Paddle Steamer News |
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PS Hohentwiel is planned to take part in a two-ship Afternoon Cruise at 1330 from Arbon on Friday 8th October going out on the paddle steamer and returning on mv Oesterreich | |||||||||||||||||
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Swiss National Day - Sunday 1st August | |||||||||||||||||
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PS Hohentwiel is planned to take part in a two-ship Afternoon Cruise at 1330 from Arbon on Saturday 18th July going out on the paddle steamer and returning on mv Oesterreich | |||||||||||||||||
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PS Hohentwiel is planned to take part in a two-ship Afternoon Cruise at 1330 from Rorschach on Thursday 13th May going out on the paddle steamer and returning on mv Oesterreich | |||||||||||||||||
A paddle steamer is advertised to operate a Mothers Day Lunch Cruise from Luzern at 1130 on Sunday 9th May, but this MAY have to be cancelled if there is any extension to the Coronavirus precautions | |||||||||||||||||
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PS Hohentwiel is planned to take part in a two-ship Afternoon Cruise at 1330 from Rorschach on Saturday 17th April going out on the paddle steamer and returning on mv Oesterreich | |||||||||||||||||
A paddle steamer is advertised to operate an evening Candlelight Dinner Cruise from Luzern at 2000 on Saturday 17th April, but this MAY have to be cancelled if there is any extension to the Coronavirus precautions | |||||||||||||||||
CANCELLED due to the postponement of the overhaul of | |||||||||||||||||
MPV Vevey is planned to operate an additional timetabled winter lunch cruise from Geneva to Nyon on Easter Monday 5th April | |||||||||||||||||
Easter Sunday 4th April | |||||||||||||||||
A paddle steamer is advertised to operate an Easter Lunch Cruise from Luzern at 1130 on Easter Sunday 4th April, but this MAY have to be cancelled if there is any extension to the Coronavirus precautions | |||||||||||||||||
Good Friday 2nd April | |||||||||||||||||
MPV Vevey is planned to operate an additional timetabled winter lunch cruise from Geneva to Nyon on Good Friday 2nd April | |||||||||||||||||
PS Stadt Rapperswil is planned to operate the new 1420 sailings 111-112 from Zurich to Rapperswil and return on Good Friday 2nd April | |||||||||||||||||
Thanks to a good weather, MPV
Vevey operated four special "One Hour" short These same arrangements are also to apply on 28th March - again weather permitting | |||||||||||||||||
New Year's Day - Friday 1st January | |||||||||||||||||
MPV Vevey was planned to operate an additional New Year's Day Lunch Cruise from Geneva on Friday 1st January, but this had to be cancelled due to the further Coronavirus precautions | |||||||||||||||||
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New Year's Eve - Thursday 31st December | ||||||||||||||||
MPV Vevey was planned to operate an evening Gala Dinner Cruise from Geneva at 2000 on Thursday 31st December, but this had to be cancelled due to the further Coronavirus precautions | |||||||||||||||||
PS
Uri was originally ADVERTISED to operate an evening
Gala Dinner
Cruise from Luzern at 1930 on
Thursday 31st December, but this was subsequently
CANCELLED by the SGV as a | |||||||||||||||||
Christmas Day - Friday 25th December | |||||||||||||||||
MPV Vevey was planned to operate an additional Christmas Day Lunch Cruise from Geneva on Friday 25th December, but this had to be cancelled due to the further Coronavirus precautions | |||||||||||||||||
PS Uri was originally advertised to operate a Christmas Lunch Cruise from Luzern at 1130 on Christmas Day - Friday 25th December, but this (along with all the other cruises for the Christmas period) was cancelled by the SGV who kept her in dock as an economy measure | |||||||||||||||||
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PS Piemonte operated special sailings from Laveno to Isola Superiore and Isola Bella and back on Sunday 11th October and Sunday 25th October in connection with a special steam-hauled train from Milan | |||||||||||||||||
PS Hohentwiel
operated part of a two-ship Afternoon
Cruise at 1330 from Rorschach to Hard on
Saturday 10th October going out on
