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Note - this page contains multiple reviews.
Name: David Citron
Email: dave.citron@ibm.net
Age: 56
Occupation: Technical Services Mgr
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Orient-MarcoPolo
SailingDate: August 8, 1998
Itinerary: Istanbul to Barcelona
FoodDiningRoom: 78
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 60
CabinAmenities: 75
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 75
CabinQuietness: 70
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 98
FoodVariety: 75
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 75
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 70
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 80
BeautySalonStaff: 75
EntertainmentLounges: 86
WheelchairAccess: 75
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 88
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon: 85
EntertainmentPoolside: 75
CruiseActivities: 75
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram: 85
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 80
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 75
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 01 Sep 1998
Time: 01:03:02
Remote Name: 129.37.20.20
Remote User:
Comments
Anyone taking the Marco Polo cruise had better be doing so primarily for the itinerary (as
we did). The ports of call are excellent ¾ we enjoyed them very
much. The ship itself was disappointing. Most aspects of the cruise were mediocre at best.
This includes the food, the service, the rooms and the
management.
Meals in the main dining room were quite average in content and quality. Service seemed
quite hurried, and we frequently had to ask to have water
glasses refilled or coffee served, etc. Our dining room waiter stepped on my feet at least
three times while serving dishes to other members at our table.
We couldn't help but compare the meals on the Marco Polo to the meals that were served on
our last cruise on Sitmar's Fairsky (now the Sky Princess).
Where the Fairsky's meals were equivalent to a five star restaurant, the meals in the
dining room of the Marco Polo were more like what you might find at
the Olive Garden or Appleby's.
But the worst was yet to come as far as the dining room was concerned. Although what was
advertised and booked by us was a 15 day cruise from
Istanbul to Barcelona, in reality we found that it was two back to back cruises from
Istanbul to Rome and from Rome to Barcelona. This wouldn't have
been important, except that during the second half of the cruise from Rome to Barcelona we
learned that 3Com Corp. had chartered half the ship and
had arranged to have late seating for 3Com employees only. We were told that we would now
have early seating and, and in spite our (and several other
passengers') complaints to the maitre de, restaurant manager, hotel manager, and captain
we were told that it was early seating or we could have our
dinners at the very mediocre buffet. Since we normally eat our dinners late, and shore
excursions frequently ended late in the afternoon, we took all of
our meals in the buffet from Rome to Barcelona.
Our standard inside room was extremely tiny. We learned that other passengers had received
upgrades to outside rooms in exchange for early booking
even though they booked after we did. We later learned that the reason we weren't upgraded
to a outside Room is because 3Com Corp. had booked all
the outside rooms for the second half of the cruise. Those passengers receiving the
upgrades had only booked the first half of the cruise. Once we had
repairs made to the bathroom door and the closet doors, which were falling off their
hinges, the room was adequate since we didn't spend that much
time in it anyway. This was a good thing, too since there were no windows of course, and
television reception was exceedingly poor.
The included hotel stays at both ends of the cruise were quite nice. The hotel in
Barcelona was certainly a superior class hotel. The Hotel Condes de
Barcelona was located in the center of town, our room was very modern, more like a suite,
with beautiful furniture and a bath of marble and glass.
Shore excursions for the most part were well done but we were disappointed in the tour
guides a couple of times. Our guide for the tour of Monaco told
us more about current events than she did about any historical aspects of the tour. She
had what I at first thought was a bigoted attitude, but soon
learned was merely a superior attitude over anyone from outside Monaco. She even pointed
out the numbering scheme on auto license plates that could
show a car came from outside Monaco, and used that indication to account for the driver's
poor driving habits. In contrast, an excellent guide who
described the history and surroundings during our bus ride through Tuscany led our
excursion to Florence, and gave us a delightful tour although
limited, of the sites in Florence. This type of cruise provides a quick overview of many
delightful ports of call, and the opportunity to determine those you
want to explore further on a return visit. By necessity, the shore excursions tended to be
quite hurried, leaving some passengers with the desire to see
and learn more and some passengers exhausted. The best thing about this type of cruise is
that you can see many ports and many sights without having
to pack and unpack, and without having to worry about travel connections and wasting time
traveling when you can be sightseeing instead.
