Small Ship, Big Excitement on an Orion Cruise

Going ashore by zodiac on a Orion cruise

My friends, Lynn and Brien, are recently home from a small ship expedition on the Orion. They cruised the Kimberley region of northwestern Australia, from Broome to Darwin, an area of dramatic red rock formations, waterfalls, and Aboriginal rock paintings.

   Lynn kindly agreed to answer my questions about the Orion cruise. After talking to her, I want to put it on my bucket list! 

W: What made you choose an adventure/expedition type cruise rather than a 'lie in a deckchair and sip cocktails' one?

L:  We had previously been on an ordinary cruise and enjoyed it. Friends were going on the Orion cruise and it sounded like something we would like.

W:  Orion has several itineraries. Why did the Kimberley Expedition appeal to you?
L:  We'd been to Broome before and thought we'd enjoy an extensive look around the region.
W:  Orion is a five-star ship and the crew to passenger ratio is high; 75 crew members to 106 passengers  Tell us about the level of service on board.
L:  It was superb. The crew pride themselves on helping you.

W: What were some of the highlights of the places visited?

L:  I especially enjoyed the Horizontal Waterfall at Talbot Bay, the plane ride over the Bungle Bungle Ranges and Montgomery Reef. The waters cascading over the reef were spectacular and the added bonus was that we had a drink there at sunset! 

W:  Which of the shore tours did you like the best? 

L:  The visits to the towns of Wyndham and Kununarra were interesting as were the treks to see Aboriginal rock drawings. 

W:  What was your overall impression of the cruise?

L:  All in all, it was a great trip. We liked the smaller ship and the friendliness of the crew. 

   In my next post, I'll write more about Lynn's experiences on Orion's Kimberley Expedition.