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2013

2013

31st December 2013

All lakes

New Year's Eve - Tuesday 31st December

PS Uri operated an evening Dinner Cruise from Luzern at 1930 on Tuesday 31st December

In additional to the regular timetabled sailings 111-112-15-16 PS Blümlisalp operated an evening Dinner Cruise from Thun at 2040 on Tuesday 31st December

25th December 2013

All lakes

Christmas Day - Wednesday 25th December

PS Uri operated a Christmas Lunch Cruise from Luzern at 1030 on Christmas Day - Wednesday 25th December and again on Boxing Day - Thursday 26th December

PS Blümlisalp operated timetabled sailings 111-112-15-16 from Thun at 1010 and 1240 on Christmas Day - 25th December then daily until Sunday 5th January

29th November 2013

PS Savoie operated a winter Evening Dinner Cruise from Geneve on Friday 29th November

28th November 2013

PS Uri operated the first of several Advent Evening Dinner Cruises from Luzern on Thursday 28th November

26th November 2013

MPV Vevey collided with Cully pier on return sailing 931 from Château-de-Chillon on Tuesday 26th November and sustained damage to her stern
She completed her sailing to Lausanne before being taken out of service for repairs
In consequence her sailings from Wednesday 27th November until further notice were cancelled
She returned to service on Sunday 2nd February 2014 and operated the Geneva based lunch cruise to Nyon

17th November 2013

MPV Vevey operated a special sailing from Lausanne to Geneve followed by three short Return to Service afternoon cruises from Geneva on Sunday 17th November

16th November 2013

MPV Vevey carried over 1,000 passengers on three short Return to Service afternoon cruises from Vevey on Saturday 16th November followed by an Evening Gala Cruise at 1900

15th November 2013

PS Savoie operated a winter Evening Dinner Cruise from Geneve on Friday 15th November

28th October 2013

PS La Suisse finally took over the peak-hour Lausanne to Evian-les-Bains ferry sailings vice mv Léman on Monday 28th October allowing the regular motor vessel to indertake a major overhaul
This arrangemeny should have started one week earlier but was delayed due to the breakdown of the paddle steamer the previous week

27th October 2013

Both PS La Suisse and PS Savoie operated winter timetabled Sunday Lunch Cruises from Lausanne and Geneve respectively on Sunday 27th October

25th October 2013

PS Savoie operated a winter Evening Dinner Cruise from Geneve on Friday 25th October

17th October 2013

The 2013 autumn season paddle steamer sailings from Lausanne were cut short as PS La Suisse was unable to operate her morning sailing from Lausanne to Château-de-Chillon due to technical problems on Thursday 17th October
These turned out to be more serious than initially thought and mv Lausanne had to be hurriedly pressed into service to cover for the remainder of of autumn period whilst repairs were undertaken
In consequence the overhaul of mv Léman was delayed for a week but PS La Suisse returned to service for the winter Sunday lunchtime sailing to Chateau-de-Chillon on Sunday 27th October and to take over the peak-hour ferry sailings from Evian-les-Bain the following morning

11th October 2013

PS Blümlisalp operated an evening Fondue Cruise from Thun at 1910 on Friday 11th October

16th August 2013

PS Blümlisalp operated an evening Jazz Cruise from Thun at 1910 on Friday 16th August

13th August 2013

PS Hohentwiel operated two International Cruises from Rorschach to Wasserburg at 1025 and 1315 on Tuesday 13th August

5th August 2013

Once again PS Savoie was unable to operate her lunchtime sailing from Geneva due to technical problems on Monday 5th August resulting in the small mv Morges having to opeate the sailing to Hermitage and return
Repairs were undertaken in time for the paddle steamer to operate her regular afternoon sailing to Yvoire

2nd August 2013

PS Stadt Luzern operated the first of several summer Friday evening Music Cruises from Luzern on Friday 2nd August

1st August 2013

All lakes

Swiss National Day - Thursday 1st August

PS La Suisse operated an evening Fireworks Cruise from Lausanne at 2030 on Thursday 1st August

PS Hohentwiel operated an evening Jazz Cruise from Rorschach at 1900 on Thursday 1st August

Fireworks at Brunnen
All five paddle steamers paraded in convoy followed by some of the motor vessels from Luzern at 2000 to Brunnen for the annual fireworks display on Thursday 1st August

In additional to the regular afternoon timetabled sailings 111-112-15-16 PS Blümlisalp took part in the annual evening naval parade from Thun at 2030 along with most of the lake's motor vessels on Thursday 1st August

PS Stadt Rapperswil operated an Evening Dinner Cruise from Zurich at 2015 on Thursday 1st August

31st July 2013

PS La Suisse operated an evening Fireworks cruise from the Upper Lake piers to Le Bouveret on Wednesday 31st July

27th July 2013

Owing to a charter of mv Gotthard, PS Uri operated the 1550 afternoon sailing from Luzern to Stansstad on Saturday 27th July
This gave a rare sight of two paddle steamers off Stansstad at the same - something which used to occur reguilarly when PS Uri was able to sail under the Acheregg road and railway bridge bridge to Alpnachstad and it was normal to have five paddle steamers sailings on peak Saturdays and Sundays !

