Coral Discoverer
Former names: Oceanic Discoverer, Oceanic Princess
Coral Discoverer current position
Coral Discoverer current location is at West Australia (coordinates -13.13221 S / 128.11914 E) cruising en route to Broome WA. The AIS position was reported 4 hours ago.
Current PositionSpecifications of Coral Discoverer
Year of build | 2005 / Age: 19 |
Flag state | Australia |
Builder | NQEA Pty Ltd (Cairns, Australia) |
Speed | 12 kn / 22 km/h / 14 mph |
Length (LOA) | 63 m / 207 ft |
Beam (width) | 13 m / 43 ft |
Gross Tonnage | 1838 gt |
Passengers | 72 |
Crew | 25 |
Passengers-to-space ratio | 26 |
Decks | 4 |
Cabins | 36 |
Decks with cabins | 3 |
Last Refurbishment | 2016 |
Former names | Oceanic Discoverer, Oceanic Princess |
Owner | Kallang Capital Holdings (Singapore) via Coral Princess Cruises (Australia) |
Operator | Coral Expeditions Australia |
Coral Discoverer Review
Review of Coral Discoverer
The 2005-built MV Coral Discoverer cruise ship is a unique (superyacht-like) expedition vessel operating on Oceania and Australia roundtrip itineraries leaving from Cairns (Queensland Australia). Coral Discoverer cruise itineraries include Australia's "Top End", Kimberley, also New Zealand, Melanesia (Oceania), Papua New Guinea, Indonesia.
Previously known as "Oceanic Discoverer" (until June 2015,), this 72-passenger ship is fully registered under SOLAS Convention (international maritime treaty for safety at sea). Launched in 2005, the vessel was the first Australian owned, flagged and staffed cruise passenger ship to attain certificate for full SOLAS compliance.
The vessel (IMO number 9292747) is currently Australia-flagged (MMSI 503492000).
On December 15, 2014, Tony Briggs (Coral Princess Cruises Pty Ltd's Founder and Managing Director) announced that the Singapore-based Kallang Capital Holdings (part of PrimePartners Group Pte Ltd) has acquired a majority stake in the company.
Coral Expeditions itineraries feature sailing around deserted islands and pristine reefs beyond the reach of day trippers and larger ships. The company's Great Barrier Reef (Coral Sea) cruise itineraries depart from the Queensland ports Darwin to Cairns, each offering a snapshot of the diverse ecosystem of the marine park.
The travel company Coral Expeditions (fka Coral Princess Cruises/fleet) was established in 1984 by Captain Tony Briggs. His first ship was an ex-World War II Fairmile-class submarine chaser. The vessel was converted to carry up to 24 passengers on short overnight trips to the Great Barrier Reef from the company's base in Cairns. All Coral Expeditions ships are Australia-flagged, Australia-based, and employ all-Australian crew. Coral Expeditions' regions of operation include New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Kimberley and Northern Australia, Tasmania and South Pacific Islands. The 3-ship fleet comprises Coral Discoverer, and the pair of motor catamarans (sister-ships by design) Coral Expeditions 1 (fka "Coral Princess I") and Coral Expeditions 2 (fka "Coral Princess II").
On December 15, 2014, Tony Briggs (Coral Princess Cruises Pty Ltd's Founder and Managing Director) announced that the Singapore-based Kallang Capital Holdings (part of PrimePartners Group Pte Ltd) has acquired a majority stake in the company.
Decks and Cabins
The Coral Discoverer ship has 4 passenger decks with a total of 36 staterooms. All passenger staterooms were also refurbished and received a substantial upgrade. Six Bridge Deck balcony cabins were added. Each of the other cabins also received a complete renovation, including soft furnishings, new artworks, updated bathroom fixtures.
Coral Discoverer offers 5 different cabin grades. Passengers accommodations range from Main Deck to Bridge Deck (each with french windows that open on a step-out private veranda). All staterooms are modernly furnished and feature individually controlled air-conditioning, original artworks, en-suite bathroom, iPod docking station, Australian brand toiletries, ample storage space, two twin beds (or a junior king bed). Cabin sizes vary between 15 m2 (161 ft2) and 20 m2 (215 ft2). Lower deck rooms are with porthole windows.
Shipboard facilities
Onboard facilities include an open-seating dining room, al fresco dining deck, 2 cocktail bars, sun deck, lecture lounge, panoramic lounge. The vessel has its own tender boats, glass bottom tour boat, inflatable zodiacs (used for landings), sea kayaks and the "Xplorer" (shore excursion tender).
Following the full refurbishment in 2016, the ship's Sun Deck was transformed into a social gathering space and onboard community hub. It was converted into undercover deck area with round-shaped "Explorer Bar" and open-air sun deck with loungers and an outdoor exercise area with fitness equipment.
