Strong demand for farewell Med season creating scarcity value - Percentage sold for 2009 already ahead of 2008 - Brochure supported by £500,000 Multiplatform TV campaign.
(PRWEB) November 27, 2009 -- On 1 December 2009, Ocean Village, the cruise for people who don’t do cruises, will launch its 2010 brochure including full details of its farewell summer 2010 season onboard the original Ocean Village cruise ship. Building on strong initial sales, the brochure invites people to enjoy casual cruising in its purest form for the last time. A £500,000 multiplatform TV ad campaign will support this farewell Med season in January next year.
Ocean Village heads towards its farewell Summer season with strong demand from passengers, having a significantly greater % of next summer’s accommodation already sold than at this time last year. Repeat passengers are booking in increasing numbers: 48% of all passengers booked for Summer 2010 cruises to date are repeat Ocean Village bookers, up from 30% for the 2009 Summer season. This builds on the record-breaking run of comment form scores from the original Ocean Village ship this summer, with the target 90%+ scores being achieved for nearly six consecutive months.
Featuring five brand new destinations, the Central Med cruise itineraries between Crete and Palma are proving the most popular with repeat bookers, with opportunities to visit Cagliari in Sardinia, Messina in Sicily, Marmaris in Turkey, La Spezia in Italy and Toulon in the South of France for the first time.
Newcomers to the brand still make up the largest proportion of passengers however, with the Eastern Med cruises to Venice, Cairo and Istanbul proving popular with those with some cruise experience. Most first time cruisers, meanwhile, are opting for the big-name resorts and cities of the Western Med such as Monte Carlo, Rome, Barcelona, Florence and Pisa,. 52% of Ocean Village’s 2010 Mediterranean passengers to date are new to the line.
The brochure launch will be supported by a £500,000 Caribbean cruise TV ad campaign in which Thomas Cook will partner Ocean Village as the line showcases its 2010 Mediterranean farewell season sailings. The nationwide campaign begins on January 4th 2010 and runs until January 31st with spots on ITV1 in the North, Central and Scotland and national coverage on GMTV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and digital TV including Sky. The television creative builds on Ocean Village’s earlier TV campaigns with its signature graphic visual styling and the distinctive voice of Sarah Parish, star of the hit BBC series Mistresses.
Head of Marketing Communications for Ocean Village, Gill Haynes, comments:
“Next summer is the last opportunity to sail with Britain’s best-loved casual cruise line and we’re seeing repeat bookings from passengers wanting to sail with Ocean Village one more time, as well as new business from people realising that if they want to take a casual cruise for the first time, then 2010 is the year to do it. Scarcity value is being created by this demand and prices are holding up well, giving agents good commission opportunities. Ocean Village is well-known to deliver fantastic value for money and in the current climate, people are turning to brands with a strong track record for quality and value. Word of mouth recommendations by both passengers and agents, as well as the proven success of our TV campaigns, have helped keep interest in Ocean Village high. As we approach our farewell season, there’s a ready-made market for agents to capitalise on.”
The new brochure details the farewell summer programme which features seven Med itineraries in total and aims to appeal to the full spectrum of Ocean Village passengers:
New for 2010 – Central Med sailings between Crete and Majorca from £1,349pp*
Ideal for repeat Ocean Village passengers looking for new destinations, the 12 night ‘Temples and Tavernas’ cruise sails from Crete on 1 July, visiting Marmaris, Santorini, Athens, Cephalonia, Messina (Sicily), Rome, Toulon, Barcelona and Palma in Majorca. Alternatively, the ‘Olives and Ouzo’ nine night sailing departs from Majorca on 7 September and calls at Cagliari (Sardinia), Naples, Valetta (Malta), Messina (Sicily), Cephalonia, Mykonos, Marmaris and then Crete.
Central Med cruises start from as little as £1,349pp* and can be combined with the previous or following Western or Eastern Med itineraries to make indulgent 16 or 19 night experiences from just £1,799pp*
Eastern Med seven night sailings from just £749pp*
There is a choice of three itineraries for island-hopping enthusiasts and experienced cruisers who have already enjoyed and explored the Western Med.
The ‘Groves and Gondolas’ seven night itinerary begins in Heraklion with calls at Dubrovnik (Croatia), Venice, Korcula (Croatia), Corfu and Katakolon. Prices start from just £749pp*. This itinerary runs every second week throughout the Eastern Med season.
The seven night ‘Palaces and Pyramids’ itinerary takes in the spectacular sights of Cairo (from Port Said), Limassol (Cyprus), Rhodes, Ephesus and Athens before returning to Heraklion (Crete). Prices start from £999pp*. The itinerary runs on alternate weeks in the cooler and less crowded months of April-May and Sept-Oct.
The ‘Myths and Mosaics’ seven night cruise visits Istanbul, Mytilene (Lesbos), Ephesus, Athens and Santorini before returning to Heraklion. Prices start from £999 pp* with two sailings in the warmth of June, alternating with the Venice itinerary.
Eastern Med seven night sailings to Venice can be combined with either the Cairo or Istanbul itinerary to create 14 night holidays starting from just £1,249pp.*
Western Med seven night sailings from just £979pp*
Iconic cruise destinations such as Rome, Barcelona, Florence and Monte Carlo are mixed with favourite places like St Raphael and Corsica on Ocean Village’s Western Med programme. Sailing from Palma in peak season (July and August), there is a choice of two seven night itineraries, each with a strong track record to date and designed with first time cruisers in mind:
The chic seven night ‘Castles and Chianti’ cruise visits Tunis, Naples, Florence/Pisa, Monte Carlo, Ajaccio (Corsica) and finally Palma. Prices starts from just £999 pp*. The ‘Tapas and Togas’ seven night itinerary sails from Palma to Tunis, timeless Rome, Genoa for Portofino, St Raphael and Barcelona. Price starts from £979 pp*.
Transatlantic cruises from just £1,049pp*
The 15 night sailing from Barbados to Crete departs on 24 March 2010 and combines the tropical treasures of the Caribbean with Mediterranean charm. Transatlantic sailings can be extended with seven nights in either the Caribbean (before the crossing) or the Med (after the crossing). Prices start from £1,099pp.*
To give its passengers further value for money options, the new brochure offers a Share and Save deal where third and fourth adults sharing a cabin save up to £500 per person.
For more information on Ocean Village and our 2009 last minute Med cruise deals 2009 deals, see your ABTA travel agents, visit www.oceanvillageholidays.co.uk or call 0845 075 0032.
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