By Rusty Pickett, ECC

Orient Lines’ Marco Polo brands itself as the destination cruise line — and if there was ever a destination to go to for absolute splendor and beauty, it’s Antarctica during its brief summer.
My son Josh and I boarded the Marco Polo in Ushuaia, Patagonia, Argentina, in late December after a charter flight from the cruise/tour’s origination in Buenos Aires. Ushuaia is the starting point for most Antarctic cruises, as it’s the closest point to the Peninsula.
Orient Lines’ Antarctic Peninsula II Cruise includes two pre-cruise nights in Buenos Aires, and a city tour. (For our free day in Buenos Aires, we chose to take a worthwhile optional excursion to a nearby Gaucho Ranch for several riding demonstrations and an Argentinean BBQ lunch).
Marco Polo, at 22,000 tons, is the largest cruise ship to land passengers on the southernmost continent. By international agreement, the ship, although having capacity for 800 passengers, limits the cruisers to 500 — the most that can be landed in a single day on Antarctica.
To create the expedition experience, Orient brings aboard a team consisting of an expedition leader, assistant leader, ice master, beach master and six lecturers in various naturalist fields, from geologists to an ornithologist. These folks provide excellent lectures throughout the voyage, especially during the two sea days crossing the Drake Passage south of Cape Horn.
They also provide commentary during cruising periods and at times when the probability of viewing whales, penguins and birds is maximized. All of these wonderful people had been to Antarctica many times for study and to lead expeditions such as this.
Our first Antarctic experience came as we cruised the extinct volcano caldera of Deception Island in the South Solomon Islands. You really get a sense of the beautiful and stunning desolation.
From this picturesque adventure, the ship continues south for two days of Zodiac cruising and two Zodiac landings. Zodiac cruising is wonderful. Twelve passengers plus a boat captain and one of the naturalists raft around penguin nesting areas, sleeping seals and absolutely fantastic iceberg formations.
In the cruise preparation documentation, Orient specifies what cold weather gear you must bring and then provides you with a very warm expedition parka, yours to keep, which must be worn on all of the off-ship experiences. Cruising within feet of such spectacular animal life and ice is breathtaking. The first landing is at the Chilean Antarctic base in Paradise Harbor, where there was wonderful scenery and scores of nesting gentoo penguins, many with one or two chicks. Additionally, the Chileans run a small gift shop and will stamp your passport.
The second landing was at Half Moon Island where passemgers get up close and personal (no closer than five meters) with chinstrap penguins — again several with hungry chicks nestled under the parent. We also had the pleasure of snapping some pictures of a weddell seal, basking in the Antarctic sun.
Marco Polo, built in 1965 and refurbished several times, is a warm, comfortable small ship by today’s standards. It provides an appropriately intimate atmosphere for the 500 cruisers ranging in age from recent college graduates enjoying graduation presents, to very mature, experienced cruisers loyal to Orient Lines.
The average age, though somewhat higher than the more traditional cruises, was a good cross-section of today’s adult cruising population. They shared a preference for a destination-oriented ship, such as the Marco Polo, over the dazzle and “same-old” port stops of many other vessels.
The reception and tour staff consists of an international mix, and the cabin and table service teams are Filipino. All were exceptionally friendly. The table service staff in the buffet, Raffles Restaurant, went out of their way to be helpful.
The ship offers only inside and oceanview cabins in a variety of categories. Our Superior Inside cabin was small by today’s standards with limited storage space, but it was clean, comfortable and well maintained. The Superior Deluxe Oceanview across the passageway was very spacious and comfortable, according to one of my clients who had booked that category.
The two main public lounges, Polo Lounge and Charleston Club, and the smaller Palm Court are bright and cheery and offer great views of the passing scenery. Formal dining is in the Seven Seas Restaurant in the traditional two seatings, as well as open seating for breakfast and lunch. The buffet Raffles Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and a themed dinner every night. Raffles also offers access to the aft pool area for seating, plus the hamburger buffet and pool bar.
A variety of international dishes was offered for lunch and dinner, and, though the selection was not extensive, there was something for every taste.
The cruise offered a variety of entertainers and stage shows performed professionally within the parameters of the Ambassador Lounge’s limited stage area. Two dance hosts, dance lessons and bridge lessons provided that little extra touch. There’s also a small casino and an Internet Café.
A reasonably equipped exercise area and the spa, run by Elemis, provided the standard selection of treatments and activities, done professionally according to my son, who experienced his first hot stone massage.
Following its trans-Atlantic voyage this spring, the ship will enter an extensive month long multimillion-dollar dry-docking in Malta prior to its Mediterranean and Northern Europe season sailings. Marco Polo will undergo general maintenance during her drydock in March, including some improvements to the Ambassador Theatre.
Orient Lines has announced Marco Polo’s deployment through March 2008.
This December, the Marco Polo is offering a new 24-day voyage to Antarctica from Rio de Janeiro to Ushuaia and an 11-day Antarctic Peninsula voyage roundtrip from Ushuaia.

All in all, Marco Polo is perfect for a true destination cruise combining the ambiance and activities of the typical cruise on an intimate ship, infused with exceptional educational offerings by seasoned scientists, plus absolutely awe-inspiring scenery.
It’s virtually impossible to describe the beauty of the midnight Antarctic sunset followed by the twilight moon rise literally minutes later. For me, it was the perfect way to step onto my seventh continent.