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

**Ally** · 05-27-2008, 01:18 PM

Thanks to my TA, Phil, it appears that Discovery has an ongoing engine problem. This has meant that itineraries have been changed and she is cruising at a lower speed than usual. There is nothing about this on the VOD website, Phil had a letter that he passed on to his client before he left for the current Fjord cruise.

It also appears that VOD have not offered any form of OBC/compensation/refund of port taxes in respect to this problem. Doubtless to say this has not gone down well with Phil's client and it is unlikely to have gone down well with the other passengers on board at the moment.

Currently there is no information as to how long the engine has been giving problems, apparently a crankshaft and/or bearing failure, nor is there any indication as to how long the ship will be partially disabled by this fault.

**neil** · 05-28-2008, 01:26 PM

Hi

This report about a crankshaft problem has been reported on another website.

It appears some ports are being missed.

Neil

**Ally** · 05-28-2008, 01:30 PM

There is nothing at all on the VOD website as yet...very bad really and no OBC for the missed ports, not even a refund of port charges, which should happen. The client from my TA on her at the moment has cruised with VOD for many years but this has pretty much finished his experience. It would not have hurt the company to do something, even a complimentary bottle of wine...but so far they have not done anything apart from send letters out a few days before departure to all their guests.

Tbh I thought this firm would have handled this problem alot better.

**neil** · 05-28-2008, 02:20 PM

Hi

I also would have thought that Voyages of Discovery would have made some compensation offer.

Free wine or a free happy hour would no doubt have gone down well !

Voyages of Discovery and Swan Hellenic Cruises, who are also having trouble with their cruise ship 'Minerva ' are both part of the ' All Leisure Group ' of companies !

The problem with these one ship cruise companies is that if there is a problem with the ship they operate then they are stuck as they have no other ship to offer a cruise on !

Neil

Picture of mv Discovery below -

swan · 06-12-2008, 04:36 AM

I cruised on the Discovery about 5 years ago and they had problems then .

raggy · 06-29-2008, 08:00 AM

VOYAGES OF DISCOVERY - MV DISCOVERY

We have just returned from "Land of the Midnight Sun" Norwegian cruise departing June 11th 2008. One engine remained out of action and speed was reduced throughout.

We were informed of the changed itinerary just one week prior to departure although the problem started back in March (or even earlier according to one member of staff). The new route meant that we did not make first landfall until the fifth day. Owing to slow progress during the trip, it was decided to omit one port of call altogether. Two of the excursions were very rushed. This was a most disappointing cruise - just too much time at sea in a tired vessel and a company not being honest with its passengers - or at least not giving us timely information.

The company made a £100 refund to full fare paying passengers. This is clearly not enough. An equitable amount would have been half the £1000 cost per person.

**Ally** · 06-29-2008, 08:16 AM

Welcome to the family, Raggy

I agree with you. VoD have dropped the ball on this situation and they seem to have continued to do so. This is a great shame as VoD had, up until this problem, an extremely good reputation. This will have done alot of harm to that reputation and will continue to do so until the company starts acting in a more honest and upfront manner. Their cruises are not the cheapest around as it is, so any refund amount should, by rights, reflect that.

This season will have done damage to VoD, I'm sure, and in an uncertain economic world, it does make you wonder if this sort of behaviour will go against them in the longterm...I think it might well do.

**neil** · 06-29-2008, 06:12 PM

Hi

The problem with Voyages of Discovery is that with only one ship it has nothing else to offer passengers if they take the mv ' Discovery ' out of service for engine repairs.

With the ship now being about 36 years old she may be in need of a total mechanical re-fit and not just a re-paint and some new furnishings !

Neil

raggy · 07-01-2008, 03:41 PM

Latest development................just had a letter from VoD further apologising and reminding us that a headwind on both the outward and return legs played a part in slowing the ship's progress.

They have made a further small gesture - a 10% reduction on a future cruise booked and taken before Dec 2009.

By the way, despite the significant problems with the itinerary, all the staff on board were great; that needs to be said.

Raggy

**Ally** · 07-01-2008, 03:46 PM

Thanks for the update, raggy

I am a very cynical person when it comes to mechanicals on ships. The 'headwind' is classed as 'an act of god' so in compensation terms, they are not liable, cos these things happen all the time and no itinerary is set in stone etc etc etc.....whereas 'the engine ain't working' problem is something they knew about and should have warned against long before the departure date, thus making it a very good reason for compensation claims. By wording the letter using the 'headwind' as a reason, rather than the truth, ie 'the engine ain't working' they have effectively covered themselves in the hope that you, the passenger, didn't know the truth of the situation. Not too clever in this day and age really

I am pleased that the staff were decent though, however, I dare say that they got moaned at alot over the 'problem' and more than likely felt the same as the passengers in regards to the company being more upfront and honest about it.