Regent Voyager Snags Fishing Net; Pod Damaged

Captain Dag of Regent Seven Seas Cruises must be cursing those rogue fishing nets right about now. Four months ago, a net got caught in one of Voyager's pods during a transatlantic itinerary. The damage reduced the ship's sailing speed and the cruise was extended one day, impacting the following "Spotlight on Chocolate" itinerary out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Now it's been reported on various community message boards and blogs that one of Voyager's pods has once again snagged a fishing net. This time, the net is inconveniencing a 14-night segment of the World Cruise.

Singapore to Dubai

• March 18: Singapore
• March 19: Penang, Malaysia
• March 20: Phuket, Thailand
• March 21–23: Sea Days
• March 24: Cochin, India
• March 25: Sea Day
• March 26: Mumbai, India
• March 27–28: Sea Days
• March 29–30: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
• March 31–April 1: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

(The next segment of the World Cruise, Dubai to Istanbul, is schedule to depart Dubai on April 1.)

News is sketchy at this point but it's believed that the ship snagged the fishing line somewhere in Singapore and then sailed on to Penang at a much-reduced speed. The following day, Voyager arrived four hours late to Phuket, Thailand, where the damage to the pod was assessed by the captain and executive officers.

On Saturday, March 21, world cruiser Sherry Kinne wrote this on her blog:

"We departed [Phuket] around 6 pm and learned later that evening that a fishing line had wrapped itself around one of the pods and our speed is permanently reduced to 14 knots. The Captain and another officer worked for over an hour to remove the line. It caused some damage to the seals which need to be replaced. We will miss a port or two, probably in India, and they are looking into repairing it as soon as possible. The Captain assured us that we have plenty of fuel, food, and ice. It will give us extra sea days, which we love, so there won't be a lot of pictures, but will keep everyone posted on the situation."

According to reports from other cruisers, a representative from the pod manufacturer will join the ship in Cochin, where further damage assessments will take place. The ship will arrive at Cochin one day late and will skip its scheduled calls on both Mumbai and Abu Dhabi. Voyager will sail on to Dubai at about 12 to 13 knots.

It's not clear if dry dock will be necessary or, if it is, if facilities will be available in Dubai. Regent will need to make further assessments before advising current cruisers and those set to join the ship in Dubai on April 1. Stay tuned as more details become available about the Voyager's pod problem.

Photo courtesy of Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

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