CLASSIC CRUISING


G


erry Herrod knows a thing or two about creating and nurtur- ing a niche market. Anyone familiar with the much missed


Orient Lines or even its predecessor, Ocean Cruise Lines, will be familiar with his penchant for delivering low-key, beau- tifully styled exploration cruises. Both featured a combination of exotic, off-the-beaten-track itineraries delivered on small, personable ships that offered good food and even better service. Each built up a cult following, the very antithesis of the mainstream cruise industry, with its amenity-laden mega-ships offering week- long jaunts around the greatest hits of the Mediterranean or Caribbean.


And Orient Lines in particular placed great store on the cultural and historical side of their voyages, making them a wel- come alternative to the norm. Herrod’s latest venture is Voyages to


Antiquity, and represents a welcome return to form for those familiar with Orient in particular. His start-up ship is the 11,500 ton Aegean Odyssey, a vessel that has gone through a number of incarnations since it was originally built in 1974. Originally known as Aegean Dolphin,


she ran three and four-day cruises around the Greek Islands from Piraeus. In this guise, she was a high-density ship, accommodat- ing anything up to 670 in accommodation that could hardly be described as luxurious. Perhaps only someone as savvy as Her- rod could have seen the potential that exist- ed in that angular, boxy hull. He envisaged


“This ship is a CHARISMATIC,


APPEALING confection that offers the OLD WORLD from some sparkling NEW PERSPECTIVES”


and then executed radical surgery on the ship that, in effect, transformed her com- pletely. First and foremost, 90 cabins were dispensed with and many of the remainder were considerably enlarged. This had the effect of reducing capacity to a maximum of 378, almost half the previous number. Balcony cabins were added to the


forward superstructure, as well as a string of cove balcony cabins in the upper after section. These are especially nice, and offer some welcome respite from the often-searing heat of the Aegean summer. All come with cosy canvas chairs on the balcony, and a small drinks table. Inside, Herrod has placed great emphasis on the quality of the bedding. Right through- out the ship, crisp duvets and high-thread- count sheets have transformed the beds into dream destinations in their own right. Décor is clean and simple, with soft cream carpeting and blue or gold throws on the beds. While most have private showers, the balcony cabins also have baths and a small seating area. There is a real sense of ‘less is more’ in these snug, secluded retreats.


These cabins form a separate level


known as ‘Balcony Class’, which offers a ‘Welcome’ bottle of champagne, a fridge stocked with soft drinks, complimentary bottled water, upscale Moulton Brown toi- letries, bathrobes and slippers, and priority boarding for all excursions. Rooms right through the ship feature flatscreen TV, a safe and a hair dryer. The small size of the ship means every-


where is within easy reach. There are rela- tively few public rooms, but the reduction in passenger capacity, combined with the fact all are lined on both sides by floor-to-ceiling windows, helps to create the feel of a ship radically ‘opened up’, both to her passengers and the sunny climes she sails in. A meticu- lous refurbishment of the public areas cre- ated what is, in effect, an almost new ship.


he main Charleston Lounge – named for a similar room aboard Herrod’s iconic Marco Polo – spans the full width of the ship and features a rich cream carpet overlaid with coffee-toned swirls. Its centre features a dark oval wooden dance floor and is surrounded by banquette seating in pale terracotta. Formal table groupings flank the windows down both sides. There is a half-width bar at the rear of the room and a piano on a slightly raised bandstand. Artful, subtly toned wall-lighting helps to make this beautiful room the focal point of the ship and it is certainly the main venue for pre and post-dinner drinks. When the talented and personable piano player is in residence, this room has the


T  Autumn 2011 I WORLD OF CRUISING 75


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