Scotland Intensive Voyage Cruise

Day 1 - Southampton

Arrive: Thu 19 June 2025 / Depart: Thu 19 June 2025 at 18:00

Muse on voyages past as you sail in or out of Southampton, long a maritime center, its yards turning out warships for king and country from the Hundred Years War in the 14-15th centuries, to two world wars in the 20th. It was the departure point for the Mayflower in 1620. The charms of London are not far away, but pray tarry in the south to explore other wonders, including Bath, with its natural hot springs and stunning architecture and the mysterious megaliths of Stonehenge, or venture all the way west to Lands End, and the wild moorlands and pirate haunts of Cornwall.

Day 2 - At Sea

Day 3 - Edinburgh, UK

Arrive: Sat 21 June 2025 at 11:15

If ever there were a town made for walking, it would be Scotland's capital. Renowned as one of Europe?s most attractive cities, Edinburgh's Old Town and New Town are a Marvelous mixture of elegant streets, charming squares and quaint alleyways. Of course, the city?s most distinctive landmark is Edinburgh Castle, set high up on a craggy cliff in the center of the city. A must-see.

Day 4 - Edinburgh, UK

Depart: Sun 22 June 2025 at 18:30

If ever there were a town made for walking, it would be Scotland's capital. Renowned as one of Europe?s most attractive cities, Edinburgh's Old Town and New Town are a Marvelous mixture of elegant streets, charming squares and quaint alleyways. Of course, the city?s most distinctive landmark is Edinburgh Castle, set high up on a craggy cliff in the center of the city. A must-see.

Day 5 - Aberdeen, UK

Arrive: Mon 23 June 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Mon 23 June 2025 at 22:00

Where the rivers Dee and Don meet the North Sea, you’ll find the harbor city of Aberdeen. Remote and northerly, Scotland’s third largest city is a surprising gem with distinctive architecture and a cosmopolitan feel. Encompassing a veritable wonderland of urban delights and pastoral pursuits, Aberdeen stands apart from other Scottish cities. You won’t hear Gaelic around these parts, as this bright sunny port more closely resembles a typical English city.

Day 6 - Invergordon

Arrive: Tue 24 June 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Tue 24 June 2025 at 19:00

Take a superb natural setting of mountains, tumbling waterfalls, rushing rivers, and serene lochs (and add one sea monster); pepper the landscape with amazing castles (such as Cawdor, setting for Shakespeare’s Macbeth); plant a crop of magnificent gardens; incorporate a pretty village or two (surely Beauly, with its lovely flower displays and 13th century ruined priory); toss in a trail of whiskey distilleries, and there you have it: the Scottish Highlands, shrouded in myth and folklore, and a treat to explore.

Day 7 - Kirkwall

Arrive: Wed 25 June 2025 at 08:30 / Depart: Wed 25 June 2025 at 22:00

The 70 islands of Orkney are low lying, a pleasing, gently rolling panorama of fertile fields, heather cloaked moors, and lakes. The red sandstone walls of the imposing St. Magnus Cathedral dominate Kirkwall, the main town, capital, and hub for roads linking east and west. In summer whales and dolphins sport in coastal waters, and tens of thousands of breeding seabirds congregate on sharp seaside cliffs. The early arrival of mankind on this scene can be investigated at Skara Brae, an amazingly well preserved Neolithic village that was inhabited and already abandoned more than 5,000 years ago.

Day 8 - Lerwick, Scotland

Arrive: Thu 26 June 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Thu 26 June 2025 at 18:00

An interesting mix of cultures, Shetland belonged to the Vikings until 1468, when the islands were mortgaged to Scotland as part of a marriage agreement between the future James II and Princess Margrethe of Denmark. It is a great place for wildlife experiences, with an abundance of breeding seabirds, orcas off shore, and shaggy and inquisitive Shetland ponies nosing about for a snack when you stop to take their photos. These isles are surely worth a visit; as Shetland Tourism says, “A quarter of a million puffins who come back every year can’t be wrong.”

Day 9 - Stornoway (Isle Lewis)

Arrive: Fri 27 June 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Fri 27 June 2025 at 21:00

Founded by the Vikings in the early 9th century, Stornoway is located on the scenic Isle of Lewis, the most northerly of Scotland’s Hebrides islands. Visiting Lewis is like taking a step back in time, where ancient stone circles stand on the same land as modern day Stornoway, Gaelic is spoken alongside English, and during the summer months, “local people can still be seen cutting the peats, and in the winter the distinctive dry smell of the peat fires drifts in the wind.” With its spectacular cliffs, moorlands and fresh-water lochs, the region is home to a diverse wildlife habitat of eagles, deer, otters and numerous species of indigenous birds, while Lewis’ several rivers have significant runs of salmon and sea trout, which make for great fishing. There are also beautiful remote beaches like Tolsta, Bostadh and Traigh Chuil, adventure boat trips for regular sightings of seals, porpoises and dolphins, and historical attractions such as the impressive Lews Castle, the Whale Bone Arch and Latta Mill’s Stornoway.

Day 10 - Oban, Scotland, UK

Arrive: Sat 28 June 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Sat 28 June 2025 at 18:00

The "Gateway to the Isles," Oban is a busy working port with houses clinging to steep hillsides guarding a gentle bay. Climb McCaig's Tower, learn glass blowing from the masters at Caithness Glass, watch traditional kilt making at Geoffrey Ltd. and sample fine malt whiskey at Oban Distillery.

Day 11 - Greenock

Arrive: Sun 29 June 2025 at 08:00

Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in Scotland and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It forms part of a contiguous urban area with Gourock to the west and Port Glasgow to the east.

Day 12 - Greenock

Depart: Mon 30 June 2025 at 17:00

Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in Scotland and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It forms part of a contiguous urban area with Gourock to the west and Port Glasgow to the east.

Day 13 - Dublin

Arrive: Tue 01 July 2025 at 06:00 / Depart: Tue 01 July 2025

Dublin offers a wealth of historic sites dating back to a 1000-year-old Viking village, and as one might expect of the Irish, there is a tale to be told about every one. St. Patrick’s Cathedral is said to have been erected on the site where the saint himself converted pagans in 450 AD. From Dublin Castle the crown jewels were stolen in 1907; an unsolved mystery left to the fictional Sherlock Holmes to decipher. Some pubs, great sources of stories, are almost as old – you can sample a Guinness and the latest lore at The Brazen head, serving up drink and daydreams for 800 years. Then for a contrast, ride to a stunning view of contemporary Dublin atop a brand new observation wheel.