Name: Susan Underwood
Email: scu@uwoodtravel.com
Age: 53
Occupation: Finance/Travel Agent
NumberOfCruises: 14
TravelAgent: Yes
Ship: Orient-MarcoPolo
SailingDate: 9/9/98
Itinerary: Italy & Aegean
FoodDiningRoom: 98
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 98
FoodRoomService: 100
CruiseStaff: 100
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 100
FoodVariety: 98
DeckService: 98
ShoreExcValue: 98
GoodForHoneymoon: 85
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram: 100
MedicalFacilities: 100
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 98
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 12 Nov 1998
Time: 18:20:22
Remote Name: 204.94.209.1
Remote User:
Comments
I took a group on this cruise. Everyone was very pleased. I was a little worried because
it was an
older ship what it would be like. The ship is gorgeous. It is the cleanest ship I have
ever been on.
The staff was great. They got to know you by name and was always coming up and asking how
you were doing. My husband had some medical problems and the nurses and doctor were
spectacular. Prices were very reasonable. If you had to go back to the doctor, you were
not
charged. It was considered a follow up visit. I was impressed. Getting off and on the ship
was
great. When I got back on the ship after being on a day excursion, my card did not scan
properly. The ship did not leave until they were assured that I was back on board. I
didn't even
know that there was a problem. Food was superb. They presented it beautifully. Not many
times
does the head waiter come around to your table. This ship was an exception. The head
waiter
was there every night asking how everything was and fixing the special desserts. A lot of
the
people on the ship were repeat travelers. That also impressed me. With all the different
cruise
ships out there and new destinations, there is really no reason to go on the same ship
twice.
When people do, it is because they were really impressed.
I am already working on another group cruise with them for 1999. I would not hesitate
putting my
best clients on this ship. I would feel that they would be properly taken care of and that
they
would be as impressed as I was with the ship, the staff and the itinerary. If you get a
chance to
go, please do so, you won't be sorry.
The one negative factor is for honeymooners. There are very few cabins with double beds.
If you
are a honeymooner, make sure that the sleeping arrangements that you want are available
before
you book
Name: Vaso Bovan
Email: vaso_bovan@compuserve.com
Age: 45
Occupation: Electronics Engineer
NumberOfCruises: 20+
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Orient-MarcoPolo
SailingDate: January 18/98 - February 11/98
Itinerary: Antarctic Circumnavigation
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 85
CruiseStaff: 88
CabinAmenities: 88
FoodLidoDeck: 89
DiningRoomService: 89
CabinQuietness: 88
FoodMidnightBuffets: 88
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 100
GoodForHoneymoon: 85
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 87
LoungeService: 93
TenderService: 98
GoodForSeniors: 96
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 93
WheelchairAccess: 75
ExerciseFacilities: 88
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities: 93
ShipCleanliness: 93
EmbarkDisembark: 89
DiscoNightclubs: 86
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 96
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 08 Mar 1999
Time: 03:30:14
Remote Name: sfr-qbu-pqq-vty23.as.wcom.net
Remote User:
Comments
MARCO POLO - ANTARCTIC CIRCUMNAVIGATION (Penguins Ripped My Flesh)
This is a report on Orient Cruise Lines' ship 'Marco Polo.' This review details Marco
Polo's Jan18-Feb11/88 cruise
from Argentina to New Zealand via the Antarctic.
The Marco Polo is a destination-oriented 'soft adventure' cruise ship which
circumnavigates the world in the course
of one calendar year. This ship typically offers several cruises in a given area before
moving on to another area.
For instance the Marco Polo repositions from Cape Town to Buenos Aires in December, then
offers several cruises
from Ushuaia, Argentina to the Antarctic Peninsula before doing a 'circumnavigation' of
Antarctica for repositioning
to New Zealand waters. I boarded the ship in Ushuaia for the
'circumnavigation/repositioning' cruise.
The Marco Polo is comfortable and well-maintained. Hotel and restaurant staff is Filipino.
Officers are European
(mainly Greek or Scandinavian). Cruise staff is British/Commonwealth. This is a happy ship
- most of the officers
and crew have been with Orient for many years and they all do their job very competently.
