Welcome to Stuart Line Cruises’ June Newsletter
For those of you who are new to this monthly sign-up, welcome! And for those who have been loyal readers for some time, welcome back to your favourite read of the month!
My Apologies…
First and foremost, I must apologise for our absence from your inbox for the past two editions of this cheerful little newsletter – I must confess we have been extremely busy and I am delighted to report that but I am sure that you have missed our little anecdotes and ramblings terribly.
So, please forgive me and without further ado, I have LOTS to tell you!
Bouncing Back
Stuart Line Cruises have been back up and running again, following Lockdown 3.0, since 1st May. For the first seventeen days, we were allowed only to operate as an outdoor attraction, meaning the upper deck only and if you can remember the weather that we were ‘blessed’ with for much of May, then it will come as no surprise that we were faced with some significant challenges! However, as ever, we persevered and our passengers were nothing short of a delight, making use of our umbrellas during showers and cosy blankets during the chilly winds and much fun was had by all!
Since then, we cannot believe how quickly the past month has passed us by, what with a bank holiday weekend followed by Half Term, during which virtually all accommodation providers across Devon were at full capacity. We are still running with all of last year’s COVID_19 enhanced safety regulations in place – in particular, a reduced capacity by about half – but I am pleased to report that we have been fully booked for the majority and that we have had a thoroughly successful start to what we hope will be a very good season indeed.
Further to Boris’ latest announcement yesterday evening, we are pleased to confirm that we will continue to operate in the same way that we have been and that there will be no change for us for now. You can view more detailed information on how we are operating safely during the COVID_19 pandemic by clicking the button below.
How we are enjoying life and staying safe during the COVID_19 pandemic
Delighting Devon for more than 50 years…
I am sure that the majority of our readers will remember Ian Stuart, who sadly passed away following his diagnosis of terminal cancer at the terribly young age of 56, in October last year.
I was recently contacted by Exmouth Chamber of Commerce and invited to comment on how we have managed throughout the past year and specifically, how we have coped throughout the ongoing pandemic.
My summary was quite concise: it has been challenging. Financially, emotionally, physically and mentally.
I shall spare you the ins and outs of those challenges but aside from those business-related challenges, it would be an oversight not to mention the personal challenges which have confronted us this year and which have affected not only the Stuart family but also the team of fantastic colleagues, who we hold very close to our hearts and who are very much like and extension of our family.
On the evening of Friday 11th June, we attended the Exmouth Business Awards, which we were delighted to have been invited to, having not been to an event like this for over one year. Philippa and Jake Stuart were presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award, in recognition of the work of Ian Stuart and the contribution of Stuart Line Cruises to business and tourism in Exmouth throughout the past 50 plus years and there are some very exciting announcements to look forward to with regards to this award category, going forward.
It was a truly moving tribute to Ian and everything that he and Philippa have worked so tirelessly to achieve. With Jake now at the helm, we have so many exciting plans in store and very much look forward to continuing to add joy and value to our unrivaled town throughout the next 50 plus years.
Upcoming Special Events
Rather unusually, we have a small amount of availability remaining for our Exeter Canal Cruise on 2nd July this year, departing Exmouth Marina at 11:00. There are a few odd spaces here and there for other dates too but you will need to book soon in order to secure spaces – as you may know, this is a very special cruise which we run only around six times per year and it is one not to be missed!
Exeter Canal Cruise – Book Now
The first two Summer BBQ Cruises evenings of the year are now fully booked but we do still have some availability remaining for 29th August – Bank Holiday Weekend! It promises to be a lovely evening with great food and live background music and you can book online by following the button below!
Well, that’s it from me for now folks. Thank you so much for your love and support and indeed for taking a few moments out of your day to humour my ramblings – it means the world to us to be able to connect with you in this way and I hope that this write-up brings an element of joy, fun or distraction to your day, as it certainly does mine.
But above all, we really hope that for all of our sake, the roadmap continues on the right track and that we can continue to do what we love most.
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