MV Discovery now cleared to sail after inaugral problems

Cruise & Maritime Voyages has confirmed that mv Discovery will sail its second voyage. In a statement following the cancellation of the ship’s first cruise, the line said: “We are pleased to advise that the authorities have today successfully completed their inspections onboard Discovery and given clearance for her to sail to Bristol Avonmouth in readiness for her scheduled 15-night cruise to the Land of the Northern Lights departing on Friday 15th March. 

Cruise & Maritime Voyages was forced to cancel a 15-night Norway and Northern Lights cruise onboard mv Discovery at the recently, the ship’s first sailing for the line.

  The line blamed the cancellation on technical problems following an inspection by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in Portland on Friday, which resulted in the ship being formally detained.
  According to the MCA: “a Detention Notice on the passenger ship Discovery, preventing the vessel from sailing … will remain in place whilst the owners and crew undertake revisions to their safety management system.”
  A spokesperson for CMV declined to comment on the specific nature of the technical problems.

  Discovery’s cancelled cruise was to have been the first since its recent lengthy dry-dock in Genoa, Italy, and the first since CMV took over operation of the vessel from owners All Leisure Group.  The next scheduled cruise itinerary is nearly identical to the cancelled cruise and is set for departure on March 15. The line says they are working towards ensuring the cruise goes ahead as planned.

  According to CMV’s spokesperson, talks are underway with All Leisure Group — which also owns the 12,500-ton, 352-passenger Minerva and the 2,112-ton, 49-passenger Hebridean Princess to address the causes of the ship’s detention and determine who bears the responsibility for bringing it up to regulation.

  Discovery was originally scheduled to depart from Bristol on Thursday, Feb. 28, but bad weather and tidal restrictions in the port required that the ship be rerouted to Portland instead, resulting in a delay.
 
  Passengers were bussed to Portland and boarded Discovery, remaining in port for more than 24 hours before being disembarked on Friday, March 1, according to a statement from CMV.
 CMV said it will provide passengers on the cancelled cruise with a full refund, compensation of GBP £250 per person and a future cruise discount of 40% for cruises booked on Discovery by April 30, 2013.