Royal Crown safe for Hebridean

Reports of the bankruptcy of a Dutch river cruise operator sent a bit of a shiver up my spine – not so much because of the cruises which have been cancelled as a result, but because the company operates the luxury boat which Hebridean Island Cruises has chartered for its maiden river programme next year.
Passengers booked on Select Voyages’ Serenade 1 and Serenity Christmas cruises have had their holiday plans ruined at the last minute, thanks to the financial problems of parent company Euro Shipping Voyages BV, whose line of credit was cancelled by the ABN Amro bank.
Fortunately two other boats – Serenade 2 and Royal Crown – have escaped the financial crisis. The news must have been a big relief to Roger Allard, chairman of Hebridean’s parent company, All Leisure.
He told me today: “Payments are up to date, and I fully expect our Royal Crown programme to run as planned.”
Hebridean has chartered the 79-passenger river boat for four luxury cruises next year. There’s an eight-night trip to visit the cities of the Rhine, and a seven-night Castles of the Rhine cruise in June, while in September the boat will be operating two seven-night trips on the Danube.