'Voyages of Discovery - M/V Discovery severe engine trouble fixed (at last) - Page 9

**neil** · 08-05-2008, 01:38 PM

Hi

Swan Hellenic was started again by Lord Sterling, the old boss of P & O and Princess Cruises before they were bought by Carnival.

Sterling bought back the Swan Hellenic business name from Carnival as that had been included in the sale, having been part of the P & O Group.

He needed a business partner and a ship so I expect that is how All Leisure Holidays Ltd. became involved.

How it will all turn out remains to be seen, but it is not looking good.

Neil

**Ally** · 08-05-2008, 01:44 PM

So is it a realistic possibility that both firms (SH & VoD) could go by the end of the year then, Neil?

Afterall Minerva gave SH a bad start and with Discovery also causing longterm problems too, it has to be hurting both SH and VOD, let alone All Leisure aswell.

**Ally** · 08-05-2008, 01:46 PM

I posted an article link this morning about SH being the company to kick off the 2008/9 Montevideo cruise season...the article has the wrong SH ship, they described in great detail with photo, the now ex SH ship Minerva II (the R ship).

**neil** · 08-05-2008, 05:43 PM

Hi

Sounds as if someone is getting things in a right mess and does not know what ships they operate !.

I am not sure what else the company do holiday wise although Swan Hellenic still do some river cruising.

With the discounts they are offering at present for the cruises, it does make one wonder if the mv Discovery would be worth more to them as scrape metal !

I know at one time the Greenpeace website used to list the Pacific Princess, which is the sister ship to mv Discovery, as one to watch from a scrapping point of view.

I took that to mean she could have asbestos or other toxic substances on board.

Neil

**Ally** · 08-06-2008, 04:24 AM

I think the end will come for both companies if the travel agents turn their backs on them, Neil. The agents are already fuming over the Discovery as its usually them who have to try and calm their clients over missed ports etc. My agent wasn't aware of a problem til one of his clients sent him the letter found in the cabin when he boarded the ship...that was in May.

VoD need the agents as a back-up to online direct bookings. All of the cruise sites are now carrying information...although I suspect this one has the most information available.

I guess we shall have to watch how the ship performs and how many more ports she misses.

**neil** · 08-06-2008, 05:59 AM

Hi

I have just been reading some of the reports by passengers who have cruised on mv Discovery, on another website.

A lot seem to think the ship should only be rated as two star !

The quality of the food seems to be one of the complaints with one person saying that they were told by the ships staff that the restaurant is run by a concession operator and not the company !

The ships staff get a lot of compliments but with a thirty six year old ship everything needs to be maintained including the engines if you want to keep your passengers happy !

Neil

**Ally** · 08-06-2008, 06:06 AM

They are winding the ship down, aren't they, Neil?

I feel so sorry for the passengers and crew...its becoming obvious that the ship is on the bottom of the list of priorities and that anything on the ship...such as food...is also not a priority anymore.

If VoD want out, why the heck don't they just do it...why are they stringing things out like this. Surely the company would prefer to bow out on a high rather than in the gutter?

I don't understand this behaviour at all.....do you, Neil?

**neil** · 08-06-2008, 06:57 AM

Hi

Now that they are involved with Swan Hellenic I am wondering if they are finding out there are far more advantages in chartering a passenger ship than owning one.

Swan Hellenic have always chartered ships and never owned one themselves !

A lot would depend on the charter terms but if it is like a vehicle lease you can include servicing and other extras.

Photos below of the Turkish passenger ship ' Tarsus ' which was built in
the USA in 1927 and one of the first ships they chartered in the 1950's !

The Greek passenger ship ' Orpheus ' was chartered from about 1974 to 1996 by Swan Hellenic. She had been built as a ferry in 1948 for the Dublin Liverpool service.

Neil

**Ally** · 08-06-2008, 07:07 AM

I just spoke to my agent, and he asked VoD about whether or not there are any problems that he should know about and he was told an emphatic no by the company.

I think this should be investigated by a journalist who knows about cruising.

VoD cannot expect people not to find out that there is a problem, they should come clean about it.

**Ally** · 08-06-2008, 09:57 AM

Neil...has Discovery reappeared on AIS yet?

She should be on her way back to Harwich for the next departure tomorrow.