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Wednesday, May 30, 2012


The Kimberley on Orion Expedition Cruises - April 2012 


Hi Everyone,

KVI Travel's agent in Australia, Carrie Stalbow, has just returned from an adventure aboard an Orion Expedition cruise.  Here is her excellent review!


A review by Carrie Stalbow
 

Sailing on the Orion could be thought of as an Expedition, rather than a cruise; and guests could think of themselves as Adventurers, rather than tourists.

To view my photo gallery please click here:
Run your mouse over the photos to see comments or double click to open in full.

How would I describe the Kimberley?

Truly awesome, rugged, surprising, secretive, huge, remote (We had no mobile phone signal for 10 days!), hot, dry, isolated, dangerous and all at once beautiful, red, natural, ancient, ecological, historic, silent, adventurous, challenging and a photographer or artist’s dream come true.  The Kimberley is incomprehensively vast – 3 times the size of England or you could fit all of Germany or Texas inside it. We got the feeling that we have gone to another planet, as we don’t see any other proof of human life-form, no tourists, no other sailing vessels, no buildings, no distant shore lights at night, only the Aboriginal Rock Art, which could have been painted by Martians for all we know! The Kimberley is totally unique to Australia.

Seeing the Kimberley from the Orion – simply stunning; our best cruise experience to date!

Why did we book on the Orion?

We were desperate to go away, and being a cruise specialist, I had plenty of information at my fingertips.  We had long dreamed of doing a Kimberley expedition on the Orion after being seduced at one of their promotional presentations. In fact all their exotic and remote destinations are on our “Bucket List”. I was lucky enough to secure a good rate on the very last cabin (a Junior Suite!) for the Kimberley cruise departing 13 April, which meant that we didn’t have to bother with international flights. We flew from Sydney to Darwin; we booked a few nights post cruise in Broome at Cable Beach Resort (highly recommended) and Perth, flying home from there. What a great decision and it will go down as one of our most memorable holidays ever.

What is life like onboard the Orion?

Let’s start with the specs for the “boaties” amongst you...take a look at the MV Orion description page http://www.orionexpeditions.com/ship/orion/ship

She is small, elegant, and the feeling I got when stepping aboard, was one of ownership…so this is what it’s like to be a billionaire with your own private mega-yacht, highly skilled crew at your disposal, tempting you to culinary delights, and spoiling you with exquisite comfort.  At the gangway, Captain Vincent (a 35yr old Frenchman) was there to personally greet us and we immediately felt at home.  We are very happy with our cabin; it is stunning, very roomy and stylish, wood finishes in a very traditional boat style and as we are in the bow, our ceiling slopes down over our bed heads...just like the forward cabin on a private yacht! It doesn’t take long to find your way around the Orion, being only 7 decks and 100 metres long, and there is just one of everything you need…one dining room, one tiny gym, one tiny reception, one tiny library, one tiny hair/beauty salon, one tiny shop, one massage room, one lecture theatre, actually 2 lounges and deck seating areas, one Jacuzzi on deck. If you need showgirls and casinos – forget it; this is not the cruise for you. However, the entertainment duo, Kathy and Terry were very versatile, lulling us with mellow music to sip cocktails to in the lounge; inspiring us to the dance floor with lively Rock n Roll numbers on the deck, testing our brains with quizzes, and coordinating the fabulous crew show at the end of the trip.

The ship has a very casual feel about it, and mostly we were in shorts and T-shirts, no formal nights, just “smart casual”. No ships’ photographers snapping at you and selling you over-priced mug-shots. Nor do they push drinks at you; drinks are reasonable, and there is a Wine Package available.  The atmosphere is one of a private party to which everyone is invited and participates.

We go to “school” every day to the lecture theatre, where the expedition team does an excellent job of educating us on the region; its history, fascinating geology, evolution, culture and Aboriginal art history; what we are likely to see and even how to take the best photos. The expeditions are organized with efficiency and flexibility, and the witty and animated team whips us into an excited frenzy for the next days’ adventures. Camaraderie develops amongst guests sharing challenges, achievements and fishing prowess.

For more details on the ship, see http://www.orionexpeditions.com

Who are the passengers on board?

Our fellow passengers are people of exceptional character and spirit with a healthy thirst for knowledge, a down to earth, unassuming, friendly and relaxed manner, and we feel more like we are having a private party with them on our own boat. There was a spread of age groups, ranging from a 21 yr old student travelling with his mum, to a spritely 93 year old lady who participated in everything going. Out of 100 pax, I’d say 80% were Australian, and then a mixture of European and American. Mostly, I would say, the guests were 50’s to 70’s with the majority being pretty fit, spirited, well travelled; more like explorers than tourists. In fact we were often engaged in lively past travels conversations; one couple had done a tour to see the Gorillas in Rwanda, and another had stayed at the Ice Hotel in Norway and countless tales of previous cruises. They were from a very mixed range of working backgrounds; we met a bus driver, several teachers and nurses, retired farmers, business people, professionals, academics, an Aboriginal lecturer and even a retired Qantas Chief Pilot (I knew I knew his face!). We were lucky enough to be entertained by one of our fellow passengers, who just happened to be a concert pianist, and we were treated to a magical half hour recital before dinner one evening. Another lady was a modest but revered sculptress in Australia who has completed many public commissioned statues around the country. We left the ship with so many new friends, and already there has been lively email and phone communications, and we have plans to meet up next month. For me, this social aspect of cruising on such a small ship was a major highlight.

