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2018

2018
31st December 2018
All lakes
New Year's Eve - Monday 31st December
Lake Geneva
MPV Italie and MPV Vevey operated evening Dinner Cruises from the Upper Lake and Geneva respectively on Monday 31st December
Lake Luzern
PS Uri operated an evening Gala Dinner Cruise from Luzern at 1930 on Monday 31st December
Lake Thun
In additional to the regular timetabled sailings 111-112-15-16   PS Blümlisalp operated an evening Gala Dinner Cruise from Thun at 2010 on Monday 31st December
25th December 2018
All lakes
Christmas Day - Tuesday 25th December
Lake Geneva
MPV Vevey and MPV Italie operated Christmas Lunch Cruises from Geneva and Lausanne respectively on Christmas Day - Tuesday 25th December
Lake Luzern
PS Uri operated a Christmas Lunch Cruise from Luzern at 1130 on Christmas Day - Tuesday 25th December
Lake Thun
PS Blümlisalp operated timetabled sailings 111-112-15-16 from Thun at 1008 and 1240 on Christmas Day - Tuesday 25th December then daily until Wednesday 2nd January
24th December 2018
Lake Luzern
PS Uri operated a Christmas Eve Gala Dinner Cruise from Luzern at 1930 on Monday 24th December
20th October 2018
Lake Como
Owing to a shortage of motor vessels PS Concordia made a rare autumn appearance and covered the full length sailings 14-45 from Como at 1030 to Colico on Saturday 20th October - this being her first visit to the head of the in 2018 and probably* the first time on a public timetabled sailing since 2011
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 ?
30th September 2018
Lake Maggiore
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 was open to the public
25th August 2018
Lake Garda
MPV Italia operated an evening Fireworks Cruise from Riva at 2115 on Saturday 25th August
17th August 2018
Lake Thun
PS Blümlisalp operated an evening Jazz Cruise from Thun at 1910 on Friday 17th August
9th August 2018
Lake Luzern
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 and her teatime sailings 19-22-29-38

2nd August 2018
Lake Geneva
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
Following repairs,  she returned to service slightly earlier than expected on Friday 10th August
1st August 2018
All lakes
Swiss National Day - Wednesday 1st August
Lake Geneva
PS La Suisse operated an evening Fireworks Cruise from Lausanne at 2015 on Wednesday 1st August
Lake Konstanz
PS Hohentwiel operated afternoon and evening cruises from Rorschach, Romanshorn and Arbon on Wednesday 1st August
Lake Luzern
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
Lake Neuchâtel
PS Neuchâtel operated an evening Fireworks Cruise from Neuchâtel at 2000 on Wednesday 1st August
Lake Thun
In additional to the regular afternoon timetabled sailings 15-16   PS Blümlisalp took part in the annual evening naval parade from Thun at 2020 along with most of the lake's motor vessels on Wednesday 1st August
Lake Zurich
PS Stadt Rapperswil operated an evening Dinner Cruise from Zurich at 2015 on Wednesday 1st August after her Sunday/Public Holiday timetabled sailing to Schmerikon
31st July 2018
Lake Geneva
MPV Italie operated an evening Fireworks cruise from the Upper Lake piers to Le Bouveret on Tuesday 31st July
17th July 2018
Lake Geneva
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
16th July 2018
Lake Luzern
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)

15th July 2018
Lake Neuchâtel
PS Neuchâtel broke down at Neuchâtel after operating her morning sailing to Portalban on Sunday 15th July and engineers then appeared to be having problems with the mechanism for lowering the funnel (necessary to pass under low bridge en route to and from Murtensee)
Her lunchtime sailing to Murten was covered by mv Ville-de-Neuchâtel as well as her afternoon sailings ?
Rudder problems were also later reported and she ended up missing all her sailings on Tuesday 17th July as well,  but following repairs she was back in service on Thursday 19th July as seen at lunchtime at Murten
14th July 2018
Lake Geneva
PS La Suisse operated an evening Fireworks cruise from Lausanne at 1950 to the display at Evian-les-Bains on Saturday 14th July
12th July 2018
Lake Geneva
PS Montreux brokedown at Lausanne with technical problems before the start of service on Thursday 12th July
In consequence mv Henry-Dunant was brought back from "standby" at Geneva to cover sailings 906-907-487-488 to the Upper Lake and Yvoire
She returned to service on Monday 16th July
8th July 2018
Lake Konstanz
PS Hohentwiel operated an afternoon followed by an evening dinner cruise at 1430 and 1900 from Romanshorn on Sunday 8th July
5th July 2018
Lake Luzern
Owing to unknown problems,   PS Gallia remained at the dock all day on Thursday 5th July
In consequence PS Schiller was brought out to cover her afternoon sailings 21-30
The same arrangement also happened on the following day (Friday)

