This was our first cruise chosen for its interesting itinerary, the highlight being two days in St Petersburg. We imagined that our most enduring memories would be of the Russian Palaces, which are indeed magnificent, but the things that stand out in our minds at present are the unfailing courteousness of the crew on the Marco Polo and the enormous friendliness of our fellow passengers. As we sailed from Newcastle, this may have something to do with the fact that most people were from the North of England and Scotland which created a very convivial atmosphere.
As first time cruisers, we liked the idea of a relatively small, traditional ship with only 800 passengers. We had read reviews that the ship looked ‘tired’, but we did not find this to be the case. Our cabin was in pristine condition and kept spotlessly clean by the attendant Luis. The décor of the public areas was also of a high standard.
It has to be remembered that the Marco Polo is almost 50 years old, so you are sailing on a slice of maritime history. When berthed next to larger and more modern cruise ships, it had the appearance of a large private yacht with much more elegant lines than its modern counterparts.
A spacious cabin for two or three people with a view slightly obstructed by a lifeboat. Everything kept spotlessly clean by our attendant.