CONTACT:
Jay Austin / Lauren Eisele
Middleton & Gendron Inc.
(212) 284-9939 / (212) 980-9192
EMAIL: jaustin@mg-pr.com / leisele@mg-pr.com
KSL CAPITAL PARTNERS ACQUIRES ORION EXPEDITION CRUISES
DENVER (May 21, 2008) – KSL Capital Partners (KSL), a leading private equity firm,
today announced that it has acquired Orion Expedition Cruises (Orion), the premier luxury
expedition cruise line serving remote destinations in Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific
and Antarctica.
Founded in early 2004 by Managing Director Sarina Bratton, Orion Expedition Cruises is
Australia’s leading luxury expedition cruise line, undertaking voyages to destinations as diverse
as Antarctica, The Kimberley region of Australia, and Papua, New Guinea. After just three years
of operation, Orion has garnered many awards for its unique itineraries, five-star
accommodations and exceptional cuisine.
“Travelers’ desire for experience-driven, sustainable tourism is not a passing trend,”
Bratton explained. “Demand for niche-, culture- and nature-based tourism is increasing, and
Orion must grow in order to fulfill its potential. I am very excited about the opportunity this
partnership presents and look forward to working with KSL to take Orion Expedition Cruises to
the next level. Expansion of the brand beyond Australia will require additional capital and
distribution power in the United States and Europe, and our partnership with KSL will fuel this
opportunity.”
Steven Siegel, partner and chief operating officer of KSL Capital Partners, said, “We
have long sought to invest in the cruise business, as the fundamentals of the industry are very
strong. Our investment in Orion Expedition Cruises will see the company grow to a multi-ship
cruise line, fulfilling the potential of the brand in the Australia Pacific region and beyond. We are
looking forward to working with Orion and its management team.”
About KSL
KSL Capital Partners is a private equity firm specializing in travel and leisure enterprises
in five primary sectors: hospitality, recreation, clubs, real estate and travel services. KSL Capital
Partners has offices in Denver, New York and London. For more information, please visit
www.kslcapital.com.
Notable investments made by the principals of KSL include:
- ClubCorp, Inc., headquartered in Dallas
- Western Athletic Clubs, Inc., headquartered in San Francisco
- Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone Mountain Resorts in Colorado
- La Quinta Resort & Club and PGA West in La Quinta
- Doral Golf Resort & Spa near Miami
- Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa on Maui in Wailea, Hawaii
- Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Ariz.
- La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, Calif.
- Hotel del Coronado near San Diego
- Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
About Orion Expedition Cruises
Founded in 2004 in Sydney, Australia, Orion Expedition Cruises provides luxury
expedition cruises to seldom-explored destinations in Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific
and Antarctica. Orion’s vessel, the MV Orion, is ranked the No. 2 expedition cruise vessel in the
world according to the Berlitz Cruise Guide for 2008. In addition, the MV Orion has been named
the Best Small Ship, Best Adventure Cruise Ship and Best Cuisine by Australian Cruise
Passenger Magazine two years in a row, and has been named a finalist as Best Small Cruise
Line and Best Small Cruise Ship by Luxury Travel Magazine, and a Finalist for Best Innovative
Tourism and Best Tour Operator by the Australian Travel and Tourism Awards.
Sarina Bratton, Orion’s founder and managing director, is a well-respected veteran of the
cruise industry. Previously, Bratton was founder and managing director of Norwegian Capricorn
Line, and vice president and general manager, Asia Pacific for Cunard Line, as well as a former
director of Voyages Resorts and Hotels. In addition, she holds several senior board positions in
the Australian tourism industry and is the 2006 winner of the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman
of the Year in Australia.
For more information about Orion Expedition Cruises please visit
www.orionexpeditions.com or contact Michael Corbett, public relations manager, Orion
Expedition Cruises at +011 61 2 4572 1885.