The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Luxury ship sails in to city
One of the most luxurious cruise boats in the world made a flying visit to a north-east harbour.
The five- star Maltese passenger boat Sea Cloud II called at Aberdeen en route to Edinburgh after making a stop at Kirkwall in Orkney. The vessel – which has travelled all over the world since being commissioned more than a decade ago – regularly attracts crowds of admirers when it drops anchor in port.
Operated by Sea Cloud Cruises of Hamburg Germany, the boat is sister to the historic Sea Cloud, which served as the US armed force’s first racially integrated warship since the American Civil War, while on operations during World War II.
The 384ft boat brought visitors for a tour of Aberdeen and a trip to Crathes Castle on the penultimate leg of their voyage.
More than 90 passengers, mostly German, American and Australian, spent a half- day in the north-east.
They paid up to £7,500 for one of the 47 cabins on the 10-day trip – which marked the ship’s 10th anniversary and included stops in Orkney and Shetland to see archaeological sites such as Skara Brae, Brodgar and Jarlshof.