Cruise Ship Jobs - Voyages of Discovery Cruises

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Founded in 2002 by recognized travel industry entrepreneur, Gerry Herrod (a well-known figure in the cruise world as former chairman of Orient Lines, Ocean Line Cruises and Pearl Cruises) Discovery World Cruises offers cruise vacations to exotic destinations at affordable prices. Under its original name, Discovery World Cruises, the line operated the MV Discovery during winter months on cruises to Antarctica, South America and the South Pacific. The balance of the year, the vessel was chartered to UK-based All Leisure Holidays for Northern Europe and Mediterranean cruises under the Voyages of Discovery brand. All Leisure Holidays acquired the line in May 2005. In July 2007, the line became known as Voyages of Discovery in all markets.The new cruise line seeks to serve a niche clientele: travelers who crave adventure, but also love the comforts and amenities of traditional cruising. Gerry Herrod began this new enterprise after Orient Lines and its ship, the Marco Polo, was sold to Norwegian Cruise Lines. He brought with him from the Marco Polo his long-time associates, Captain Erik Bjurstedt, Cruise Director David Lawton and Hotel Manager Ian Vella, as well as much of the Filipino crew. Vice President Tim Davey comes from management posts with Premier Cruises and Cunard Line. The 20,000-ton MV Discovery (former Island Princess) was built in 1972 in Germany by Rheinstahl N ordseewerke, a builder of ships since1903. Before entering service as Discovery in 2003, she underwent an extensive, multi-million dollar refit creating, in effect, a brand new ship. The vessel retains its handsome, classic exterior profile, but now features every modern safety feature and amenity.  At 650 passengers – small in comparison to today's mega liners – MV Discovery is big enough for cruising to faraway places yet small enough to enter remote harbors that larger vessels must pass by. Senior officers are Scandinavian, British and Dutch; the cruise staff is American and European; while the service staff is from the Philippines.

Interesting destinations are the great strength for Voyages of Discovery. MV Voyager sails to exotic locations from Antarctica to Easter Island, the Chilean fjords to the South Pacific, as well as passage to New Zealand, Fiji, Hawaii, Mayan Mexico,Panama Canal and trans-Atlantic crossings. Every cruise trip features excellent lecturers on board. From May through October, the MV Discovery operates under charter to Voyages of Discovery, a tour operator based in the U.K. offering cruises of the British Isles, the Baltic, Greenland, Iceland and the Faroes Islands, Scandinavia, the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, Red Sea, Suez Canal and North Africa.

The MV Voyager attracts a well-traveled, slightly older group who care more about interesting destinations and educational talks than lavish facilities. Most of the passengers are American, but the itineraries attract a fair number of English and Australian travelers, and sometimes groups from Asia, as well.

Cruise ships and itineraries:

MV Voyager (ex-Alexander Von Humboldt): Bahamas registered; built 1990; 15,271 gross tons; 556 passengers; 305 crew members. Itineraries: Mediterranean, Black Sea, Red Sea, Galapagos Islnads, Panama Canal, South Pacific, Southeast Asia, Far East, Indian Ocean, Africa, New Zealand, Scandinavia, Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Antarctica, South America.