The MV Discovery set to replace Cruise and Maritimes Ocean Countess

The owners of the 650 passenger mv Discovery have entered into a joint venture with Cruise & Maritime Voyages which the group has promised will offer passengers sharply reduced fares.

The All Leisure Group which also owns the 352 passenger Minerva and the 49 passenger Hebridean Princess wants to target the budget end of the cruise market by linking up with Cruise and Maritime jointly selling the Discovery.


Discovery will enter dry dock later this year and will undergo an extensive refurbishment before entering service under the Cruise and Maritime brand in 2013.

Cruise and Maritime is returning one of its two ships, 800 passenger Ocean Countess, to its owners Maximus Navigation, effectively replacing it with Discovery from February 2013. 

Fly-cruise itineraries and U.K. regional departures from Bristol, Harwich, Hull, Liverpool and Newcastle on Discovery will remain the same as Ocean Countess’.  However, Discovery’s prices will be lowered to reflect the fact that it has come under the Cruise and Maritime brand.

To replace Discovery under its Voyages of Discovery brand the All Leisure Group will be taking delivery of another ship at the end of 2012, 540 passenger mv Voyager. Voyager has undergone a multi-million dollar refit and will enter service in December with 270 cabins, 30 of which have balconies. In comparison, none of Discovery’s 354 cabins have balconies.