MV Hebridean Princess is a cruise ship operated by Hebridean Island Cruises. She started life as the MacBrayne car ferry and Royal Mail Ship, initially RMS then MV Columba, based in Oban for the first 25 years of her life, carrying up to 600 passengers, and 50 cars, between the Scottish islands.
MV Hebridean Princess in the Manchester Ship Canal at Runcorn
RMS Columba was the last of three car ferries built in 1964 by Hall, Russell & Company, Aberdeen for the Secretary of State for Scotland.[7] The Secretary of State for Scotland ordered a trio of near-identical car ferries for the Western Isles. They were chartered to David MacBrayne Ltd and were all equipped to serve as floating nuclear shelters, in the event of national emergency.[8] This included vertical sliding watertight doors that could seal off the car deck, immediately aft of the hoist.[9]Columba was the last of the three to enter service.[4]Columba took up the Isle of Mull service, replacing the elderly ships MV Lochearn and MV Lochmor. She continued on this route for nine years. Columba's interiors, and those of her sisters MV Hebrides and MV Clansman, were designed by a young Scottish designer, John McNeece, who was to go on to design the interiors of numerous cruise ships over the next 40 years. In 1968, additional buoyant seating was added on the after deck, boosting her passenger complement from 600 to 870.[7]
Cars were loaded via a forward hydraulic hoist.[7] Below the car deck were sleeping berths for 51.
She was the first vessel to make Sunday sailings, which started in 1972[7] and were combined with short cruises. There was some opposition to the innovation. 1972 was her last year on the Mull station. That winter, Columba relieved at Stornoway and then took up MV Clansman's roster at Mallaig. Night sailings to Lochboisdale and Castlebay only lasted one year and in 1974 Columba only had the light Mallaig – Armadale, Skye roster. On the withdrawal of the veteran King George V, Columba was restored to Oban, serving Coll and Tiree, Colonsay, Iona, Lochaline and Tobermory. In winter Columba became the regular relief at Uig and, until 1979, of MV Iona on the Outer Isles run.
Columba continued in service after her sisters, MV Hebrides and MV Clansman.[7] Even in CalMac operation, she gave special cruises, including St Kilda and Kishorn Yard as destinations.[7] From 1985 she was the last dedicated hoist-loading vessel in service. In 1988, she was acquired by a new venture, Hebridean Island Cruises of Skipton to offer luxury cruises.
MV Hebridean Princess
She underwent a major refit at George Prior Engineering in Great Yarmouth in 1989, emerging as the cruise ship, MV Hebridean Princess. She began operating on 26 May 1989 and provides cruises around the Western Isles of Scotland. More recently, itineraries have been extended to include Ireland, the Orkney and Shetland islands, the Norwegian Fjords and the Isles of Scilly.[10]
Initially, she retained a car-carrying capability, giving the option of leaving at intermediate ports.[11] Within two years the car-carrying capacity was removed and additional cabins constructed to allow a dramatic increase in the crew-to-guest ratio. By 1997, a crew of 37 was serving just 49 passengers in considerable luxury.[11]
From 21 July to 29 July 2006, Queen Elizabeth II chartered Hebridean Princess for a holiday around the Scottish Islands to mark her 80th birthday.[12] The Queen reportedly paid £125,000 for the use of the ship.[13]
In June 2009, All Leisure Group, which also owns the Swan Hellenic and Voyages of Discovery lines, purchased the company.[14] The company name was changed from Hebridean International Cruises (used when MV Hebridean Spirit was operating deep-sea itineraries), to its current name, but the ship continues to operate as it did before the take over.[15]
In 2010 Queen Elizabeth II chartered Hebridean Princess for another holiday around the Scottish Islands, sailing from Stornoway on 23 July for two weeks.[16]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to IMO 6409351.
^"Ships Index E5". World Shipping Register. Retrieved 11 October 2009.
^ ab"Columba". Ships of Calmac. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
^"PS Columba". Clydebuilt Database. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
^"Hebridean Princess general characteristics". Hebridean Island Cruises. Retrieved 20 September 2009.