Cabins are comfortable
and roomy enough for extended cruising. Entertainment is adequate but nothing special.
David Lawton - the
resident Cruise Director - is very good in all his duties but he really should learn some
new jokes. Prepare to hear
the one about throwing the wrong ...female dog... out the train window. Cuisine is better
than adequate but
perhaps not as good as it used to be - certainly not up to Celebrity Cruise Lines
standard, by comparison. The
special strength of the Marco Polo is not food, accommodations, or entertainment (though
these are of luxury ship
standard) - it is the ship's series of interesting and unusual itineraries.
My complaints are minor: Cabin shower curtains are all about a centimetre too short - so
water invariably splashes
out of the shower stall. The casino slot/poker machines are not well-maintained. Several
are broken, and the
payoff tables are confiscatory. You will lose all your money very quickly with these
slot/poker machines. Steiner
runs its usual worthless medical quackery on board - spa 'detoxification' treatments, etc
- but these are
international waters and there is an endless supply of gullible women on board who buy
these treatments. I have a
minority opinion on this medical scams issue. Lastly, smoking should be banned from all
restaurant areas.
Currently it is allowed in half the Lido ('Raffles') buffet restaurant but this
arrangement stinks up the rest of the
buffet restaurant. Interestingly, most of the smokers are ship's officers and cruise staff
- not passengers.
A word might be said about an extraordinary difference between two sets of women staffers:
The cocktail
waitresses are all Filipina - beautiful, well-mannered, attractively dressed. The English
women - mainly in the
casino, boutiques and spa are - with few exceptions - a cruder bunch. The English staff
women all smoke and most
seem to prefer raccoon eye-makeup in garish industrial colors.
The usual passenger load for the Marco Polo is 825-875 passengers. Orient limits the
passenger load to 425 for
Antarctic cruises. Landings to shore sites are usually made in Zodiacs (inflatable boats).
It is difficult to transport
more than about 450 passengers and staff in the course of a scheduled landing, even with
six Zodiacs going full
time. Weather can turn quickly in the Antarctic so landings are usually planned for one
morning or one afternoon.
Another justification is the restriction (for environmental protection reasons) of the
number of passengers that can
be ashore at any given time. The Scott and Shackleton huts - for instance - are restricted
to about ten visitors at a
time. Lastly, there are real limitations in ship's systems. Water desalination (osmosis)
proceeds more slowly with
cold water intake, so fresh water is always in short supply on an Antarctic cruise. The
ship's laundry was shut down
several times to conserve water. The small passenger load necessarily means that the price
of Antarctic cruises is
higher than for other Marco Polo itineraries. Per diems for Antarctic cruises start at
around $250.
The Marco Polo attracts experienced and inquisitive passengers looking for unusual
itineraries - Carnival Cruise
Lines' party riff-raff will typically not be interested. On this cruise, passengers came
from around the world -
perhaps 40% USA, 45% British/South African/Canadian/New Zealand, and 15% from elsewhere.
Passengers were
typically 'late career professionals' or were retired, but this is not an exclusively
monied passenger list - I met a pair
of 35ish British spinsters celebrating their 'redundancy' from government jobs, a Scottish
truck driver, and several
self-described impecunious bird watchers looking for the experience of a lifetime. Some
passengers were really too
old for this kind of cruising and imposed their frailty and disabilities on ship's staff
and on other passengers. In my
view it is inappropriate and unfair for near-invalid passengers with canes to attempt
Zodiac landings - and yet
several insisted. On the other hand, there were several spirited octogenarians who
scampered ashore as fast as
anyone, so age by itself is no barrier. People interested in adventure cruising should
really do it while they are still
young and physically able.
Passengers were gathered from Northern Hemisphere hometowns to Miami, usually with an
overnight hotel stay
near Miami airport. Orient chartered a Tower Air jet for the flight from Miami to Ushuaia
(via a short stopover in
Buenos Aires). The plane was about eight hours late. We boarded the ship uneventfully, and
settled in for a
two-day crossing of the notorious Drake's Passage to the Antarctic Peninsula. Normally
this is a very rough stretch
of water, but we were lucky. Seas were relatively calm and the ship's motion - while more
than passengers
experience in the Caribbean - was quite tolerable.
