Voyages of Discovery and Swan Hellenic

[insidecabin]

They took themselves of the AIM(public stock market) in June.

[Aquarelle]

I phoned the US office, and they have no further information on the situation. However, my friend called the UK office, and the agent responded they there were meetings today and more information should be available to share with us in a few days (possibly 1-2).

[OlsSalt]

As an aside, and as an American (Merkan to you) who participates on another primarily US cruise line board, the contrast in reactions I see here is worthy of note.

 

I observe here from what appears to be primarily UK responders, a calm, reasoned and measured response to this genuinely difficult turn of events.

To which I compare the scorched earth reactions I see on the more US based cruise line forum where the change from custom-made sandwiches to pre-made sandwiches on board causes virtual apoplexy and threats of future cancellations.

 

Keep calm and carry on ..... is more than a poster, tee-shirt slogan or bumper sticker. It appears to be genuinely way of life. Also noted and appreciated when traveling on VOD. I will never forget a stop in Mauritius on the old Discovery where we had to dock quite a way from the downtown area that required the use of a local "tender" operation.

 

At the downtown dock we had to scramble over the deck of the local boat and climb a ladder to get up to the top of the dock area. I watched my fellow UK passengers, even those of a "certain age", without blinking and eye maneuver these challenges and accomplish what was required.

 

Later when taking the official tender that served both the Discovery and a US based cruise ship also in port, we had to endure an American passengers who refused to accommodate anything that remotely caused her discomfort, and demanded she be placed somewhere on the tender that was totally to her liking, regardless of other passengers who may have wanted that short-term special treatment too.

 

It was one of those moments of ...travel ... that goes well beyond merely the destinations visited.

Edited January 3, 2017 by OlsSalt

[Johnfromdurham]

I was due to fly out to join voyager on 4th Jan for the riches of the orient cruise, I got a call on fri 30th Dec to inform me the cruise was cancelled, I was told that someone would be in touch soon to explain what what happening, I've heard nothing .

Reading on here about other cruises also cancelled has got me worried now, has anyone else booked on this tour heard anything today ?

John

[Johnfromdurham]

I was due to fly out to join voyager on 4th Jan for the riches of the orient cruise, I got a call on fri 30th Dec to inform me the cruise was cancelled, I was told that someone would be in touch soon to explain what what happening, I've heard nothing .

Reading on here about other cruises also cancelled has got me worried now, has anyone else booked on this tour heard anything today ?

John

[tring]

The last few pages of this thread (on TA which is CC's sister site) are about this:-

 

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g1-i10703-k6954115-o80-Voyages_of_Discovery_Voyager-Cruises.html

 

Also worth reading this whole thread (if you have not done so) and following the links - Captain Greybeard has more up to date blogs if you search for them.

Edited January 3, 2017 by tring

[IOW]

Still waiting to hear whether VOYAGER's cruise on 18 January is going to operate. It is high time that an announcement was made.

[sarar]

Still waiting to hear whether VOYAGER's cruise on 18 January is going to operate. It is high time that an announcement was made.

 

 

 

I agree with you too IOW, my friend is supposed to be on 18 January sailing and flying out the day before I think so I am watching all the news for him as he doesn't do online at all and as yet I haven't mentioned all this to him, but before Christmas he kept telling me he hadn't had his tickets, have you?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Johnfromdurham]

The last few pages of this thread (on TA which is CC's sister site) are about this:-

 

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g1-i10703-k6954115-o80-Voyages_of_Discovery_Voyager-Cruises.html

 

Also worth reading this whole thread (if you have not done so) and following the links - Captain Greybeard has more up to date blogs if you search for them.

 

Thank you fir that, it's not looking good, I,m at a loss as to what to do next, I've never been in this situation before ,

[seawise]

Just Announced All Leisure Group has ceased trading!!!

[berkshireboy]

Yes, its official

 

 

 

"All Leisure Group has ceased trading after offloading a number of its brands in recent weeks.

The collapse affects All Leisure’s cruise lines Voyages of Discovery and Swan Hellenic, both of which cancelled new-year cruises at short notice over the festive period.

 

 

Andy Cohen, head of Atol at the CAA, said: “We understand this will be concerning news for anyone who had booked to travel with either of these two cruise operators. However, the Atol scheme exists for exactly this kind of situation and we are making immediate arrangements so that all Atol-protected customers can claim full refunds as soon as possible. "

 

 

 

From travel weekly.

