Day South Queensferry (Edinburgh), Scotland, United KingdomArrives 08:00 AM History was made in this port, just across the Firth of Forth from Rosyth, when the future Queen Margaret of Scotland arrived around 1071. Her devout religious attitude established "Queen's Ferry" as the place for pilgrims from abroad to alight on their way to St. AndrewsâScotland's ecclesiastical capital in the Middle Ages. Margaret's legacy continues less than a dozen miles away at Edinburgh Castle. A key attraction up on the castle's rock is St. Margaret's Chapel, believed to be the oldest section of the fortifications and the place where she worshipped.There's more to Scotland's capital than the Castle, though. Edinburgh proudly displays multiple exhibits on national and international scientific achievement at the National Museum of Scotland, as well as some fantastic works of visual art at the National Galleries of Scotland. South Queensferry's moorings are also within easy striking distance of Scotland's largest metropolis: the city of Glasgow. Transformed in many ways since the postâWWII days when it had a reputation for grime and crime, the city is among the most vibrant in the U.K.: It is Scotland's de-facto capital of modern culture, with the hippest DJs and most accomplished conceptual artists.
Day South Queensferry (Edinburgh), Scotland, United KingdomDeparts 01:00 AM History was made in this port, just across the Firth of Forth from Rosyth, when the future Queen Margaret of Scotland arrived around 1071. Her devout religious attitude established "Queen's Ferry" as the place for pilgrims from abroad to alight on their way to St. AndrewsâScotland's ecclesiastical capital in the Middle Ages. Margaret's legacy continues less than a dozen miles away at Edinburgh Castle. A key attraction up on the castle's rock is St. Margaret's Chapel, believed to be the oldest section of the fortifications and the place where she worshipped.There's more to Scotland's capital than the Castle, though. Edinburgh proudly displays multiple exhibits on national and international scientific achievement at the National Museum of Scotland, as well as some fantastic works of visual art at the National Galleries of Scotland. South Queensferry's moorings are also within easy striking distance of Scotland's largest metropolis: the city of Glasgow. Transformed in many ways since the postâWWII days when it had a reputation for grime and crime, the city is among the most vibrant in the U.K.: It is Scotland's de-facto capital of modern culture, with the hippest DJs and most accomplished conceptual artists.
Day At Sea
Day Djupivogur, IcelandArrives 08:00 AM Departs 04:00 PM "Djúpivogur, a quiet fishing village with fewer than 500 residents, sits on the eastern coast of Iceland and dates back to the days of the Vikings. Despite the fearsome reputation of those who first established Djúpivogur, today what draws visitors to this remote corner of the country is its dramatic natural setting. Located on Berufjörður, it is near stunning natural wonders like the Hofellsjökull Glacier and the Valley of Waterfalls. Wherever you journey in the region, you'll come upon stunning vistas and a landscape shaped by glaciers and geothermal activity.
The village itself is home to intriguing sites like Langabúð, a log house built in 1790 that now houses artifacts related to Iceland's long-held folk traditions. (These include a belief in âhidden folkâ who live in the ancient windswept landscapes of rock, glacier and lava.) You can also journey to nearby Papey Island and meet some of eastern Iceland's seabird population including cute and quirky puffins. These birds are so beloved in Iceland that they were long the symbol of the national airline and actually outnumber the country's human population by some 25 to 1.
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Day Isafjordur, Iceland / Scenic Cruising IsafjardurdjurArrives 08:00 AM Departs 06:00 PM / Cruising "Although it is the largest town in and the capital of the Westfjords region of Iceland, Ãsafjörður has a mere 2,600 inhabitants and is only connected to the mainland by a narrow nine-meter-wide (30-foot-wide) isthmus. Local lore has it that the isthmus, and the town itself, were formed by a group of trolls who wanted to live apart from humans. Despite its small population, Ãsafjörður has earned a reputation as a cultured and urbane town thanks to its excellent choral and theatrical groups, a nationally known theater festival called Act Alone and the popular music festival Aldrei Fór Ãg Suður (âI Never Went Southâ) held each Easter.
Ãsafjörður and its outlying regions stretch over 2,300 square kilometers (900 square miles) from the stunning waterfall of Dynjandi in the south to the vast Hornstrandir Nature Reserve in the north where, on the cliff of Hornbjarg, visitors can see the largest colony of seabirds in the North Atlantic. Along Iceland's spectacular coastline, glacier-carved green mountains stand in contrast against the deep blue sea."
Day Heimaey, Westman Islands, IcelandArrives 08:00 AM Departs 05:00 PM At just four miles in length, Heimaey Island is the largest of all the 16 islands and 30 tiny islets that comprise the Westman Islands archipelago. The islands' inhabitants are rugged and independent, traits passed down from generations of isolation, natural disasters and brutal living conditions. Today Heimaey is the largest fishing center in all of Iceland, and the islanders prosper from extensive fish processing.
Day At Sea
Day Lerwick, ScotlandArrives 08:00 AM Departs 05:00 PM The Shetland Islands may only have one town, and it's small, but as you already know, good things come in small packages. There are seabird colonies and sea mammals galore, along with a windswept beauty that's refreshing in its simplicity. History buffs can investigate 400-year-old castles or Iron Age ruins. Or meet the tiny ponies that share the islands' name.