Majestic Line

There are many reasons for starting a business but to save beautifully crafted wooden hulled fishing trawlers from the chainsaw must be one of the most unusual. But that is exactly what friends Andy Thoms and Ken Grant did. In 2004 they bought and converted their first vessel, the Glen Massan, to a mini cruise liner, sailing out of Holy Loch, near Dunoon to cruise the wonderful sheltered lochs and islands of Argyll. In May 2007 a sister vessel, the Glen Tarsan was launched to sail out of Oban for the Hebrides .

Our third vessel, the Glen Etive is a custom-designed new build which is ready to cruise for the 2016 season . The new vessel was built by Ardmaleish Boatbuilding Co. Ltd on the Clyde. Finished in traditional wood and brass, with spacious accommodation and a steel based hull, the new boat undertakes 10-night cruises to Islay, Skye, the Outer Hebrides and St Kilda. She also provides 6-night cruises to Skye and the Small Isles in autumn. The Majestic Line has helped establish a vibrant small-ship cruising sector in Argyll and the Hebrides. It is the only company with a fleet of 3 vessels, all ensuite.

The Majestic Line cruises are designed to reveal the hidden beauty of the sheltered lochs and islands of Argyll and the Hebrides, which are often undiscovered by visitors to the area, but well known to Andy and Ken, who live and sail there. Guests on our cruises often remark that they have "left the world behind" or that "time stands still". We get extremely positive feedback from our guests and this is mainly due to the crews on our boats, who provide an exceptional standard of hospitality.

Dining on board our vessels is informal and friendly with meals served at the communal table in the deck saloon. The menu is freshly prepared each day to a very high standard by the onboard Chef from local produce. The area is famed for its fish, shellfish, lamb, beef and venison as well as speciality produce such as cheeses and preserves.

Meals are served at anchor in a different idyllic location, carefully chosen by your Skipper. Breakfast is served between 8am - 9am, lunch is around 1pm, afternoon tea is served at around 4pm and dinner at 7.30pm. These times may alter a little depending on the cruise itinerary. There is a new set menu each day but individual food tastes and dietary requirements are catered for. Teas, coffees, soft drinks, fruit and snacks are available all day. House wine is provided free with dinner. The current house wines are French and the house wine of the Dorchester. They are Bellefontaine Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The boat has a well-stocked bar and drinks from the bar are the only item you will be asked to pay for throughout your cruise.

Our main aim is to amaze and delight our guests on board. We take our guests to idyllic and scenic places, provide a range of shore trips, cook amazing meals from locally sourced ingredients and generally serve their every need in a most unobtrusive way. We are very proud of the very positive customer feedback we get from our guests, from booking through to disembarking.

The philosophy of The Majestic Line is to adopt a policy of sustainable tourism for our cruises. We are passionate about the natural landscapes and wild places on the West Coast of Scotland and we are committed to operating in a manner that does not harm the pristine environments that we visit.

Our cruise itineraries take in the coastline and islands of Argyll and the Hebrides and Skye and we have a commitment to the local communities which we engage with; their way of life, culture and heritage add enormously to the positive experience our guests have while onshore. We are committed to working with local businesses and populations to ensure we bring benefits and because of that, we always receive a warm welcome wherever we go.

Our meals are, whenever possible, sourced from locally produced ingredients, often not available outwith the local area.

We are also committed to ensuring our guests have the best possible experience cruising with us, from our communications during the booking procedures to the time spent on board with us.

Our customer feedback tells us our guests find their holiday to be a once-in-a-lifetime positive experience, but we continue to ask for feedback from every guest to ensure our cruises provide the best service we can offer.

Each vessel has four on-board crew; Skipper, Chef, Engineer and Bosun. The crew communicate closely with our guests for their comfort and enjoyment while on board and to get the best from onshore activities. Without doubt, the high standard of hospitality demonstrated by our crews is a major factor in the positive feedback from our guests and our high level of repeat business.