Today, she called at Gibraltar where de-storing was very evident. Several pallets were offloaded, while touring the ship, I noticed the shop had packed up everything in boxes ready to be offloaded, either in Cadiz tomorrow or Lisbon the day after. Packing up was apparent in other parts of the ship as well.

Rumour has it many passengers have been disgruntled at the shortages which have arisen in stocks of various items as the cruise progressed.

Given passengers have paid for a fully functional cruise, I would have thought all aspects of the experience would have been available up to the last day. On the other hand, if suitable discounts were offered, I'm sure many would have been happy to take their own toilet paper!

Notwithstanding all the above, I think she is a wonderful ship and envy anyone sailing in her during the next chapter of her career under Transocean!

A couple of pics have been placed in the Photo Gallery of the Gibraltar Port website at www.gibraltarport.com

[Some people take their own toilet rolls on holiday anyway not me, but someone I know did, not a cruise]

I really look forward to returning aboard in September for a four-night cruise with some 40 friends.

Best,

Pam - When I was aboard in June there was not really that much in the way of souvenirs. I'm not a big souvenir-buyer but others might have been disappointed in that respect.

I do wonder if they might have made up some "Farewell Season" stuff though, which I would have liked to have had. (It certainly has been selling well on QE2 !)

It is sad to see the end of Orient Lines. I am glad I had the chance to experience it once but I am sorry it was just a week before "the end" was announced .

Fortunately, MARCO POLO should sail on for many years.

Raoul - I am envious that you will be returning to her. I certainly hope to as well, as she is such a delightful ship. I hope the Transocean experience lives up to the Orient Lines one, as I do not need to tell you how great was!

[ 03-20-2008: Message edited by: dougnewman ]

I'm envious of you, too! However, my September plans call for a once ever sailing on MAXIM GORKIY. Any chance you will be doing both?

Are you going to get a QE2 sailing in at some point this year, by the way?

Have you ever sailed in MARCO POLO?

[ 03-20-2008: Message edited by: dougnewman ]

Sadly I can't make "Maxim Gorkiy's" September 20th cruise as that day is my godchild's (nephew's) first birthday which I really cannot miss.

Best,

quote:

---

Originally posted by r.fiebig:
Yes, Peter. My plan is to sail in "Marco Polo" September 5th through 9th and in "Maxim Gorkiy" September 14th through 20th.

---

No QE2 for me -- ever -- unless I miraculously get on one of the final transats I'm waitlisted for. There was no way I could do this April 12 crossing once we had sorted out finances, etc. so had to cancel. Hate to let her go but at least I've been on her some 30 times over the years.

MAXIM GORKIY is actually one of my very favorite ships. As blasphemous as it may sound, I like her even more than I do QE2. I really can't miss a chance to sail in her, especially with the OLS group, so am looking much forwad to that!

I did sail in MARCO POLO in 1998 from Piraeus to Civitavecchia via the Aegean and Turkey. Had a nice time and have always been mad about the "poet" class Soviets. I love MP's camber, sheer, and outer decks. Not crazy about her interiors, especially after having spent time on SHOTA RUSTAVELI and TARAS SHEVCHENKO with their original promenades, wood paneling and quirky layouts. All that said, I really do hope to sail in MARCO POLO again and am very happy she will be gracing the seas for a few more years.

Raoul, sorry to miss you on MAXIM!

Bestest,

I don't think it sounds blasphemous at all to prefer MAXIM GORKIY to QE2. I have never been aboard her, but I can certainly imagine preferring her to QE2. At least in their present forms, MAXIM has much more "interesting" interiors than QE2's.

I didn't realize you'd sailed in MARCO POLO - I don't think I can recall you ever mentioning her before.

I have only seen her interiors in person in her present form (or at least, as she was in May-June 2007, after her last refit), but I think they look much nicer than they do in the older photos I've seen. The cabins are all the same but all the public rooms have completely new soft furnishings with different color schemes that make them look much less bland than the originals.

Of course, they are still modern 1990s interiors, so they don't have the "character" of something older, but I think they're very attractive and last year she was in extraordinary condition.

Have you sailed with her before? I think she'll do extremely well for Transocean, both in Germany and the UK. (She is of course already very well-known in the UK, and not unknown in Germany either.)

Best,