Ship Review: Orion Expedition Cruises to the Kimberley and beyond
By Anthony Healey for Cruise Weekly

Expedition cruising, a hybrid of luxury and adventure cruising, is booming - and the Australia-based MV Orion is leading the way with its range of luxury adventure and discovery cruises journeying to places that larger vessels cannot.

Orion Expedition Cruises debuted here in 2005 and quickly gained international recognition for its cruises to the Kimberley region of Western Australia, south-east Asia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, the Great Barrier Reef, Tasmania, New Zealand and the Antarctic.

At just 103 metres, this minnow of a ship accommodates 106 guests and 74 crew in spacious and stylishly appointed cabins. All have twin or queen beds, lounge area, desk, cable TV and marble ensuite bathroom. Onboard there's a gym, beauty spa, library, boutique, three bars and cuisine to satisfy the most discerning gourmand.

But Orion's true point-of-difference is in its meticulously planned and executed onshore expeditions.

Onshore expeditions
The 11-night Kimberley cruise, from Darwin to Perth, offers a thoughtfully designed range of activities. Qualified expedition planners include marine biologists, ecologists, astronomers and naturalists who have created challenging or leisurely escapades.

Most are fully inclusive, while optional trips use helicopters and planes to reach remote inland locations.

Orion has 10 Zodiac tenders to comfortably transfer up to 10 guests at a time to wet beach landings and to navigate trips to isolated natural attractions like Aboriginal rock cave sites, waterfalls and outlying reefs.

A creative itinerary
The creative itinerary starts with day visits to small fishing villages on West Timor's Kera and Nusa Manuk islands before heading back to berth at Western Australia's northernmost town Wyndham, the gateway to the Kimberley.

Optional scenic flights to the Bungle Bungle ranges are snapped up at $760pp and include a guided tour, 4WD driving, trekking and picnic lunch.

A Zodiac cruise up the King George River's spectacular 1.8 billon-year-old sandstone-lined canyon to the King George Falls is a remarkable experience.

After a 40- minute trek to the top of the falls, swimming (without crocodiles!) is a real extravagance. Back down to the river, it's a short stretch in the tender to another treasure - the ship's floating Champagne Bar - before taking a cooling shower under the 80-metre falls.

Bigge Island's Gallery Bay, with its intriguing Wandjina rock art caves, burial sites and meeting places, it holds an eminent place in Aboriginal culture. Images of European sailing ships, row boats and men smoking pipes are said to be of Dutch or Chinese sailors who travelled the west coast long before Captain Cook landed on the east coast.

Mitchell Falls is 60km inland, or a 20- minute helicopter flight from the Prince Frederik Harbour mooring. On landing near these stunning triple-drop falls, there's plenty of time to explore or swim in the river before returning to the Orion. At $475pp we reckoned it was great value.

Other expeditions included a Zodiac run around Montgomery Reef during a massive tidal flow and later to Raft Point, where after a 30-minute uphill climb we sat beneath a rock shelter to take in the extraordinary indigenous rock art that is at least 17,000 years old.

Overnight to Broome, our final destination, shuttle buses operated all day from the wharf to the city and beach. Optional one-hour Cable Beach Sunset Camel Safari rides cost $80pp; the Hovercraft Tidal Flat tour is $95pp and a four-hour Discovery Tour is $110pp.

And an experience not to be missed is the free flowing Moet & Chandon private pearl showing at the Paspaley showroom.

Orion Expedition Cruises has just released its 2010 Calendar of Sailing.

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