mv Oesterreich and returning with the paddle steamer This was the first time for many years that the paddle steamer has served a Swiss pier so late in the season (October) - unless of course YOU know something else ? | |||||||||||||||||
PS Concordia
broke down
approaching Lecco pier with damage to her engine at the end of
sailing 287
from Bellagio on
Sunday 13th September - bringing her 2020 season to an abrupt end The short sailings 288-289 to Onno were immediately cancelled Several passengers quickly caught the small mv Ninfea on the all stops sailing 290 before it was confirmed mv Gigalo was on the way to cover the paddle steamer's sailing 290 to Bellano Then the former ex-paddle steamer mv Milano (which had been operating some mid lake ferry runs earlier in the day) covered the early-evening sailing 249 back to Como The following morning, car ferry mv Plinio went to Lecco and towed PS Concordia back to Tavernola dock for repairs Do you have any further information about what went wrong ? | |||||||||||||||||
PS Hohentwiel operated part of a two-ship Afternoon Cruise at 1330 from Rorschach to Hard on Thursday 10th September going out on the paddle steamer and returning on mv Oesterreich | |||||||||||||||||
PS Concordia operated an evening "Classical Music Cruise from Como at 1700 on Saturday 5th September | |||||||||||||||||
PS Montreux
had further technical problems
at Rolle on her return evening dinner cruise
sailing 488
from Yvoire to Lausanne on
Tuesday 1st September Following lengthy "on the spot" repairs, she eventuallly arrived back at Lausanne approximately 0130 ! To allow her crew to take their mandatory break between duties, the smaller mv Ville-de-Genève covered her afternoon sailings 906-907 the following afternoon between her peak-hour Thonon-les-Bains ferry duties Do you have any further information about what was wrong ? | |||||||||||||||||
PS Hohentwiel
operated part of a two-ship Afternoon
Cruise at 1330 from Rorschach to Romanshorn on
Thursday 27th August
going out on mv Oesterreich
and returning with the paddle steamer In the evening PS Hohentwiel she also operatedan evening Dinner cruise from Romanshorn | |||||||||||||||||
PS Neuchâtel
broke down at Neuchâtel
harbour before the start of service on
Tuesday 25th August resulting in her sailings having to be
covered by a motor vessel on both the
Tuesday and the
following Thursday Do you have any further information about what was wrong ? | |||||||||||||||||
PS Uri operated operate an evening Candlelight Dinner Cruise from Luzern at 2000 on Saturday 15th August | |||||||||||||||||
PS Blümlisalp was originally planned to operate an evening Jazz Cruise from Thun at 1910 on Friday 14th August but this had to be cancelled due to the Coronavirus precautions | |||||||||||||||||
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PS Montreux
broke down at Ouchy on
Sunday
2nd August She remained at Ouchy dock all day for repairs, so mv Général-Guisan was diverted to cover the afternoon sailings 906-907 then the small mv Lavaux ended up covering the evening sailings 487-488 to Yvoire She returned to service the following day Do you have any further information about what was wrong ? | |||||||||||||||||
PS Hohentwiel operated the outward leg of an Afternoon Cruise at 1330 from Rorschach to a "mystery" destination on Sunday 2nd August where passengers changed to return on mv Oesterreich | |||||||||||||||||
Swiss National Day - Saturday 1st August | |||||||||||||||||
In additional to the regular afternoon
timetabled sailings | |||||||||||||||||
Following the easing of the Corinavirus precautions,
Similar cruises from different locations were also operated on Saturdays 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th August | |||||||||||||||||
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PS Concordia operated an evening "Classical Music Cruise from Como at 1800 on Saturday 25th July | |||||||||||||||||
PS La Suisse
broke down at Ouchy on
Wednesday 22nd
July so the small
mv Lavoux was quicky brought out to cover her three
"Upper Lake" round trip
sailings
200-201-202-203-204-205 She remained at Ouchy dock for repairs all the following day only this time her She returned to her usual sailings on the Friday Do you have any further information about what was wrong ? | |||||||||||||||||
