Marco Polo

[momofmeg]

Just curious about this line. I understand it is small older ships-but I do not have to have luxury. I also understand this line is more popular with Europeans. I like an itinerary this line offers from Tillbury, England, to Holland, Denmark, and Norway. I am curious is to how affordable is it compared to the mass market lines like RCI, NCL, and Celebrity.

[Hlitner]

If you are speaking about the Marco Polo (the name of the ship) it is an old friend of ours. That ship has been around a very long time and must be about the oldest cruise ship in the world (its about 48 years old). We actually loved that old vessel when she was operated by Orient Cruise Lines...but this was many years ago. Since that time she has changed hands a few times and undergone upgrades in an attempt to keep her in compliance with the SOLAS (safety of life at sea) rules. We saw this ship 2 years ago when we happened to be docked next to her in Bergen, Norway and she looked to be in very good shape (at least from the outside). We suspect you will find mostly Brits on that ship. Like most old ships her interior design is weird by current standards. We used to be amused by her main showroom (not very large) that had its entrance right next to the stage.

 

Hank

[momofmeg]

If you are speaking about the Marco Polo (the name of the ship) it is an old friend of ours. That ship has been around a very long time and must be about the oldest cruise ship in the world (its about 48 years old). We actually loved that old vessel when she was operated by Orient Cruise Lines...but this was many years ago. Since that time she has changed hands a few times and undergone upgrades in an attempt to keep her in compliance with the SOLAS (safety of life at sea) rules. We saw this ship 2 years ago when we happened to be docked next to her in Bergen, Norway and she looked to be in very good shape (at least from the outside). We suspect you will find mostly Brits on that ship. Like most old ships her interior design is weird by current standards. We used to be amused by her main showroom (not very large) that had its entrance right next to the stage.

 

Hank

 

We cruised the original pacific Princess right before she was sold. We liked her quite well, even if she didn't have all the bells and whistles.

[momofmeg]

All she is listed in name is MS Marco Polo.

[momofmeg]

If you are speaking about the Marco Polo (the name of the ship) it is an old friend of ours. That ship has been around a very long time and must be about the oldest cruise ship in the world (its about 48 years old). We actually loved that old vessel when she was operated by Orient Cruise Lines...but this was many years ago. Since that time she has changed hands a few times and undergone upgrades in an attempt to keep her in compliance with the SOLAS (safety of life at sea) rules. We saw this ship 2 years ago when we happened to be docked next to her in Bergen, Norway and she looked to be in very good shape (at least from the outside). We suspect you will find mostly Brits on that ship. Like most old ships her interior design is weird by current standards. We used to be amused by her main showroom (not very large) that had its entrance right next to the stage.

 

Hank

 

Okay I went to Orient Lines here and I did find posts about MP, but no one has posted there in over a year? I guess not too popular a line on CC.

 

The cruise I was looking at is over a year from now and has no pricing listed yet but I found some cruises for this September and it looks like she is priced pretty similar to Baltics on NCL and Celebrity. Well actually NCL is cheaper and Celebrity more-but she falls in between them in her pricing. So price is fine as far as I am concerned.

[navybankerteacher]

I sailed Marco Polo in the Fall of 1996: a great itinerary from Istanbul to Kannakale (the ruins of Troy), Kusadasi (for Epesus), Santorini, Mykonos, Heraklion (Crete - for the site if Minos' palace), Rhodes and then Athens.

 

I'd love to repeat that itinerary. Marco Pollo was small by today's standards, but well laid out ( for a German Democratic Republic workers' reward ship), with very good service.

[dsrdsrdsr]

Okay I went to Orient Lines here and I did find posts about MP, but no one has posted there in over a year?

She sails with Cruises & Maritime now. See the "Other Cruise Lines" board. (Cruises & Maritime runs two ships, Marco Polo and Discovery.)

[LHT28]

Orient Lines does not have any ships since they sold the Marco polo in 2008

 

We sailed her in 2003 & in 1974 when she was the Alexandr Pushkin

It is a small ship with very small cabins unless you get one of the bigger ones it is very cozy ;)

 

They have added more cabins since we sailed so cannot imagine how much more crowed it would be ;)

[dark star]

she is still operating mainly out of tilbury but occasionally out of bristol with the discovery. they do a lot of private charter cruises that are advertized in tthe press both local and national. ship seems to have a loyal following of mainly older british passengers.