We're here to help point you in the right direction
Q. Where is the departure and return point of Cardiff Cruises?
The Historic Graving Dock (near Harry Ramsdens), Mermaid Quay, Cardiff Bay
Q. What is the deposit I need to make and can I reserve places?
Sorry but we do not take deposits, we take full payment in advance using this website.
Q. Can I charter/hire the boat for a party?
Absolutely, please use www.hms69.com for more information, they take care of all party bookings on our behalf.
Q. What time should we arrive?
No more than 10 minutes before the advertised time you have booked.
Q. Where do we go and what can we see?
The 90 minute excursion will leave Europe’s largest waterfront development before heading out to sea, weather permitting, past Penarth Pier and towards Flatholm Island. It will then make its return back to Mermaid’s Quay taking in the Cardiff skyline.
Q. Why would a cruise be cancelled?
The weather is our friend because it is what makes every cruise unique but, unfortunately, we cannot control it (no matter how hard we try!). This means sometimes the Captain will cancel a cruise because the weather conditions are not safe to sail in.
Our captains are all highly experienced and they decide whether it is sailable. We are not allowed to question a captain’s judgment as this could be seen as pressuring them to sail which could compromise safety.
Our captains put your safety first at all time. When cancelling a cruise, either on the cruise line beforehand or occasionally on site, the captain will usually try to offer some explanation as to why. Our captains make their decision to sail based on the most relevant and up to date forecast available just before they set their cruise line message. Sometimes the actual conditions may be different to what was forecasted. There are also different forecasts and they can be interpreted in different ways. So, like all weather people, we do occasionally make mistakes but unfortunately we can only go by what the forecaster says and some forecasters are better than others. We can tell you some of the general reasons why a captain may cancel a cruise:
Q. The weather looked nice and sunny so why was it cancelled?
The wind at ground or gradient level or the gust speed might have been too strong and outside operational limits.
Heavy rain may have been forecasted in the area. We cannot sail in heavy rain because it means there will be poor visibility and it also makes the ship harder to manoeuvre.
Thunderstorms or CB (Cumuli Nimbus) clouds may have been forecasted. These are dangerous and we would not sail in their vicinity.
If yours was a morning cruise, the visibility early in the morning during our cruise period could have been poorer than later in the day.
Q. I saw another boat sailing in the area so why was my cruise cancelled?
Our captain’s decision whether to sail is not related to what other sailors decide. Our captains consider all the weather factors and make their own decision, always putting your safety first.
The other boats could have had better shelter where they are sailing and may not be going out to sea.
It might be a private boat and they can legally sail in much poorer conditions than boats on public transport licences like ours. Private boat are also generally a lot smaller and therefore easier to handle.
Q. What happens if my cruise is cancelled?
Don’t worry, if your cruise is cancelled because of the weather or related factors, you can just book onto another date. Plus if you have a cancelation near the end of your voucher validity period we will extend it free of charge at our discretion so you have another opportunity to sail.
Q. How many people does the ship carry ?
197 passengers and 3 crew
Q. Do you sail all year around?
For daytime boat trips we sail between March – October, but HMS69 hold parties onboard all year round.