[Fenya]

So will the rest of the cruises be cancelled, i.e. 18 Jan

[tring]

Yes, its official

 

 

 

"All Leisure Group has ceased trading after offloading a number of its brands in recent weeks.

The collapse affects All Leisure’s cruise lines Voyages of Discovery and Swan Hellenic, both of which cancelled new-year cruises at short notice over the festive period.

 

 

Andy Cohen, head of Atol at the CAA, said: “We understand this will be concerning news for anyone who had booked to travel with either of these two cruise operators. However, the Atol scheme exists for exactly this kind of situation and we are making immediate arrangements so that all Atol-protected customers can claim full refunds as soon as possible. "

 

 

 

From travel weekly.

 

Thanks for the info Seawise and Berkshireboy

 

I have found the page on the ATOL site

 

http://www.caa.co.uk/News/CAA-steps-in-to-support-thousands-of-holidaymakers,-after-All-Leisure-Holidays-Ltd-stops-trading/

Edited January 4, 2017 by tring

[berkshireboy]

So will the rest of the cruises be cancelled, i.e. 18 Jan

 

Yes.

 

They have ceased trading.

[Adam Coulter]

Here is the story just published on Cruise Critic: http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/news.cfm?ID=7443

[OlsSalt]

I find this news so sad on all levels - horrible for those who just had these trips yanked out from under them, and the loss of a wonderful cruise concept we enjoyed so much on VOD - indeed who could leave that ship without a strong sense of affection for the captain, staff and crew.

 

Tourism instability in MENA is real, i can appreciate this as we also watched the original concept of Voyages to Antiquity explode too for the same reasons. My heart aches. For those living in these unacceptably unstable regions, as well as our own ability to expand our horizons and explore their rich history which provided so much of the underpinings of our own world today.

Edited January 4, 2017 by OlsSalt

[tring]

Here is the story just published on Cruise Critic: http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/news.cfm?ID=7443

 

The article is not without mistakes.

 

The two cruises mentioned were actually cancelled last Friday as reported by a number of people on this thread.

 

Also most planned cruises are fly cruises, so are covered by ATOL, not ABTA, yet the article says people should visit the ABTA website.

 

I posted a link to the relevant page of the ATOL site in post number 38 on this thread. I agree that ABTA would be required for the relatively few cruises that were to sail from the UK.

[silton1]

Thank you to all that have contributed to this page. It has been difficult for everyone waiting to see the outcome. Sadly as expected. This is life. When booking today it has been difficult as all agents so busy with rebooking. This will not put us off cruising just reminds us to use good agents.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[OlsSalt]

We have found Holland American Lines, our "other" cruise line, to offer some of the more interesting specialty itineraries on relatively smaller cruise ships, among the mainline cruise ships. But our heart always had a soft spot for VOD. No one can beat their enrichment programs, nor that special VOD passenger mix.

[OlsSalt]

From The Independent: decreasing value of pound and Brexit hurt too

 

According to the most recently published figures, covering the year up to October 2015, the cruise division lost £146 for each passenger it carried. The fall in the value of the pound following the EU referendum added extra pressure. All Leisure Group’s revenue is predominantly in sterling, but its costs are mainly in foreign currencies, particularly the US dollar and euro.

 

 

[Parapara]

I have been following this thread from its inception as we have had cruises on both ships. The two cruises on Minerva were fantastic. Amazing itineraries and wonderful shore excursions included. The two cruises on the old Discovery were also good but the last one was just before she was sold and she really was past her use by date. It is sad to think that these two shipping lines might be no more. They offered something that is missing from the big ships and their more bland itineraries. I hope Minerva ( seeing she was being leased) may be able to continue in a similar way to what she has been.

Edited January 5, 2017 by Parapara

[OlsSalt]

THANK YOU VOYAGES OF DISCOVERY: Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, India, Malaysia, Brunei, Borneo, Sri Lanka, Burma, Andaman Islands, Maldives, Mauritius, Reunion, Seychelles, Madagascar, South Africa, Oman, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, UAE, Jordan, Egypt, Sinai, England, Norway, Finland, Russia White Sea and Solovetksy Islands. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU

 

I discovered VOD looking for a way to get to Tristan de Cuhna after Michael Palin shared this was his most challenging remote destination on the planet - I had to go, and it looked like VOD was one of the very few ways to get there. I missed that cruise, but saw another one upcoming that was equally tantalizing - poking around the Indian Ocean and its islands. Then there was another great one that went to Brunei, Burma and Aqaba. Then another to the haunting Solvestky Islands in Russia's White Sea. Meanwhile I was just looking at an Atlantic Azores jaunt, but alas now VOS is no more. My world has shrunk considerably with this news.