To mark the completion of her major two year rebuild (actually November 2019),
the NLG arranged three "Open Days" at Peschiera to enable potential future passengers to have a
series of short guided tours round the ship ship on
Fridays 17th, 24th and
31st July Following the Coronavirus restrictions earlier in the year, the NLG have stated "unfortunately both Zanardelli and Italia, probably will not be in service this season" - so these dates may well end up being the only opportunity to go on board this year | |||||||||||||||||
PS Hohentwiel operated a morning Jazz Cruise at 1000 from Rorschach followed by an Afternoon Cruise from Arbon at 1430 on Thursday 16th July | |||||||||||||||||
PS Uri operated an evening "Candlelight Dinner Cruise from Luzern at 2000 on Saturday 11th July | |||||||||||||||||
PS Stadt Zürich
operated the first of the new 2020 paddle steamer
Lunch Cruises from
Zurich at 1200 Her sister PS Stadt Rapperswil had her first turn the following day, afterwhich these were repeated every Tuesday to Friday throughout July and August | |||||||||||||||||
PS Piemonte was planned to operate an international charter sailing from Arona (Italy) to Locarno (Switzerland) and back on Saturday 27th June 2020 which was "open to the public" but these had to be postponed until 2021 due to the Coronavirus precautions | |||||||||||||||||
50 years of "Raddampfer Ahoi! Zurichsee (1970-2020)" To mark the achievement, both paddle steamers are planned to operate a special parade to the Obersee on Saturday 20th June (probably the only visit of 2020 as there are no longer any timetbled sailings) along with the former ZSG mv Etzel In addition the small SS Greif from Lake Greif is to be transported by road to join in the parade, but only sailing as far as Tiefenbrunnen | |||||||||||||||||
Despite the advertised timetable only requiring one paddle steamer
to be in service on any given day, both were unusually rostered to operate normal
timetabled services PS Stadt Zürich covered the regular afternoon sailings 111-112 whilst sister | |||||||||||||||||
PS Hohentwiel was planned to operate the return leg of an Afternoon Cruise at 1330 from Romanshorn to Friedrichshafen on Thursday 11th June with passengers sailing out on mv Oesterreich, but these had to be cancelled due to the Coronavirus precautions | |||||||||||||||||
74th anniversary of the "Italian Republic" To mark the event PS Piemonte operated three days of four special "one hour cruises" from Stresa over the Whit Weekend - a 'fitting' tribute following the long period of "lockdown" in the area due to the Coronavirus pandemic | |||||||||||||||||
100th Birthday of PS Simplon
(1920-2020) To mark the 100 years of the paddle steamer, was planned to operate the timetabled sailings from Lausanne to the Upper Lake sailings 920-921-922-923-288-289 vice her sister PS La Suisse on Saturday 30th May and repeated on Sunday 31st May also Monday 1st June, but these had to be cancelled due to the Coronavirus precautions | |||||||||||||||||
The Swiss "Federal Council today announced a
relaxation to the Coronavirus precautions meaning "Tourist" sailings on the lakes
can restart from Saturday 6th June (two days earlier than widely
predicted) In most cases the lake operating companies will commence sailings with a reduced level of service - details of which will apprea on this website as soon as the details are made public See the index to the left of this page for links to all the lakes - if it not there, then click here for it to be added | |||||||||||||||||
PS Hohentwiel
was planned to operate a morning
Jazz Cruise at 0930 from Arbon followed by an
Afternoon Cruise
at 1330 to Romanshorn on Sunday
3rd May going out on the paddle steamer and
returning with | |||||||||||||||||
PS Hohentwiel
was planned to operate an evening
Dinner Cruise from Konstanz at | |||||||||||||||||
PS Hohentwiel was planned to operate an Afternoon Cruise at 1330 from Romanshorn to Rorschach on Sunday 26th April going out on the paddle steamer and returning with mv Oesterreich, but this had to be cancelled due to the Coronavirus precautions | |||||||||||||||||
PS Hohentwiel was planned to operate an Afternoon Cruise from Konstanz to Meersburg at 1415 on Saturday 25th April, but this had to be cancelled due to the Coronavirus precautions | |||||||||||||||||
