The Coral Discoverer offers one of the most unique expedition cruising experiences in Australian waters. Accommodating just 72 passengers, she offers a comfortable and intimate sailing experience to destinations including the Kimberley, the Great Barrier Reef and Tasmania.
Coral Discoverer is the smallest yacht in the Coral Expeditions fleet, allowing access to places that larger vessels can’t reach.
We were lucky enough to step aboard the ship in Pentaloon Bay, north of Sydney, on a glorious December morning, bound for her Tasmanian season.
Coral Expeditions offered a handy shuttle service from Sydney CBD to Palm Beach Wharf, with the crew waiting to welcome passengers onto a tender to the expedition yacht.
While there are only 36 outside-facing staterooms aboard the yacht, we were immediately impressed by its expansive public spaces, which included a spacious dining area, lounge, Bridge Deck bar and rooftop Explorer bar.
The array of indoor and outdoor seating meant there were always quiet spots for reading or viewing the spectacular scenery with a coffee or cocktail in hand.
We booked our cabin just a month before boarding, when it was almost at capacity, and received B12 as our stateroom. There were pluses and minuses to our location. While we were in the stable midship section and conveniently located to all sections of the yacht, it was also a little noisy at times being so close to the main staircase to the dining and lounge areas.
If you are a light sleeper, you might prefer to choose a cabin in the fore or aft of the vessel.
Our cabin was spacious, well-furnished and featured a large picture window, which suited us perfectly. If you prefer a balcony, there are six cabins featuring them on the Bridge Deck.
Our meals were served in the dining room, aside from a barbecue on the rooftop one night. Breakfast was served hot and cold buffet style, while lunch featured two menu options plus the alternative of making your own sandwich or salad. Dinner was a gourmet, three-course extravaganza each night.
Every dish featured high-quality ingredients and ranged from sirloin with paris butter to roast duck, beef rendang, prawn laksa, seared scallops with cauliflower puree, lamb roast with Yorkshire pudding and pan-seared fish with citrus hollandaise.
One of our favourite morsels was served during a wine tasting session one afternoon: bug and prawn salad with dill and finger lime. Delicious!
There were also an array of dietary alternatives on offer, such as gluten-free and vegetarian.
Selected wines, beers and spirits are complimentary during lunch and dinner service and feature an excellent Australian line-up.
The Coral Discoverer‘s entertainment program isn’t designed for those seeking live music or shows. Instead, it focuses on guest lectures, documentaries, visits to the bridge and the occasional trivia session.
There are also plenty of opportunities to mingle with fellow passengers while sipping cocktails of the day during various happy hours at the three bars on the yacht. We particularly enjoyed sitting at the rooftop bar sipping Cosmopolitans in the late afternoon sun as we gazed at the stunning Tasmanian wilderness.
The dress code on board is casual, with no formal evenings held during our cruise. However, we enjoyed a wonderful New Year’s Eve on the top deck, which was decorated with streamers and balloons and provided a fantastic front-row view of the fireworks.
My silver shawl and sparkly sandals stayed in my suitcase throughout the whole trip, even on New Year’s Eve, while my long-sleeved Shimano fishing shirt was on high rotation.
Shore excursions play a starring role in the Coral Discoverer’s program and being protected from the elements was prioritised over finery.
The vessel features a comfortable Xplorer tender located on a hydraulic platform at the stern, which allows passengers to walk straight on from the deck. During our cruise, the Xplorer was used for viewing wildlife up close on remote Deal Island and to transport us to locations such as Maria Island and Wineglass Bay and Bruny Island.
There were also opportunities on most days to go on nature walks or hikes with the expedition crew, spotting beautiful wildflowers and native animals such as wallabies and wombats.
There were many magical moments at sea too, such as watching pods of dolphins frolic alongside the ship, cruising past seals lounging on rock shelves and enjoying dazzling sunrises and sunsets.
One of the other highlights of the cruise was the Coral Discoverer’s fun and friendly crew. Coral Expeditions has been an Australian-owned and operated company for 40 years and is renowned for its knowledgeable Australian crew.
Nothing was ever too much trouble for the crew members, who were hard-working and professional during every moment of our journey. Happy hugs were exchanged as we disembarked on our final morning, along with recommendations for where to find the best coffee in town.
You can follow more of Alana House & David Fuller's travel adventures at www.thethirstytravellers.com
Sign up to our monthly e-news to receive more articles like this and the latest information on adventure and expedition cruising directly from us.