Shieldhall has released details about its sailing programme as the heritage steamship is set to celebrate its 70th birthday!

The volunteers at Steamship Shieldhall in Southampton have released details of the ship’s 2025 sailing progamme, with some special ‘Early Bird’ savings available on selected cruises. Commencing on 24 May, with a final sailing on 14 September, there are a variety of 2hr, 3hr, 3 1/2hr, 4hr and all day sailings to choose from, including some returning favourite cruises and some all-new trips.

Shieldhall will be celebrating her 70th birthday in 2025, with her volunteers given a recent boost ahead of the anniversary with the awarding of ‘The King’s Award for Voluntary Service.’ The ‘flags will be flying’ on Shieldhall’s opening cruise of the season on 24 May, and again on a special celebratory weekend when Shieldhall’s trips will pass by the depots she visited when in the service of Southern Water (Sat 12 July) and an extended trip out to the Nab Tower (Sun 13 July).

Also new for 2025 will be an extended trip west of the Needles (Sun 15 June, Father’s Day) and a special ‘Liner’s Day’ with an enthusiast’s exhibition onboard and an opportunity to cruise past five cruise ships expected in the Port of Southampton (Sat 30 August). In addition to her own 70th birthday celebrations, other notable anniversaries will be marked by sailings, including an 85th Dunkirk / 80th VE & VJ Day cruise to Portsmouth Harbour on Sun 25 May; a trip celebrating steam to mark Rail200 (Sat 23 August) and a ‘Jane All at Sea’ cruise, again into Portsmouth, which will highlight Jane Austen’s nautical connections, linking with the Jane Austen 250 themed year.

One of the beauties of steam propulsion is that Shieldhall does not tend to vibrate or roll, and as such makes a great viewing platform, perfect for photography. For 2025, Shieldhall will steam to the Solent to watch the spectacle of the Round the Island Race on Saturday 7 June and the Fastnet Race on Saturday 26 July, which will mark 100 years of the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC).

Musical highlights of the 2025 programme include the Selsey Shantymen performing on board on Sunday 8 June and Southampton’s own ‘Salty Sea Dogs’ on Sunday 27 July. The wonderful samba rock of Tuto Tribe will grace Shieldhall’s main deck on Friday 13 June, whilst ‘Songs of the Sea’ will be performed in their own inimitable fashion by ‘Jim Splice and the Main Brace’ on Saturday 28 June.

Shieldhall Chairman Martin Phipps said: “We are delighted to launch our 2025 sailing programme, full of returning favourite excursions, but with a number of new trips, including the marking of significant anniversary events; festivals and special occasions. In addition to our cruises we will be marking our 70th anniversary by staging a number of free, alongside visit days, where guests can find out more about Shieldhall and what is involved in taking a heritage steamship out to sea. We will also be hosting Heritage Adventure Training Days for Youth Groups, and running one and two-day ‘Steam Experience’ courses for enthusiasts.’”

“Whilst there is no Bournemouth Air Festival in 2025 we are looking to further develop our progamme and there will some additional, exciting announcements in the New Year. Our volunteers put in over 25,000 hours annually of voluntary commitment, and we like to think that Shieldhall has never looked better, ahead of her 70th birthday. We are justly proud of Shieldhall’s rating as ‘No 1 Thing to  Do in Southampton’ on TripAdvisor, and can’t wait to start welcoming guests back on board!”

To view Shieldhall’s complete 2025 sailing programme, list of Open Days and dates for Heritage Adventure Training Days at Sea and Experience Days, please visit: www.ss-shieldhall.co.uk

Key trips for 2025 include:
Sat 24 May, Steam to the Solent Cruise, 3.30pm – 7pm
Sun 25 May, Sailing to Portsmouth, reflecting the 85th anniversary of Dunkirk and 40th anniversary of VE and VJ Day, 12.30pm – 7pm
Sat 7 June, Round the Island Race sailing, 10am – 5pm
Sun 8 June, Steam to the Solent with the Selsey Shantymen, 2.30pm – 6pm
Fri 13 June, Docks Evening Cruise with Tuto Tribe and their inspirational samba rock! 6.30pm – 9.30pm
Sat 14 June, Steam to the Solent, Titanic theme
Sun 15 June, Trip to the west of The Needles
Fri 27 June, Evening Music Cruise, 6.30pm – 9.30pm
Sat 28 June, Steam to the Solent with Jim Splice and the Main Brace, 3.30pm – 7pm
Sat 12 July, Steam to the Solent 70th anniversary cruise with a 1950s theme – pass Shieldhall’s old depots on Southampton Water!  3.30pm – 7pm
Sun 13 July, Return to the Nab Tower, the old route! 70th anniversary weekend cruise 11am – 6pm
Sat 26 July, Cruise to view the Fastnet Race, 8.30am – 3.30pm
Sun 27 July, Steam to the Solent with the Southampton Salty Sea Dogs Shanty Band and see cruise ships depart  2.30pm – 6pm
Sat 23 August, Steam to the Solent, A Celebration of Steam, marking RAIL200, 3.30pm – 7pm
Sun 24 August, Eastern Solent Cruise, passing Osborne House, Ryde and the Solent Forts, 12noon – 6pm
Mon 25 August, Bank Holiday Monday Steam to the Solent Cruise, 2.30pm – 6pm
Sat 30 August, Liners Day and Steam to the Solent to view 5 cruise ships depart, 3.30pm – 7pm
Sun 31 August, Jane All at Sea, Jane Austen and her Nautical Connections, Trip to Portsmouth and Merchant  Navy Day Service, 11.30am – 6pm
Sun 14 September, Heritage Open Day and Heritage Open Day Cruise, 4pm – 6pm

There will be further announcements and additions made to the sailing programme in the New Year.
Early bird savings of 20.25% are available on selected cruises until 31 January 2025 – bookable at www.ss-shieldhall.co.uk

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