Discovery in Helsinki, 25 April 2014

The 2014 summer cruise season is on for Helsinki, with Cruise & Maritime Voyages' Discovery making this year's first arrival last Friday. During this year's season, approximately 260 cruise calls are expected. According to the Port of Helsinki's website, this year will see a large number of new ships (/ships that have changed their name since the last visit) calling in the city, including l'Austral, Explorer, Seabourn Quest, Royal Princess, Louis Aura, l’Horizon and Azores. While not calling under a new name, the Funchal's visit on 2. August is also definately of interest. I also plan to do at least one photo trip outside home waters during the summer, heading to Tallinn on 6. July to photograph the ex-Hurtigrute Gann, which won't be visiting Helsinki during her Baltic Sea tour.

Of course, before the season properly kicks off, there are still plenty of interesting photos from last summer I have yet to share with you - including a number of shots from my Rotterdam cruise in last November. But for today, the ship of interest is the Discovery opening the summer's cruise season.

Discovery

IMO 7108514
Name history: Island Venture, Island Princess, Hyundai Pungak, Platinum, Discovery
Built 1972, Rheinstahl Nordseewerke Emden, West Germany
Tonnage 21 186 GT
Length 168,74 m
Width 24,64 m
Draugth 7,49 m
796 passengers
4 Fiat diesels, combined 13 240 kW
2 controllable pitch propellers
1 bow thruster
Speed 18 knots

For a history of the Discovery, see the first entry on her.

The photographs below show the Discovery departing from Helsinki South Harbour on the afternoon of 25. April 2014. Click on the images to see them in larger size.

Discovery and Helsinki's new landmark, the (temporary) ferris wheel at Katajanokka. As the ship left early, I decided to photograph her from this more unsual vantage point.

Grand old ladies, the Discovery and the Mariella.

In the end the Discovery took such a long time departing that I would have had plenty of time to make to the regular photo spot as Kustaanmiekka. I can't complain though, these photos turned out rather well.

Lovely lines on the ships. Hopefully she will be able to find a new job when her current owners Voyages of Discovery sell her.

Next time: Princess Anastasia

Discovery in Helsinki, 9 July 2013

Discovery

IMO 7108514
Previous names: Island Venture, Island Princess, Hyundai Pungak, Platinum
Built 1972, Rheinstahl Nordseewerke Emden, West Germany
Tonnage 21 186 GT
Length 168,74 m
Width 24,64 m
Draugth 7,49 m
796 passengers
4 Fiat diesels, combined 13 240 kW
2 controllable pitch propellers
1 bow thruster
Speed 18 knots

Ah, the Discovery. For a history of the ship, see the first entry on her. Since that entry was penned, the ship has spent most of her time sailing under charter to Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV), as also seen on the photos here. Earlier this year the Discovery's owners, All Leisure Group, stated that they would be selling the ship. To whom still remains to be seen. CMV, who have expanded their operations recently with the acquisition of Transocean Cruises, might be interested... although it should be kept in mind that the Discovery is over 40 years old, and as such definately nearing the end of her usable lifespan. Having appeared in The Love Boat will, unfortunately, not change that.

The photographs below show the Discovery departing Helsinki in the afternoon of 9 July 2013, photographed from Kustaanmiekka. Click on the images to see them in larger size.

The Discovery together with JT Line's little Suomenlinna ferry Chapman.

A bit of a boring photo, but the attractive ship makes up for the lack of photo knick-knacks.

Outbound.

Next time: The Silja Symphony.

Voyager in Helsinki, 4 May 2013

Helsinki's 2013 summer cruise season started a week ago, when Transocean Cruises' Astor made the season's first cruise call. I did not have a chance to photograph the Astor, but today saw the season's second cruise call in the form of Voyages of Discovery's Voyager making her maiden call to Helsinki (at least under her current name).

Unrelatedly to the above, the 2/2013 issue of Ulkomatala came out earlier this week. Those of you who speak Finnish can read the magazine by clicking on this link. The latest issue features, amongst others, my article about the Spirit of Tasmania and Pelni ferry operators.

