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.
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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?
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.
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
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?