Itineraries
On October 14, 2020, Coral Expeditions with Coral Discoverer restarted cruise operations after suspending all voyages since March due to the global Coronavirus crisis. The ship departed from homeport Cairns QLD carrying only Australian residents. The roundtrip 7-day Queensland cruise itinerary visited Cooktown, Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef (Osprey Reef, Ribbon Reef, Mackay Reef), Daintree River (near Cape Tribulation), Fitzroy Island and Sudbury Cay (private island behind Fitzroy).
In late-November 2020, Coral Expeditions officially received approval for its Tasmania 2021 summer itinerary program. The schedule included 8 voyages (on the ship Coral Discoverer) between January 1 and March 18 (2021). The mini-season started with the annual "Yachtsman’s Cruise" (aka "Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 2020"/Sydney NSW to Hobart Tasmania) on December 26, 2020. For January 1 was scheduled the 16-night "Tasmanian Circumnavigation" itinerary. Followed 6x 10-days "Coastal Wilds of Tasmania and Coastal Treks" itineraries roundtrip from homeport Hobart.
Coral Discoverer's 2023-2024 schedule included new itineraries visiting Tiwi Islands (Northern Territory AU). The 10-night "Art & Culture of the Kimberley and Tiwi Islands" voyages are from Broome to Darwin (Aug 28, 2023, and Aug 26, 2024) and from Darwin to Broome (Sept 8, 2023, and Sept 6, 2024). They both feature coastal navigation in Timor Sea (Joseph Bonaparte Gulf and visiting Melville Island's Munupi Arts & Crafts Centre) as well as land tours to Oomari/King George River's Falls, Kimberley's Horries/Garaanngaddim/Horizontal Falls and Montgomery Reef.
Coral Discoverer ship related cruise news
- Cruise Industry
Coral Expeditions adds 11 new voyages in Kimberley (Western Australia) for 2024 on Coral Geographer...
Coral Expeditions announced the release of an additional 11 expedition cruises onboard the Coral Geographer ship between May-August 2024 in the...
December 12, 2022 - Accidents
Undisclosed number of COVID-positive cases on Coral Discoverer, docked at Broome (Kimberley...
Western Australian authorities are working to contain a COVID outbreak on one of the first cruise ships allowed back. WA Health confirmed it...
April 25, 2022 - Accidents
2 COVID-positive passengers on Coral Discoverer ship in Hobart (Tasmania)
Passengers on a cruise ship in Hobart (Tasmania) are being held onboard and tested for COVID after two confirmed cases. Public health officials...
January 3, 2022 - Cruise Industry
Australian-flagged cruise line Coral Expeditions announces new 2021 itineraries
The only large Australia-flagged and Australian-crewed company Coral Expeditions announced new 2021 itineraries and a new investor. NRMA Insurance...
February 7, 2021 - Cruise Industry
Coral Expeditions' cruise ship Coral Discoverer to circumnavigate Tasmania
A small cruise ship (max passenger capacity 60) starts a circumnavigation of Tasmania cruise on New Year's Day (December 31). According to the...
December 31, 2020 - Cruise Industry
Coral Expeditions announces expanded Kimberley Australia 2021 cruise schedule
Coral Expeditions Australia released a revised and expanded cruise schedule for 2021. A total of 40 Kimberley coastal voyages are planned on the...
November 14, 2020 - Cruise Industry
Coral Expeditions restarts operations for Australians on October 14
Coral Expeditions confirmed a restart of operations for October 14, 2020, with a series of new 7-night voyages onboard its yacht-like MV Coral...
September 21, 2020 - Cruise Industry
Coral Expeditions Announces Great Barrier Reef Expeditions
Coral Expeditions launched a re-imagined program of Great Barrier Reef expedition cruises from June 2021 featuring longer, more immersive experiences...
January 18, 2020 - show more news
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Coral Discoverer Wiki
In 2018, Coral Expeditions had scheduled a 7-night “Coastal Treks of Tasmania” themed cruise itinerary (departure January 15) along Tasmania Island’s coastline. During the voyage, special guests of the ship were Alison and Angus Moore, Their onboard lectures were themed on Tasmania's flora and fauna.
Also in 2018, a 16-night itinerary was themed on World War 2 (1939-1945). Departing December 3 (2018) from Cairns (Queensland Australia), the South Pacific Islands cruise visited New Caledonia, Solomon Islands (Guadalcanal), PNG, Vanuatu (Tanna Island). The onboard program was led by a skilled expedition team, with guest lecturer Peter Martin (maritime historian and mariner).
In June 2021, with Coral Discoverer Coral Expeditions launches the revised cruise program (Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest) featuring longer itineraries and more immersive travel experiences. The new 7-night voyages (themed "Outerknown Adventures on the Great Barrier Reef") visit lesser-known and seldom visited outer reefs (like Osprey Reef) and isles (like Hope Island) in the Reef's northern region, plus the Daintree Rainforest (on mainland Queensland).