Ocean Village is to be phased out by Carnival - Ocean Village One & Two retire to P&O Australia.

Phil's comment: This is indeed a very sad day for those supporters of the Ocean Village brand, a brand which introduced a huge number of virgin cruisers to the cruise industry. I for one will be very sad to see the phasing out of Ocean Village and I am sure that many of you will wish to comment on this. The full press release is shown below.

But this does not stop you from taking cruises with Ocean Village this winter and into spring and summer 2009 and a little longer on Ocean Village (1) before she repositions to P&O Australia.

Statement:

Carnival UK has announced that it is rationalising its portfolio with the phasing out of the Ocean Village brand, which will commence in Autumn 2009.  Its ship Ocean Village Two will transfer to the P&O Cruises Australia brand in time for Xmas 2009, and it is expected that the other vessel will move to Australia a year later.

Commenting on the move, David Dingle, CEO of Carnival UK and Chair of the Carnival Australia Management Committee, said:

"In reviewing the most effective deployment of our ships, we have recognised the major growth potential in the Australian market and the profit opportunity which awaits. 

Clearly it is disappointing to wind down our Ocean Village operation which has been superbly created and delivered by an excellent management team, but we must recognise the need to maximise profit performance from our assets.  Ocean Village has done much to change the face of British cruising, and all our UK brands have benefited from this.  The arrival of new ships for P&O Cruises and Cunard in 2010 and the continuing development of Princess Cruises in Britain will ensure that Carnival UK continues its growth despite the redeployment of the Ocean Village vessels."

Ocean Village will operate a single ship in the Caribbean in Winter 2009-10 and the previously published programme will be adjusted, with existing bookings amended accordingly.

A European programme will be operated in 2010.  P&O Cruises will take delivery of the 3,100 bed Azura in March 2010 and the new 2,100 bed Queen Elizabeth will join the Cunard fleet in October 2010.

This is a cruise blog entry by Phil