Tickets will go on sale for Caledonian MacBrayne’s most nostalgic sailings of the year when MV Pioneer makes a sentimental homecoming voyage from Mallaig to the Clyde next weekend.

The journey, which marks the beginning of a series of events completing MV Pioneer’s 29-year service with Caledonian MacBrayne and its predecessor companies, will be undertaken in two stages. The first leg, on Saturday, August 16, will take Pioneer from Mallaig to Oban via Tobermory and Staffa.  Then, on the following day (Sunday, August 17) MV Pioneer will depart Oban at 1030 heading for the Clyde via her “home” island of Islay and Ardrossan.

When Pioneer reaches the Clyde she will be held in reserve until she begins a hectic final stage in her career by ferrying passengers between Wemyss Bay and Bute for the Highland Games on the weekend of August 23.

MV Pioneer’s final weekend in the CalMac fleet will be at the end of August when she will be on station between Gourock and Dunoon for the Cowal Highland gathering and also undertaking two special charters. The first is a private commitment on the Sunday afternoon which will be followed by her final sailing at 1600, details of which will be announced later.

The voyage from Mallaig to the Clyde offers CalMac’s fleet aficionados an ideal opportunity to take part in a hugely sentimental journey, passing through many of the fleet’s most evocative routes and dramatic scenery. Caledonian MacBrayne Historian Iain McCrorie, who has just completed a new book on “Sea Journeys from Mallaig” and is about to complete another entitled “MV Pioneer”, said: “MV Pioneer is held in great affection by people throughout the CalMac network as she has seen service in almost every sector of the operation. It is time for her to call it a day unfortunately and this is a magnificent chance for the many people who held her in such great affection to say their fond farewells.”

Iain’s volumes “Sea Routes from Mallaig” and “MV Pioneer” will be advertised for sale from next week with the first of the volumes available on the cruises from Mallaig and Oban.

Tickets for the two legs of MV Pioneer’s voyage back to the Clyde will be available only from the Tour Shop at the Oban Terminal, or by telephone on 01631 562244.

Ticket price £25 per cruise, or £45 if both cruises are bought together.  There are no reductions for children and there is a maximum of 180 tickets per cruise, sold on a first-come-first served basis.

Tickets will be limited to 4 per customer.  Tickets must be paid for by Credit Card or Switch at time of booking.  The full postal address for the card holder (the address that appears on their statement) must be given, along with a contact telephone number.  Tickets are non-refundable.

Tickets will be posted out to customers for bookings received up to and including Monday.  After this, tickets will be available for uplift at Mallaig office on the morning of the cruise.  A 45-minute check-in will be applied to allow for this and for the completion of Passenger Registration details.

A small number of car tickets will be available for sale.  They will be priced at £30 per cruise, over and above the passenger ticket rate. 

Please note that tickets for MV Pioneer’s final sailing on Sunday August 31 will not be available until after the two cruises on 16 and 17 August and details will be published at a later date.

Itinerary

Saturday 16 August, 2003

Mallaig                         Dep 1030

Tobermory                                           Arr  1300                     Dep  1330

Staffa (viewing/photo opportunity)         Arr  1500                     Dep 1515

Oban                                                    Arr 1930

Sunday, August 17, 2003

Oban                            Dep  1030

Port Askaig                                          Arr 1330                      Dep  1400

Port Ellen                                             Arr  1540                     Dep  1615

Ardrossan                                            Arr  2115