Built as an inland passenger vessel by the Scheepswerf Grave B.V., Graven, Netherlands for the Reederei International Rivercruising S.A., Grevenmacher, Luxembourg.
Launched as VINCENT VAN GOGH.
Tonnage ?, dim. 63.90 x 6.72 x 1.66m (draught)
Powered by two DAF diesel engines of each 350 hp. Driving two schottel ruder propellers, speed 11 knots.
Twin bow thrusters.
Passengers 32.
1997 Delivered to owners.
Most probably used for voyages on the Mosele River.
2007 Sold to Sanatour, Villeneuve, renamed in CHARLEMAGNE.
2009 Sold to Highland Lord Steamship Company Ltd., London, not renamed.
2010 Sold to Magna Carta Steamship Company Ltd., London renamed in SPIRIT OF CHARTWELL.
MV SPIRIT OF CHARTWELL is a hotel barge owned and operated by the Magna Carta Steamship Company for luxury cruises along the River Thames. In late 2011 she was selected to be the royal barge as part of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee celebrations, and carried the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh in a flotilla of more than 1,000 vessels during the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant on 3 June 2012.
She was designed in the style of the Côte d'Azur Pullman Express de luxe train and carries artifacts from the original train and ocean liners such as RMS KENYA CASTLE, SS FRANCE and RMS WINDSOR CASTLE.
The ship was formerly a Rhine ship known as the VINCENT VAN GOGH. She was refitted as a luxury Thames cruise vessel by the Dutch Kooiman Group in 2009/2010.
For the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant the vessel was lavishly decorated in red, gold and purple, reminiscent of royal barges of the 17 and 18th century. Among the additions were thousands of flowers, an ornate gilded prow sculpture of Old Father Thames carved and moulded in jesmonite, symbols of royalty, and a large red velvet banner with a royal coat of arms made of more than half a million gold-colored buttons.
A special warrant was issued by the Secretary of State for Defence to permit the MV SPIRIT OF CHARTWELL to wear the White Ensign whilst serving as the Royal Barge on 3 June 2012. When the Queen was on board, it also flew the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom from the bow.
Normally she can carry 36 passengers and has 18 cabins.
Isle of Man 2012 £1.50 sg?, scott?
Information from Capt A Palmhof.
Spirit of Chartwell
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aukepalmhof
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