Coral Discoverer

The 2005-built MV Coral Discoverer cruise ship is a unique, superyacht-style expedition vessel operating roundtrip itineraries in Oceania and Australia, departing from Cairns (Queensland, Australia). Coral Discoverer itineraries include destinations in Australia’s "Top End," the Kimberley, New Zealand, Melanesia, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia.

Formerly named "Oceanic Discoverer" (until June 2015), this 72-passenger vessel is fully registered under the SOLAS Convention (international maritime safety treaty). Launched in 2005, it was the first Australian-owned, flagged, and staffed passenger ship to be fully SOLAS compliant.

The vessel (IMO number 9292747) is currently Australia-flagged (MMSI 503492000).

On December 15, 2014, Tony Briggs (Founder and Managing Director of Coral Princess Cruises Pty Ltd) announced that Singapore-based Kallang Capital Holdings (part of PrimePartners Group Pte Ltd) had acquired a majority stake in the company.

Coral Expeditions itineraries feature voyages to remote islands and untouched reefs beyond the reach of day-trippers and large cruise ships. The company’s Great Barrier Reef (Coral Sea) cruises operate between the Queensland ports of Darwin and Cairns, offering immersive experiences of this diverse marine ecosystem.

Coral Expeditions (formerly Coral Princess Cruises/fleet) was founded in 1984 by Captain Tony Briggs. His first vessel, a converted World War II Fairmile-class submarine chaser, carried 24 passengers on overnight trips to the Great Barrier Reef from the company’s base in Cairns. All Coral Expeditions ships are Australia-flagged, based in Australia, and staffed by Australian crew. The fleet also includes Coral Expeditions 1 and Coral Expeditions 2 (sisterships, formerly known as Coral Princess I and II).

On December 15, 2014, Coral Expeditions' majority stake was acquired by Singapore-based Kallang Capital Holdings, part of PrimePartners Group Pte Ltd.

Decks and Cabins

Coral Discoverer has 4 passenger decks with a total of 36 staterooms. All staterooms were refurbished with upgraded soft furnishings, new artworks, and modernized bathroom fixtures. Six Bridge Deck balcony cabins were added.

The ship offers five cabin categories, with accommodations ranging from the Main Deck to the Bridge Deck. All Bridge Deck cabins feature French windows opening onto private step-out verandas. Cabins are furnished with twin beds or a junior king bed, individually controlled air-conditioning, original artwork, an en-suite bathroom, iPod docking station, Australian-brand toiletries, and ample storage. Cabin sizes range from 15 m² (161 ft²) to 20 m² (215 ft²). Lower Deck cabins have porthole windows.

Shipboard facilities

Facilities include an open-seating dining room, an al fresco dining deck, two cocktail bars, a sun deck, lecture lounge, and a panoramic lounge. The vessel carries its own fleet of tender boats, a glass-bottom boat, inflatable Zodiacs, sea kayaks, and the "Xplorer" shore excursion tender.

During the 2016 refurbishment, the Sun Deck was redesigned into a social gathering area and community hub. It now includes a shaded “Explorer Bar,” sun loungers, and an outdoor fitness area with modern exercise equipment.

Itineraries

On October 14, 2020, Coral Discoverer resumed cruise operations after a suspension due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The ship departed from Cairns QLD on a 7-day roundtrip Queensland itinerary exclusively for Australian residents. The itinerary included calls at Cooktown, Lizard Island, Osprey Reef, Ribbon Reef, Mackay Reef, Daintree River (near Cape Tribulation), Fitzroy Island, and Sudbury Cay.

In late November 2020, Coral Expeditions received official approval for its 2021 Tasmania summer cruise program. The schedule included eight voyages on Coral Discoverer between January 1 and March 18, 2021. The season began with the annual “Yachtsman’s Cruise” (Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 2020) on December 26, 2020. A 16-night “Tasmanian Circumnavigation” itinerary followed on January 1, along with six 10-day “Coastal Wilds of Tasmania” and “Coastal Treks” roundtrip cruises from Hobart.

Coral Discoverer's 2023–2024 schedule introduced new itineraries visiting the Tiwi Islands (Northern Territory, Australia). The 10-night “Art & Culture of the Kimberley and Tiwi Islands” voyages are scheduled from Broome to Darwin (August 28, 2023, and August 26, 2024) and Darwin to Broome (September 8, 2023, and September 6, 2024). These voyages include coastal cruising in the Timor Sea and Joseph Bonaparte Gulf, visits to Melville Island’s Munupi Arts & Crafts Centre, and land tours to King George River Falls, Horizontal Falls (Garaanngaddim), and Montgomery Reef.