Australia-based Orion Expedition Cruises Expands with Second Expedition Ship

Sydney, Australia (December 1, 2009) – Orion Expedition Cruises, Australia’s only international-standard, five-star expedition cruise line, increases the size of its fleet with the addition of the Orion II, a second specialist expedition ship which will join the line’s existing 106-passenger Orion. The ship, configured to the brand’s exacting requirements, is scheduled to commence expedition voyages under the Orion Expedition Cruises banner in May 2011.

Orion Expedition Cruises announced on Thursday, November 26, the forthcoming long-term charter of Clelia II, a 100-passenger, all-suite luxury expedition cruise ship, to be renamed Orion II. Making the announcement onboard Orion in Sydney Harbour, Orion’s Managing Director, Ms. Sarina Bratton, was enthusiastic about the expansion of the cruise business she started in 2004, referencing a strong existing luxury cruise market – despite tough current worldwide economic conditions – and growing interest from international markets in expedition cruising in this part of the globe.

A loyal Orion past-passenger base, resurgent growth by independent travelers and significant opportunities afforded through charter and incentives markets have provided the platform for the expansion.

Based on thorough research, and following the success of Orion’s recent voyages, Orion II will be based in South East Asia offering a wide range of expeditions that will include Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, the Indonesian archipelago, Japan and Borneo. Details of destinations and itineraries will be released in 2010, once voyage details and expedition team scouting are finalized.

Commenting on the additional range of destinations and itineraries, Sarina said that Orion Expedition Cruises will be able to provide exclusive expeditions from Antarctica to Asia, and the Kimberley to Melanesia and New Zealand, with the two ships offering a balance of onboard service and luxury combined with unique personal experiences in environmentally and culturally sensitive parts of the region. Together, Orion and Orion II will be two of the most modern and capable expedition cruise ships cruising in Australasia.

Recently subject to a €13 million (approximately USD $19 million) refurbishment coordinated by the ship’s current operators, with emphasis on technical enhancements and upgraded environmental systems, Clelia II will also undergo additional cosmetic enhancements to bring her fully into the Orion Expedition Cruises style.

Until April 2011, she will continue to be marketed and operated by Travel Dynamics International, New York, a leading U.S. expedition cruise company serving the American educational and cultural non-profit groups.

Originally launched in late 1990 as Renaissance Four and re-launched in 2009 after extensive technical refurbishment, redecoration and other improvements, the all-suite Clelia II offers fine small-ship cruise travel. In May 2011, the ship will be renamed Orion II.

This private yacht-like cruise ship accommodates only 100 guests in 50 suites, each of which affords ocean views, measuring 215 to 285 square feet, and appointed with a sitting area or separate living room, twin or queen-size beds, spacious closets, and air conditioning.

The vessel complies with the latest international and U.S. Coast Guard safety regulations and is outfitted with the most current navigation and communications technology as well as retractable fin stabilizers for smooth sailing, an ice-strengthened hull for Antarctic voyages and a fleet of heavy duty Zodiacs to enable easy shore access in remote locations.

Taken together with her limited guest capacity, excellence of design, craftsmanship and material, and a high crew-to-guest ratio of more than 1:2, the luxury liner’s spaciousness and intimate ambience combine to make her ideal for distinctive cultural and expedition voyages.

The long term charter of a second purpose built ship able to access remote regions in comfort is a further step to fulfilling the company’s original vision to have Orion Expedition Cruises regarded as the operator of choice in the Asia-Pacific region.

For more information and to book an Orion Expedition Cruise adventure, travelers can contact the cruise line at (877) ORION US, inquiry@orionexpeditions.com or visit www.orionexpeditions.com.

About Orion Expedition Cruises

Founded in early 2004, Orion Expedition Cruises is the only world class expedition cruise line operating from Australia to pristine wilderness areas in Antarctica, the Kimberley, Papua New Guinea, Melanesia and Asia. Orion is known worldwide for its new and diverse itineraries and sustainable operations.

