What Happened to Marco Polo Cruise Ship?

By Michael Ferguson

Marco Polo Cruise Ship: Where Did It Go?

The Marco Polo Cruise Ship was one of the most iconic vessels in the cruise industry. Launched in 1965, it was the first purpose-built cruise ship to be constructed for UK passengers, and for over 50 years, it entertained its passengers with unique experiences and adventures. But what happened to this beloved vessel?

The Marco Polo Cruise Ship was originally constructed by the Russian-based V.Ships Leisure company and operated as a passenger liner until 1991 when it was sold to Orient Lines, who converted it into a more luxurious cruise ship. The vessel continued to operate under Orient Lines until 2008 when they decided to cease operations on the ship due to its age and lack of profitability.

After being laid up in Tilbury port in London for several years, the ship went through a period of renovations and upgrades before finally being re-launched as part of Cruise & Maritime Voyages’ fleet in 2012. The vessel then sailed from many European ports including Rotterdam and Hamburg before being sold again in 2018, this time to Global Maritime Group who planned on converting it into a floating hotel at Karachi Port, Pakistan.

However, due to various reasons including delays caused by Covid-19, this plan never came to fruition and instead Global Maritime Group announced plans for the vessel’s scrapping at Alang shipbreaking yard in India. This decision was met with much opposition from environmentalist groups who claimed that such action would have dire consequences for marine life due to toxins released during such processes.

In response, Global Maritime Group announced that they would look into alternative options such as selling the vessel or finding an investor so that it could continue sailing again. As of now though, no such plans have been put forward and thus the fate of this beloved cruise ship remains uncertain.

Conclusion: The Marco Polo Cruise Ship has had an interesting history since its launch back in 1965 but unfortunately its current fate remains uncertain with no clear plans in sight either for its conversion into a floating hotel or for setting sail once again as a cruise ship. Environmentalists have also raised concerns about possible toxins released during any possible scrapping process so hopefully these issues can be addressed soon enough so that we can see this beloved vessel back on our oceans once again!