Embarking in Glasgow (Greenock)

Explore the city of Charles Rennie Mackintosh

A former industrial powerhouse, Glasgow has reinvented itself as a cultural hot spot, packed with museums, galleries, and parks. Discover the splendid Art Nouveau architecture of Charles Rennie Mackintosh before your expedition cruise begins.

MS Spitsbergen, one of our smaller vessels and built for close up exploration, will be waiting for you. Locate your cabin and explore the ship before meeting your Expedition Team, who will guide your adventures ahead. Enjoy your first dinner aboard as we sail toward the Irish Sea and Belfast.

Elegant Belfast

Discover Northern Ireland’s capital

We sail into Belfast, a city with a proud ship-building history and the birthplace of the Titanic. History buffs will enjoy Ulster Museum and Belfast Castle, while nature lovers can visit the Botanic Gardens.

Stroll the cobbled streets of the chic Cathedral Quarter, with its elegant Victorian architecture, and pop inside St. Anne’s Cathedral to see its beautiful mosaics. In Donegall Square, you’ll find the historical landmarks of City Hall.

Enigmatic Isle of Man

Explore this independent island kingdom.

As we approach the Isle of Man, admire the imposing ruins of Peel Castle above the pretty seaside town that bears its name.

There is plenty to see in Peel, the 14th-century town that was once the Manx capital. Motor racing buffs will enjoy the vintage car museums, a nod to the island’s modern racing heritage. Or visit the House of Manannan to discover more about the island’s Celtic, Viking, and maritime past.

The Isle of Man is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. It is home to a wide range of birdlife, including hen harriers, red-billed choughs, peregrines, black guillemots, Manx shearwaters, puffins, Arctic terns, and many more.

Islay’s whisky and nature

Fire up your spirit of discovery on ‘whisky island’

Islay is the proud home of world-famous peaty single malts, but that’s far from the only reason to visit. Here, you’ll discover fascinating ancient monoliths and the enigmatic settlement of Finlaggan.

Today, Islay is a wildlife paradise, with over 200 species of birds. These include oystercatchers, gannets, and golden eagles. From its sandy beaches, you can sometimes spot dolphins and basking sharks.

Port Ellen is the gateway to three of the island’s nine distilleries. Of course, no trip to Islay is complete without a ‘wee dram’ from a famous and historic whisky producer, including Laphroaig or Ardbeg.

West coast exploration

Experience charming Oban, Tobermory, or Loch Sunart.

Today, we’ll make the most of our opportunities along the west coast of Scotland to find a beautiful local place to explore.

We might visit Oban’s busy fishing port, Dunollie Castle, and Oban Distillery. Another option is to sail to Tobermory on the Isle of Mull, a charming fishing village with brightly colored Georgian houses.

Depending on conditions, we’ll launch our small boats (RIBs) to explore Loch Sunart, a Marine Protected Area known for otters, dolphins, and porpoises. Your expert Expedition Team will make sure that today is a memorable day.

The spirit of Iona

See Iona’s sacred abbey and Fingal’s Cave on Staffa.

Your adventure continues to Iona, off the coast of Mull in the Inner Hebrides. Visit the restored sixth-century abbey, one of Scotland’s oldest and most sacred Christian pilgrimage sites. Or enjoy a hike with the Expedition Team up Dùn I for breathtaking views of St. Columba’s Bay – and take a sip from the ‘Well of Eternal Youth.’

Next, we sail to the Treshnish Isles, home to Atlantic puffins, razorbills, and Atlantic grey seals. At nearby Fingal’s Cave, marvel at the hexagonal basalt columns, superb natural acoustics, and mesmerizing colors in the water.

Isles of Skye and Canna

Prepare for beaches, bird colonies, and wild scenery.

Sail to Loch Scavaig on the Isle of Skye, where dramatic scenery surrounds you. ‘The wildest scene in the Highlands’ is how the Victorian poet Lord Tennyson described Loch Coruisk and the surrounding jagged peaks of the Cuillin Mountains. We’ll strap on our hiking boots to explore the loch with the Expedition Team.