On the Antarctic Peninsula, we stopped at several sites and went ashore by Zodiac to visit
penguin rookeries and a
Chilean Base. At one rookery we saw a huge whale skeleton. I was surprised by the high
numbers of wildlife in
Antarctica. Penguins were everywhere. Weddell and Crab Eater seals were abundant, and
every concentration of
penguins seemed to have a resident (carnivorous) leopard seal. Minke and killer whales
were often spotted.
Between landings the Marco Polo cruised fjords and sounds of the most exquisite beauty. If
pack ice threatened
the ship a helicopter was sent ahead to find the best course. Unfortunately the helicopter
was only used for
scouting - there was not enough aviation fuel on board to offer helicopter rides to the
passengers.
The 'Antarctic Circumnavigation' cruise is really two cruises - the days spend in the
Antarctic Peninsula area and
the days spend in the Ross Sea area. (The 'circumnavigation' is really only a 100 degree
partial circumnavigation).
These sections are separated by nine straight days at sea cruising from the first area to
the second. Nine days at
sea was perhaps too much. The idea was to go far north to avoid pack ice, cruise west,
then cut directly south
through the Ross Sea to McMurdo Sound. Some passengers thought the ship's course was too
conservative, and
a day could have been cut off the passage by cruising closer to the pack ice. However, the
ship's Master was not
inclined to take unnecessary risks.
Days at sea were not boring. Orient arranged an excellent series of lectures - two or
three lectures per day. The
lecturers were recognized experts in Antarctic matters - biologists, geologists,
explorers, historians, etc. Sir
Edmund Hillary lectured on his Everest expedition and on his South Pole journey via farm
tractors. Lectures were
intriguing: eg 'Penguin Prostitution and Extra-Mate Coupling - Leaving Pebbles on the
Nightstand.' Famed
astronomer Patrick Moore lectured on Astronomy and Sky Viewing (though we were in 24hr
daylight for much of
the cruise, and the sky was overcast at all other times). A historian did a series of
lectures on early Antarctic
explorers - Scott, Shackleton, Ronne, etc. Edith Ronne - wife of American explorer Finn
Ronne, and the first
woman to overwinter in the Antarctic - was aboard and gave several lectures. The Ross Sea
area is the most
southerly coast of the Antarctic continent and early polar expeditions were usually
launched inland from this coast.
The huts used by the early explorers are still intact, and one of the highlights of the
cruise was the opportunity to
visit the Scott and Shackleton huts. These were fascinating and haunted places. The huts
were as the explorers
had left them - boots stacked by the entrance, animal skin sleeping bags on wooden slats,
woolen socks hanging
to dry by the stove, newspapers on the table from 1911, cans of unopened food such as
Coleman's Flour, Fry's
Cocoa, Heinz Sauce, hay for the expedition ponies in a manger outside, etc. The
still-active and steaming Mt.
Erebus volcano towered above both huts.
Incidentally, the lecturers were uniformly critical of Greenpeace, especially the
biologists. The expressions most
often heard in public and in private was that Greenpeace was meddlesome, fanatical, and
perfectly willing to lie to
the public to further its political goals. At most, Greenpeace was given grudging
recognition for being expert at
manipulating the news media.
We approached McMurdo Sound by cruising parallel to the great Ross Ice Shelf, two hundred
metres or so
off-shore. The Ross Ice Shelf edge is a steep 30 metre high cliff 'floating' on the Ross
Sea and extending hundreds
of kilometres in each direction. At McMurdo Sound there are two bases: New Zealand's Scott
Base and the USA's
McMurdo Station. Each summer, a USA icebreaker maintains a narrow channel from the icepack
edge to the two
land bases. However, the icebreaker is not obligated to assist civilian ships. The Marco
Polo is ice-rated and could
navigate the channel even if the channel is moderately clogged with 'growler/burgerbits'
ice, but ships needs to
turn around in a 'turning basin' at the McMurdo Station dockside in order to transit back
through the channel bow
first. The day we were there an ice floe had broken free and impeded ships turning in the
basin. Macro Polo's
Master decided it was too risky to maneuver around the floe. It would have taken the USA
icebreaker - Polar Seas -
less than half an hour to move or crush the ice floe, but it did nothing, so the Marco
Polo could not visit McMurdo
Station. This created a lot of ill-feeling among American passengers on the Marco Polo. We
were told later than the
USA Antarctic program administration is deliberately unhelpful to non-official Antarctic
visitors such as cruise ships.