PS Uri was planned to operate an evening " Candlelight Dinner Cruise from Luzern at 2000 on Saturday 18th April, but this had to be cancelled due to the Coronavirus precautions | |||||||||||||||||
Easter Sunday 12th April | |||||||||||||||||
PS Unterwalden was originally planned to operate an Easter Lunch Cruise from Luzern at 1130 on Easter Sunday 12th April, but this had to be cancelled due to the Coronavirus precautions | |||||||||||||||||
Owing to morning fog, the planned morning "Niederhornexpress" sailings 111-112 by PS Blümlisalp to Beatenbucht and back had to be cancelled on New Year's Day | |||||||||||||||||
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PS Stadt Rapperswil
operated the final sailings 107-108
of 2019 from Zurich to Schmerikon in the Obsrsee
on Sunday 29th September As this sailing is no longer included in the "draft" ZSG timetable for 2020, this may well be the last visit by a paddle steamer on a normal timetabled sailing for a considerable time | |||||||||||||||||
Owing to a problem with one of the engines of
mv Jungfrau and
mv Interlaken already being in the dock, mv Brienz had to cover her roster and in consequence
PS Lötschberg (which should have
finished her season the previous Sunday)
had to remain in service to cover the main roster commencing
Monday 23rd September - she was spotted still in service on
Thursday 26th September
and continued until Tuesday 1st
October | |||||||||||||||||
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- this time in windy conditions which caused suspension of some legs of the day's sailings between 1200 and 1440 | |||||||||||||||||
PS Schiller remained in dock for
further repairs on
Monday 2nd September
resulting in mv Schwyz having
to cover her lunchtime
sailings 17-26 to Flüelen for the second time in less than a month Do you have any further information why she was unable to sail or if it was a repeat of the problem on Friday 9th August ? | |||||||||||||||||
This meant the small mv Morges had to cover sailings 102-105 on the Monday and Tuesday 19th and 20th August, with mv Général-Guisan taking over for the following Wednesday and Thursday Do you have any further information ? | |||||||||||||||||
PS Blümlisalp operated an evening Jazz Cruise from Thun at 1910 on Friday 16th August | |||||||||||||||||
PS Schiller remained in dock for
repairs on
Friday 9th August
instead of operating her previously advertised lunchtime
sailings 17-26 to Flüelen - her sailings were covered by
mv Schwyz Do you have any further information why she was unable to sail ? | |||||||||||||||||
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MPV Italie
broke down at
Montreux due to problems with her starboard paddle wheel towards the end of her
sailing 509 on
Monday 5th August In consequence sailing 510 was cancelled, so PS Simplon picked up the Vevey passengers on her sailing 908 and after picking up "Italie's Montreux passenger made an additional call at Le Bouveret on her return sailing 909 to Lausanne to drop them off Commencing Tuesday 6th August mv Général-Guisan covered her Upper Lake Cruise sailings 901-904-504-505-506-507-508-509-510 round the Upper Lake until further notice Do you have any further information ? | ||||||||||||||||
PS Uri
operated the first of several weekly evening
Jazz cruises from Luzern at 1925 on
Friday
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Swiss National Day - Thursday 1st August | |||||||||||||||||
PS La Suisse operated evening Fireworks Cruise from Lausanne at 2015 on Thursday 1st August | |||||||||||||||||
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Fireworks at Brunnen All four (operational) paddle steamers paraded in convoy followed by some of the motor vessels from Luzern at 1945 to Brunnen for the annual fireworks display on Thursday 1st August | |||||||||||||||||
PS Neuchâtel operated an evening Fireworks Cruise from Neuchâtel on Thursday 1st August | |||||||||||||||||
In additional to the regular afternoon
timetabled sailings | |||||||||||||||||
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MPV Italie operated an
evening Fireworks
cruise from the Upper Lake piers to Le Bouveret on
Wednesday