Our next stop is the Isle of Canna. Here, you’ll find historic settlements and beautiful beaches. The spectacular sea stacks of Dùn Mòr and Dún Beag are home to a colony of breeding puffins. Meanwhile, fulmars, kittiwakes, guillemots, razorbills, and shags nest on the cliffs.

Wild St. Kilda

Discover the untamed beauty of St. Kilda

A visit to this UNESCO double World Heritage Site is an unforgettable experience. If conditions allow, we’ll spend the day here.

This is one of Europe’s most important seabird colonies. St. Kilda’s volcanic outcrops are home to thousands of nesting seabirds, including northern fulmars, black-legged kittiwakes, and over 60,000 pairs of northern gannets.

In 1930, St. Kilda’s last residents asked to be evacuated due to the island’s wild and windswept conditions. Explore the abandoned village and see the distinctive cleits – circular stone buildings used to store peat, eggs, and smoked puffins. Then, head back to the ship and happily indulge in more contemporary dining options.

Stalwart Stornoway

Experience Gaelic culture in the Hebrides.

Our expedition cruise arrives at Stornoway, the capital of the Isle of Lewis and Harris. As you explore the area around the harbor, keep an eye out for seals, red deer, eagles, and otters. Enjoy a visit to the Gothic-style Lews Castle, featuring spacious grounds full of trails and fantastic views.

Further afield, take in the 5,000-year-old Callanish Standing Stones and Dun Carloway, the best-preserved Iron Age broch in Scotland.

Far-flung Fair Isle

A scenic stop for bird lovers

Your cruise continues to the Shetland Islands as we venture to remote Fair Isle, known for its birds and knitwear.

The island is home to 27 bird species and is a dream for birders and wildlife photographers. It's a vital stop for migrating seabirds, drawn to the red sandstone cliffs, green fields, and moors.

We’ll attempt to land for the Expedition Team to lead you on a clifftop hike to a lighthouse sitting in a spectacular location. Gain fascinating insights into the life and history of the 65-strong island community at the local museum. You can support Fair Islanders by buying genuine Fair Isle knitwear direct from local makers.

If landing isn’t possible, the scenic cruising is just as spectacular.

Highlights of Orkney

Learn about Kirkwall’s Norse heritage.

Today, we cruise to the Orkney Islands’ largest town. Explore Kirkwall, the vibrant, Viking-influenced capital of the Orkneys, which is compact enough to cover on foot.

Visit the regal St. Magnus Cathedral, made from distinctive local red sandstone, and the adjacent Earl’s Palace to see the stone ruins of this once-grand Renaissance building. The Neolithic settlement of Scara Brae is also only a bus ride away.

Whisky aficionados will enjoy Kirkwall’s Highland Park and Scapa distilleries’ sublime single malts. If you feel like something different, Orkney Distillery produces gin made from local Orcadian botanicals.

Lerwick’s past and present

Discover Scotland’s northernmost inhabited isles.

On our final day exploring Scotland, we’ll dock at Lerwick, the capital of the Shetland Islands, to explore this Victorian-influenced fishing town set among stunning scenery.

Navigate the narrow lanes on foot to discover little shops selling local whiskies, woolen sweaters, and fudge. By the old waterfront, you’ll find the Shetland Museum, charting the area’s rich history. Nearby, see Fort Charlotte and the regal Town Hall.

The wider island is home to remarkable Iron Age villages and the Shetland Crofthouse Museum, where you can learn about the hard life of the local crofters.

Arrival in Bergen, Norway

Visit Bergen’s UNESCO-listed Bryggen district.

Our Scottish Isles expedition cruise reaches its triumphant end in Bergen, one of Norway’s most beautiful cities. After you disembark MS Spitsbergen in the morning, we recommend taking some time to explore before returning home.

Visit the colorful wooden wharves and artisanal boutiques of the UNESCO-listed Bryggen district. Across from there, you’ll find the city’s famous fish market.

If you have time, round off your trip by taking the funicular up Mount Fløyen for spectacular views of the acclaimed seven mountains, the port, and the sea beyond during a hike to the top, included in our optional Post-Program.