Seatrade Cruise News is part of the Informa Markets Division of Informa PLC

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.

Noble Caledonia acquires a third ship

Noble Caledonia acquires a third ship
London-based Noble Caledonia has acquired a third sister for its fleet. Joining Island Sky and Caledonian Sky later this year will be Sea Explorer. All three vessels were formerly part of the original Renaissance Cruises fleet of eight.

With the acquisition of Sea Explorer, Noble Caledonia now has Renaissance Six, Seven and Eight.

‘We are fortunate in being able to add this fine ship to our growing fleet. The demand from the UK and around the world for voyages aboard Island Sky and Caledonian Sky has resulted with over 90% of capacity sold until early 2016, so the addition of a further vessel will allow us to meet the unprecedented demand we are currently experiencing,' said Andy Cochrane, managing director.

Noble Caledonia, now in its 23rd year, is known for introducing expedition and small ship cruising to the UK market in the early 1990s. Since then, the growth has been steady and in more recent years accelerating to the point where, in addition to its own fleet, the company charters up to 20 vessels during any given year.

Laura Cochrane, head of marketing and sales for Noble Caledonia, has witnessed enormous growth in small ship cruising in her 11 years with the company and said the addition of Sea Explorer will allow further development of cruises in Northern Europe: ‘We have been waiting for the right vessel to become available to expand our successful cruises in Scotland, Norway, Iceland and in the future Spitsbergen.’

Sea Explorer, the former Corinthian II, will join Noble Caledonia in October.

Various existing charter commitments will be honoured and, in early 2016, following a refit, the ship will begin cruising in Scotland and beyond for Noble Caledonia.

Like her sister vessels, she will be equipped with a fleet of inflatable Zodiacs allowing her to offer trips to the more remote places for the 100 or so passengers.

Caledonian Sky is sailing in the Pacific Ocean and Island Sky is in the Indian Ocean and from 2016 will spend summers in the Mediterranean.

Details of Sea Explorer’s voyages from 2016 onwards will be published in October.