Join us aboard the 118 passenger MS Island Sky for this wonderful journey around Scotland’s magnificent coastline, an indented landscape of enormous natural splendour with offshore islands forming stepping stones into the Atlantic. If you have always had a hankering to visit some of the remotest and most inaccessible islands in Scotland, this is the ideal opportunity. Few cruise ships offer the chance to explore in-depth the islands off the northern coast of Scotland and this unique itinerary ventures far north to the Shetland and Orkney Islands as well as the magical Hebridean islands. We will visit both inhabited and uninhabited islands and places of great natural beauty rich in birdlife, wildlife and mystical history, many with a long history dating back to the Iron Age.
Such a trip would be almost impossible to arrange independently but with the aid of our nimble Zodiac craft, and in the company of our naturalists and local guides, we will explore the most remote islands that surround the Scottish Coast such as the Shiant Islands and St Kilda, land on remote beaches and cruise close to shorelines and cliffs dotted with birdlife. We will witness vibrant colours, explore deserted villages and learn of the history and ancient culture of unique island life. Whether your interest lies in the natural world, history or bird watching, or simply being there to witness the timeless beauty of the islands, this trip will lift the spirits and gladden the heart.
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What to Expect
Flexibility is the key to an expedition cruise; sometimes the whole day’s schedule may be changed to maximise your experience based on weather or wildlife sightings, something that would not be possible on a large cruise ship. Each day holds something new and below are some extracts from our vessel’s logs from previous voyages which will provide you with an insight into what you can expect from this island hopping adventure:
Shiant Islands: By breakfast the ship had anchored amongst the Shiant Islands in the Minch – Eilean Mhuire (Mary’s Isle) to the north, Eilean Tighe (House Island) and the spectacular Garbh Eilean (Rough Island) to the south, the two joined by a boulder beach. Once more we were viewing tertiary basalt columns just like Staffa and Canna but this time several hundred feet tall and thronging with seabirds, many of whom sat on the calm sea as our Zodiacs cruised close off shore. The islands are owned by Adam Nicholson who wrote about them so eloquently in his book ‘Sea Room’ and are uninhabited. We made first for the tall basalt cliffs where we enjoyed a fly-past of a white-tailed sea eagle which then landed near its mate on a grassy ledge. They sat side by side for the rest of our visit. We saw some grey and common seals hauled out ashore, and investigated some interesting sea caves before turning along the huge boulder scree along the east side of Garbh Eilean with its huge numbers of razorbills, puffins and shags. There were also some great skuas flying around, looking for an opportunity to rob the auks of the food they carried to feed chicks.
Lunga, Staffa & Iona: After a leisurely breakfast we boarded the Zodiacs to set off for an exploration of the island of Lunga. The approach by sea to the landing point was fantastic, large rafts of puffins, razorbills and guillemots and the sky filled with kittiwakes as well as a few Great skuas. The landing itself, into a narrow gully, was patrolled by two sentinels taking the form of two very curious Atlantic grey seals! We disembarked the Zodiacs for quite a scramble up the rocks onto level ground and then a lovely walk up to cliff edges to watch the nesting puffins at their precariously positioned burrows. The island was wonderful with many wildflowers, a sheen of bluebells intermingled with primrose, trefoil and tormentil. Traditional ‘Black Houses’ made of volcanic Basalt blocks occupied a commanding position atop the hill. A warming drink and tables laden with food awaited us back on board the MS Hebridean Sky and then it was off for another short Zodiac cruise to visit the famous Fingal’s cave on the island of Staffa as we passed by. Fingal’s cave is the largest sea cave in the world to be formed completely of volcanic Basalt columns. An otherworldly place with a real sense of magic, myth & legend; we were so lucky with the calm seas to be able to visit this cave. Well rested after a siesta, we headed out by Zodiac to visit the small island of Iona. Iona is a lovely place steeped in religious history. We explored the abbey and the expedition team birder showed us how to identify the call of the corncrake, some guests were lucky enough to spot one hiding amongst the Irises.
Island Sky
The MS Island Sky is one of our two flag ships and sister vessel to the MS Hebridean Sky. Both vessels were built in the same ship yard in Italy at similar times and share the same excellent attributes that make them two of the finest small ships in the world.
Itinerary
Day 1 Oban, Scotland.
Embark the MS Island Sky this afternoon. Transfers will be provided from Glasgow International Airport and Glasgow Central Railway Station at a fixed time. Enjoy welcome drinks and dinner this evening as we sail. Spend the night at anchor off Colonsay.
Day 2 Colonsay & Iona, Inner Hebrides.
