June 22, 2007 - Marco Polo is to operate cruises from the UK next year after she leaves Orient Lines.

The 820-passenger ship will sail exclusively for Transocean Tours with a series of 14 departures from London Tilbury covering the British Isles, Norwegian Fjords, North Cape, Iceland and Baltic capitals. The nine different itineraries will be between six to 12 nights in duration.

A longer autumn cruise is then planned before the ship operates an expedition programme to South America and Antartica.

It means the flag of the Bremen-based operator will fly on three famous ocean cruisers: Astor, Astoria and Marco Polo, which replaces the Arielle.

The change from the Arielle to the slightly smaller Marco Polo at the same time means an increase of capacity because, unlike the Arielle, Marco PoloÇ will be operated on different routings on a year-round basis.

Managing director Peter Waehnert said: "The Arielle in her first season has been well accepted by our customers and travel agents. But now with the Marco Polo we have the advantage of a third deep-sea-going vessel being operated on a year-round basis and in addition the technical possibilities to also sail on exciting routes to Greenland and to Antarctica.

Apart from these rare cruise ship destinations, Marco Polo will also sail on attractive and interesting routes to Scandinavia, the Baltic Sea or through the Mediterranean Sea.

"Altogether the Marco Polo offers a mixed bag of travel with expedition flair and classical cruise," Waehnert added.

Transocean has secured aÊfive-year charter of Marco Polo from the ship's new Greece-based owner, Global Cruise.

Marco Polo will leave the Orient Lines brand on March 23 next year. Her final cruise will be repositioning cruise from Rio de Janeiro to Lisbon setting sail on March 2, 2008.