Hi- congrats on booking your first cruise- bet it won't be your last. Haven't been on OV so can't help with the drinks prices. Certainly never heard any bad reports about the ship! Have done most of your ports independently,
Corfu- easy walk into town, lovely shops, churches, Liston arcade & cricket green, forts etc. Have called there a few times, but the best day was a half day trip called Bella Vista which went to Paleokastritsa, would definitely recommend.
Dubrovnik- taxi from port area to Pile gate, start of the old town, walk the walls, boat trip etc.
Zakynthos- pleasant harbour town, we got a taxi to the beach, he came back for us at an agreed time.
Venice- about 20 minutes walk to Piazza Roma where you can get a number 1 water bus right down the Grand Canal to St Mark's, then explore.
Taxi prices can vary- it's always as well to ask before you get in.
They are all lovely stops, I'm sure you are in for a wonderful cruise.
kate

Thanks Kate

Really looking forward to it but everytime I think about it I get butterflys in my tum!.
Hope weve chosen the right ship,I wanted to do an RCI but hubby wanted ocean village,let him have his own way because it was a struggle persuading him to try a cruise.
Now I,m thinking is it just for families and as we are retired worried we will feel left out.
Oh well will find out come september!
jeanie

No matter which cruise line, there won't be many families with kids on board in late Sept, so you won't feel left out .

Hi emdia

dont mind the kids, in fact have 7 grandchildren of our own who we adore.Just hope its a mixed bunch and then we will fit right in
jeanie

Hi Jeannie
I recommend you look up the "Cruise Critic" site to get all the info you will need. Go to "boards.cruisecritic.com"

Hi derekb
Took your advice and had a look at cruisecritic,what an informative site.
logged on at 12ish and still sitting there at 2pm.Going to have some lunch now I,m starving!
Thanks
Jeanie

Jeanie Cruise Critic is addictive [be warned ]
annx

It certainly is Arrond.Will be having another look later,have to go out and get a bit of shopping first,have a hubby and 2 dogs to feed!
looks like my time will be spent on this site and cruise critic,have to admit than when I book a holiday I like as much info as possible and HT is my first port of call (so to speak)
Cheers Jeanie

I think you are doing the right thing by starting with Ocean Villiage, that way you won't be spoilt for your next cruise on a more conventional cruise line. We did it it the other way round, having a Princess cruise first which was a big mistake. We did get into a dispute with Ocean Villiage over excessive noise in our room in the early hours, but this was because we were on 'A' deck which we mistakenly thought was a better deck to be on. Maybe it is , but not when located directly underneath the stern restaurant and the staircase up to the Lido deck. I'm pleased to read that you haven't made our mistakes. Have a wonderful time !

thanks Frank
perhaps you can tell me if I am likely to be seasick? have booked deck 9, cabin no c110 which is at the front.
Reading all the advice before we booked people did recommend cabins in the middle but there were none left only much lower decks,Bit paranoid about sea sickness, did a few gulet cruises round turkey a few years ago and out of 10 of us I was the only one who had to be on deck before we sailed as the smell of the engines and the ship movement made me feel ill.
Perhaps with us going september the sea wont be to choppy.
Jeanie

Well Ocean Village isn't a small ship, its 63000 tonnes and its stablised so I would think it extremely unlikely you will suffer from seasickness anywhere on the ship especially in the relatively sheltered waters of the Mediterranean. This ship is designed to cross the Atlantic and does so four times a year! Big difference between gulet cruising and cruise ship cruising, and smell of the engines ? Not on a cruise ship. You'll be fine !

We have a topic on seasickness HERE which has some useful information.

luci