CONGRATULATIONS CAPTAIN CAZ

Captain Caroline (Caz) Palmer has been appointed as Hebridean Island Cruises' first ever permanent female Master and will work opposite Captain Richard Heaton.

Caz joined Hebridean Princess in 2014 as First Officer and achieved her Master’s Ticket in 2016. She has since worked as Chief Officer on board Hebridean Princess and took temporary command of the vessel in 2021. Most recently, she was seconded to the role of Fleet Safety and Compliance Officer.

Of the appointment, managing director Ken Charleson, said:

“We are delighted to announce the appointment of Caroline Palmer as our first permanent female Captain. Caz has proven herself as a loyal and proficient Officer who is very popular with guests and colleagues alike”

Charleson added:

“Caz brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the position of Master and we wish her every success in her new role.”

Of her new role, Caz commented "Having worked onboard Hebridean Princess for the last 8 years as Chief Officer and within the Fleet during the last year, I am excited and honoured to take this next step.

If I have learnt one thing from my time with Hebridean Island Cruises, it is that one is never truly isolated on board. Whilst I will be taking the lead role, it is the team supporting (both on board and ashore) who make the Hebridean Princess the ship for me.

I do not believe in problems, I believe in challenges. In stepping up to Command I expect challenges which I have not imagined. But with the team that we have I am looking forward to facing them."

Read the latest Hebridean Times online

 

I am delighted to attach the first edition of The Hebridean Times in 2022, bringing you up to date with all the latest news from on board and ashore at Hebridean Island Cruises. 

As our 34^th season of Hebridean Princess cruises commences in just a few days time, you can be kept informed of what is happening on board by logging onto our website and reading our online cruise logs which are updated regularly:  www.hebridean.co.uk

During 2022 we will welcome new, distinguished Guest Speakers on board both Hebridean Princess and Royal Crown who will share with you their expertise and enthusiasm in a variety of fields.  We invite you to join one of them on a voyage of discovery to learn more of the history, heritage, culture, music or horticulture of the area through which you are sailing.

I hope you enjoy perusing this edition of The Hebridean Times.  With this year’s cruises selling quickly and a number of itineraries already fully booked, please call our experienced reservations team on 01756 704704 without delay should you wish to join us.

Yours sincerely

Ken Charleson

Managing Director

>> Read the spring issue of The Hebridean Times here

Read the latest Hebridean Times online

As another season draws to a close, I should like to take this opportunity to update you with all the latest news from on board and ashore at Hebridean Island Cruises in the winter edition of The Hebridean Times.

We recently launched the 2022 Cruise Directory for our brand-new vessel, Lord of the Highlands, and have been overwhelmed by the response. Carrying just 40 guests, Lord of the Highlands sets sail in April next year and will cruise the inland waterways of the Caledonian Canal  in elegant style. Our hand-picked crew will extend the warmest of welcomes and Hebridean’s unique relaxed house-party atmosphere ensures that a cruise on Lord of the Highlands provides the ideal escape.

As we look towards next season, our eagerly anticipated cruises on board Hebridean Princess to the south coast of England, northern France, Belgium and the Channel Islands are proving to be extremely popular, with the Channel Islands Explorer itinerary already fully booked.  You can learn more about our Scenic South West cruise in this issue, why not join us on this enticing voyage for a magical, unforgettable experience?

Our 2022 European River Cruises on board Royal Crown are also selling fast. With enriching guests speakers on each Hebridean river cruise to bring each itinerary to life, discover the tranquility of the Dutch and Belgian waterways, the romance of the Rhine, the majesty of the Main and the delights of the Danube.

With very best wishes for a wonderful festive period.

Ken Charleson

Managing Director

>> Read the Winter Edition of The Hebridean Times here 

 

Vote for Hebridean and you could be a winner too!

We are delighted to announce that Hebridean Island Cruises has been shortlisted in the Boutique/Adventure Cruise Line of the Year in the 2021 Food and Travel Reader Awards.

The annual Food and Travel Magazine awards recognise the very best in the world’s food and travel and voting for the 10th edition of the awards is now open – this is your chance to decide who takes home the coveted trophies.

We would love to secure your votes and you have until midnight on 7 January to register at foodandtravel.com/awards. Then, simply choose one entry per category and click 'place your votes'.