Spend the morning exploring the island of Colonsay, with her craggy, heather-clad hills and sparse woodland yet impressive array of plants and birdlife. Near Colonsay House, built in 1722 by Malcolm MacNeil and bought by Lord Strathcona in 1904, we will visit the attractively dilapidated woodland gardens which protect the tiny, enigmatic 8th century St Oran’s Cross. Sail over lunch to Iona which has been occupied for thousands of years and has been a place of pilgrimage and Christian worship for several centuries. It was to this flat, Hebridean island that St Columba fled from Ireland in 563 and established a monastery. Here his followers were responsible for the conversion of much of pagan Scotland and Northern England. No less than 62 Scottish Kings are buried in the Abbey. Visit the Abbey or perhaps walk along the white sandy beaches or go in search of the corncrake amongst the irises.
Day 3 Staffa & Lunga, Inner Hebrides.
Awake this morning at Staffa, the south side where the perpendicular rock face features an imposing series of black basalt columns, known as the Colonnade, which has been cut by the sea into cathedralesque caverns, most notably Fingal’s Cave. Weather permitting, we will use our Zodiacs to explore closer. We continue to the Treshnish Isles, an archipelago of uninhabited volcanic islets. The island of Lunga is the largest of the Treshnish Isles in Argyll and Bute. Of volcanic origin, Lunga has been described as ‘a green jewel in a peacock sea’ and is a summer nesting-place for hundreds of seabirds.
Day 4 Loch Scavaig, Isle of Skye.
We have the morning at the lovely Loch Scavaig. Just beyond is the freshwater Loch Corruisk with its breathtakingly beautiful view over the Cuillins. This is great walking country, but for those who prefer a less energetic morning our Zodiacs will explore the coast looking out for seals. Return to the ship for lunch and spend a leisurely afternoon at sea.
Day 5 St Kilda & Stac Lee, Outer Hebrides.
Arrive over breakfast at St Kilda, a remarkable uninhabited archipelago some fifty miles beyond the Outer Hebrides. Dominated by the highest cliffs and sea stacks in Britain, Hirta, St Kilda’s main island was occupied on and off for at least two thousand years, with the last 36 Gaelic speaking inhabitants evacuated at their own request in 1930. Immediately after the evacuation, the island was bought by the Marquess of Bute to protect the island’s thousands of seabirds including puffin and fulmars, and in 1957 it was bequeathed to The National Trust for Scotland. St Kilda is one of only a few UNESCO World Heritage Sites with dual status reflecting its natural and cultural significance. The local ranger will join us on board before our expedition staff lead a number of guided walks on the island. This afternoon we will cruise past two of the largest gannetries in the world at Stac Lee and Stac an Armin. These impressive stacs rise 170 metres from the sea and are home to up to 60,000 breeding pairs of northern gannet.
Day 6 Handa & Inverewe.
At first light we arrive at Handa. Here we will use our Zodiacs to explore the magnificent sea cliffs of Torridonian sandstone which rise from the Atlantic. The island comes alive each summer when nearly 100,000 seabirds gather to breed including internationally important numbers of guillemot, razorbill, puffins and great skua. Sail over lunch to our anchorage in Loch Ewe to visit one of Scotland’s premier gardens, Inverewe. This botanical garden in the northwest Highlands presents an amazing collection of exotic trees and shrubs that are sheltered by well-positioned windbreaks of native pine.
Day 7 Shiant Islands & Isle of Lewis.
This morning we will board the Zodiacs for a cruise around the spectacular basalt cliffs of the Shiant Islands, a group of little islands located a few miles off the shores of Lewis. This is an excellent place to spot puffins, razorbills, guillemots, seals and hopefully white-tailed eagles. Later we arrive on the Isle of Lewis. On leaving the island capital of Stornoway, we will head across the island to the beautiful west coast. Described as Scotland’s Stonehenge, the Callanish Standing Stones date from around 3000 BC. There are a total of 32 stones in a circular and avenue design. The stones stand like a petrified forest on the flat top of a peninsula which reaches out into East Loch Roag. We also visit the Dun Carloway Pictish Broch, probably built sometime in the last century BC, it would have served as an occasionally defensible residence for an extended family complete with accommodation for animals at ground floor level. Our final stop is the Gearrannan Blackhouse Village, a reconstructed settlement of traditional black houses which were made using dry stone masonry and have thatched roofs, distinctively weighted down with rocks. Visit the small museum, enjoy a display of a typical crofting activity such as weaving and take in the views of this dramatic site on the wild Atlantic coast.
Day 8 Papa Westray & North Ronaldsay, Orkney Islands.
