ON TOUR SPECIAL: In the footsteps of the Royal Yacht

The following was written by Malcolm Ginsberg in 2002, but nothing has much changed in the intervening, years, except perhaps the prices and having a recent major overhaul.

"Once again next summer Glasgow Airport will play host to the comings and goings of passengers for what is one of the world’s most unique cruise ships, Hebridean Princess.  If your requirements are an 80,000 ton luxury liner at discounted prices and 2,000 other passengers she is not for you.  However if what you want is something totally unique, restful but invigorating, and the height of old fashioned luxury and service she might just fit your requirements.

Hebridean Princess is based at Oban (a coach service is provided to the airport) and cruises the islands and inlets of the Western Isles.  In fact Princess is following a tradition of the Royal Family who, in the not too distant past, used the Royal Yacht Britannia every summer for northern cruises anchoring in small bays and inlets and visiting places that had not hosted humanity for many a year.  Just like Hebridean if the weather was good enough a barbeque lunch was organised ashore.

The quality and distinct individuality of what is on offer does not come cheap.  Forty-eight ‘guests’ at the most, looked after by 38 crew.  Prices start from a fully inclusive individual £1,500 for a week (and go up to £8,000 plus for the top suite in July) at the beginning of the season in the lowest priced cabin, but even here the furnishings are outstanding, a private bar is provided and there is TV, video, coffee and tea making facilities plus ironing board, trouser press and hairdryer.  A decanter of Sherry is provided too.  No art auctions nor gambling rooms either.  It is that sort of cruise.  

Hebridean offers a very relaxed break but you have to enter into the spirit of it.  Truly country house with everyone soon on first name terms.  You will normally find quite a few widows and other elderly singles (all of whom sit at the captain’s table and appear to have a terrific time), bird watchers, walkers, those interested in history, and also the less mobile who prefer to stay on the ship whilst others get off.  Half the guests have been before, often many times before.  Some are a lot younger but all seem to mix in well together.

The daily routine normally consists of an eight o’clock breakfast (and use of the keep fit equipment for those who want to partake) followed by a morning visit, either down to the quayside, if the ship is docked, or via the ship’s tenders when moored in a sheltered bay or loch.  The ship’s professional guide takes over, often augmented by knowledgeable locals.  Usually lunch is back on board whilst the ship makes her stately way to the next port of call.  The programme is repeated for the afternoon.  Cocktails in the lounge are followed by dinner and then a talk on the next day’s programme.  If the ship is tied up you can get off and take a walk, borrow a bicycle stowed on board, or perhaps visit a local pub.  

Tipping is positively frowned upon and all alcoholic drinks are included including a fine selection of wines for lunch and dinner.  All the planned off ship visits are taken care of.  If a coach is involved the ship makes sure the refreshments hamper goes with, otherwise it is into a local hostelry where Hebridean plays host.  Each cruise is designed to satisfy a different market.  Some are for walkers whilst others concentrate on Scottish heritage and, in a season that runs from March to October, nature lovers are not forgotten.  Depending on the trip you have chosen your itinerary might include a visit to an uninhabited island, 5,000-year-old dwellings or a famous cathedral.

The fact that the ship is small makes for a much less tiring time.  No cabin is more than two or three minutes from the restaurant, the Sky Deck over the stern, or the main Tiree Lounge.  Queuing just does not exist and when you finally have to leave there is none of the packing of suitcases and leaving them outside the door the night before that one gets accustomed to on big ships.  Cabin keys are not provided (although you can really have them if you so wish).  Every cabin has a safe.

Evening entertainment is very low key, limited to useful talks on the next day’s activities and local entertainment.  But if you are up to it the ship has a 45-knot eight-seat speedboat which is great fun and used both as an alternative ship’s tender and for getting around some of the better protected lochs.  For smokers they have their own lounge which also leads on to an open veranda.

There is no sophisticated computerised boarding system on Highland Princess.  Each of the 30 individual cabins has a name (and its own personality), replicated on a board laid out with one or two tags.  As passengers get off at a port or landing point they just need to collect a tag and make sure they put it back when they return.

There is no doctor on board, just a trained first aider although when on the rare occasion a physician has been needed there has always been one amongst the clients.  No hairdresser either.  If that is your concern book ahead at the larger ports such Kirkwell, where such facilities are available.

On a seven-day cruise Officers will wear dress uniform on three occasions including the last night.  Passengers tend to follow suit with dinner jackets for men and cocktail dresses for ladies, but very understated.

The cuisine can best be described as classic English (and can be vegetarian if required).  Beautifully presented four/five course meals are offered for lunch or dinner with a selection of starters and the main course offering either fish or meat.  Breakfasts are positively Scottish".

And Princess Anne clearly likes the ship, returning for a special lunch to celebrate its 60 years.  (See www.travelnewsupdate.co.uk/article/630.)

www.hebridean.co.uk


A 2024 UPDATE

Work on any cruise ship is a continuous process, particularly with an elderly vessel such as Hebridean Princess.

Over the years she has been quietly modified and brought up to date, wi-fi being a typical example of work being done. During a recent winter refit the public rooms on board the ship were refurbished by Glasgow-based interior designers, John Dick and Son, richly textured, locally manufactured fabrics enhancing the subtle Scottish feel on board.

On the technical front work is endless to keep up maritime standards.  During the downtime tenders, beach landing craft and speedboat were sent away to a specialised contractor.  Whilst in dry dock the shell doors on the Waterfront Deck, where guests board the tenders, were removed and blasted back to the steel for inspection, and the anchors and anchor chains recalibrated. The propeller shafts were removed for survey as required by the classification society Lloyds and the davits for the lifeboats sandblasted for inspection, repainted and tested to the satisfaction of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

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