2nd July 2018
Lake Luzern
Owing to unknown problems,   PS Stadt Luzern remained at the dock all day on Monday 2nd July
In consequence PS Gallia was brought out to cover with most of her sisters "stepped up" to cover all the advertised paddle steamer sailings
The same arrangement also happened on the following day (Tuesday)

Lake Thun
Owing to unknown problems,   PS Blümlisalp remained at the dock all day on Monday 2nd July
In consequence mv Bubenberg was brought out to cover sailings 15-16 to Interlaken
28th June 2018
Lake Zurich
PS Stadt Rapperswil operated the first of several "new" Thursday evening BBQ cruises from Zurich on Thursday 28th June
Similar cruises also operated on 12th and 26th July,  23rd August and 6th September
22nd June 2018
Lake Thun
Owing to unknown problems,   PS Blümlisalp broke down on Friday 22nd June back from Interlaken in the late afternoon
In consequence her evening sailings 125-126 to Beatenbucht were covered by mv Berner Oberland on both Friday and Saturday and her Saturday daytime sailings 15-16 to Interlaken was covered by mv Bubenberg

21st June 2018
Lake Luzern
Owing to unknown problems,   PS Unterwalden remained at the dock for two days
In consequence PS Gallia remained in service to cover with most of her sisters "stepping up" to cover most of the advertised sailings on both Thursday and Friday 21st and 22nd June although the afternoon Alpnachstad sailing had to be covered by mv Waldstätter

19th June 2018
Lake Luzern
Owing to unknown probelems,   PS Uri remained at the dock all day
In consequence PS Gallia was brought out to operate the 0910 sailings 7-18 to Fluelen and return on Tuesday 19th June
The proplem must have be worse than initially thought as the SGV roster was further amended to repeat the same changes the following day

19th May 2018
Lake Konstanz
PS Hohentwiel operated an evening Jazz Cruise from Konstanz at 1900 on Saturday 19th May
14th May 2018
Lake Geneva
PS La Suisse remained at Ouchy dock for further repairs
In consequence the smaller MPV Vevey covered sailings 920-921-922-923 on Monday and Tuesday 14th and 15th May
Do you have any further information ?
6th May 2018
All lakes
Swiss Navigation Day - Sunday 6th May
Lake Konstanz
PS Hohentwiel operated a morning Jazz Cruise followed by an afternoon cruise from Arbon at 1000 and 1450 on Sunday 6th May
Lake Zurich
Both and PS Stadt Rapperswil and PS Stadt Zürich were unusually both in public service on the same day operating the 1030 and 1530 sailings 105-106-115-116 to Rapperswil and the first full-length 1130 sailings 107-108 of 2018 to Schmerikon respectively on Sunday 6th May
29th April 2018
Lake Geneva
Owing to unknown technical probelms,   PS La Suisse remained at Ouchy dock
In consequence mv Valais quickly covered sailings 920-921-922-923 on Sunday 29th April
22nd April 2018
Lake Luzern
Owing to unknown probelms,   PS Unterwalden remained at the dock all day
In consequence PS Stadt Luzern (which had previously been used for a pre-season charter) was brought out to operate the 1110 "Gotthard Panorama Express" sailings 13-24 and PS Uri was planned to cover sailings 7-18 on Sunday 22nd April
In the end mv Gotthard operated the early sailings 7-18 before towing that paddle steamer to dock - presumably also for repairs
Far from the start to the season the SGV were hoping for !!!

1st April 2018
All lakes
Easter Sunday 1st April
Lake Como
PS Concordia made a surprise early appearance in 2018 operating timetabled sailings 12-31-340-341-348-349 from Como at 0950 on Easter Sunday 1st April
Lake Luzern
PS Unterwalden operated an Easter Lunch Cruise from Luzern at 1130 on Easter Sunday 1st April
24th March 2018
Lake Luzern
PS Uri operated a winter evening "Candlelight Dinner Cruise" from Luzern at 2000 on Saturday 24th March
14th February 2018
Lake Geneva
MPV Vevey and MPV Italie operated special Evening Valentines Dinner Cruises from Geneva and Lausnne respectively on Wednesday 14th February
1st January 2018
All lakes
New Year's Day - Monday 1st January
Lake Geneva
MPV Italie and MPV Vevey operated New Year's Day Lunch Cruises from Geneva and Lausanne respectively on Monday 1st January
Lake Luzern
PS Uri operated a New Year's Day Lunch Cruise from Luzern at 1130 on Monday 1st January
Lake Thun
PS Blümlisalp operated timetabled sailings 111-112-15-16 from Thun at 1010 and 1240 on Monday 1st January
Earlier News


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Updated - Lakes Brienz, Geneva, Luzern, Thun, Zurich, Konstanz, Maggiore, Como, Garda 16th January 2022   e-mail   (c)1999-2022 John B Bird