All valid voters will be automatically entered into a competition to win two free tickets to the black-tie gala dinner in London on 17 January 2022, where the winners will be announced.

Welcome to the Brand New Lord of the Highlands

Welcome to the latest addition to Hebridean Island Cruises fleet of beautiful and intimate ships, Lord of the Highlands.

We are delighted to launch the Lord of the Highlands 2022 Cruise Directory, offering a brand-new selection of delightful and enticing itineraries through the Caledonian Canal, the Great Glen and the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.

Carrying just 40 guests in a relaxed house-party atmosphere, Lord of the Highlands will take Hebridean’s unique style to the intricate inland waterways of the Caledonian Canal to ensure the peace and tranquillity for which we all crave. Combined with visits on Scotland’s western seaboard and the wonderfully diverse Inner Hebridean islands of Mull, Iona, Eigg and Skye, our itineraries present guests with a veritable cornucopia of delights. 

Hebridean Island Cruises are for those who love the idea of exploration, hate the concept of cruising on large vessels and long for that elusive, special holiday where the customer really does come first. 

For many people, the elegant style of a cruise on a small luxury ship has a wonderful appeal. Lord of the Highlands is the ideal escape and promises the warmest of welcomes. Our all-inclusive tariff will provide you with peace of mind and our knowledgeable on-board guides will accompany every itinerary to bring each one to life.

>> Download your own personal copy of the brand new Lord of the Highlands Cruise Directory detailing all our our exciting itineraries in 2022

Hebridean Celebrates Wave Awards Win

The Wave Awards celebrate the very best of the UK’s cruise industry. The Oscars of cruising, they recognise and reward excellence and innovation in a business that is continuously evolving to deliver an exceptional experience, both on board and ashore. Launched in 2015 and now in their fifth year, these awards are firmly established as the premier accolades in the industry.

Open to cruise lines, travel agents, tourist boards, ports and anyone involved in the UK cruise industry,  The Wave Awards give companies the chance to showcase their expertise and contribution to cruising.

The judging panel is made up of industry leaders, travel experts and representatives from the media, and there is also a special 'Favourites' category, voted for by the public.

Organised by Real Response Media, publisher of Cruise Trade News, the event saw cruise lines, travel agents, tourist boards and many more come together for an evening of pure celebration.

Guests gathered at 8 Northumberland Avenue, London, on Friday 15 October, as winners were announced across a range of categories – including both judged and passenger favourites, as voted for by the public.

Cruise Trade News editor Gary Peters said: “It was wonderful to welcome so many people from the cruise industry to the Wave Awards 2021."

Hebridean Island Cruises was delighted to be chosen as a finalist in two categories, and thrilled to be announced as the winner of Best Specialist Cruise Line.

Hebridean Princess Relocates for Summer 2021

Hebridean Island Cruises, the small luxury cruise ship operator, has announced it will reposition its flagship, Hebridean Princess, to the south coast of England for the 2021 summer season.

The ship will operate a series of cruises during July and August departing from Cardiff and Portland before returning to her familiar home port of Oban, Scotland in September.

During her newly announced summer season, the ship will visit a number of destinations in Wales, as well as Lundy Island, the Isles of Scilly, the Isle of Wight plus a number of smaller southern coastal ports.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, and the ban on cruising currently in place in Scotland, Hebridean Princess will relocate to the south coast during July and August. The ship is no stranger to the south coast having cruised in and around this area on numerous occasions previously.

The originally planned cruises to Orkney and Shetland have been cancelled and guests who had bookings on these sailings have been given first opportunity to transfer to the new south coast itineraries.

Hebridean Princess will return to Scotland to pick up her planned cruise itineraries from 3rd September.

Hebridean’s managing director, Ken Charleson, commented:

“With the ban on domestic cruising still in place in Scotland, we made the decision to temporarily relocate Hebridean Princess to the south coast of England, where cruising is currently allowed under certain restrictions. 

A large number of our regular and loyal guests have had their cruises cancelled, often more than once during the pandemic and many have indicated to us that they just wanted to sail on Hebridean Princess as soon as possible. Relocating Hebridean Princess will allow us to fulfil these wishes.

Whilst we are looking forward to our cruises on the south coast, we are very much excited about our return to our home port of Oban in early September where we will pick up on our scheduled cruise programme for the rest of 2021."

For more information contact:

01756 704704

or visit www.hebridean.co.uk 

---ENDS---