This contrasted with the Italian attitude. The Marco Polo was warmly greeted by the
Italians at their Terra Nova
Station, and passengers were given a tour of the Italian base and were served coffee and
cookies. Italy won a lot
of new friends that day. The American attitude - while regrettable - was rational. The USA
presence is by far the
biggest in the Antarctic. When things go wrong, it is the Americans who are called to the
rescue. The day before
we arrived, a Russian icebreaker/expedition ship - the Kapitan Khlebnikov - had landed a
hundred passengers at
McMurdo Station. One of the passengers suffered a heart attack during the landing. The
American authorities at
McMurdo were obliged to hurry the departure of a C-130 cargo plane to take the passenger
to a hospital in New
Zealand.
Even in the Antarctic summer, temperatures are usually near or below freezing and the wind
is often blowing
40km/hr or more. Add to this a stiff breeze caused by the speed of the open deck Zodiacs;
landings can be quite
cold. Marco Polo passengers were all issued red parkas 'to distinguish us from the
penguins.' The parkas were
ours to take home. Passengers were advised to bring high boots because Zodiacs often
approached steep
beaches with shin-deep water between Zodiac and firm ground. At each penguin rookery some
ship's crew were
stationed at the Zodiac landing site to scrub passengers' boots free of guano after their
visits to the rookery. The
worst job on the ship - a little guano goes a long way...
Eventually the Marco Polo turned north to New Zealand. During this four-day transit, we
experienced the worst
weather of the cruise - gale force winds and snow storms. Seas were heavy and several
evening shows were
cancelled because of the ship's motion. The ship had one particularly bad incident due to
a freak wave which
caught the ship with its bow still down from the previous wave. A huge wall of water broke
over the bow and did
extensive damage to equipment stored on the forward open deck.
I rate this cruise/journey the best I've ever taken - rivalled only by an India to Greece
'Voyage To Antiquity' cruise
I'd previously taken on the Marco Polo. Orient Cruise Lines did everything right on this
Antarctic cruise - down to
very small details. An example: one night's evening meal on the Marco Polo was a
duplication of the farewell dinner
served in 1910 to Captain Robert Scott's crew in the port of Cardiff, Wales just prior to
his ill-fated last Antarctica
voyage. The Marco Polo's evening entertainment that night was a moving recital of the
diary entries of Captain
Scott and his men as they reached the South Pole only to find Roald Amundsen's Norwegian
expedition had got
there a month earlier. Their diaries chronicled the party's desperate attempts to return
to the hut on the coast
before food and fuel ran out. Scott failed. He and his party of five men died in the snow,
leaving only their diaries
and photographic film as evidence of their suffering.
-Vaso Bovan
Name: Joel Packman
Email: jpackman@chesint.net
Age: 53
Occupation: Computer Systems Analyst
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Orient-MarcoPolo
SailingDate: May 30, 1999
Itinerary: Istanbul to Rome
FoodDiningRoom: 88
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 100
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 100
GoodForSeniors: 100
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 75
AirSeaProgram: 100
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 75
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 20 Jun 1999
Time: 13:16:59
Remote Name: dial33.chesint.net
Remote User:
Comments
This was our fifth cruise, the second in Europe.
Transfers from the airport, tours, and transfer to the ship were handled speedily and
efficiently.
Accomodations at the Conrad Hilton in Istanbul were wonderful. The addtional dinner in
Instabul for $68
per person was well worth the price. The wine poured all evening, the food was excellent,
and the
entertainment, especially the belly dancers were very good. We both would have liked
another day there.