Orion is designed to fulfill the desire of the sophisticated traveler for experience driven, cultural and nature based tourism that allow for a more informed and in-depth interpretation of, and interaction with, destinations and their people. Providing the comfort and luxuries that today’s travelers expect in a specially designed vessel that provides access to areas otherwise largely unreachable through conventional means, Orion truly provides a path less traveled.

From the 2013 Orion calendar launch email from Sarina Bratton =

"Absent from the 2013 Calendar of Sailings are itineraries for Orion II, which will be returned to its owners at the completion of its first charter term late this year. Returning Orion II has been a difficult decision to make, however we have not been satisfied with some performance aspects such as the fuel efficiency of the vessel and therefore have decided to return the ship at the completion of the first charter term in December 2012."

I think the competition is also a pretty tought market for Orion to compete in. Silverseas does asia and many of the ports Orion II is going to in 2012. I have been on both Orion and Silverseas - and Silverseas wins hands down.

They have had several problems. We had booked one of their Japan cruises last year but most of these got cancelled due to the earthquake off Honshu. Then the ship was delivered late. And finally, the ship seems to have lots of mechanical problems (just check Clelia II, the previous name). Nevertheless, we are going to do the Japan cruise this year, on Orion II and hope to find out what the problems are.

We have done two cruises on Orion I and that was absolutelt fantastic. Assuming you like really small ships, serious lectures instead of mediocre entertainment and active "activities". Silversea is something we will definitely try but we are afraid that it will be quite different from larger ships (where you can basically do what you want and do not have to put up with entertainment if you do not want to) and in a completely different way again from Orion, which is probably the most expensive serious cruise company around. I do not think most of the Silversea crowd would be happy to spend every day landing on a beach per Zodiac..

But you are right, the itineraries suitable for what they are good at are limited: Australia/PNG, Borneo, and Antartica. But you have to really love the sea to do an Antarctica trip on Orion 1. The ship was built for it but even in the Southern summer, during the voyage from Tasmania to Antarctica, one is likely to encounter at least 12 hours of 30ft plus waves in a ship with warship-like sea manners (very safe, but always moving).

We are curious about the Japan trip because that is the opposite of what they do elsewhere (but they more or less took this over from Clipper that had been doing Japan trips for years. We hope there will be some really knowledgeable lecturers, because the itinerary is superb. Just to be sure we have been reading dozens of books on Japanese history and art and made a file for each port. IN addition we are combining this with a week on land (own arrangements) and we have been to the country many times before.

It would be nice if an experienced cultural holidays operator like Martin Randall or Swan Hellenic would do selected parts of the Far East, and maybe do that in combination with Orion. Orion is ideally suited for the Russian Far East, the Philippines and Randall cs know how to do culture. Especially if a small ship would get permission to navigate the Yangtze to about Chongqing (I am sure the ship is small enough), there would be a host of cruising opportunities.

I should have noticed that you have been on Orion I to antarctica! Interested to konw how good Silversea's explorer is.

Noble Caledonia, the UK company, now has a second ship, Caledonian Sky, which is a sister ship of the Island Sky as well as Clelia II/Orion II. Caledonian Sky is doing similar routes to Orion II as well as right across the South Pacific. I have sailed with Orion and always regretted the fact that they never strayed further east than the Solomons and Vanuatu - never even to Fiji.

The failure of Orion II on apparently technical grounds is interesting - I was recently on the Island Sky in the South Atlantic, sailing from Tristan da Cunha to South Georgia and the ship clearly couldn't cope in moderately heavy seas. South Georgia was abandoned so we had nine or maybe ten full days at sea as we headed to the Falklands. A bit of a nightmare. The Island Sky -like Orion II - also had terrible fuel consumption/bunkering problems as well.

After Orion II is handed back to its American owners, Travel Dynamics, it will be renamed Corinthian - Travel Dynamics already own Corinthian II. It looks as if Corinthian's first sailings are up and down the West Coast of Africa. Getting crowded there - I'm doing that trip on the Island Sky in November, for just about half the price of Travel Dynamics' trip.