Someone obviously heeded my blog last month and got a quick bid in for Hebridean International Cruises' 98-passenger Hebridean Spirit because the ship has just been sold.
It's a shock after being told by sales and marketing director Ken Charlson that the vessel was being taken off the market and it was "business as usual".
I'm very sad on two counts - it was a lovely ship, small and friendly; more to the point, I should have been cruising with them in April, on an exciting itinerary visiting Libya. Spirit goes at the start of the summer season so that's all off now.
Anyone booked on Spirit will be offered a full refund or a transfer to Hebridean's other ship, the 49-passenger Hebridean Princess, which sails around the Scottish isles. Somehow that's not quite the same as Libya.
The sale also means jobs will go, both at head office in North Yorkshire and among the crew.
Hebridean says it can't continue to operate Spirit in an aggressive market when all around are discounting. When I was on last, we were only half full (and it's only 98 passengers remember) - and that was two years ago.
Hebridean is going to concentrate on Hebridean Princess, a nice little ship but suddenly the company becomes a pretty insignificant operation.
I forecast the next announcement will be a name change, back to Hebridean Island Cruises. After all, it can't be "international" anymore.
Jane Archer
