Discovery World Cruises: refined cruising on inventive itineraries at affordable fares

Cruise Travel, Nov-Dec, 2004 by Theodore W. Scull

Gerrod Herrod, British travel entrepreneur, may not be a household name on this side of the Atlantic, but his cruise lines certainly conjure up cruise travel in the best sense of the term. In the 1980s Herrod started Ocean Cruise Lines and then bought Pearl Cruises, and in the 1990s he established Orient Lines--ultimately selling them all. After a short hiatus, last year he launched Discovery World Cruises and the MV Discovery to attract much the same seasoned clientele he cultivated in the past.

According to Herrod, Discovery chairman and CEO, similarities between this new line and his previous companies would include "a focus first and foremost of the destination, meaning intriguing itineraries, carefully planned shore excursions at reasonable prices, top guest lecturers, and local cultural entertainment onboard wherever possible. Our cruise-tour formula has proven successful, so we press on by combining itineraries to interesting places with included hotel stays and city sightseeing before and after the voyage, and doing so while offering good value."

The 650-passenger/20,216-gross-register-ton Discovery began her sea life in 1972 as the Island Venture, soon becoming the Island Princess, one of the original "Love Boats," operating for many years under the Princess Cruises' banner. After a short career taking tourists from South Korea to a scared site in North Korea, she was bought by Herrod. He gave her an impressive refit to start cruising again in mid-2003. "She is a wonderful vessel," he explained. "She is built with a stronger hull and deeper draft than many of today's megaships, so her sea-keeping abilities are fast rate. Her size is also key to exploring out-of-the-way places and remote islands that larger ships must avoid."

The Discovery operates a split personality between five winter months for the North American market under the banner Discovery World Cruises and the remaining seven months on charter to the British firm Voyages of Discovery. While few Americans find their way aboard during the UK charter period, Brits, Australians, and New Zealanders, as I found on my spring cruise, mix in during the North American season.

Herrod explains, "While under charter operating in Europe, the ship is not ours to market; it is a British tour operator offering cruises to British passengers. Therefore, we do not envisage our clients sailing while it's under charter. That said, the reverse has occurred. Passengers who cruised last summer were attracted to our Discovery World Cruises' itineraries and booked passage this past season."

Then late last summer, All Leisure Group, owners of UK-based Voyages of Discovery, announced that the firm will purchase the Discovery and Discovery World Cruises USA from Herrod, who will remain involved as a consultant beginning mid-May. Thus, North American cruisers will now be able to book the ship's entire program of European, North and South American, and Pacific Ocean itineraries and sail with British, Australian, and South African passengers.

Stepping aboard the Discovery in Fort Lauderdale in mid-April, I immediately felt continuity with Orient Lines, as many top staff and Filipino crew loyally followed their boss to his new venture. Even public room names were borrowed from past vessels, such as Seven Continents Restaurant, the Yacht Club (alternative restaurant), and the Palm Court.

Between November 2003 and April 2004, the Discovery had spent her inaugural North American-marketed season in South America, Antarctica, the South Pacific, New Zealand, and then across the Pacific via Hawaii to Mexico, the Panama Canal, and island-hopping from Florida trans-Atlantic to England.

For Antarctic cruises, the ship reduces the passenger capacity to 450 and takes on 11 naturalists for an enrichment program and to lead shore excursions. Passengers are ferried to shore aboard six Zodiacs and the ship's tenders. Two landings per cruise are guaranteed, and if the weather cooperates, there will likely be more. Ships larger than the Discovery cruise the Antarctic Peninsula but do not land passengers; expedition vessels smaller than the Discovery can land all their Antarctic guests at one time, but at premium rates. So the Discovery provides a moderately priced Antarctic cruise for those who could otherwise not afford to go. The average passenger age hovers around 70; but Antarctica voyages draw a younger group.

On my Discovery voyage, embarking at Ft. Lauderdale for England, I found the atmosphere low-key and traditional. The sea days offered enrichment lectures, films, deck games, gym & spa activities, afternoon tea, reading, and lots of socializing. The theme was the ocean-liner era, appropriately set on an ocean crossing with talks by former officers and films that evoked life at sea on ships trading to Bermuda, Australia, and South Africa. This theme cruise will be reprised in December, southbound from England to South America.

Built in early 1972 in Germany, the Discovery is one of the last ships to be designed with upward sheer--that graceful curve to the decks that is so pleasing to the eye--which, coupled with streamlining, gives her an ocean-liner profile. Navigating the ship, with her moderate size and organized layout, is relatively simple. Public rooms stretch the length of Riviera Deck with naturally lighted side galleries providing an enclosed promenade. A view of the sea is never far away