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Presumably the captain wisely decided not to risk a repeat of Friday 17th July 2015 when the same paddle steamer was blown against the side of the narrow channel to the Upper Lake which resulted in major damage to her paddle wheel and an immediate termination of her season for long-term repairs | |||||||||||||||||
PS Blümlisalp drifted slightly
off course at Faulensee on the return evening sailing 126 on Thursday 25th July and collided with two small, moored sailing
boats She remained in dock for safety checks the following day being covered by mv Bubenberg In the absence of any defect being found, she returned to her normal service on the Saturday (27th July) Do you have any further information ? | |||||||||||||||||
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PS La Suisse
remained in dock at Lausanne for two days of mid-season servicing on
Tuesday 16th July and
Wednesday 17th July - this
was a sensible precaution before the very busy "Fête des Vignerons period" at Vevey This time her three Upper Lake sailings 200-201-202-203-204-205 were covered by mv Lausanne Do you have any further information ? | |||||||||||||||||
PS La Suisse
operated an evening
Fireworks cruise from Lausanne at 1950 to the display at
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PS Stadt Rapperswil
operated an evening Fireworks cruise from Zurich to the Zurich Festival on
Saturday 6th July A similar cruise originally advertised for Friday 5th July had to be cancelled as the paddle steamer had a private charter | |||||||||||||||||
MPV Italie
operated an evening
Fireworks cruise from the Upper Lake piers to Le Bouveret on
Saturday | |||||||||||||||||
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PS La Suisse remained
at Lausanne all day Thursday 20th
June due to a breakdown Unusually, intead of "stepping-up" other members of the fleet to cover at least some of her sailings, the CGN simply took the easy way out and cancelled her three round trips sailings 200-201-202-203-204-205 to the Upper Lake Do you have any further information ? | |||||||||||||||||
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PS Neuchâtel
operated her first timetabled sailingvto Bienne/Biel since returning to service in
2014 on
Saturday 25th
May, which will be repeated most Saturdays throughout the 2019
season | |||||||||||||||||
Further problems forced
PS Lotschberg to terminate what had become her first return
sailing 66
of the 2019 season at Giessbach See on
Saturday 25th May After yet more repairs, she was back in service normally the following day | |||||||||||||||||
PS Neuchâtel operated a special
Lunch
Cruise from Lüscherz pier at 1315 on
Saturday 18th
May in conjunction with the | |||||||||||||||||
Owing to boiler problems, PS Lotschberg was unable to re-enter service as planned on Saturday 18th May but after replairs was able to commenced her 2019 season a week later on Saturday 18th May | |||||||||||||||||
Unfortunately, this sailing, along with most others on the lake, had to be cancelled due to exceptionally strong winds | |||||||||||||||||
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Easter Sunday 21st April | |||||||||||||||||
PS Unterwalden operated an Easter Lunch Cruise from Luzern at 1130 on Easter Sunday 21st April | |||||||||||||||||
PS Uri operate a winter evening "Candlelight Dinner Cruise" from Luzern at 2000 on Saturday 13th April | |||||||||||||||||
MPV Italie operated a special Evening Valentines Dinner Cruise from Geneva on Thursday 14th February | |||||||||||||||||
New Year's Day - Tuesday 1st January | |||||||||||||||||
MPV Italie and MPV Vevey operated New Year's Day Lunch Cruises from Lausanne and Geneva respectively on Tuesday 1st January | |||||||||||||||||
PS Uri operated a New Year's Day Lunch Cruise from Luzern at 1130 on Tuesday 1st January | |||||||||||||||||
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New Year's Eve - Monday 31st December | ||||||||||||||||
MPV Italie and MPV Vevey operated evening Dinner Cruises from the Upper Lake and Geneva respectively on Monday 31st December | |||||||||||||||||
PS Uri operated an evening Gala Dinner Cruise from Luzern at 1930 on Monday 31st December | |||||||||||||||||
In additional to the regular timetabled
