THE world’s last seagoing paddle steamer will be cruising off the Cornish coast later this month.

The Waverley, which has carried more than six million passengers over the years, will be operating excursion trips as part of her 80th anniversary season.

The historic vessel drew large crowds when she visited Fowey in 2024 and she will be arriving at the port again this year. The Waverley will also be going to Falmouth, Penzance and Padstow, and sailing out of Plymouth.

There will be a cruise from Fowey to Plymouth on the afternoon of Friday, May 22. Passengers will be taken out from the quayside to the ship on tender boats. Following the afternoon trip, there will be an evening cruise from Plymouth that will take in the coast of the Rame Peninsula in South East Cornwall as the spring bank holiday weekend gets under way.

On the same weekend, the paddle steamer will be visiting Mevagissey for the first time since the 1990s, the port receiving the iconic vessel on Sunday, May 24. There will be an afternoon sailing from Mevagissey to Plymouth, via the Eddystone Lighthouse. Then, in the evening, there will be cruise past Dodman Point and on to Falmouth.

In each of the past three summers, the Waverley paddle steamer has attracted more than 150,000 passengers.
In each of the past three summers, the Waverley paddle steamer has attracted more than 150,000 passengers. (Picture: Submitted)

On the bank holiday Monday, the Waverley will be visiting Penzance and sailing off Land’s End. Then the day after, Tuesday, May 26, the boat will be undertaking her first sailing this century from Padstow on the north coast, making a voyage to Ilfracombe in North Devon.

Paul Semple, general manager of Waverley Excursions, has expressed his excitement for the new season, which is taking place nearly 80 years after the vessel’s launch.

He said: “Eight decades on, passengers can still experience the unique sights, sounds and atmosphere of travelling aboard a real steamship and we are delighted to see Waverley back sailing after a winter refit which saw a £1.5-million investment in the ship.”

Passengers can savour the sights and sounds of a real steamship, hearing the telegraph ring, visiting the engine room and watching the engine start to move, and seeing the paddles turning through the portholes.

The Waverley has operated in preservation since 1975 and is regarded as a “national treasure”, registered on The National Historic Fleet as a vessel of pre-eminent national significance.

The ship is operated on a “not-for-profit” basis and owned by the Waverley Steam Navigation Co, a registered charity.

The operators have said that because they are facing a severe price increase this year for fuel for the vessel, they are introducing a fuel surcharge for passengers.

The Waverley paddle steamer was launched in the autumn of 1946.
The Waverley paddle steamer was launched in the autumn of 1946. (Picture: Submitted)

The vessel, built in Glasgow for the London and North Eastern Railway, was launched on October 2, 1946, and made her maiden voyage the following year on June 16.

In each of the past three summer seasons, the Waverley has attracted more than 150,000 passengers.

The paddle steamer is registered for up to 750 passengers and is fully restored to her original 1940s style.

Sir Timothy Laurence, the husband of the Princess Royal, is patron of the Waverley.