A few weeks ago, I received an exciting e.mail from Silver travel advisor, a website for the mature traveller. I learned that I had won a twinkling Thames cruise aboard the paddle steamer Waverley and a night bed and breakfast at the Croydon Hilton in the monthly draw. The prize was provided by Just Go Holidays
PS Waverley
PS Waverley claims to be the last ocean-going paddle steamer. She was launched in 1946 to take passengers for cruises on the Scottish lochs. Her name comes from a novel by Sir Walter Scott. Originally she was owned by the LNES railway company and provided excursions for rail passengers to Scotland. However, these excursions became less popular as more people bought cars and train travel went out of fashion.
PS Waverley is now owned and operated as a charity by a preservation trust who have lovingly restored her. They take her around the British Isles, spending the Spring in Scotland, before moving down to Liverpool and later the West country before sailing on the Thames in the Autumn. My husband sailed on her about fifty years ago when she was much newer but this was my first time onboard.
Saturday
We opted to make our own way to the hotel in Croydon. I had never stayed in a Hilton hotel before as I normally opt for budget travel and was not sure what to expect. The hotel was very good but not as swanky as I expected. I was quite glad I was not spending my own money. Coffee in the bar was £4.00 a cup and wine £8.00 a glass. I was able to catch up with an old school friend who lives in Croydon for coffee before we met the rest of the coach party. We were taken by coach to Graves End where we embarked on PS Waverley for our evening trip up the river Thames to central London
The Thames estuary has been transformed in recent years and is now home to several hundred seals and even this month a beluga whale. I was hoping to see some marine life but was unlucky. We opted to have a meal on board and were able to eat a very good curry while sailing past the docks at Tilbury. We then had a chance to look at the well polished and beautifully maintained engines before going out on deck to listen to a commentary on the sites of London.
I was amazed at the size of the Thames flood barrage and pleased to see Greenwich and the Cutty Sark. We also sailed past the Millenium dome now the O2 arena and Canary wharf. The cruise ended at Tower Pier.
Tower Bridge was opened so PS Waverley could sail underneath which made us feel quite important.
Sunday
After a night at the hotel and a very good full English breakfast, we went by coach to central London. We met our son who teaches in London and strolled around Hyde park admiring the variety of birdlife including the noisy parakeets, waterfowl and herons. The three of us enjoyed traditional wood cooked Pizza at the Serpentine restaurant which I thoroughly recommend.
20 responses to “P.S. Waverley Thames Cruise to Tower Pier”
What fun to win a trip like that! Thanks for linking up with us at the #BloggingGrandmothersLlinkParty 34
We love sailing down the Thames and recently did Richmond to Hampton Court. This looks great.
I would love to sail on the Waverley, what a wonderful day out to have
What a lovely experience, well done on your win.
It’s a shame your hotel stay wasn’t quite up to your expectations but that boat trip sounds great. I’d love to see London by night from the water, especially Tower Bridge!
what a lovely win for you, sounds like a great experience x
What a lovely experience! You can’t beat a cruise on the Thames especially if it’s on an old paddle boat looks like you had a fab time!
That’s a great prize to win! It sounds like you had a lovely weekend. I would love to go on a night time cruise x
That looks fabulous! I might be wrong, but I’m sure the Waveney has done trips across the Bristol Channel between south Wales and north Devon
Yes. It goes from Clevedon in the summer.
Wow you really were a wimmer. Look how great the lovely London skyline looks from that boat cruise, just wonderful xx
Congratulations! I’ve never won anything like this before and looks like you had so much fun 🙂
It is the first time I have won a holiday.
Looks like a fun cruise and better given it was won! I wouldnt have been able to drink much wine in the hotel at £8 a night though!!
WOW this sounds like a fantastic experience, well done on your win! Everything looks so pretty all lit up at night time!
What a great evening in London. I love London this would be right up my street. It’s also amazing how much history the Thames has.
What a lovely experience, I love a trip down the thames!
Congratulations on your lovely win, I can imagine how awesome it must have been to be told you had won. Most Hilton hotels are no longer as swanky as before
What an amazing experience to win!! Also love the look of that Serpentine restaurant, very snazzy architecture and a wonderful position to enjoy the surrounding scenery and water. Thanks for sharing your adventures on the Waverley 🙂
Caz xx
Thanks Caz. It was a lovely weekend. I am glad I was not paying for the Hilton myself though