Dorset Cruises

We offer one-of-a-kind experiences aboard our 1938 vintage motor yacht, Dorset Queen. Ideal for luxury weddings, corporate entertaining and celebrations, as well as our own award winning ticketed events. Dorset Queen was built in Scotland in 1938 and spent her first 2 years cruising the Kyles of Bute and Loch Striven. She was originally named ‘May Queen II’, but the Board of Trade rejected this title, leading to a last minute change and her being launched as ‘Gay Queen’. When World War II broke out Gay Queen was requisitioned by the Royal Navy and is believed to have been a volunteer boat in the Dunkirk rescue missions. After the war she returned to Rothesay, Scotland to take passengers on sightseeing trips, staying there until the 1960’s. Her next port of call was the US Naval Base in Holy Loch, before her first journey to Poole in the early 90’s to operate for Greenslade Pleasure Boats. Then owner, Rusty Greenslade named her ‘Alice Marie’ after his granddaughter and used her as a Wareham River Cruiser for many years until his retirement. Greenslades’ sold ‘Alice Marie’ in 2005 to Newman’s Cruises in Falmouth and she then became known as ‘Queen of the Fal’. Dorset Cruises purchased a very tired Queen in 2008 and after lovingly restoring her to her former glory we renamed her ‘Dorset Queen’. Dorset Queen is now the only vintage motor yacht on the South Coast of England and a proud member of the UK Historic Ships Register.