Edited January 5, 2017 by OlsSalt

[yorkshirephil]

THANK YOU VOYAGES OF DISCOVERY: Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, India, Malaysia, Brunei, Borneo, Sri Lanka, Burma, Andaman Islands, Maldives, Mauritius, Reunion, Seychelles, Madagascar, South Africa, Oman, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, UAE, Jordan, Egypt, Sinai, England, Norway, Finland, Russia White Sea and Solovetksy Islands. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU

 

I discovered VOD looking for a way to get to Tristan de Cuhna after Michael Palin shared this was his most challenging remote destination on the planet - I had to go, and it looked like VOD was one of the very few ways to get there. I missed that cruise, but saw another one upcoming that was equally tantalizing - poking around the Indian Ocean and its islands. Then there was another great one that went to Brunei, Burma and Aqaba. Then another to the haunting Solvestky Islands in Russia's White Sea. Meanwhile I was just looking at an Atlantic Azores jaunt, but alas now VOS is no more. My world has shrunk considerably with this news.

 

Very sad, we were scheduled to cruise on Voyager from Tenerife to Cape Town taking in Ascension and St Helena.

[Fairsky1]

THANK YOU VOYAGES OF DISCOVERY: Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, India, Malaysia, Brunei, Borneo, Sri Lanka, Burma, Andaman Islands, Maldives, Mauritius, Reunion, Seychelles, Madagascar, South Africa, Oman, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, UAE, Jordan, Egypt, Sinai, England, Norway, Finland, Russia White Sea and Solovetksy Islands. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU

 

I discovered VOD looking for a way to get to Tristan de Cuhna after Michael Palin shared this was his most challenging remote destination on the planet - I had to go, and it looked like VOD was one of the very few ways to get there. I missed that cruise, but saw another one upcoming that was equally tantalizing - poking around the Indian Ocean and its islands. Then there was another great one that went to Brunei, Burma and Aqaba. Then another to the haunting Solvestky Islands in Russia's White Sea. Meanwhile I was just looking at an Atlantic Azores jaunt, but alas now VOS is no more. My world has shrunk considerably with this news.

 

Nicely expressed OlsSalt, but I'll be even more specific, THANK YOU ROGER ALLARD. I have cruised approx. 50 times with numerous Cruiselines. Just over 3 years ago we took our first cruise with VOD on Voyager, we were then hooked!

When Orient Lines ceased to be I sought an alternative but it was in vain, we tried a number of Cruiselines, it was extremely difficult to find something that in any way compared, then we found VOD.

We've had 5 wonderful cruises on Voyager, our last " Beyond Ceylon " ended on 6th December, 2016 in Singapore. A wonderful cruise as always thanks to the fantastic Staff of Voyager.

When we said our goodbyes little did we know it truly was goodbye!

Thanks to the vision of people like Roger Allard, Gerry Herrod and the late Wayne Heller ( who was trying to re - launch Orient Lines ) we've seen many parts of the world and had many wonderful experiences.

We've met many lovely like minded fellow passengers and have been looked after by the exceptional Staff onboard Voyager.

The welfare of those Filipino Staff and indeed all of the Staff of Voyager is of great concern to me, I'd love some reassurance that they'll be looked after?

As a lover of music I think " Thanks For The Memories " is appropriate, I only wish it was " The Best Is Yet To Come "!

[OlsSalt]

You reminded me I forgot to include the Philippine Islands - on one of their perhaps maiden stops in their homeland island - where we were able to see their happy families waiting and buy at the dockside my most favorite tee-shirt of all celebrating that "Grand Voyage" spectacular with the flags from each country visited. The tour to Corrigador Island and viewing the Bataan peninsula across Manilla Bay remains a powerful memory.

 

VOD Hong Kong to Cape Town - which I believe was the retirement cruise for their former British captain, before it was taken over by the equally wonderful and wry humored Ukranian captain. (names escape me now) It was our first VOD cruise so all of this was new to us.

 

Which now again reminds me I forgot Penang on that cruise as well, whose tourist office also went out of its way to greet us with their special commemorative tee-shirt of Discovery's maiden stop there too.