Our day in the Orkney Islands will explore two of the islands to the north of the mainland. The morning is spent at Papa Westray, where there will be the opportunity for a number of island walks. You can also visit the 3500-year-old Knap of Howar, a Neolithic farm building that claims to be the oldest standing house in Europe and the 12th century St Boniface Kirk. In the north of the island is the North Hill Reserve, home to Arctic terns and skuas and also the extremely rare Scottish primrose. Over lunch we sail the short distance to the northernmost Orkney isle of North Ronaldsay. The birdlife here is prolific as the wetland habitats support the wildfowl and wader species whilst the rugged coastline provides nesting sites for seabird colonies. A series of walks will include the bird observatory and we also hope to view the seals hauled up on the beaches. Those wishing to explore further can visit the lighthouse with views over the nearby islands or the wool mill where yarn is produced from the island’s seaweed eating sheep.
Day 9 Lerwick, Shetland Islands.
From the Shetland capital, we will visit the remarkable archaeological site of Jarlshof. The site was uncovered by a violent storm in the winter of 1896/7, revealing an extraordinary settlement site embracing at least 5000 years of human history. The site contains a remarkable sequence of stone structures – late Neolithic houses, a Bronze- Age village, an Iron-Age broch and wheelhouses, several Norse longhouse, a Medieval farmstead and the 16th century laird’s house. Return to the ship for lunch and enjoy a free afternoon to explore this historic port. Tonight we will be entertained by local musicians on board.
Day 10 Noss Head & Fair Isle, Shetland Islands.
Early this morning we sail to Noss Head. Here the cliffs will be full of nesting gannets, guillemots and fulmars whilst we may also see skuas in the skies above. Later this morning we continue to our anchorage off the remote island of Fair Isle. Located midway between the Shetland and Orkney Islands, the tiny population of sixty or so islanders always extend us a warm welcome. Enjoy a walk across the island searching out the puffin slopes, visit the community hall for a cup of tea or maybe purchase some of the famous knitwear.
Day 11 Aberdeen.
Disembark this morning after breakfast. Transfers will be provided to Aberdeen Airport and Railway Station at a fixed time.
Dates and Prices
15 to 25 June 2025 • 7 to 17 July 2025 | ||
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Category | Price | |
Magellan Deck Standard Suites | Fully Booked | |
Columbus Deck Superior Suites | Fully Booked | |
Marco Polo Deck Premium Suites | Fully Booked | |
Marco Polo Deck Corner Suites | Fully Booked | |
Erikson Deck Deluxe Balcony Suites | Fully Booked | |
Explorer Deck Owner's Balcony Suite | Fully Booked | |
Explorer Deck Island Suite | Fully Booked | |
Magellan Deck Standard for sole occupancy | Fully Booked | |
Columbus Deck Superior for sole occupancy | Fully Booked |
Tour Reference Code: SCISK150625/SCISK070725
PRICE INCLUDES: 10 nights aboard the MS Island Sky on a full board basis • House wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner • Noble Caledonia expedition team • Shore excursions • Gratuities • Transfers • Port taxes.
Not Included: Travel insurance.
During this expedition you will be visiting out of the way destinations and will be accompanied by an expedition team. Landings and excursions will be made by Zodiac landing craft. The use of Zodiacs will be key to the operation of the itinerary as shown. If you have any queries pertaining to the use of Zodiacs or the level of fitness required for this voyage, please do not hesitate to ask one of our experienced travel consultants.
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Deckplan
Island Sky
The MS Island Sky is one of our two flag ships and sister vessel to the MS Hebridean Sky. Both vessels were built in the same ship yard in Italy at similar times and share the same excellent attributes that make them two of the finest small ships in the world.
Skys Video Tour
What to Expect
Flexibility is the key to an expedition cruise; sometimes the whole day’s schedule may be changed to maximise your experience based on weather or wildlife sightings, something that would not be possible on a large cruise ship. Each day holds something new and below are some extracts from our vessel’s logs from previous voyages which will provide you with an insight into what you can expect from this island hopping adventure:
Shiant Islands: By breakfast the ship had anchored amongst the Shiant Islands in the Minch – Eilean Mhuire (Mary’s Isle) to the north, Eilean Tighe (House Island) and the spectacular Garbh Eilean (Rough Island) to the south, the two joined by a boulder beach. Once more we were viewing tertiary basalt columns just like Staffa and Canna but this time several hundred feet tall and thronging with seabirds, many of whom sat on the calm sea as our Zodiacs cruised close off shore. The islands are owned by Adam Nicholson who wrote about them so eloquently in his book ‘Sea Room’ and are uninhabited. We made first for the tall basalt cliffs where we enjoyed a fly-past of a white-tailed sea eagle which then landed near its mate on a grassy ledge. They sat side by side for the rest of our visit. We saw some grey and common seals hauled out ashore, and investigated some interesting sea caves before turning along the huge boulder scree along the east side of Garbh Eilean with its huge numbers of razorbills, puffins and shags. There were also some great skuas flying around, looking for an opportunity to rob the auks of the food they carried to feed chicks.
