All Leisure Holidays, parent group of Swan Hellenic Cruises, Voyages of Discovery and Hebridean Island Cruises, is investing more than £35 million in building up its fleet and refurbishing existing vessels. The 550-passenger Alexander von Humboldt (1990/15,343gt), which the group acquired in November 2009 and which was chartered to Turkish operator Bamtur this summer following a £23 million refit, will join Voyages of Discovery as Voyager in November 2012.
She joins the 40-year old Discovery (1971/20,216gt), which gets a major three-month refurbishment. Voyager’s inaugural cruise takes her from Portsmouth to Istanbul, after which she heads to the Caribbean and then to Central and South America. Swan Hellenic’s 350-passenger Minerva (1996/12,231gt), whose charter has been extended to 2021, is receiving a £10 million refit. She will be drydocked between November and March 2012, during the course of which 32 balconies will be added on Sun Deck. A new wraparound promenade is being installed, as is a new observation lounge and new internet lounge.
