Experience Ghost Cruise Ship Tours in the English Channel

The tourism sector has changed drastically over the past year, with businesses scrambling to stay afloat as they feel the impact of COVID-19. What once was simple is now complicated, forcing many people to adapt to the situation. One such example is Captain Paul Derham, an English ferryman who has come up with the unique idea of offering tours of moored “ghost cruise ships” that are currently sitting idle in the English Channel due to the pandemic. Moreover, visitors can get up close and personal to see these vessels from a different angle while enjoying a day on the water.

Paul operates Mudeford Ferry near , a service that goes from the local quay to a sandbank every 15 minutes during summer and at weekends in the winter months. In addition to this, he runs adventure voyage fast boat rides. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions, Paul found it challenging to continue operating as before. “Having worked in ferries for 27 years, from cadet to deputy captain, times have suddenly slowed. Therefore, I thought passengers might like to see cruise ships up close,” he explained.

Paul’s innovative approach features two-and-a-half-hour trips that take guests up close to the gigantic vessels anchored in the English Channel. The ferry approaches within 50 meters of the ships, allowing visitors to appreciate their sheer size from the water. Throughout the journey, Paul shares fascinating stories of his past adventures, including one about a rescue at . Some operational cruise ships have already grown accustomed to seeing Paul and his guests, with the officers even coming out on deck to wave.

According to Paul, this unique experience has proven to be extremely popular, with the first two tours selling out completely. “So many people want to go, we ended up with a lot of applications,” he noted.

Tours are scheduled to operate through September and October. For more information, visit the Mudeford Ferry Facebook page.