sailings | |||||||||||||||||
Christmas Day - Tuesday 25th December | |||||||||||||||||
MPV Vevey and MPV Italie operated Christmas Lunch Cruises from Geneva and Lausanne respectively on Christmas Tiesday 25th December | |||||||||||||||||
PS Uri operated a Christmas Lunch Cruise from Luzern at 1130 on Christmas Day - Monday 25th December | |||||||||||||||||
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PS Uri operated a Christmas Eve Gala Dinner Cruise from Luzern at 1930 on Monday 24th December | |||||||||||||||||
Owing to a shortage of motor vessels
She continued on this roster each day until Wednesday 24th October by which time mv Manzoni had completed her repairs enabling her to take over from the Thursday * - can you confirm or advise otherwise ? | |||||||||||||||||
PS Piemonte operated a
special International Charter
Cruise from Stresa (Italy) to Ascona at the Swiss end of the lake on
Sunday 30th September This sailing is open to the public | |||||||||||||||||
MPV Italia operated an evening Fireworks Cruise from Riva at 2115 on Saturday 25th August | |||||||||||||||||
PS Blümlisalp operated an evening Jazz Cruise from Thun at 1910 on Friday 17th August | |||||||||||||||||
PS Gallia suffered a
breakdown which caused
her to miss her booked sailings on both
Thursday 9th August and
Friday 10th August In consequence her sister PS Schiller "stepped-up" to cover her Best of Lake Luzern cruise to Brunnen her teatime sailings 19-22-29-38 Do you have any further information ? | |||||||||||||||||
Whilst operating her afternoon sailing 106 from Geneva
MPV Vevey got what turned out
to be a "slackline" wrapped around its starboard paddle as she approached the Eaux-Vives
pier - it had earlier been attached between two piles but had subsequently dropped into the
water - and after leaving these solid lines began to cause some overheating as well as
damaging the mechanism After the crew realised what the problem was she was terminated at Yvoire resuting in the remainder of her saiings planned for Thursday 2nd August being cancelled She was later towed back to Ouchy dock for repairs by mv Général-Guisan It is assumed her passengers either had to cross to Nyon slightly later on PS Savoie for an onward train connection or wait for the evening sailing back to Lausanne on PS Montreux In consequence mv Henry-Dunant was brought back from "standby" at Geneva yet again to cover her sailings from Friday 3rd August She is expected to be out of service for between a week and ten days Do you have any further information ? | |||||||||||||||||
Swiss National Day - Wednesday 1st August | |||||||||||||||||
PS La Suisse operated an evening Fireworks Cruise from Lausanne at 2015 on Wednesday 1st August | |||||||||||||||||
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Fireworks at Brunnen All five paddle steamers paraded in convoy followed by some of the motor vessels from Luzern at 1945 to Brunnen for the annual fireworks display on Wednesday 1st August | |||||||||||||||||
PS Neuchâtel operated an evening Fireworks Cruise from Neuchâtel at 2000 on Wednesday 1st August | |||||||||||||||||
In additional to the regular afternoon
timetabled sailings | |||||||||||||||||
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MPV Italie operated an
evening Fireworks
cruise from the Upper Lake piers to Le Bouveret on
Tuesday
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MPV Italie
returned to Lausanne dock for initially three days of repairs on
Tuesday 17th July and her Upper Lake sailings were covered
by mv Henry-Dunant The problems must have been more than originally anticipated as her stay was extended until Wednesday 25th July | |||||||||||||||||
Owing to further unknown problems, PS
Stadt Luzern remained at the
dock all day on both
Monday 16th July and
Tuesday 17th July Instead of her sisters "stepping up" to cover all the advertised "Gotthard Panoramic Express" sailings 13-24, the new mv Diamant did the honours The same arrangement also happened on the following day (Tuesday) Do you have any further information why PS Stadt Luzern was unable to sail as advertised ? | |||||||||||||||||
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none at present | |||
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