21 September 2019

Mull and her Inlets and Islands - Glen Massan

Rosemary Myers

If you booked this cruise after seeing Cruising with Jane MacDonald, be aware it bore little resemblance to this programme. Lovely staff, lovely and friendly other guests, great food however we had a few lovely days, but on the last full day of our holiday we awoke at 3 am with an alarm going off, evidently the anchor had come loose and we had drifted. After breakfast we headed around Iona on our way back to Loch Spelve and the mussel farm to anchor up for the last night, the Skipper suggested we take a sea sickness pill as it could get a little choppy going around the south west of Mull. (We could of headed around the west of Mull via Tobermory). The need to tie down the table and chairs in the saloon was a little worrying. The women of the group sat in the saloon for over 6 hours while the swell reach 3 plus meters high with waves breaking over the side and the back of the boat, with the boat rocking side to side. At one point we were advised to sit on the floor and at that point bottles and cans from the galley were rolling all around our feet. Five people were ill including the chef and the Bosun. Once we had got out of this weather the Skipper did come and check that we were all okay. We hadn't eaten all day only drinking water we had with us. In our en suite the shower doors had fallen out and the toilet seat had come loose and there was water all over the floor. The dinner on the last evening was great but at that point very few guests felt well enough to eat the food. When the boat arrived in Oban on the Saturday morning one of the owners came aboard for the hand over., Unfortunately although he knew what had happened the day before he failed to mention the horrific events for the passengers and no correspondence subsequently from Majestic since. Bad PR!

 

Thank you for taking the time to write a review following your recent cruise.  It is a pleasure to read your comments about lovely staff, friendly guests and great food – all ingredients of a good holiday!

You will be aware that we cannot guarantee the weather, so, when things took a turn for the worse on your final full day, it is good to know that the crew implemented the planned safety procedures, which includes securing the furniture, and as a result no one on board sustained any injuries. 

The alarm you heard (another safety device) must be audible to the skipper in both the wheelhouse and his cabin. In the quiet of night, the main deck cabins may also hear it, which is unfortunate, but safety does come first!  When the boat rocks in the swell, things may well move, but the crew will quickly restore order when the vessel returns to calmer waters.

Like many others, you joined us after watching ‘Cruising with Jane McDonald’, a hugely entertaining show during which the production company took the decision to add extra elements to her trip. Those were never a feature of our cruise and this was explained to anyone who enquired at the time of booking.

We appreciate that small ship cruising is not for everyone, but for others it is their holiday of a lifetime, as is evidenced by those who return year on year.  Some of your fellow passengers have written positive reviews about their time on board; we are sorry that you did not enjoy a similar experience.

[The Majestic Line]

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