The refurbished 540-passenger Voyager was welcomed into the Voyages of Discovery family prior to setting off from Portsmouth in the United Kingdom on an inaugural sailing to the Caribbean and South America.
In keeping with the ship’s adventure theme, Voyager was named and christened by natural history, marine conservation, archaeology and British wildlife television presenter Miranda Krestovnikoff.
All Leisure Group plc first purchased the ship in 2009 and invested in a multimillion-dollar refurbishment using predominantly British design and manufacturing companies. The technical upgrades and the redesign took place in the UK, in the Dorset port of Portland.
Voyager provides guests with the amenities of larger vessels and all the flexibility and features of the line’s tradition of small-ship discovery cruising. Voyager’s modern yet intimate facilities include 270 staterooms, of which 87 percent are ocean view, and 35 suites – 30 with ocean view balconies.
Guests can dine in any of three spectacular restaurants with open seating dining which includes a new intimate pre-bookable specialty restaurant, The Explorer Club, at no extra charge to guests.
Other key new additions to Voyager include an explorer theme throughout the ship, reinforcing the brand’s destination-led cruise offerings; the new Scott’s Lounge classic piano bar; a “Lookout Lounge” with panoramic views from the front of the ship; and a new terrace with an all-weather area for al fresco style dining in the Veranda restaurant.
After a four-day inaugural celebration, Voyager embarks on a 17-day transatlantic journey to the Caribbean, arriving in Barbados on Dec. 20 to begin a series of winter sailings to the cultural diversity and natural wonders of South and Central America and the idyllic Caribbean.
2013 itineraries include:
• Natural Wonders of Latin America: (Feb 6, 20 days) Experience the Chilean fjords, the wildlife on Peninsula Valdes, the glacial landscapes of South America and the cities of Santiago and Buenos Aires sailing from Valparaiso to Buenos Aires.
• South America’s Discovery Coast: (Feb 25, 16 days) This cruise from Buenos Aires to Recife includes calls in Montevideo, Santos, Ilhabela, Paraty, Rio de Janeiro and Salvador de Bahia.
• A Portrait of the Amazon: (Mar 12, 13 days) Discover the Amazon region on a cruise from Recife to Manaus that visits Recife and Solina, desert scenery, rainforests and a cruise on the Amazon, South America’s longest river.
• Amazonian & Caribbean Explorer: (Mar 24, 16 days) Combine a cruise on the Amazon and exploration of South American locales in Brazil and Venezuela with the distinctive Caribbean experience in Aruba and Jamaica.
Following her inaugural winter season, Voyager will return to the UK, offering 9-to-16 day round-trip itineraries from Portsmouth starting on April 29, 2013 to the Baltic, British Isles, Scandinavia, and the Mediterranean. Voyager will then head to the Far East for the 2013-14 winter season, sailing a series of enriching discovery cruises in extraordinary destinations, such as Tales of India and Arabia; Asian Capitals and the Magic of Vietnam; Oriental Odyssey; and Japan and Islands of the East China Sea.
For more information, visit www.voyagesofdiscovery.com.