Voyager

IMO 8709573
Name history: Crown Monarch, Nautican, Walrus, Jules Verne, Alexander von Humbold, Voyager
Built 1990 Union Naval de Levante Valencia, Spain
Tonnage 15 271 GT
Length 152,50 m
Width 20,60 m
Draught 5,80 m
556 passengers (lower berths)
4 Normo-Bergen diesels, combined 13 240 kW
2 propellers
2 bow thrusters
Speed 18 knots

Voyages of Discovery's Voyager started life back in November 1990 as the Crown Monarch of Crown Cruise Line, and she was used for cruising from Florida to the Caribbean. At the time of the ship's delivery Crown Cruise Line was owned by Grundstad Maritime of Norway, but in July 1991 the line was sold to the Finland-based EffJohn, who were looking to expand their international cruise operations. The sale had no immediate effect on the Crown Monarch, but in 1992-1993 she got two new fleetmates, Crown Jewel and Crown Dynasty (today the Gemini and Braemar, respectively)

EffJohn was experiencing acute financial difficulties in the early 1990s and a partner was sought for the Crown Cruise Line outfit. This was found in the form of Cunard Line and the result was the formation of a joint venture, Cunard Crown Cruise Line. The Crown Monarch and her fleetmates kept their names (although were marketed with "Cunard" prefixes in their names), but recieved Cunard funnel colours. The three Crown ships were joined in the Cunard Crown fleet by the Cunard Countess and Cunard Princess.

The Cunard Crown collaboration proved to be a short one, as EffJohn decided divest themselves entirely from their international cruise operations in 1994. The Crown Monarch was chartered after the 1994 summer season to a Far-eastern cruise operator as the Nautican for cruising out of Singapore. In 1996 she was renamed Walrus and in 2001 moved to casino cruising out of Hong Kong. Through-out these years the ship was owned by the same company, although it changed names several times during the years, being known as EffJohn, Silja, Neptun Maritime and (again) Silja. In 2005 Silja's then-owner Sea Containers decided to sell Silja Line's operations. The ship's not in service with Silja Line (Finnjet, Silja Opera and Walrus) were transferred under Sea Containers' direct ownership prior to the sale.

Silja Line was sold to Tallink in July 2006 and in the end of the month the Walrus also found a new owner, the new Netherlands-based Club Cruise. In April 2007 the ship was renamed Jules Verne (quite possibly the greatest cruise ship name of all time!) and chartered to the Spanish-market Vision Cruises. In March 2008 the Jules Verne was chartered to Phoenix Reisen and renamed Alexander von Humbold (she was initially marketed as the "Alexander von Humbold II" but does not appear to have ever officially carried the numeral). In late 2008 Club Cruise went bankrupt and the Alexander von Humbold was laid up in Bremerhaven, Germany.

In November 2009 the Alexander von Humbold was sold at an auction to All Leisure Group, but she was chartered again to Phoenix Reisen for 2010. This was followed by a charter to the Turkey-based Bamtur. Finally in late 2012 a refit started to turn the Alexander von Humbold into the Voyager, the new ship of the Voyages of Discovery cruise line owned by All Leisure. The Voyager entered service with Voyages of Discovery in December 2012.

The photographs below show the Voyager departing Helsinki South Harbour on the 4 May 2013, her maiden call to the port under her current name. Photographed from Kustaanmiekka. Click on the images to see in larger size.

Upright photos are good in case we ever need them for the cover of Ulkomatala. And they look good too.

Voyages of Discovery decided to paint the ship all-white (all previous incarnations had a stripe on the hull) and it doesn't really improve the ship's looks. All-white looked good on the company's earlier (and older) Discovery, but the boxier Voyager really calls out for the stripe.

The ship's maiden call lured many photographers out from hibernation.

Early spring in Helsinki unfornatately doesn't look that impressive.

While I'm complaining about the ship's looks, the funnel symbol really looks like it should be mirrored. This way it looks like it's the wrong way around (even if it appear this way 'round on the Voyages of Discovery logo).

Notice the rather unsual duck tail/sponson aft.

Next time: Still a mystery even to myself.

