More than 400 passengers will set sail from Aberdeen Harbour on Saturday (August 20) on a cruise that will raise thousands of pounds for a crucial maritime service - RNLI Lifeboats.

NorthLink Ferries’ passenger vessel MV Hjaltland will take attendees on a trip down the east coast of Scotland to the picturesque ruins of Dunnottar Castle, near Stonehaven. The castle provided the setting for the 1990 movie version of Hamlet and the cruise will offer passengers a rare chance to view the landmark – which is flanked by sheer cliffs on three sides - from the North Sea.

Hjaltland will be accompanied out to sea by the Aberdeen RNLI lifeboat, which will perform a training exercise alongside the ferry during the cruise to demonstrate the skills required to ensure RNLI volunteer lifeboat crews operate safely and effectively. Aberdeen RNLI lifeboat was the ninth busiest RNLI lifeboat station in Scotland last year, launching a total of 36 times and rescuing five people.

NorthLink is providing its services to RNLI Lifeboats at no cost, with Aberdeen Harbour Board also supporting the fundraising event.

Passengers, who snapped up all available cruise tickets within hours of them going on sale, will board the vessel at 10.15am. Captain Steve Allen will take charge of the vessel, which will depart Aberdeen at around 11.00am and return to the harbour at approximately 2.00pm. Coffee and tea will be served on embarkation, with a buffet lunch also provided during the trip. Hjaltland’s bar will be open in the afternoon, with all profits being donated to the RNLI’s crew training campaign.

Anne Scott, RNLI Area Fundraising Manager for Grampian and the Highlands said: “The RNLI is extremely grateful to NorthLink Ferries for its generosity. Money raised from the cruise will go towards our Crew Training Campaign through which we aim to raise £10 million over the next five years to help train our volunteer crews so that they can continue to save lives at sea.”

Bill Davidson, NorthLink’s chief executive, added: “We were only too happy to offer the services of MV Hjaltland and her crew for this very worthwhile fundraising event. The RNLI and its lifeboat crews do a fantastic job all year round and we are glad to have been able to help them raise vital funds for the training of crews.”