Conwy river cruise boats
Conwy river cruise boats, Conwy quay
Short river cruises are provided from Conwy quay in season by the enclosed Queen Victoria or, on fine days, the open Princess Christine. Princess Christine was purpose-built for Conwy by Dickie's of Bangor in 1963, and can carry 80 passengers. Queen Victoria was also made in Wales, by F L Steelcraft of Borth, Ceredigion, in 1987.
Tourist cruises between Conwy and the riverside quay at Trefriw began c.1847 when the paddle steamer St Winifred entered service with the St George Steamship Company. From then, river steamers provided an important transport service until the railway opened between Llanrwst and Llandudno Junction in 1863. Thereafter steamer operations were tailored to tourists’ needs. Other steamboat companies got in on the act as visitor numbers boomed.
Evan Parry Hughes was once the steamship company’s secretary. He was also secretary and manager of the contractor which extended the railway southwards from Llanrwst. Our page about his grave in Conwy is here.
Until services were suspended during the Second World War, steamboats would begin at Deganwy and call at Conwy for the trip to Trefriw, the highest point on the river navigable by vessels of this size. Departure times were dictated by the tides. Rail connections at Deganwy were advertised from Llandudno and places along the main line, while buses brought tourists to the landing stage at Conwy from Penmaenmawr, then a fashionable seaside resort. Captains could use their ships’ whistles to summon extra vessels from Conwy to Deganwy if many people were waiting to board. Sometimes the steamers filled up at Deganwy and sailed straight past the disappointed intending passengers at Conwy.
Cruises resumed soon after the war, but today siltation prevents cruise boats reaching Trefriw.
Postcode: LL32 8BB View Location Map
Website of Conwy River Cruises
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