Re-Introducing The Crown Odyssey - cruise ship christened for Orient Lines

Cruise Travel, June, 2001 by Shirley Slater, Harry Basch

Orient Lines has this modern classic back on the worldwide itineraries she was built for

It was deja vu all over again when we stood on the Istanbul pier last May for the re-christening of the Crown Odyssey for Orient Lines, watching godmother Lady June Hillary, who with her husband Sir Edmund Hillary is a frequent passenger aboard Orient's other vessel, the Marco Polo, "bless this ship and all who sail on her." With the addition of the Crown Odyssey, Orient can now boast a two-ship fleet that cruises to all seven continents.

We had first boarded this ship in Tilbury in 1988 when the Crown Odyssey made her inaugural sailing as the first-ever newbuild for now-defunct Royal Cruise Line. She combined distinctive features reminiscent of both the last of the classic liners and the first of the modern cruise ships. The 1,050-passenger Crown Odyssey was one of the earliest vessels (after Princess Cruises' Royal Princess in 1984) to introduce private verandas and an atrium lobby, albeit only two decks high. Harkening back to the days of ocean liners was an indoor swimming pool, obligatory on trans-Atlantic crossings, adjacent to the below-decks spa.

Today, as the new Crown Odyssey for Orient Lines, the ship (with a 24-foot draft) still sails smoothly through cantankerous seas, the new dark blue hull in Orient livery lending her a classic stylishness.

The original 34,240-gross-register-ton vessel dazzled Royal Cruise Line loyals in 1988 in more ways than one--some of the more conservative passengers termed it "glitzy" because of the reflective surfaces and mirrored ceilings--but proud RCL owner Pericles Panagopoulos called the vessel his idea of a perfect cruise ship, a dream of his since 1981.

After Royal Cruise Line was purchased by Norwegian Cruise Lines (and the brand was subsequently terminated), the Crown Odyssey was renamed Norwegian Crown, with additional features added to appeal to NCL's younger, sports-minded passengers, including TV sets and hair-dryers in the cabins. The wicker-chaired Lido Bar was turned into NCL's signature sports bar, its glass walls extended into the aft deck area to make room for big-screen TV sets. More durable soft furnishings that replaced leather and ultra-suede chair and sofa coverings gradually appeared, so that now only the brass, marble, and polished granite surfaces (and a few glove leather sofas in the Forum) remain from the original.

Last year NCL turned over the Norwegian Crown to its sister company Orient Lines (both are now owned by Asia-based Star Cruises) to become Orient's new version of the Crown Odyssey. Orient executives called in Michael Katzourakis, one of the original designers, to aid in the transformation.

"We're bringing back her name, and hopefully bringing back her heart," Orient Lines' then-president Deborah Natansohn said at the christening ceremony. The name Odyssey, she said, suggests the ship will be deployed on some of the most adventurous itineraries in the cruise industry.

Orient's passengers--an upscale, well-traveled mix of mostly North Americans and British--are destination-oriented, tend to dress somewhat casually, and want a lot of alternative meal venues and open deck space for lounging. Frequent shore-excursion lectures are offered onboard, and a variety of tours range from the predictable (a full day in Capri with a Blue Grotto boat ride) to the exotic (a half-day excursion in Turkey's Asia Minor to Priene, Didyma, and Miletus).

The biggest changeover onboard was in the Yacht Club, formerly an all-purpose lounge with a buffet counter that could be closed off when not in use, a round wood dance floor, and afternoon tea dances attended by dance hosts (a Royal Cruise Line innovation). Orient has replaced the dance floor with a handsome double-line buffet and a much larger casual dining area serving breakfast, lunch, and tea buffets (a more formal afternoon tea is served one deck above in the Palm Court), plus nightly casual-dress brasserie dinners with table service (except on embarkation/debarkation days).

The second-most obvious change is on Penthouse Deck aft, transformed into the Cafe Italia, a day-and-evening outdoor area. What was formerly the Penthouse Bar has become an outdoor buffet counter with adjacent grill kitchen, and a new octagonal canopied service bar has been constructed where a wading pool was previously. On warm evenings in port, a casual buffet dinner (including pizza, pasta, and grilled items) is offered. A brand-new gelati (Italian ice cream) cart is an enticing dessert option.

The glittering, wide-windowed Top Of The Crown was altered only slightly by the addition of polished-wood room dividers with portholes, giving a visual separation between the forward observation lounge and a quieter aft area called The Club, furnished in comfortable leather chairs and sofas. The Lido Bar was returned to its previous configuration, opening more outdoor deck space aft on Lido Deck.

New additions to update the vessel include a meeting room off the casino area and a small computer center nearby that replaces a side wing of slot machines. The library, which was in the main lobby during RCL days, has been moved to the card room area and expanded with a glass-and-wood bookcase filled with brand-new titles.