^ abcdefIan McCrorie (1985). Hebridean and Clyde Ferries. Caledonian MacBrayne.
^. Cable Magazine. 4 October 2017. Archived from the original on 2 October 2017. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
^"Clansman (IV)". Ships of Calmac. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
^"Postcards". Simplon Postcards. Retrieved 20 September 2009.
^ ab"History". Hebridean Island Cruises. Retrieved 20 September 2009.
^"Queen's cruise ends in Stornoway". BBC News. 29 July 2006. Retrieved 20 September 2009.
^Ben Fenton (22 July 2006). "Queen hires car ferry for family holiday". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 September 2009.
^. About.com:cruises. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 20 September 2009.
^"All Leisure Group buys Hebridean Princess". Travel Weekly. Retrieved 20 September 2009.
^"Queen heads off on Hebridean adventure". BBC News Online. 23 July 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
Bibliography
Kennedy, Bryan (2012). Hebridean Princess in pictures. Ramsey, Isle of Man: Ferry Publications. ISBN9781906608583.
External links
Official Site
"Fines over Hebridean Princess asbestos exposure". BBC News Online. 24 July 2012. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
January 23, 2023
hebridean, princess, cruise, ship, operated, hebridean, island, cruises, started, life, macbrayne, ferry, royal, mail, ship, initially, then, columba, based, oban, first, years, life, carrying, passengers, cars, between, scottish, islands, manchester, ship, ca. MV Hebridean Princess is a cruise ship operated by Hebridean Island Cruises She started life as the MacBrayne car ferry and Royal Mail Ship initially RMS then MV Columba based in Oban for the first 25 years of her life carrying up to 600 passengers and 50 cars between the Scottish islands MV Hebridean Princess in the Manchester Ship Canal at RuncornHistoryUnited KingdomName1964 MV Columba 1989 MV Hebridean PrincessNamesake6th century saint and RMS Columba 5 Owner1964 1989 Secretary of State for Scotland 1989 2009 Hebridean Island Cruises since 2009 All Leisure Holidays Ltd All Leisure Group Operator1964 1973 David MacBrayne Ltd 1973 1989 Caledonian MacBrayne since 1989 Hebridean Island CruisesPort of registry1964 Leith 1989 GlasgowRoutesince 1989 Scotland and NorwayBuilderHall Russell amp Company Aberdeen Engines Crossley Bros Ltd ManchesterYard number912Launched12 March 1964 by Lady Craigton 4 In service30 July 1964HomeportObanIdentificationIMO number 6409351 1 MMSI number 232649000 2 Call sign GNHV 3 StatusIn serviceNotes870 passengers 50 cars as MV Columba 49 passengers 38 crew as MV Hebridean Princess 6 General characteristicsTonnage2 112 GTLength72 m 236 ft Beam14 m 46 ft Draught3 m 10 ft Installed power2 2 Crossley SCSA each 8 cyls 10 1 2 13 1 2 in 267 343 mm PropulsionBow thrust propeller fwdSpeed12 kn 22 km h Contents 1 RMS Columba 2 MV Hebridean Princess 3 References 3 1 Notes 3 2 Bibliography 4 External linksRMS Columba EditRMS Columba was the last of three car ferries built in 1964 by Hall Russell amp Company Aberdeen for the Secretary of State for Scotland 7 The Secretary of State for Scotland ordered a trio of near identical car ferries for the Western Isles They were chartered to David MacBrayne Ltd and were all equipped to serve as floating nuclear shelters in the event of national emergency 8 This included vertical sliding watertight doors that could seal off the car deck immediately aft of the hoist 9 Columba was the last of the three to enter service 4 Columba took up the Isle of Mull service replacing the elderly ships MV Lochearn and MV Lochmor She continued on this route for nine years Columba s interiors and those of her sisters MV Hebrides and MV Clansman were designed by a young Scottish designer John McNeece who was to go on to design the interiors of numerous cruise ships over the next 40 years In 1968 additional buoyant seating was added on the after deck boosting her passenger complement from 600 to 870 7 Cars were loaded via a forward hydraulic hoist 7 Below the car deck were sleeping berths for 51 She was the