DAY 1: INVERGORDON, SCOTLAND

Stepping onboard a Seabourn ship is unlike any other experience. Walking through the terminal building and up the gangway to the door is exciting, but it’s only when you reach the ship’s welcome desk that you feel the true indulgence of what this ship is: 6-star, ultra-luxury cruising at its finest. I stood, gazing up through the winding golden staircases surrounding beautiful art sculptures, before being led through to the Expedition Lounge, designed to look and feel like a serene, cosy ski lodge. A cocktail in hand, we walk into the Discovery Centre, a lecture-theatre-style room focusing brilliantly on footage (taken on past expeditions) of polar bears, seals, whales and penguins, playing carelessly in their own habitats, and take our seats to hear all about what we could look forward to over the next few days…

We started in Invergordon, on the Cromarty Firth, Scotland – the perfect gateway to explore the beautiful Scottish Highlands and the city of Inverness. This picturesque town offers so much to explore, from stunning natural landscapes to historic sites and charming local shops. On a Seabourn cruise, several choices are offered to guests at each stop, catering for absolutely all preferences and desires. 

We hopped off the boat for an afternoon trip towards Inverness – or ‘Mouth of the River Ness’. Following the course of the river upstream, we arrived into the Great Glen, home to Scotland’s second largest loch, Loch Ness – it actually contains more water than all of the lakes in England and Wales combined! The depths are said to hide the world-famous Loch Ness Monster, a creature of Scottish folklore affectionately known as Nessie, but, although we scanned the water’s surface hoping for a glimpse, sadly she didn’t come out to see us. Back onboard, we were treated to a fabulous evening of entertainment to end a perfect first day.

DAY 2: KIRKWALL (ORKNEY ISLANDS), SCOTLAND

I can’t think of many better ways to wake than with endless views of the blue ocean right outside your window. We woke in Kirkwall today, the largest town in the Orkney Islands, on the north coast of Scotland. Kirkwall is steeped in rich history, surrounded by stunning natural beauty, and home to a lively and welcoming town centre, with cosy pubs and delicious seafood restaurants galore.

Our excursion today saw us head to the eerie Ring of Brodgar and Skara Brae, Orkney’s most exciting Neolithic village. Lying beside the pretty, sandy crescent of the Bay of Skaill, this 5,000 year old settlement was totally buried under sand for thousands of years until it was suddenly revealed during a fierce storm in 1850!

We celebrated the start of our voyage tonight with Captain Alex Golubev and the Seaboum Venture Senior Officers, before a traditional Scottish bagpipe show!

DAY 3: FAIR ISLE, SCOTLAND

I signed up for kayaking today! I’ve never really liked water so this was a huge challenge for me, but something I couldn’t really pass up when given the opportunity. The ship has eight double kayaks onboard, enough for a group of 16 to head out onto the water with two guides. We walked down to the ‘Mud Room’ onboard the ship where we got kitted out with our full-length waterproof layers, listening to the resident ‘kayak-ologist’ tell us how to get in the boats, paddle effectively and not fall in (although he assured me that no one had ever managed to tip the kayaks before!). It was an experience I will never forget! We glided through the beautiful Scottish waters along the coast of the Fair Isle, taking in the stunning scenery and meeting seals, puffins and dolphins along the way! If this was how magical it felt to be kayaking in Scotland, I can only imagine how magnificent the experience would be in Iceland or Antarctica – even for someone like me who doesn’t like water!

Fair Isle, located in the middle of the North Sea between Scotland and Norway, is a unique and remote island with a population of just 70 and an area of three square miles – the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of modern life. After an exhilarating day, it felt truly indulgent to be able to retire to my suite and sink into my own marble bathtub, before getting ready for the evening’s pub quiz!

DAY 4: MOUSA, SCOTLAND

We woke on the coast of Mousa today and headed over to visit the famous Mousa Broch, an impressive Iron Age circular stone tower that stands over 40 feet tall, and it is thought to have been built around 100 BC. We travelled on one of the 24 Zodiacs onboard the Seabourn Venture to get to the shore of Mousa (basically a big lifeboat-style speedboat), and then circled round the glorious Isle of Noss.

We ended the day in Lerwick, home to the Shetland Museum and Archives, an award-winning museum that tells the story of the Shetland Islands, from their geological formation to their Viking past and modern day life. The museum features exhibits on traditional crafts, fishing, and crofting, as well as a fascinating display of artefacts from the wreck of the Dutch East India Company ship, the Vilegenthart, which sank off the coast of Shetland in 1729.

Back onboard the ship, the marvellous Shetland Fiddlers Society performed their traditional Shetland Fiddle music for us! The fiddle group has been playing for over 60 years, created from a Hamefarin (homecoming) concert for Shetland Exiles returning home from around the globe.

When the time came to disembark the ship, I almost considered hiding out in my suite’s wardrobe… I really didn’t want to get off!