Waverley will return to the South Coast and Isle of Wight this year with sailings operating from Monday 1st to Tuesday 23rd September. The 2025 sailing programme offers an even greater variety of ports and piers including Southampton, Portsmouth, Weymouth, Poole, Swanage, Yarmouth, Gosport, Ryde, Shoreham, Eastbourne and Folkestone.
Waverley’s visits to the South Coast and Isle of Wight have become a treasured annual tradition since her first arrival at Newhaven almost 47 years ago on April 17, 1978. Her return this September will mark another chapter in a long and valued history of offering excursions in the region.
Waverley’s Master, Captain Dominic McCall, commented: “It’s always a pleasure to bring Waverley back to the South Coast and Isle of Wight as she receives such a warm welcome year after year. This year’s timetable includes more variety than ever, from round the Island cruises and sunset sailings to steam train connections on Isle of Wight Steam Railway and Swanage Railway.
One highlight I’m looking forward to is our special sailing to mark the 70th anniversary of Steamship Shieldhall on Saturday 13th September, as it will be a truly unique moment to see two historic Clyde built steamships meeting once again. There’s no better way to take in the stunning scenery of the Dorset, Hampshire, and Isle of Wight coastlines than from the decks of Waverley, and I look forward to welcoming passengers aboard.”
This year’s timetable features the popular ‘Steam Round Isle of Wight’ cruises on Wednesday 3rd, Thursday 4th, Saturday 6th, Wednesday 10th, Saturday 13th Sunday, 14th and Saturday 20th September. These sailings offer views of the Island’s most iconic coastal landmarks, including Alum Bay, the Needles Rocks and Lighthouse, St Catherine’s Lighthouse, and the seaside towns of Shanklin, Sandown and Cowes.
Passengers can enjoy the ‘Ultimate Steam Day Out’ where they combine a sailing aboard Waverley with a nostalgic trip on a heritage steam railway. On selected dates, sailings connect with the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, including the popular Cider & Cheese Festival on Saturday 6th September. Passengers can also connect with Swanage Railway by disembarking at Swanage Pier and taking a short walk to the station, with combined trips available on several dates throughout September.
Waverley will sail from Eastbourne Pier, following a successful return last year, with an afternoon cruise along the striking coastline to Beachy Head and the Seven Sisters cliffs on Tuesday 16th September. The season concludes on Tuesday 23rd September with a full-day cruise from Eastbourne and Folkestone to London for the first time in over 20 years. Cruising past Dungeness and the White Cliffs of Dover, she will enter the Thames Estuary and steam upriver into the heart of the capital, where a floodlit Tower Bridge will open especially for Waverley. The sailing on 23rd September is expected to sell out.
Waverley’s 2025 South Coast & Isle of Wight Timetable can be viewed online. Tickets can be booked at waverleyexcursions.co.uk or by calling the Booking Office on 0141 243 2224.
