Trinity House, the agency that looks after lighthouses and buoys in the waters around England, Wales and the Channel Islands, has called time on a lucrative side business — cruising.
For many years, Trinity House has carried a dozen passengers on its 2,639-gt multipurpose buoy tender Patricia (built 1982).
They joined the ship on its working voyages, following the course of its duties as it serviced buoys and lighthouses.
If prospective passengers had images of joining a rough-and-tumble vessel that offered little in the way of creature comforts, they were severely mistaken.
In fact, the Patricia’s passenger accommodation was designed for the use of the British royal family while on official duties such as fleet reviews.
It was really rather posh.
And it came at an appropriate price. Staterooms for two cost £3,200 ($4,100) for a week-long voyage.
Travel agents tasked with bookings for the Patricia’s voyages said the ship often booked out early, especially in the summer.
The Patricia stopped taking passengers this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, and now Trinity House has announced that voyages will not resume thereafter.
“It has been known for some time that THV Patricia is approaching the end of her working life with Trinity House however it remains regrettable that such a popular and successful experience should end under the current circumstances,” the agency said in a notice on its website.
No decommissioning date has been announced for the Patricia, but British naval architect Longitude Consulting Engineers was awarded a contract to design a replacement vessel in February.
Trinity House has yet to reveal whether the royal family will be provided with accommodation on board.