The cruise itself was enjoyable. My wife and I prefer ships of this size to the larger
ones. We took a
category A cabin on the starboard side of Main Deck due to the restricted views on the Sky
Deck. Beds
was made into a queen size and the cabin also had a love seat and refrigerator (with
complimentary wine
included). We were at the late sitting for dinner at a table for six. Our table mates were
very congenial and
well traveled. We have never taken a cruise on a ship with only resturant style dinning
and really don't
think we would enjoy it as much.
If you are into ancient history the ports of call and excursions are very good. Just be
prepared to do a lot
of walking on uneven surfaces. My wife wanted to go on this cruise to see the Greek
Islands. After the trip
she admitted the excursions to Ephesus in Kusadasi, Malta, and Pompeii in Sorrento were
more intersting
than Mykonos and Santorini.
If I one complaint about the cruise it is that they should put a warning about soot from
the stacks blowing
onto the jacuzzi area. Either that or filter the stacks. Both my bathing suit and terry
cloth shirt got really
dirty the evening we left Santorini.
Debarkation at the port of Civitavecchia for Rome went smoothly. However, checking into
the hotel (Berini
Bristol) did not. We got there at 12 noon to find that most of the rooms were not ready
yet. There was also
confusion as to whether or not lunch was included prior to the sightseeing trip that
afternoon (it wasn't).
My wife and I ate a light lunch at an outside cafe across from the hotel since the hotel's
dinning room was
not open for lunch on Sunday. Our room was still not ready when we departed on the tour at
2PM. Since
this is an apparent occurence in Rome I would suggest that instead of hanging around the
ship until 10AM
debarkation and the tour could be done earlier and by the time the tour was finished the
rooms would be
ready. A very nice buffet breakfast was included for the two mornings we were in Rome.
Transfer to the
airport went like check-in, an hour late. But we made it to the airport with plenty of
time to spare and the
trip home took a lot less time then the trip going over.
I highly recommend this cruise to others and would not hesitate taking the Marco Polo to
other
destinations.
Name: David Blum
Email: docsdetail@aol.com
Age: 52
Occupation: health professional
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Orient-MarcoPolo
SailingDate: Aug 13
Itinerary: Greek Isles & Italy
Cabin: 220
FoodDiningRoom: 88
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 92
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 88
FoodLidoDeck: 88
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets: 75
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 88
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 92
ShoreExcValue: 75
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService: 99
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 82
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 92
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 99
EmbarkDisembark: 99
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 92
Stabilization: 99
ShopsOnBoard: 75
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 26 Aug 1999
Time: 18:36:35
Remote Name: spider-ti024.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:
Comments
For our first cruise, my wife and I selected the Marco Polo, primarily for its itinery.
The package offered was very
attractive to us and reviews and ratings were favorable.
Residing in the Philadelphia area, we decided to depart and return from JFK airport in NY.
Any travel from Philly
would require a connection and layover and we prefer to travel directly. Our flight to
Istanbul, on Turkish Airlines,
was one of the finest I have experienced. The cabin crew were attentive, the meals were
better than most.
Upon arrival in Turkey, Orient Lines attendants were there to direct us to your bus for
transfer to the hotel. It was
very timely and efficient.
Our Hotel in Istanbul, The Golden Tulip Eresin Topkapi was beautiful. The six year old
facility was on one of the main
Streets with access to the trolley almost at the door. The hotel is located just inside
the walls of the old city. This
facility absolutely deserved its 5 star rating.
Transfer to the Marco Polo was as organized as could be. We were picked up on time and had
less than a 10 minute
wait on the air conditioned bus before boarding and immediately being led to our cabin by
our steward. The cabin
appeared very small - remember, we have nothing to compare - but attractive and in superb
condition. There was
excellent storage space in a double dresser and closet.
The cruise was marvelous! The staff was friendly, available and accommodating. The waiter
was incredible. My wife
wanted to bring him home with us. The food was very good. Being diabetic, I watch what I
eat, and at every meal
there were "Healthy Choice" items. Personally, I would prefer a little more
variety, but I was completely satisfied with
the offerings for all meals. The buffets in "Raffles" were equally attractive
and varied.
Disembarcation or tendering at all ports was very organized and there were no delays in
getting ashore or returning
to the ship.
In Rome, we were transferred to our hotel, The Cicerone. Presently being renovated, the
hotel was more than
adequate. The rooms were large, fairly clean, reasonably appointed. The location was
excellent.
