2013 © Copyright Debbie King. All rights reserved.
M/S Marco Polo vital statistics
Company: Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV)
Home Port: Nassau, Bahamas
Gross Tonnage: 22,080 tons
Cruising Speed: 16.5 knots
Passenger Capacity: 826
Passenger Decks: 8
Built: 1965
Voyages sailed on this ship: Mediterranean (2001),
Antarctica (2006), Scottish Islands (2012)
Read my 2012 review of the Marco Polo on
cruisecritic.co.uk. While you’re in the mood for reading,
why not read about our trip in my blog.
Ah... the Marco Polo. There is so much to say about
this little old ship, built in 1965 as the ‘Alexander Pushkin’.
With her classic shape, wooden decks, teak and brass
fittings and portholes, she is a proper ship with a charm all
of her own that has her loyal passengers flocking back for
more. We ourselves have been on three voyages on the
Marco Polo; the first two when she was owned by Orient
Lines (bought out by NCL) and most recently as one of the
CMV fleet.
Marco Polo has an ice-strengthened hull, a helicopter pad
and can carry Zodiac inflatable craft which allow her to
venture deep into the Arctic and Antarctic. Many of the
photos on this page were taken on our amazing 2006
voyage to Antarctica. As well as viewing my Gallery,
download my PowerPoint slideshow featuring the Marco
Polo (and a lot of penguins!)
The pleasant aft decks and pool area of the Marco
Polo, viewed from one of the cascading decks leading
from Scott’s Bar. This photo was taken in May 2012
on our cruise round the Scottish islands.
Cabin 602 on Deck 9, Amundsen Deck. As you can
see, it’s a “no frills” cabin but it was spacious, clean
and comfortable. It was situated two decks below the
bridge and was unusual in that the window over
looked the bow and faced the direction of travel (see
photo of view on right).
The statue of Rudolf Nureyev
overlooking the swimming pool reminds
us of the Marco Polo’s Russian origins
when she was built in 1965.
Marco Polo at anchor in the stunning ice-scape of
Paradise Harbour, during our 2006 Antarctic expedition.
Here we see the ship in her Orient Lines livery. Marco
Polo was sold in 2008 when Orient Lines was bought
out by NCL, but she is still going strong as part of the
CMV fleet.
Intrepid British explorers, a.k.a. Debbie and Trevor, fly
the flag at the Chilean research station at Paradise
Harbour on 17 January 2006.
Spot the colony of Gentoo penguins in the background!
As one of the expedition leaders described Paradise
Harbour:
"Not a paradise with palm trees, but a breathtaking
beauty from the sublime ice-bergs to the backdrop of
mountains and glaciers one is able to see here in the
bay."
The Marco Polo at anchor off Cuverville Island,
Antarctica in January 2006. We had to be careful
when in the Zodiac inflatables not to risk colliding with
the many icebergs floating past.
One of the expedition leaders helps me out of a Zodiac
on landing at Half Moon Island on 18 January 2006.
Everyone was issued with official expedition parkas,
life-jackets etc. and you had to come equipped with
thermal undies, hats and gloves; in addition,
waterproof over-trousers and wellingtons were a must.
You can see why!
Here I am on board the Marco Polo reading my copy of
“Glamour” magazine.
Why, I hear you ask, am I standing reading Glamour
instead of gazing at the stunning scenery? Well, each
month Glamour invites its readers to participate in a
competition called 'Glamour-to-Go' in which readers
send in photos of themselves reading Glamour in a
glamorous location.
I figured that Antarctica was as unusual a location as
you could get, so I sent in my picture which was
published, winning me a digital camera!
Official photo taken on our September 2001
Mediterranean cruise from Civitavecchia to Barcelona.
Orient Lines promotional postcard from 2001 given
to Marco Polo passengers.