Andaman’s delay detailed

PANDAW founder, Paul Strachan has detailed “what went wrong” with the Andaman Explorer, encouraging readers in a blog to “please have faith”.

The cruise line purchased the ship last year, initially planning to bring it into service last Jun but encountered many issues.

Strachan apologised for the “inconvenience suffered by those pioneering passengers who booked” on the vessel and declared “the ship is now fully registered and licenced, alas too late for the passengers booked last season”.

The problems began when the delivery company stripped the vessel of any removable and saleable parts and when the ship finally got underway, “one thing after another broke down”.

After spending months in Ranong, Thailand, getting the Andaman Explorer ready for her first expedition, the delivery voyage revealed it needed the engines rebuilt, a new air conditioning system, new water makers and sewage plant.

By Sep the ship was seaworthy enough to sail to Singapore for dry docking and class survey, where further engine problems were encountered.

Following a series of visa issues resulting in a cruise without Pandaw’s management team, further mechanical problems and issues with port formalities, the cruise line cancelled all departures until Jan.

The company then ran into issues with a surveyor’s inspection which was drawn out for eight weeks.

Strachan assured “Having spent on the refit three times what we paid for the ship I believe we now have a fully functional vessel in top condition”.

The ship is pictured, to read the blog, CLICK HERE.