New Owners for The Majestic Line
By Robin McKelvie
It’s hard to overemphasize the role that The Majestic Line have played in the massive success and growth of small ship cruising in Scotland. Over the last two decades they have proved all the doubters — who couldn’t see small ship cruising in these often-unpredictable Atlantic waters working — wrong.
The Majestic Line is the largest Scottish small ship cruise operator, having spawned a number of rivals, and are such a viable proposition that the company was sold on successfully in summer 2024.
So how did they make it work, what do they offer and what course are the new owners for The Majestic Line steering for the future?
Majestic Line Started in 2024
When The Majestic Line kicked off with the converted fishing vessel (the MV Glen Massan) in 2004 few gave them a chance of making the tricky economies of scale work — she can only sleep 11 guests.
The 11-pax Glen Massan. * Photo: Robin McKelvie
The joint-owners, renowned epidemiologist Ken Grant and Andy Thoms were undeterred and soon demonstrated there was a market for small ship cruising in this world-class maritime arena.
The charms of the Scottish coast are manifest: there are over 800 islands sprinkled around a heavily indented littoral, which is one of the least populated corners of Europe.
The Scottish coast is a spectacular world of craggy mountain, white sand beaches and soaring sea cliff, alive with all manner of seabird and a sweep of cetaceans, from bountiful porpoises and dolphins, through to basking sharks and myriad whale species, from minke to killer whale and humpback.
The communities encountered en route are never short of compelling and the local produce served aboard is world-class.
RELATED: Ted shares his take on cruising the Scotland’s western isles.
Hiking Scottish isles brings rewards such as Seil Island overlooking the Firth of Lorn. * Photo: Ted Scull
The Majestic Line make the most of this spectacular aquatic playground, focusing on the Hebrides (the Atlantic isles to the west of the Kintyre Peninsula). Note these isles are divided between the nearer to land Inner Hebrides and the distant Outer Hebrides, with the latter also known as the Western Isles.
The Majestic Line also make forays into the southern Firth of Clyde and the northern Orkney Islands. Their main hub of Oban is the base for their quintet of small ships.
The scenic Firth of Clyde. * Photo: Robin McKelvie
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Growing the Majestic Fleet
They added a second 11 guest converted fishing boat, the MV Glen Tarsan, in 2007, managing to somehow weather the storm of the global economic crash of 2019.
Further investment came in 2016 with the purpose-built in Scotland steel-hulled MV Glen Etive, a notable departure with twin saloon areas, even more outside space and room to accommodate a dozen guests.
Such was the success of a vessel that could stand more sturdily against the weather and seas that a second similar 12-guest vessel, the twin-engine MV Glen Shiel, was built for the burgeoning fleet in 2019.
MV Glen Etive and MV Glen Shiel. * Photo: Robin McKelvie
The COVID pandemic, of course, brought its own challenges. Here owner co-owner Ken Grant’s background as an epidemiologist came to the fore and they were able to navigate a return to cruising much earlier than larger vessels working the Scottish coast. I was on one of the first cruises back out in summer 2020 and Grant himself came aboard to reassure us all on safety and the precautions they were taking.
Keeping the Fleet at Five
The Majestic Line chose to snap up another couple of vessels post-pandemic, rather than invest in new ships. This has proved trickier, with the smallest ship yet, the four-passenger MV Glen Orchy, only running briefly before she was retired from the fleet.
The MV Glen Rosa, acquired in 2023, also hit troubled waters. Those seem to have been smoothed after a major refit over winter 2023-2024, with The Majestic Line now seeming to settle on a stable of five vessels.
The Glen Rosa. * Photo: Robin McKelvie
So What Makes the Majestic Line so Popular?
This trim, well-run cruise company know their market and their local waters very well. They know people want an intimate experience that they feel part of, want to be able to visit the small bridge for coffee with the captain as he plots the course around the weather, and want to get ashore to interesting places that you cannot really reach any other way. They want company and good cheer; great food too.
I’ve sailed with The Majestic Line five times and have massively enjoyed every cruise.
Like every cruise line there will always be naysayers. In the case of The Majestic Line some of the criticism that has been levelled may be more due to expectation rather than product.
Sea Legs Come in Handy!
Cruising for example west out of Oban and around Ardnamurchan Head you are out into the full might of the Atlantic in notoriously changeable waters, where a storm can whip up in seconds and squalls hit you at any time.
With safety and passenger comfort paramount this does mean itineraries can be subject to — sometimes sadly at the last minute — change. On most cruises this is not a major issue as guests accept the reality, but if you’ve flown across the Atlantic to fulfill a lifetime dream of landing on St Kilda you might not be so understanding.
These are not issues, of course, unique to The Majestic Line. I was on a 300-passenger ocean-going ship that made it to St Kilda, but then couldn’t successfully land us. A crushing disappointment being so close, but still so far.
Some rough seas. * Photo: Robin McKelvie
Majestic Cabins
Other gripes have been made about the cabins. I’m not pretending that they are anywhere near the size and luxury you get on larger vessels and indeed they are smaller than many hotel rooms.
But I’ve found the beds comfortable, there is enough space unless you’ve brought masses of luggage (they caution against that) and they are similar in size and comfort to their competitor’s cabins, bar the considerably larger Hebridean Princess.
A double cabin on Glen Etive. * Photo: The Majestic Line
The Future Outlook
Steering into the future change is coming, but it does not look like too much upheaval. At least not too quickly.
In summer 2024 the successful Scottish tourism and transport company Craig of Campbeltown Limited took over Majestic Line.
The crew on my Fall 2024 cruise on the Glen Etive said that representatives from Craig of Campbeltown had already been on to better familiarise themselves with the ships and how they work.
Author aboard MV Glen Etive with his cousin Douglas. * Photo: Robin McKelvie
The new owners have said they were planning on imminently refreshing the vessels as a first stage that won’t interfere with planned cruise itineraries going forward.
After two decades of consistency and quality there are naturally concerns about the change.
With a future booking in mind I contacted The Majestic Line and was reassured to find the same staff kept in place by the new family-run owning company. Indeed it was very much a message of steady as she goes with no major changes planned. It seems Craig of Campbeltown Limited are respectful of what The Majestic Line has done and what its guests want.
The Majestic Line issued an official statement when I asked about the new owners: “We are delighted with the recent acquisition of The Majestic Line. This acquisition is a significant milestone for us as it perfectly complements and enhances our existing portfolio of tourism and travel services in the West Coast of Scotland. By integrating The Majestic Line with our other brands such as West Coast Motors, West Coast Tours, City Sightseeing Glasgow, and Kintyre Express, we aim to offer an even more diverse experience for our customers, showcasing the very best of the vibrant West Coast of Scotland.”
I’m finishing this piece now cruising back into Oban after my first cruise on The Majestic Line since the takeover. And I’m delighted and relieved to report that there was no discernible change and certainly no dip in quality of guest experience.
The new owners will of course, make their mark over time, but for the foreseeable future the coast seems clear for the Majestic Line, the original — and to many loyal guests — the best small ship cruising company plying Scottish waters.
Aboard the MV Glen Etive . * Photo: Robin McKelvie
Interested a Majestic Line Small-Ship Scottish Cruise?
Have a look at Majestic’s website, HERE. Also, feel free to post your questions below in the comments section and we’ll try to help. If you’d like some help booking a small-ship cruise like Majestic, we can help too — email heidi@quirkycruise.com.
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