Voyages of Discovery Cruises Review

This small cruise line fills a particular niche - i.e., long cruises to atypical destinations -- that Voyages of Discovery reviews indicate meets some cruising expectations but not others. One very satisfied traveler writes in a Voyages of Discovery review on the Cruise Reviews site off the thrill at seeing the splendors of Greenland and says related lectures on topics ranging from local wildlife to global warming were informative and polished. By contrast, a passenger who took a five-week trip to Asia and Australia cites a host of deficiencies in his Voyages of Discovery review on Cruise Critic, starting with the age of the ship (early 1970s) and associated problems with hot and cold water in the staterooms and the air conditioning and segueing to limited entertainment, rigid meal times, and uninspiring lectures. And yet, he concludes, the service is top-notch and the food more than adequate. The physical condition of the aging ships is a common topic in other Voyage of Discovery reviews -- no promenade deck or self-service laundry, for instance, and spotty repair jobs and plumbing snafus -- but passengers tend to enjoy the company of those they meet on board, and solo travelers find plenty of similarly-situated companions. Some passengers consider the lectures delivered by experts and tailored to the cruise itinerary a highlight of the trip, and onboard entertainment, albeit limited, generally earns above average grades. The food is good but below gourmet grade, drink prices are considered reasonable, and the crew is described as friendly and professional.

The two Voyages of Discovery ships, Discovery and Voyager, are all about "discovery." They travel to out-of-the-way destinations such as Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Iceland, Estonia, the Amazon, the southern tip of South America, and the Arctic Circle on trips that extend from 10 days to 126 days. The ships are comparatively small -- capacity on the Discovery is 717 and on the Voyager it's 556 -- making it possible for them to enter many more ports than are open to the giant megaships. The cruises seem to appeal to retired travelers and others with sufficient leisure time; based on the Voyager of Discovery reviews we read, there are rarely children aboard. The overall atmosphere is quiet and relaxing.

Cruising with Voyages of Discovery requires some trade-offs. If you want to visit and learn about exotic locations at a reasonable price and don't care about luxury accommodations and fine dining, this relatively inexpensive cruise line could be for you. But if you prefer a more standard cruise experience with bars, casinos, and eye-popping entertainment, you should choose another cruise line.