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Crown River Cruises
Westminster Party Boats
 
 
This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of excursion ships and ferries of the River Thames in London. It covers the fleets of Crown River Cruises and Westminster Party Boats, who operate a joint scheduled service beteen Westminster and the Tower (St Katherine's Pier). They also operate services to Greenwich as part of Thames River Services and charters.
 
Crown River Cruises started as a small, family run, charter-based company, established in 1986. They began with one vessel, Spirit of London, which is still in use today along with Sarpedon, Salient, Suerita and Sarah Kathleen. In 1992 they began scheduled services to and from Westminster to the Tower Bridge. This became very successful and led to the expansion of Crown River Cruises, and in 2002 they introduced the impressive new vessel, Sarpedon for longer services. The joint marketing name of the scheduled services is Circular Cruises.
 
Larger vessels Mercia and Sarpedon are used on services to Greenwich under the London River Services banner with London Rose of Viscount Cruises (previously Campion Launches), plus the George Wheeler fleet of Chay Blyth, Hollywood and Rosewood. Other vessels are used on the Westminster-Tower shuttle circulars. Rosewood passed to Capital Pleasure Boats, to be replaced by Avontuur IV of Viscount Cruises. For information on Greenwich services see:- www.thamesriverservices.co.uk
 
In 2006, new boats Mercuria (Westminster Party Boats) and Sapele (Crown River Cruises) were delivered for use on circular tours from Westminster, both delivered by Tinnemans of Maasbracht.
 
 
Contact: www.thamesriverservices.co.uk (Greenwich services)
 
Ships on this Page:-
Mercedes - Westminster Party Boats
Mercia - Westminster Party Boats
Mercuria - Westminster Party Boats
Salient - Crown River Cruises
Sapele - Crown River Cruises
Sarah Kathleen - Crown River Cruises
Sarpedon - Crown River Cruises
Spirit of London - Crown River Cruises
Suerita - Crown River Cruises - sold 2007 to London River Cruises
 
Companies on this Page:-
Crown River Cruises
Westminster Party Boats
London River Cruises
www.crownriver.com - official website
www.westminsterpartyboats.com - official website
www.thamesriverservices.co.uk - Thames River Services official website (Greenwich services)
 
Associated Thames Passenger Boat Pages:-
River Thames Excursion Boats - Thames Header Page - Full List of Companies
Campion Launches
Crown River Cruises
London River Cruises
Thames Clippers
Thames River Services
Viscount Cruises
Westminster Party Boats
George Wheeler
 
Associated Pages:-
UK Excursion Ships
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards - Recent Updates
Simplon Postcards - Home Page
 
References:-
Royal River Highway: Written by Frank L. Dix - published David & Charles 1984
Trip Out Guide: Written and published by G.P.Hamer - various editions from 1977 to 2005 consulted
Trip Out Guides are available from Geoffrey Hamer, PO Box 485, Southall, UB1 9BH
 
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Crown River Cruises
 
 
Salient
(Built: 1979 - Crown River: 1990- )
 
Salient was built for Greenwich Pleasurecraft as Sydney Hull in 1979. She passed to Catamaran Cruisers in 1984 after the collapse of Greenwich Pleasurecraft. Sydney Hull suffered some damage and was taken into dry-dock for repairs, where unfortunately she suffered a bad fire. She was then rebuilt and bought by Crown River Cruises, who renamed her Salient.
 
 
Salient (ex-Sydney Hull) passing Butlers Wharf
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th July 2003.
 
 
Salient (ex-Sydney Hull) passing Butlers Wharf
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th July 2003.
 
 
Salient (ex-Sydney Hull) passing Butlers Wharf
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th July 2003.
 
 
Salient at her usual mooring by the OXO Building
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003.
 
 
Salient at her usual mooring by the OXO Building
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003.
 
 
Salient at her usual mooring by the OXO Building
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003.
 
 
Mercedes and Salient (right).
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005.
 
 
Salient at her usual mooring by the OXO Building
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 11th March 2006.
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Salient in service with Crown River Cruises
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 16th May 2006.
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Sarah Kathleen
(built: 1963)
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th July 2003.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 16th May 2006.
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Photo: © Ian Boyle, 16th May 2006.
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Photo: © Ian Boyle, 16th May 2006.
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Sarpedon
(built: 2001)
 
Sarpedon is used on services to Greenwich under the London River Services banner with London Rose of Campion Launches, plus the George Wheeler fleet of Chay Blyth, Hollywood and Rosewood.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 11th March 2006.
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Photo: © Ian Boyle, 16th May 2006.
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Spirit of London
(built: 1979)
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003.
 
 
The Spirit of London and Mercia.
Scan: www.riverthames.co.nr
 
 
 
 
 
 
Suerita
(built: 1968)
 
Suerita was built as the the first boat in the Catamaran Cruisers fleet in 1968. She was initially used on the Westminster-Hampton Court route, but her height gave problems passing under bridges at high tide. She was then used as a party boat, being joined by Valulla in 1973. Suerita was working for Crown River Cruises by 1991. From February 2007 Suerita worked for new operator London River Cruises.
 
Contact:- www.londonrivercruises.com
 
 
Suerita in Crown River ownership
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003
 
 
Suerita in Crown River ownership
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003
 
 
Suerita in Crown River ownership
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005
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Suerita in Crown River ownership
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005
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Suerita in Crown River ownership
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005
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Suerita in Crown River ownership
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005
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Suerita in Crown River ownership
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005
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Suerita in Crown River ownership
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005
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Suerita in Crown River ownership
Photo: © Scott Neicho, 2005
 
 
Suerita in Crown River ownership
Photo: © Scott Neicho, 2005
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sapele
(Built: 2006)
 
Sapele is a new boat about to enter service on circular cruises from Westminster Pier for Crown River Cruises with Mercuria of Westminster Party Boats. She was delivered by Tinnemans of Maasbracht, and entered service in June 2006.
 
 
Sapele in Central London.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 14th June 2006.
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Sapele in Central London.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 14th June 2006.
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Sapele in Central London.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 14th June 2006.
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Westminster Party Boats
 
Westminster Party Boats run cruises from Westminster Pier jointly with Crown River Cruises.
 
 
 
Mercedes
(built: 1960)
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003.
 
 
Mercedes with the Westminster of City Cruises.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th May 2003.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005.
 
 
Mercedes (left) and Salient.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 16th May 2006.
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Photo: © Ian Boyle, 16th May 2006.
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Mercia
(built: 1984)
 
Mercia is ex-German La Paloma, acquired 2002. Mercia is used on services to Greenwich under the London River Services banner with London Rose of Campion Launches, plus the George Wheeler fleet of Chay Blyth, Hollywood and Rosewood.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th July 2003.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th July 2003.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005.
 
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 31st March 2006
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Photo: © Ian Boyle, 31st March 2006
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Photo: © Ian Boyle, 31st March 2006
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Photo: © Ian Boyle, 31st March 2006
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Photo: © Ian Boyle, 31st March 2006
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Photo: © Ian Boyle, 31st March 2006
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Photo: © Ian Boyle, 31st March 2006
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Mercuria
(built: 2006)
 
Mercuria is a new boat about to enter service on circular cruises from Westminster Pier for Westminster Party Boats, with Sapele of Crown River Cruises. She was delivered by Tinnemans of Maasbracht, and entered service in June 2006.
 
 
Mercuria by the Palace of Westminster.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 14th June 2006.
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Mercuria by the Palace of Westminster.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 14th June 2006.
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Mercuria by the Palace of Westminster.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 14th June 2006.
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