Orient Lines (www.orientlines.com) has preemptively revamped its rate structure in response to the current financial crisis. With the market proving resistant to many of the usual remedies, the line’s owner, savvy entrepreneur Wayne Heller, has launched a new “Leadership Pricing” initiative, with 11-day Europe cruises priced from just $1,799 per person, based on double occupancy.
“The economy is still in a very, very precarious place. This is the time for Orient Lines to take a leadership position in the industry and truly do something that helps consumers,” stated Heller. “Our new “Leadership Pricing” translates to savings of up to $5,000 per cabin off brochure rates.”
Under Orient Lines’ new rate structure, two 11-day Mediterranean cruises are priced from $1,799 per person, double, reduced from $2,999. Two 16-day Baltic cruise-tours, which include an overnight hotel stay and sightseeing in Berlin, are priced from $2,999 per person, double, reduced from $4,649.
Travelers can join an 11-day “Aegean Odyssey,” departing April 29, from Port Said, Egypt, to the islands of Cyprus and Rhodes, plus Antalya, Didim and Kusadasi (gateway to ancient Ephesus) and Istanbul in Turkey. Overnights aboard ship allow guests to discover the many treasures of Cairo and Istanbul.
“Black Sea Explorer” is an 11-day cruise, departing May 9. Ports of call include Trabzon, Turkey; Batumi, Georgia; Sochi, Russia; Yalta, Sevastopol and Odessa, Ukraine; and Nessebar, Bulgaria. The round-trip Istanbul voyage includes an overnight aboard ship before departure.
The line’s 16-day “Great Baltics I and II” cruise-tours operate between Dover (London) and Szcezin, Poland, and include a one-night hotel stay and city tour in Berlin. The highlight of the cruise is three full days in St. Petersburg, Russia, ample time to devour The Hermitage or join an optional air excursion to Moscow. Ports of call include Amsterdam; Travemunde (Lubeck), Germany; Copenhagen; Stockholm; Helsinki; Tallinn, Estonia; and Riga, Latvia.
Sensational savings can also be realized come this fall. Orient Lines’ “Passage to Rio,” departing November 8, is a 20-day cruise from Barcelona to Rio de Janeiro, priced from $1,799 per person, double. Ports en route include Malaga and Cadiz (Seville) in Spain, Casablanca and Agadir, Morocco; Lanzarote, Canary Islands; Sao Vicente, Cape Verde Islands; and Salvador de Bahia, Brazil. An overnight aboard ship in Rio de Janeiro lets guests savor the Samba capital.
~ AIR / SEA PROGRAM EXPANDED TO 40 GATEWAY CITIES ~
As part of Orient Lines’ new “Leadership Pricing initiative the number of cities from where guests can purchase air transportation has doubled to 40 North American gateways. Round-trip Economy Class air add-on fares to Europe are priced from as little as $695 from the East Coast, $795 from the Midwest and $895 from the West Coast.
Passengers cruise Europe aboard the classic 650-guest cruise liner Marco Polo II, which features four open-seating dining venues, six bars, a show lounge, cinema, casino, library and Internet center, card room, fitness center, spa with indoor pool and outdoor swimming pool.
Since it was originally launched in 1992, Orient Lines has been recognized among the world’s “top 10” cruise lines year after year for its destination-oriented, value-priced cruises to exotic ports. Experts from the fields of academia, politics, science and the diplomatic corps. will be featured on every voyage to enrich the experience. Where possible, Orient Lines arranges for local performers to entertain on board. On longer voyages, gentleman hosts will be along to dance and dine with unescorted female travelers.
