Discovery is a little old lady, 21,000 tons 650 pax, 34 years old. She has the classic lines of a traditional cruise liner, & she's been kept tolerably up-together and clean, but never been decently updated.
If she were a chair, she'd be grandad's big comfy old over-stuffed leather armchair with brass pins, leather arm patches and a corduroy antimacassar.
Conveniently, and in the nicest possible way, this also describes many of the pax ;-) Think retired bank branch managers and university lecturers, with a sprinkling of old money. Mainly Brits, but with more than a few Americans, Canadians & antipodeans. The ship has a very very strong & loyal following. Over half were regulars, & some had been aboard for 2 months. Thankfully most were blase about their cruising life-style, and were friendly & chatty even though they weren't my usual sort of company. In fact apart from a few, just a few, frosties - the type who perhaps feel that you are invading THEIR ship - it was a very very friendly ship, and we enjoyed many independent shore trips with a crowd of new UK & US friends. Whilst the average age was pretty high, I'd guess most over 60 and many much older -- I never once saw a wheelchair or zimmer. A pretty fit bunch
Most cabins, though well-kept, are way too small for cat-swingers, beds can only sensibly be two singles, no tea/coffee, no fridge, acceptable bathroom (shower, no bath). No live TV. That's right, none. Anywhere. Plenty of DVD channels, all on daily continuous loop. Decent selection of films, usually one or more associated with ports-of-call, and re-runs of port & other lectures. Plus a rather pointless ceefax-style page of news, repeating the daily "Britain Today" single sheet newspaper. Never thought I'd wish for CNN.