I've seen the video and it looks lovely. My Dad is coming with us who is 81 and its the first cruise for all of us. We don;t want to spend a fortune but want decent good, accommodation and have good entertainment and visit the Greek islands which is the only part of Europe we haven't been.

Can anyone who has been on Ocean Village (the original ship not OV2) please let me know that the food and entertainment is ok as I'm getting worried now. I did get the menus for the ship and they look good but that doesn't mean they taste good!

Many thanks

Jackie

**Ally** · 05-06-2007, 10:51 AM

Hi Jackie

I can understand your concerns regarding food and entertainment. This 'problem' is a common one...not just with OV but with all lines. It is very hard for anyone to say that the food is good, as everyone has different interpretations of what is good and bad. I haven't been on OV, but my agent was recently at the launch of OV2 and by all accounts, the food was perfectly fine, with enough options and choices that would mean that all passengers will find something they like at each mealtime. OV caters for the not so formal, so the food probably won't, in reality, measure up to other lines...such as Princess or Celebrity for example. Basically you get what you pay for...the mainstream lines do have Greek itineraries and their cost reflects the standards onboard...which includes the food and entertainment...but even the big lines get it wrong sometimes. All I can suggest is that you set aside your fears, go on the cruise with an open mind and enjoy the experience. I know that it is often hard to set aside niggling doubts, but if you don't, you are less likely to enjoy yourself and you'll spend all your time worrying about this and that and before you know it, the cruise will be over. Take in what you read in reviews but I really do advise that you drop any preconceived ideas and board the ship with a completely open mind....you may well be in for a big surprise and wonder what all the fuss was about

**Ally** · 05-06-2007, 11:05 AM

As an example of other lines....

The Costa Mediterannea is doing a Grecian Splendour cruise out of Venice for 7 nights on October 1st 2007.

PORT ARR DEP
MON 1 Venice (Italy) Embark from 13.30 18.00
TUE 2 Bari (Italy) 12.00 18.00
WED 3 Katakolon⁄Olympia (Greece) 12.00 18.00
THU 4 Santorini (Greece)
Mykonos (Greece)
FRI 5 Rhodes (Greece) 08.00 18.00
SAT 6 cruising - -
SUN 7 Dubrovnik (Croatia) 08.00 • 13.00
MON 8 Venice (Italy) 09.00

• ship is at anchor – disembark by tender

lake5298 · 08-23-2007, 07:17 AM

I've sailed on Ocean Village a few times... and found the entertainment in the Med to be great... but last time I went to the Caribbean and the entertainment was not so good... maybe they can't persuade the good UK acts to fly all that way?

Food on the buffets was ok... but I go for La Luna every time. Yummmmmm