The Marco Polo Is Getting Scrapped

The classic Marco Polo is heading to the scrapyard in Alang, India, according to a source familiar with the ship.

"The Marco Polo is headed for the beach," they said.

Other sources said potential charter deals included using the ship as a floating accommodation vessel and even converting it to a permanent hotel. None of the deals materialized, however.

Following the demise of Cruise & Maritime Voyages earlier this year, the classic, 1965-built vessel sold at auction for just $2,770,000.

A former ocean liner, the Marco Polo was built in 1965 as the Aleksandr Pushkin for the Leningrad/Montreal route.

After serving its original purpose until the 1970s, the vessel started to sail as a cruise ship under charter agreements.

In 1991, it was sold to Orient Lines and renamed Marco Polo. In Greece, the vessel was rebuilt as a true cruise ship, also receiving new engines.