Connections to the airport were as well organized as all other transfers. The only
negative about the entire trip was
the return flight on Alitalia. Compared to what we had become accustomed to, the aircraft,
the crew and the
organization was definitely lacking.
In summary, we had a tremendous experience. We can't immagine a more pleasant environment
on any ship, with
any crew. Would we go on the Marco Polo again? Just say when!
Name: Joel P. Smith
Email: joelps@ix.netcom.com
Age: 68
Occupation: cable television
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Orient-MarcoPolo
SailingDate: September 26, 1999
Itinerary: Turkey, Greek Islands, Italy, Malta
Cabin: 235/Outside
FoodDiningRoom: 93
CruiseDirector:
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 85
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 88
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 82
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities: 90
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 92
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 08 Oct 1999
Time: 15:18:53
Remote Name: har-tx1-10.ix.netcom.com
Remote User:
Comments
Overall, we were very pleased. The most negative aspect was a pre-cruise condition. It was
the lack of ability of
their Florida staff to answer questions; they seemed to be poorly trained along with being
uniformed. This did not
impact upon the quality of the cruise once aboard, however.
Checking in was easy and fast. One surrendered his passport and was immediately shown to
the cabin, the whole
process taking about three minutes. Disembarkation, although taking longer because of the
baggage, was similarly
efficient.
The dining room food was splendidly prepared, presented and served.
The personnel, with the exception of the shore excursion desk people, were friendly and
efficient. The excursion
desk people, for some reason, uniformly had a rather unpleasant and superior attitude.
The shows, although short of being Broadway caliber, were very entertaining and
enthusiastic.
The cabin was large and comfortable compared to our two other cruises.
There was a refreshing lack of commercialism; i.e., the ship was not constantly selling
wine, jewelry, clothing, etc. at
every opportunity.
There was ample room in the public areas to accommodate all the ship could sleep.
The entire experience was very pleasing--low key and not frenetic. We would reccommend it
to anyone who does
not want a frenetic, hyperactive experience.
Name: Roger LeBlanc
Email: dlrl@together.net
Age: 44
Occupation: business owner
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Orient-MarcoPolo
SailingDate: June 1999
Itinerary: Grand Med. Barcelona-Athens
Cabin: 635/I
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 80
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 100
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 50
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 50
LoungeService: 80
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors: 80
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 75
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 75
CruiseActivities: 75
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 95
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 75
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 75
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 26 Oct 1999
Time: 10:51:45
Remote Name: dial-64-tnt-btvt-01.ramp.together.net
Remote User:
Comments
This being our first cruise makes it difficult, if not impossible, to grade some aspects
of our cruise. Comments and
grades are mostly based on expectations which were formed by reading reviews and comments
written by others. We
flew Lufthansa out of Boston and were very pleased. They pushed food and drink on us like
we were paying for it.
Embark and disembark went smoothly and were uneventful. Our room was very small(108
sq.ft.)but we knew this as I
researched all aspects of our cruise. The ship, like our room, was small but quite cozy
and comfortable. Our room
location was fantastic. We were mid-ship on the Promenade Deck-short jaunts to the dining
room, casino, jacuzzis and
other amnenities. I had read some negative reviews of the food but found it to be very
good to outstanding. The menu
was not large but varied enough to be interesting and offer something for all tastes and
moods. Service was uneven at
best. Sometimes responsive and timely and other times very slow. This cruise is itinerary
driven and a great itinerary it
is. Just lots of great sites to choose from. The toughest decision was in Sorrento. We
chose the Amalfi coast drive over
Pompeii. It would of been nice to do both but we loved the scenic drive along the coast- a
must see. Entertainment was
better than expected but not something we had to do everynight. We spent most(OK all) of
our nights in the small
casino. We had a great time with the casino workers who were great to put up with our
nonsense(we were sober).
Cruise director, staff and onboard activities were fine but we didn't find that to be a
pressing need. Overall we had a
great first cruise and would love to try a bigger ship but really liked the size of the
Marco Polo. There were no negatives
that would make us not consider sailing her again. As A matter of fact I'm checking out
specials for spring of 2000.
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