Cruise firm set for sailing at third try from Avonmouth
IT may be a case of third time lucky for passengers planning to take part in cruises from Avonmouth.
Cruises to view the Northern Lights from the Bristol Channel have been prevented from setting off twice but yesterday the holiday firm was finally given the go ahead to set sail this Friday.
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The ship Discovery will finally set sail from Avonmouth on Friday
The cruise ship Discovery was due to leave Avonmouth at the end of February but was hit by poor weather in the Bay of Biscay.
And there was further bad news when it emerged that the Coastguard had carried out investigations while the ship was docked at Portland and decided that the ship was not properly prepared for a cruise.
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However, the problems now appear to have been resolved and The Discovery will be heading off from Avonmouth on Friday – if all goes to plan.
A spokesman for the holiday firm Cruise and Maritime Services 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 Avonmouth in readiness for her scheduled Northern Lights cruise."
Passengers who originally booked onto the cruise were angry at being let down by the company.
The Discovery was due to sail for Norway from Avonmouth but was rerouted to Portland as a result of the poor weather.
When holidaymakers arrived at Portland they were told that the vessel had been detained by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
Passengers who had been ferried from Avonmouth spent 24 hours on the ship at Portland before the trip was cancelled.
The Coastguard placed a Detention Notice on the Discovery, preventing the vessel from sailing until the "owners and crew undertake revisions to their safety management system".
The ship's owner, Cruise and Maritime Voyages, has declined to comment on the specific nature of the faults.
This week's voyage will be the first time a cruise ship has docked in Avonmouth for 20 years.
Cruise and Maritime Voyages will be running trips to nine destinations across the world from the South West. There are another nine departures planned for 2014 if the venture proves to be a success. The company said there had been plenty of demand for berths and only a few cabins were available for this summer.
2 Comments
by Brizz_Tony
Wednesday, March 13 2013, 6:56PM
“As I understand it, the ship was seaworthy, but the crew weren't, and it hadn't been supplied properly. Hopefully, it will go well this time, but the first outing of any cruise is always a touch nervous. Bon voyage!”
by taxpayerbris
Wednesday, March 13 2013, 7:43AM
“I wouldn't risk going onboard a ship that had been stopped from leaving port because of safety failures, even worse is a company that is prepared to advertise, book and get ready to sail without actually having a seaworthy vessel..”