first vessel to make Sunday sailings which started in 1972 7 and were combined with short cruises There was some opposition to the innovation 1972 was her last year on the Mull station That winter Columba relieved at Stornoway and then took up MV Clansman s roster at Mallaig Night sailings to Lochboisdale and Castlebay only lasted one year and in 1974 Columba only had the light Mallaig Armadale Skye roster On the withdrawal of the veteran King George V Columba was restored to Oban serving Coll and Tiree Colonsay Iona Lochaline and Tobermory In winter Columba became the regular relief at Uig and until 1979 of MV Iona on the Outer Isles run Columba continued in service after her sisters MV Hebrides and MV Clansman 7 Even in CalMac operation she gave special cruises including St Kilda and Kishorn Yard as destinations 7 From 1985 she was the last dedicated hoist loading vessel in service In 1988 she was acquired by a new venture Hebridean Island Cruises of Skipton to offer luxury cruises MV Hebridean Princess EditShe underwent a major refit at George Prior Engineering in Great Yarmouth in 1989 emerging as the cruise ship MV Hebridean Princess She began operating on 26 May 1989 and provides cruises around the Western Isles of Scotland More recently itineraries have been extended to include Ireland the Orkney and Shetland islands the Norwegian Fjords and the Isles of Scilly 10 Initially she retained a car carrying capability giving the option of leaving at intermediate ports 11 Within two years the car carrying capacity was removed and additional cabins constructed to allow a dramatic increase in the crew to guest ratio By 1997 a crew of 37 was serving just 49 passengers in considerable luxury 11 From 21 July to 29 July 2006 Queen Elizabeth II chartered Hebridean Princess for a holiday around the Scottish Islands to mark her 80th birthday 12 The Queen reportedly paid 125 000 for the use of the ship 13 In June 2009 All Leisure Group which also owns the Swan Hellenic and Voyages of Discovery lines purchased the company 14 The company name was changed from Hebridean International Cruises used when MV Hebridean Spirit was operating deep sea itineraries to its current name but the ship continues to operate as it did before the take over 15 In 2010 Queen Elizabeth II chartered Hebridean Princess for another holiday around the Scottish Islands sailing from Stornoway on 23 July for two weeks 16 Wikimedia Commons has media related to IMO 6409351 References EditNotes Edit 6409351 Miramar Ship Index 232649000 Ship AIS Retrieved 8 March 2010 Ships Index E5 World Shipping Register Retrieved 11 October 2009 a b Columba Ships of Calmac Retrieved 15 January 2021 PS Columba Clydebuilt Database Retrieved 4 January 2019 Hebridean Princess general characteristics Hebridean Island Cruises Retrieved 20 September 2009 a b c d e f Ian McCrorie 1985 Hebridean and Clyde Ferries Caledonian MacBrayne The Python Plan Cable Magazine 4 October 2017 Archived from the original on 2 October 2017 Retrieved 2 October 2017 Clansman IV Ships of Calmac Retrieved 15 January 2021 Postcards Simplon Postcards Retrieved 20 September 2009 a b History Hebridean Island Cruises Retrieved 20 September 2009 Queen s cruise ends in Stornoway BBC News 29 July 2006 Retrieved 20 September 2009 Ben Fenton 22 July 2006 Queen hires car ferry for family holiday The Daily Telegraph Retrieved 20 September 2009 All leisure group acquires Hebridean Princess About com cruises Archived from the original on 7 July 2011 Retrieved 20 September 2009 All Leisure Group buys Hebridean Princess Travel Weekly Retrieved 20 September 2009 Queen heads off on Hebridean adventure BBC News Online 23 July 2010 Retrieved 23 July 2010 Bibliography Edit Kennedy Bryan 2012 Hebridean Princess in pictures Ramsey Isle of Man Ferry Publications ISBN 9781906608583 External links EditOfficial Site Fines over Hebridean Princess asbestos exposure BBC News Online 24 July 2012 Retrieved 3 August 2012 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title MV Hebridean Princess amp oldid 1070133791, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
