AB OM/A specifically mentions only the first turn after take off (no lower than 400 ft), there is no other limit for turns in the manual. Visual patterns are normal training items during simulator training, visual approaches are flown whenever possible.
And as airberlin does only operate in MFF (A320/A330) each pilot usually has quite a bit more recency in approaches and visual approaches than your run of the mill pure longhaul pilot. Manual flight without autothrust is the norm for approach, raw data heavily encouraged and quite often used. Just checking over the last month or so i have around 35 to 40% of my approaches with FDs on, only one with autohrust and that was a CAT IIIb approach.