16th July 2013

Owing to technical problems PS Uri remained in dock for repairs on Tuesday 16th July and her regular sailings 7-18 were covered by mv Europa

PS Gallia broke down on return to Luzern after her sailing to Rütli and retired to dock for repairs on Tuesday 16th July and her later sailings 29-38 were covered by mv Flüelen
She remained in dock the following day and her sailings 19-22-29-38 were covered by sister PS Schiller

14th July 2013

PS La Suisse operated an evening Fireworks cruise from Lausanne at 2030 to the display at Evian-les-Bains on Sunday 14th July

11th July 2013

For the second day running PS Savoie brokedown at Geneva after her lunchtime cruise resulting in her afternoon sailing to Yvoire having to be cancelled on Thursday 11th July
Unusually PS Rhône made a rare call (for her) at Hermitage on the next sailing to set down return passengers
Repairs were undertaken in time for the paddle steamer to operate her regular evening sailing to Yvoire

10th July 2013

MPV Italia was rostered to operate the full length sailing from Peschiera to Riva and back on Wednesday 10th July and the following two days instead of the usual car ferry

PS Savoie was unable to operate her lunchtime sailing from Geneva due to technical problems on Wednesday 10th July resulting in the small mv Morges having to opeate the sailiing to Hermitage and return
Repairs were undertaken in time for the paddle steamer to operate her regular afternoon sailing to Yvoire

7th July 2013

PS Hohentwiel operated two rare International Cruises from Altnau to Hagnau (Germany) at 1150 and 1415 on Sunday 7th July
This is understood to be the first time the paddle steamer has sailed from Altnau

28th June 2013

PS Lötschberg operated an evening Music Cruise from Interlaken at 1915 on Friday 28th June

24th June 2013

Following technical problems in service the previous day, PS Unterwalden was taken out of service on Monday 24th June for repairs
The remaining paddle steamers and mv Brunnen were juggled round to cover the advertised services

14th June 2013

PS Hohentwiel operated a morning International Cruise from Romanshorn to Friedrichshafen at 1155 on Friday 14th June

8th June 2013

PS Hohentwiel operated a morning Jazz Cruise from Rorschach at 1000 on Saturday 8th June

1st June 2013

Owing to very high lake levels following days of heavy rain across much of central Europe, it was not possible for the paddle steamers to sail under the railway bridge into the Obersee on Saturday 1st June
In consequence all sailings to Schmerikon had to be worked by the smaller motor vessels for the next few days

26th May 2013

PS Hohentwiel operated an evening Dinner Cruise from Rorschach at 1900 on Sunday 26th May
This was preceeded by three short non-landing cruises from Rorschach, Romanshorn and Arbon

20th May 2013

PS Hohentwiel operated a morning Jazz Cruise from Konstanz at 1000 on Monday 20th May

19th May 2013

PS Hohentwiel operated an evening Dinner Cruise from Konstanz at 1900 on Whit Sunday 19th May

Owing to technical problems PS Stadt Rapperswil had to be taken out of service at the end of her planned sailings and retired to dock for repairs
In consequnce her planned sailings for Whit Monday had to be covered by mv Säntis

12th May 2013

Owing to technical problems PS Stadt Rapperswil had to terminate her morning sailing at Insel Ufenau and subsequently transferred her passengers to the following sailing
After about an hour she returned under her own steam direct to dock for repairs
The afternoon sailings 117-118 on Sunday 12th May were coved by the much smaller mv Säntis

9th May 2013

PS Lötscberg had to terminate her return afternoon sailing 70 from Brienz at Bönigen on Ascension Thursday 9th May due to problems with her bow rudder
Passengers had to be bussed.back to Interlaken
Following a replacement battery for the rudder control, the paddle steamer made her own way back to Interlaken under her own steam ready for her next rostered sailing on the following Saturday

Owing to technical problems on PS Stadt Zürich on her morning sailing to Rapperswil on Ascenstion Thursday 9th May her sister PS Stadt Rapperswil (which fortunately was already in steam "on standby") had to cover the afternoon round trip to Rapperwwil
Hopefully this is not the start of a re-occurance of the problems which kept the paddle steamer out of service during 2012 (following her re-build by the SGV the previous winter)

29th April 2013

PS Savoie was unable to sail due to technical problems on Monday 29th April resulting in the cancellation of her lunch-time sailings 304-305 to Hermance
Her afternoon sailings 326-327 to Yvoire were covered by the much smaller mv Morges
Repairs were undertaken the same day and the paddle steamer was able to resume her normal schedue the following day

28th April 2013

Swiss Navigation Day
Owing to the problems with PS Unterwalden the previous day PS Uri was initially planned to take over sailings 7-18 but she too suffered from technical problems with the work undertaken at the SGV yard over the previous winter and she in turn had to be relieved by mv Brunnen

27th April 2013

PS Stadt Rapperswil operated an evening "Dinner Cruise" from Zurich at 2000 on Saturday 27th April

26th April 2013

On arrival at Luzern after operating sailing 24 from Flüelen PS Unterwalden was taken out of service with technical problems
PS Uri was initially planned to take over from the following day but she too suffered from technical problems with the work undertaken at the SGV yard over the previous winter and she in turn had to be relieved by PS Stadt Luzern on the Saturday
With only the flagship operational for the next week, passengers on Lake Luzern had to make do with just one paddle steamer in service on Swiss Navigation Day (28th April)

13th April 2013

PS Piemonte operated a special Charter Cruise from Luino to Stresa and round the Borromee islands on Saturday 13th April together with a special historic connecting train from Luzern which returned in a record 181 minutes !
This replaced a similar sailing which was cancelled one year ago at short notice by the NLM

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18th January 2016 e-mail (c)1999-2016 John B Bird