Company Overview
Orient Lines, founded in 1991, and under the ownership of Norwegian Cruise Lines until 2008, spent years building and enforcing its good reputation as a cruise line for people who love one thing, sailing to exotic destinations in the classic style of ocean liner cruising.
In July of 2008, Orient Lines was about to just disappear as its last remaining ship, the original Marco Polo, was transferred to Star Cruises. Then cruise industry entrepreneur, Wayne Heller, founder of Cruises Only, bought the name Orient lines and acquired a different ship to carry on the Orient tradition. They purchased a German-built ship that sailed most of her life for a Russian cruise line and was then dubbed the Maxim Gorky. Heller re-dubbed her the Marco Polo II.
Billing itself as the "Destination Cruise Specialist," for good reason, the line never had more than two ships and most of its years got by with only one, the Marco Polo (the first), a fitting moniker. This adventurous little ship, a mere 22,000 tons and built in 1965, packed in 826 passengers and managed to circunavigate the globe every year. Heller is carrying on that tradition with Marco Polo II, a larger and roomier ship at 25,000-tons and only 650 passengers.
In summer of 2008, Heller relocated Orient to Celebration Florida (close of Disney Cruise Lines), most likely at the behest of new company president Bruce Nierenberg who was the first to home port a cruise line at Port Canaveral when he headed up the successful Premier Lines in the 1980s. Nierenberg is a cruise industry icon with excellent marketing vision. He was responsible for NCL buying the Norway, an outlandishly large ship for cruising at the time it was acquired. He also invented the "private island" concept while at NCL.
Marco Polo II has most of its 2009 season in Europe adventuring all the way from the North Cape of Norway to Cairo, Egypt. Eventually, in November 2009, the ship makes a trans-Atlantic journey to Rio de Janiero, and will spend our winter months in the warmth of South America's summer season. Trips to Antarctica will be scheduled.
Most of the line's itineraries are port-intensive "one-way" cruises that almost never repeat. They feature more ports per itinerary, more time in each port and more overnight stays than most other cruise lines.
Orient line, working with a number of dedicated travel agents who sell this ship almost religiously, creates vacation packages where the ship itinerary is the highlight, but air and hotel are added into the package, as well as add-on sightseeing excursions.
The Orient Experience:
When it comes to bang for the buck, Orient places near the top of nearly everyone's list, taking its passengers to exotic destinations in a classy (and older, so one can also say "classic") vessel with terrific food at a relatively low price. On most cruises they invite esteemed lecturers aboard.
Fellow Passengers:
If you even meet anyone on board who has never cruised before, at least they are almost invariably well traveled. Most Mediterranean cruisers are between 40 and 50 age group; the passengers on most other itineraries are usually older.
Orient's low occupancy rate makes it popular with singles. Its urbane gentleman hosts make it popular with single women of a certain age. The line offers a very reasonable, low-cost single's supplement.
In October of 2008 they announced price reductions of up to 40% on all of their cruise to "refelect the current economic climate."
Shore Excursions:
They're well organized and fairly priced.
Taking The Kids:
Marco Polo has no facilities or programs specifically for kids.
Tipping:
For your convenience, gratuities of $11 per guest per day are automatically added to your shipboard account. Guest may adjust gratuities at their sole discretion.
