'Voyages of Discovery - M/V Discovery severe engine trouble fixed (at last) - Page 103

**Ally** · 09-12-2008, 05:31 AM

I just checked, Chris, and no don't be silly...it's not on there

They were sposed to have a new batch of passengers flown to Nice yesterday to board Discovery and stay in Nice overnight, leaving Nice at 7pm this evening.

But seeing as they were in Marseille yesterday and Villefranche today...I wonder if the passengers are playing cat and mouse with that damn ship like we are?

**neil** · 09-12-2008, 05:34 AM

Hi Chris

You must be joking !

Why tell your passengers anything.

The do not tell the sheep on those cattle carrying ships what is happening !

**Ally** · 09-12-2008, 05:39 AM

'ere...you don't spose the part was on an XL plane do you?

Cos if it was, I bet it's still in Heathrow Terminal 5 somewhere

Lets face it, all the bags due to holiday destinations were sent to Milan for sorting & forwarding, so maybe the part is in lost property in Heathrow T5

**Ally** · 09-12-2008, 06:01 AM

If VoD used XL, what happens to the free air offer for guests from US/Canada?

Assuming, of course, that the connecting flights were with XL.

There will be nervous breakdowns in the boardroom today...especially if that part doesn't fit. All it needs now is for All Leisure to go down and that really will be the end of it.

**Ally** · 09-12-2008, 07:27 AM

Nice & Monaco have got beautiful weather today...Nice webcam lens needs cleaning though....

**Ally** · 09-12-2008, 08:12 AM

More desperation, perhaps...for today only....

Adriatic & Aegean Treasures Mediterranean, Adriatic & Aegean - Cruise

That is the next cruise on the schedule

**Ally** · 09-12-2008, 08:21 AM

I hadn't realised that Discovery was on charter until May 2005 when she was officially purchased by VoD. The charter was a 5 year one commencing in May 2003. They got the winter bookings and the office in Fort Lauderdale from the previous owner as part of the package.

It would be good to know what they paid for chartering and subsequently purchasing her.

Also interesting that looking back through the old reviews, there were engine problems in summer 2005...after the ship was purchased. Obviously when she was under charter such problems would have been dealt with by the owner under the terms of the charter aggreement.

There is a real chance that the old owner knew the ship was reaching the end of her working life and offloaded her to VoD, and VoD soon realised that they had bought a ship that wasn't going to make them alot of money but was going to cost them a fair chunk in maintenance. But then, when you buy a 30 year old + ship, you should realise that you inevitably buy all the wear and tear problems that go along with it.

That would be the basis for David Yellow's statement on August 20th about 'a litany of problems'.

However, that definately does not let David Yellow off the hook in regards to not keeping his paying guests completely up to date with the ship's current problem that started in March...but actually could be older than that.

It's almost as if David Yellow is making his guests pay for the floating lemon he bought in 2005.

**neil** · 09-12-2008, 08:37 AM

It looks as if they are trying to attract more single travellers with some of the double cabins again being offered for sole use.

David Yellow seems a mystery person !

Details about the Managing Directors of the other shipping companies can be found, through searching various websites, but I can not find anything about him.

I wonder, with that name, if he might be from the Far East area !

**Ally** · 09-12-2008, 08:39 AM

Well wherever David Yellow hails from, he knows next to nothing about his ship or how a cruise line operates.

**neil** · 09-12-2008, 09:03 AM

Unless any new port facilities have been recently built Villefranche was always an anchor port.

With new passengers due to join the ship today with their luggage this could cause some embarkation problems and does not seem to have been well planned.

It seems they could not organize a ' beer party ' in a brewery !