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.