The Marco Polo experience
We hope that we have already begun to tempt you with the delights of a cruise aboard Marco Polo, but the whole experience of selecting your cruise, booking the cabin of your choice and then receiving your travel documents that set everything out in a clear and simple way should be equally pleasurable.
We like to think that we make matters as straightforward as possible, from our brochure design where all the information you need is laid out on the page of each cruise through to the way that your, or your travel agent’s, telephone calls are handled by our experienced team.
The start of your cruise holiday is important too and should be a stress-free experience that allows you to step on board suitably relaxed and ready to be pampered and waited on during the days ahead. As our summer programme sails out of the UK, your cruise starts conveniently
from Tilbury. The London Cruise Terminal is just seven miles from the junction of the M25 and therefore accessible to the nationwide motorway network. You may park your car there for the duration of your cruise or you may prefer to take advantage of our special coach service between the port and London Victoria. We sail in the early evening, which for most people will mean a nice leisurely start to their holiday, and we arrive back in Tilbury in the early morning so you can complete your homeward travel arrangements in good time.
Your check-in formalities will take place in the relaxed atmosphere of a dedicated passenger terminal and whilst a little queuing is inevitable, (we are British, after all!) you will soon have your personalised Marco Polo Cruisecard in your hand and be making your way from the comfortable lounge along the gangway into the attractive Reception Foyer on Magellan Deck. Here stewards will assist you with your hand baggage and show you to your cabin, your home from home for the days to come.
Year round choice
For our summer cruises, you will be joining exclusively English-speaking passengers; sterling is the currency for all pricing on board and our cuisine and entertainment and enrichment programmes are created specifically for the British cruise passenger.
For our longer winter voyages to the South American continent and Antarctica, Marco Polo transforms herself into a stylish international cruise vessel, as not surprisingly her itineraries attract a following from continental Europe, North America, Australia and South Africa. Hence we operate in dual languages on board and the €uro becomes the ship’s currency during the winter season of cruises. Due to this cosmopolitan nature of the passenger complement, Transocean Tours have secured some renowned international Naturalists, Oceanographers, Marine Biologists and Polar Experts to join you on board and enrich your experience of our South American and Antarctic itineraries.
The pleasures of the table
Whether you are cruising in the Baltic Sea or the South Atlantic it is guaranteed that nothing whets the appetite like sea air. You’ll therefore have even more reason to anticipate the feast of daily culinary delights freshly prepared by Marco Polo’s expert chefs. The proof is very definitely in the pudding. It’s also in the Charlotte Russe, the Roast Rack of Lamb and the Pan-fried Fillet of Sea Bass!
Our maitre’d and his attentive waiting staff will welcome you to the elegant Waldorf Restaurant where you can opt for a full English breakfast, savour a leisurely five-course lunch and enjoy a delightful dinner in convivial company each and every day of your cruise. Our carefully constructed menus add a daily spice of variety to a blend of traditional fare and international specialities that will inspire the most jaded of palates but possibly at a cost of a few pounds…..that’s pounds and ounces of course!
As a casual alternative to dining in our formal restaurant, Marco Polo offers Marco’s Restaurant. Open every day for buffet style breakfast, lunches and dinner, here informality is the key and you can feel free to drop in for perhaps a late breakfast, light snack or even a full three course meal without any ceremony.
The Pool Deck lends itself particularly well to al fresco meals so a buffet breakfast or lunch from Marco’s can be served up with a complimentary ocean view! Add in the morning boullion, afternoon teas, the late night snacks and the traditional shipboard occasions such as the Captain’s Welcome and Farewell Dinners, and the pleasures of Marco Polo’s table will surely tempt you from the moment you sit down to dinner on your first night aboard until that final breakfast as you prepare to disembark.
Stylish evenings
However, for many passengers, it is dinner in the evening that is the focal point of the day, and to start your evening you might opt for the stylish Captain’s Club for a pre-dinner drink and join our cocktail pianist as he plays your favourite melodies.
Following your meal the show team would enjoy the pleasure of your company in the comfortable Marco Polo Lounge as our artists display their talents in a snappily choreographed revue or colourful floorshow – all you need to do is just sit back and enjoy. For a little night music, we have different combos around the ship who will play for your listening and dancing pleasure, everything from strict tempo to disco. Our speciality acts and guest entertainers complement the show team to ensure that your evenings go with a swing.
If however it is quieter pleasures that you prefer, how about a liqueur and good conversation in a secluded corner of the Columbus Lounge; a few hands of cards in the Nansen Lounge Card Room; or making up a table for a syndicate quiz.
Of course there are also acres of deck to take that romantic stroll but, remember on our northern itineraries, this could be in daylight rather than moonlight! But whenever you decide to call it a night, the welcoming haven that is your cabin is just a short walk away. The lights are dimmed, the beds are turned down. Sweet Dreams.