Discovery in Helsinki, 6 July 2011

Discovery

IMO 7108514
Previous names: Island Venture, Island Princess, Hyundai Pungak, Platinum
Built 1972, Rheinstahl Nordseewerke Emden, West Germany
Tonnage 21 186 GT
Length 168,74 m
Width 24,64 m
Draugth 7,49 m
796 passengers
4 Fiat diesels, combined 13 240 kW
2 controllable pitch propellers
1 bow thruster
Speed 18 knots

Discovery is  currently the sole ship of the All Discovery Cruising's Voyages of Discovery brand (until November 2012, when she will be joined by the Voyager). The Discovery was ordered in 1967 from the Rheinstahl Nordseewerke shipyard by a joint venture of Fearnley & Eger and Øivind Lorentzen for a planned Caribbean cruise service, Flagship Cruises. The design work of the ship, eventually named Island Venture, was entrusted to the well-known naval architect Knud E. Hansen. The Island Venture was delivered in 1972, a year after her older sisten Sea Venture. She was placed on two-week long cruises from New York to the Caribbean.

The Flagship Cruises joint venture was not a success, and soon Fearnley & Eger and Øivind Lorentzen decided to go their separate ways, with the former taking the Island Venture and the latter the Sea Venture. Fearnley & Eger had purchased Princess Cruises and already at the end of 1972 the Island Venture was transferred to the Princess Cruises fleet as the Island Princess on cruises from San Francisco. In the end of 1974 P&O purchased Princess Cruises and the Island Princess. The following year P&O also purchased the Sea Venture, which became the Pacific Princess. Between 1976 and 1986 both the Pacific Princess and the Island Princess starred in The Love Boat.

The Island Princess sailed for Princess Cruises until the year 1999, when the classic ship was sold to Hyundai Merchant Marine and renamed Hyundai Pungak for "pilgrim cruises" from South Korea to the shrine on Mount Kumgang in North Korea. For these cruises Hyundai also acquired two other classic cruise ships, the Hyundai Pongnae (ex-Sun Viking of Royal Caribbean) and the Hyundai Keumgang (ex-Royal Viking Sky, current Fred. Olsen's Boudicca). Hyundai Merchant Marine was not a huge success and it was closed down in 2001, following the death of the Hyundai boss whose brainchild the line was.

Soon afterwards the Hyundai Pungak was sold to Gerry Herrod, perhaps best known as the man behind the now-defunct Orient Lines (the cruise line, not the liner operator that had merged into P&O in the 1960s). The Hyundai Pungak was renamed Platinum and sailed to Europe for a $15 million refurbishment into a modern cruise ship (other sources state $10 million). Meanwhile negotiation were being carried out between Herrod and Voyages of Discovery, the latter wishing to take the Platinum under charter. Voyages of Discovery had previously sold cruises on ships of other companies but had not before operated a ship of their own. An agreement was reached and in 2002 the Platinum became the Discovery. In May 2003 she entered service with Voyages of Discovery, cruising to exotic destinations and mainly aimed at the British market. In 2005 Voyages of Discovery's (then-)new parent company All Leisure Group purchased the Discovery from Gerry Herrod. She (obviously) remains in Voyages of Discovery service to date.

(Much of the previous account is sourced from Voyages of Discovery's website for the ship).

The photographs below show the Discovery departing from Helsinki on 6 July 2011. Photographed from Kustaanmiekka. Click on the individual images to see in larger size.

Cue the theme from The Love Boat starting to play in your head.

The Discovery and her sister (currently laid up as the Pacific) are fascinating ships in terms of their exterior stylings... even by the standards of Knud E. Hansen, whose creations tended to be quite unusual. Even by the standards of that day, IMO.

The Discovery (and the Pacific) are better-looking when viewed from the rear in my opinion. Perhaps it's the nicely-rounded aft or the terraced superstructure or something completely different... or maybe the fore just doesn't match the aft in terms of attractive design.

Yeah, I had a similar image in the preceeding entry on the Gemini. What can I say, the little lighthouse-thing by the shipping lane just looks too photogenic to ignore.