Homeward bound as Scots skipper steers giant liner to safe harbour
Captain with Clyde-built skills brings cruise ship in for lockdown
As hundreds of Scots gathered on the banks of the Clyde to watch the rare sight of a cruise liner arriving in Glasgow, most were unaware that one of their own was on the bridge.
Captain Magnus Davidson, who studied at the city’s former College of Nautical Studies, is the master of the Azamara Quest, one of three sister ships currently laid up at the King George V Dock at Shieldhall.
Each capable of carrying 700 passengers, they are seeing out the coronavirus pandemic in Scotland as cruise holidays look out of the question for some time to come.
Azamara Pursuit, Azamara
Journey and Azamara Quest arrived separately last month, with each welcomed by packed riverbanks at Clydebank, Renfrew and Braehead as they were guided upriver by a pilot and tugs.
Visiting cruise ships normally dock at Greenock’s Ocean Terminal, and such vessels haven’t been seen within city limits since the glory days of Clyde shipbuilding.
“I know and love Glasgow, but I have never sailed upriver here before, so that experience was memorable,” said Magnus, 39.
“The scenery was beautiful and for me, personally, I felt a real sense of homecoming. I was very surprised to see so many people. It was extremely heartwarming to see the interest in the ship sailing up the Clyde and to feel so welcomed in that way.
“There’s always been a special connection between the people of Glasgow and the sea and to see so many people lining the riverbanks, waving as we sailed upriver, was just fantastic.”
Captain Magnus, as he is always referred to onboard, was born in Norfolk but moved to Shetland when he was nine. That was where he fell in love with life out on the waves, leaving school at 16 to join P&O Cruises as an apprentice.
After studying for three years in Glasgow, he rised through the ranks and eventually joined Azamara’s parent company, Royal Caribbean, in 2006 as a First Officer. He took command of Azamara Journey in 2015 before moving to its sister ship.
Magnus is used to mingling with passengers at dinner and events, and is often found strolling the decks, chatting to guests and inquiring if they’re enjoying their trip.
But the ships will not be welcoming passengers onboard for a number of months yet. In the meantime, the liners still require a skeletal crew – many from much further afield than
Magnus – to keep them ticking over and ensure they remain shipshape for when they go back into service.
It’s a combined effort involving different departments, with each crew member playing an important part to ensure everything runs safely and efficiently, from those below deck in the engine room to officers on the bridge.
Planned maintenance is always ongoing, in addition to frequent safety drills and training.
Magnus, who counts Australia and Japan among his favourite destinations, normally stays at sea for two-and-a-half months at a time, but he has now been helming the Azamara Quest for five months.
He said: “It’s been similar for all seafarers around the world, with many having been onboard for much longer durations, and it’s important that countries establish protocols to allow crew changes to take place, as I’m glad to say is the case here.
“The challenge over the past months to repatriate our own multinational crew has been huge and complex but is now largely completed. Thankfully, family and friends at home have stayed well whilst I’ve been away but there’s no doubt it’s been a trying time for many onboard knowing they were not able to get home at the height of the crisis.”
Rather than being confined to the ships, the crews remaining in Glasgow have been able to go ashore while following the Scottish Government’s Covid-19 guidelines.
The ships had been at sea for at least two weeks before arriving in Scotland, and had all undergone deep cleans. Azamara has suspended all cruises until at least September 15, with the wider tourism industry devastated by the coronavirus crisis.
“The travel and tourism sector has never seen such a sudden and total shutdown,” said Magnus. “It’s difficult to predict exactly when a form of normality will return, although it’s encouraging to see Europe opening up again for international travel and holidays.”
He added: “Our cruise line is working with various government bodies and other experts to determine the best solution for cruising to resume safely and healthily.
“I’m very confident that when conditions are right and people feel ready to travel again, we’ll also be ready and excited to welcome guests back onboard.”