How good is the food?

On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d say 12! Dinner menus feature signature dishes crafted for the Orion by Sydney chef Serge Dansereau of the famed Bathers Pavilion Restaurant, Balmoral, Sydney and served by delightful Philippine waiters who will know exactly how you like your coffee after a day or so. And yes, they actually have good coffee on the Orion – a first for us on cruise ships. Often on cruises, you will get quantity but not quality, well this is not the opposite, as there is more than enough, but the standard is the best we have ever experienced at sea. Dining is usually in the Constellation Restaurant and is intended to be a leisurely and sociable experience without fixed table assignments. By the end of the cruise, this is a surefire way of getting to know almost all of the 100 pax on board. We were also treated to a spectacular Seafood BBQ on the deck one night (including our own fishermen’s catch of that day), and an Aussie BBQ on the deck another night. Passengers can also choose to book a table on the deck on their own or with a group as a nightly alternative. We chose to dine alone on the back deck one evening…very romantic; under the stars, no wind, warm…magic!

Excursions on the Zodiacs (motorized rubber boats)

This is how we disembark at each destination when not docked, and all excursions on the zodiacs, tender or on “BeeKay”, Orion’s own fishing vessel are included.

We step off the back deck straight into the open zodiacs, usually just 6 of us, to a max of 10, and zoom straight off on an adventure….I’m Katherine Hepburn in ‘African Queen’, I’m Paul Hogan in ‘Crocodile Dundee’, I’m ‘Red Dog’!! This is so exhilarating and every sight we see is a “WOW” – no wonder I took 688 photos in 10 days. We get up close and personal to crocodiles and other wildlife, stunning rock formations and waterfalls (actually went under King Georges Falls which was a very welcome cooling off). Landings are either “wet” on a beach or “dry” to some boulders to explore, walk or climb further. The expedition team even found us a wonderful freshwater swimming hole area, aptly named “Crocodile Creek” (but no crocs of course, only our lovely waiters serving us Margaritas from the rocks to sip whilst we swam). What a life, I could get used to this!

Are there fishing expeditions?

Fishing expeditions on the M.V.Orion are conducted daily depending on suitable locations, schedule early a.m., mid-morning and late afternoon usually for a 2 hour outing. The most successful excursions were those that fished the top/bottom of the tides. The boat, “BeeKay” used was a 7-8 metre aluminum run-about fitted out to accommodate 4 fishing from swivel chairs. All tackle/baits provided by the boatman; he would even bait your lines if needed. Fish caught varied from golden snapper, queen fish, cod, sharks, tuna; fish of all sizes certainly the dinner plate variety. For those into fishing, this is an expedition not to be missed.

What makes the Orion so special?

It’s always the little extra touches that do it:

·       For example, we have been out on the Zodiacs for over an hour, and we are hot, thirsty and disheveled, when all of a sudden they swing the boats around behind a rock, and there are our waiters hiding on another Zodiac with an Orion umbrella up, popping champagne corks ready to hand us the flutes, together with ham and cheese croissants and enormous smiles! 

·       All the staff on board go out of their way (literally) to ensure you are looked after if not spoilt:  I happened to be in the upper lounge on my own (trying to write this up) and desperate for a cup of tea, and yet no staff were around. I happened to see the singer walking past and asked her if she could ring a waiter to come; instead she went all the way down to the other lounge with my order and my cuppa promptly appeared. And as I mentioned earlier, the teas (an enormous loose leaf selection) and coffee on this ship are the best we have experienced, and we are both very fussy!

·       Everything is highly personalized, and the atmosphere on board is always upbeat and fun. We always felt completely safe and enriched by the attentive, excellent humored and knowledgeable Expedition team on board.

Where does the Orion go?

On this Kimberley cruise, we sailed from Darwin to Broome for 10 days. The destinations within the Kimberley are: Wyndham (from where we did the spectacular and included flight over the Bungle Bungles, Argyle Diamond Mine and Lake Argyle), King George River, Vansittart Bay, Hunter River, Raft Point, Montgomery Reef, Talbot Bay, and Yampi Sound. She also does this trip in reverse, and stays in the Kimberley region for 5 months from April to September. For more details on the itinerary see http://www.orionexpeditions.com/expeditions/kimberley/voyage_summary

And for other destinations see www.orionexpeditions.com 

Leaving the ship we are sad, emotional, and lonely, we feel like we are leaving our closest family and friends. Luckily for us, many of the passengers, like us, were extending their holiday at Cable Beach in Broome, so for a few more days, the party continued at the Sunset Bar on the beach at 5pm until eventually everyone went their separate ways.

There are so many other expeditions and areas covered by the Orion, and I would love to do one of the Borneo cruises to see the Orangutan sanctuaries or the primitive PNG destinations or brave the challenge of Antarctica…. I can dream, can’t I?
- Carrie Stalbow
KVI Travel Australia
+61 (0)419 682231
carrieoncruising@kvi.travel
www.kvi.travel