Cruise on The Steamship Shieldhall
Cruise on the Steamship Shieldhall, Southampton - Sunday 19th July 2026
Many of us will have seen Shieldhall in the Solent and now we have made a group booking to sail on her! This magnificent old ship will steam down Southampton Water to the Solent, passing cruise ships in berth, and on our return we'll see the cruise ships Arvia and Liberty of the Seas. Mein Schiff II and Norwegian Star will be departing which normally gives the crew a chance to sound their whistle and play the Shieldhall Organ! Also on board will be the Steam Town Shanty Crew ladies group who will be entertaining the passengers with a lively mix of traditional and not-so-traditional shanties.
Shieldhall is believed to be the largest triple expansion, twin screw steam ship in Europe, still taking paying passengers on day trips around the Solent, Poole and the Jurassic coast. She is run entirely by volunteers from the Captain down to the Stokers in the boiler and engine room.
As part of our cruise, we will see the impressive engine room with its original steam engines at work and the bridge, with its traditional instruments and gleaming brasswork; we can admire the ships steam assisted steering gear (similar to that used on Titanic); talk to the Captain and the volunteer crew; listen to an informed commentary on the sights and sounds of Southampton Water and the Solent; pass close to the great ocean liners and container ships; walk the teak decks; relax in the Saloon with their wide range of refreshments including snacks, hot and cold food, tea & coffee, a range of bottled beers, wine and ice cream.
Group bookings of 10 or more attract a 10% discount making the cost £44.10 per adult, £17.10 per child (3 - 16 years) and £105.30 per family (2 adults & 2 children). We are hoping we will get sufficient numbers to get the discount. The ship will depart from Southampton at 14:30 BST and we suggest you arrive no later than 13:30 in order to park and make your way to the ship. Parking details in Southampton Docks will be provided a week before the cruise. The trip will end back at Southampton at 18:00.
Important: at this stage please book if you want to attend but DO NOT pay the invoice yet. If we get the numbers required we will contact you and ask you to pay.
Come and join us for a group cruise and enjoy a memorable trip!
Last updated 8:19pm on 26 February 2026