There’s a new giant on the Loch Ness horizon from this week (11th June 2012) with the launch of the majestic Jacobite Warrior, the biggest loch-based cruise ship in Scotland, set to carry up to 1,500 tourists a day.
3-yr old Australian tourist Lilly McInnes meets the Jacobite Warrior - pic by Tony Marsh
The Warrior represents an investment of over £1 million for multi-award winning Inverness-based Jacobite Cruises, which will soon welcome its millionth passenger to cruise on Loch Ness. Freda Newton, owner of Jacobite Cruises, said: “The Jacobite Warrior joins our fleet of three cruise ships with the ability to carry over 250 passengers in comfort. She is more twice the size of any other cruise boat on the Loch and we believe the first catamaran on the water here.
“This investment will allow us to provide a magical Loch Ness experience for up to 1,500 tourists on the Warrior every day, as well as 900 each day between the Jacobite Queen and Jacobite Legend. In the last few years we’ve seen numbers surge, particularly from groups from China, Japan and Russia.“The legend of Loch Ness is famous all over the world and most visitors to the Highlands are keen to experience the magic.”
The new boat has travelled all the way from Brittany in France, stopping at Milford Haven in Wales and Bangor in Northern Ireland on the way. She then had a complete makeover in Corpach before arriving in the Caledonian Canal. Jacobite refitted her with a bar, luxury seating, viewing deck and state-of-the-art tour guide audio system that allows passengers to listen to tales of Nessie sightings and Loch Ness’s history, backed up by printed leaflets in ten languages.
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