Are you interested in finding out more about the unique history surrounding the archipelago ships in Stockholm? Stromma’s fleet consists of boats for transportation, fast and modern boats as well as classic archipelago ships. On our blog we will mainly focus on the history and current ventures of our classic ships. This week you can read about picturesque ship M/S Prins Carl Philip.
Regular steamship traffic was introduced between several locations in Lake Mälaren and Stockholm in the 1830’s and by the end of the 19th century the traffic increased further as the city of Stockholm became an industrial town. The number of inhabitants increased and the demand for food and fresh produce grew bigger – thanks to the ships the farmers could transport heir crops to the city.
Freight ship ”Nya Hillersjö” – Today M/S Prins Carl Philip
When the ship ”Nya Hillersjö” (today M/S Prins Carl Philip), was built in 1901 she was 31 meters long and barely 6 meters wide. She was a freight ship sporting a large cargo hold that could fit bulky goods. With this ship the farmers could transport fresh produce to the markets in the city in under an hour.
Prisoner transport to Svarstsjö castle
The ship ”Nya Hillersjö” was also tasked with transporting prisoners to and from the former rococo castle Svartsjö, that was transformed to a prison in the late 1800’s. The Munkbro bridge became a popular spot for curios locals, from here you could see the chained-up prisoners up close as they were shipped of to the cells at Svartsjö.
A new use and new names
In 1931 the boat was rebuilt to handle the conditions with ice in Lake Mälaren during the winters. When the boat was rebuilt it was also given a new name, “Bayard”. The ship’s route became longer, travelling as far Uppsala, Västerås and Köping. During the war she was used for transport and afterwards she was put on land. In 1947 she was saved from the scrapyard, renovated and put into traffic in Gothenburg under the name of “Hönö”.
Bought by Stromma – restored to a classic gem
After a few years on the West Coast, ”Hönö” was purchased by Stromma in 1974 and was used in traffic around the island in Lake Mälaren and Skokloster. On the 7th of May in 1980 the ships S/S Drottningholm and S/S Mariefred were ravished by a violent fire and Stromma suffered an acute lack of ships and it was decided that “Hönö” would stand in for S/S Drottningholm. In the summer of 1981 she was ready to set sail and was renamed M/S Prins Carl Philip. She has since undergone further restorations and is today a gem with a large bright dining room and spacious aft deck.
Today you can board M/S Prins Carl Philip at Klara Mälarstrand for an excursion to world heritage Drottningholm Palace. Enjoy the stunning views as you cruise through the lush surroundings of Lake Mälaren. The journey is an hour long and you can enjoy lunch or a classic Swedish “fika” onboard. Once at Drottningholm Palace you can stroll through the beautiful gardens and enjoy the surroundings. If you want to explore the inside of the Palace we recommend that you find out the opening hours directly from their own website.
You can also join a lunch-or dinner cruise to Drottningholm and back without getting off – during two hours you will can enjoy delicious food and beautiful views. The ship has it’s very own restaurateur serving well composed dishes using the best seasonal and local produce.
Are you planning a special event – wedding, anniversary, birthday celebrations or corporate event? M/S Prins Carl Philip is the perfect event space. The ship sports a large, bright dining room on the upper deck and a dining room in the rear salon. There is a sundeck on the upper deck, perfect for a welcome toast and socialising if the weather is nice. Well renowned restaurateur KC Wallberg and his team are known for their amazing service and fantastic food and will make sure to look after you all evening. Please contact us for more information and reservation.
This is the second instalment in our blog series about Stromma’s classic archipelago ships. We have previously written about one of our oldest ships M/S Östanå I – you can read about it here.
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