Lunga, Staffa & Iona: After a leisurely breakfast we boarded the Zodiacs to set off for an exploration of the island of Lunga. The approach by sea to the landing point was fantastic, large rafts of puffins, razorbills and guillemots and the sky filled with kittiwakes as well as a few Great skuas. The landing itself, into a narrow gully, was patrolled by two sentinels taking the form of two very curious Atlantic grey seals! We disembarked the Zodiacs for quite a scramble up the rocks onto level ground and then a lovely walk up to cliff edges to watch the nesting puffins at their precariously positioned burrows. The island was wonderful with many wildflowers, a sheen of bluebells intermingled with primrose, trefoil and tormentil. Traditional ‘Black Houses’ made of volcanic Basalt blocks occupied a commanding position atop the hill. A warming drink and tables laden with food awaited us back on board the MS Hebridean Sky and then it was off for another short Zodiac cruise to visit the famous Fingal’s cave on the island of Staffa as we passed by. Fingal’s cave is the largest sea cave in the world to be formed completely of volcanic Basalt columns. An otherworldly place with a real sense of magic, myth & legend; we were so lucky with the calm seas to be able to visit this cave. Well rested after a siesta, we headed out by Zodiac to visit the small island of Iona. Iona is a lovely place steeped in religious history. We explored the abbey and the expedition team birder showed us how to identify the call of the corncrake, some guests were lucky enough to spot one hiding amongst the Irises.
Also of Interest
Wild Scotland
An exploration of the remote islands of Scotland aboard the Ocean Nova
Ocean Nova
Itinerary at a glance
- Oban / Gigha / Jura / Staffa /& Lunga / Carbost / Loch Scavaig / Stac Lee / St Kilda / Handa / Foula / Papa Stour / Unst / Fetlar / Lerwick / North Ronaldsay / Aberdeen
Island Hopping in the Hebrides
A week-long expedition in the Hebrides aboard the MS Island Sky
Island Sky
Itinerary at a glance
- Oban / Staffa / Iona / St Kilda / Stac Lee / Shiant Islands / Isle of Lewis / Canna / Isle of Skye / Loch Scavaig / Inverie / Lunga / Tobermory / Oban
Britain & Ireland Odyssey
A voyage from Portsmouth to Aberdeeen aboard the MS Hebridean Sky
Hebridean Sky
Itinerary at a glance
- Portsmouth / Guernsey / Tresco / St Martin’s / Cape Clear / Mizen Head / Skellig Islands / Killybegs / Iona / Lunga / St Kilda / Stac Lee / Scrabster / Aberdeen
Celtic Island Odyssey
A voyage from Aberdeen to Liverpool aboard the MS Island Sky
Island Sky
Itinerary at a glance
Best of British
A Circumnavigation of the United Kingdom aboard the MS Hebridean Sky
Hebridean Sky
Itinerary at a glance
- Portsmouth / Guernsey / Tresco / St Agnes / Fishguard / St Davids / Peel / Derry / Giant’s Causeway / St Kilda / Scrabster / Unst / Lerwick / Montrose / Lindisfarne / Alnwick Castle / Whitby / Ipswich / Portsmouth
Island Life
Discover the Channel Islands & Isles of Scilly aboard the MS Island Sky
Island Sky
Itinerary at a glance
- Portsmouth / Alderney / Herm/ Sark / Guernsey / Tresco / Bryher / St Martin’s / St Agnes / St Mary’s / Portsmouth
Bird Quest
A discovery of Britain’s seabird islands aboard the Ocean Nova
Ocean Nova
Itinerary at a glance
- Poole / Alderney / Isles of Scilly / Skomer Island / Grassholm Island / Isle of man / Ailsa Craig / Rathlin Island / Staffa / Lunga / St Kilda / Stac Lee / Shiant Islands / Isle of Lewis / Oban
Circumnavigation of the United Kingdom
An exploraton of the castles, gardens & historic houses of the United Kingdom aboard the MS Hebridean Sky
Hebridean Sky
Itinerary at a glance
- Portsmouth / Fowey / Isles of Scilly / Holyhead / Barrow in Furness / Belfast / Armadale / Inverie / Inverewe / Isle Martin / Scrabster / Port of Tyne / Great Yarmouth / Dover / Cowes / Portsmouth
Enchanted Islands
An island hopping voyage from Portsmouth to Aberdeen aboard the MS Hebridean Sky
Hebridean Sky
Itinerary at a glance
- Portsmouth / Guernsey / Isles of Scilly / Lundy Island / Skomer Island / Rathlin Island / Staffa / Iona / Canna / Loch Scavaig / St Kilda / Stac Lee / North Ronaldsay / Lerwick / Fair Isle / Aberdeen
Book with Confidence
Speak to one of our advisors on 020 7752 0000