Mysteries of the Northern Isles

8 nights from £725pp departing Monday 8th Sep 2025

Embark on a maritime adventure through the North Atlantic. Begin in Kirkwall, Orkney Isles, where ancient history comes alive. Make for Lerwick, Shetland Isles, renowned for its Viking heritage and dramatic coastal scenery. Explore Runavik, a picturesque village in the Faroe Islands, before heading to Scrabster on the rugged Scottish coast. Your penultimate stop visits Portree on the Isle of Skye, surrounded by dramatic scenery. Then you finish in Liverpool which is renowned worldwide for its rich cultural heritage and iconic music scene. This sailing offers the chance to explore the untame...

CRUISE HIGHLIGHTS

Kirkwall, Orkney Isles
Norse and Scottish history intertwine in Kirkwall on the windswept Orkney Isles. Stroll down historic streets, explore medieval ruins, and embrace the rugged beauty of this Scottish town amidst the North Sea.

Lerwick, Shetland Isles
Lerwick, nestled in the Shetland Isles, whispers tales of Vikings and Scottish history. Take leisurely walks through its winding streets, learn the history of lighthouse-keeping at Bressay Lighthouse, and breathe in the salty North Atlantic breezes atop the Knab promontory.

Scrabster
Resting on Scotland's rugged northern coast, Scrabster exudes a rich maritime history and the mystery of the Highlands. Explore the rugged beauty of nearby Dunnet Head, savour fresh seafood at Scrabster Harbour, and witness stunning views of the Pentland Firth from Holburn Head Lighthouse.

Portree, Isle of Skye
Portree, nestled on the Isle of Skye, captivates visitors with its picturesque harbour and authentic Scottish charm. Meander through vibrant streets adorned with charming cottages, explore coastal viewpoints like the Old Man of Storr, and experience the tranquility of this Inner Hebrides town.

Itinerary

Map

					Arrive	Depart
	8th08	SepSep	202525	Dundee, Scotland, embark on the Ambition		15:00
	9th09	SepSep	202525	Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Scotland	09:00	18:00
In bustling Kirkwall, the main town on Orkney, there's plenty to see in the narrow, winding streets extending from the harbor. The cathedral and some museums are highlights.
	10th10	SepSep	202525	Lerwick, Shetland Islands, Scotland	08:30	17:00
Founded by Dutch fishermen in the 17th century, Lerwick today is a busy town and administrative center. Handsome stone buildings—known as lodberries—line the harbor; they provided loading bays for goods, some of them illegal. The town's twisting flagstone lanes and harbor once heaved with activity, and Lerwick is still an active port today. This is also where most visitors to Shetland dock, spilling out of cruise ships, allowing passengers to walk around the town.
	11th11	SepSep	202525	Runavik, Faroe Islands	09:30	17:00
	12th12	SepSep	202525	Scrabster, Scotland	11:00	20:00
	13th13	SepSep	202525	Portree, Isle of Skye, Scotland	08:00	20:00
The Isle of Skye ranks near the top of most visitors' priority lists: the romance of Prince Charles Edward Stuart, known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, combined with the misty Cuillin Hills and their proximity to the mainland all contribute to its popularity. Today Skye remains mysterious and mountainous, an island of sunsets that linger brilliantly until late at night and of beautiful, soft mists. Much photographed are the really old crofts, one or two of which are still inhabited, with their thick stone walls and thatch roofs. Orientation on Skye is easy: follow the only roads around the loops on the northern part of the island and enjoy the road running the length of the Sleat Peninsula in southern Skye, taking the loop roads that exit to the north and south as you please. There are some stretches of single-lane road, but none poses a problem.
	14th14	SepSep	202525	At Sea
	15th15	SepSep	202525	Belfast, Northern Ireland	07:00	18:00
Before English and Scottish settlers arrived in the 1600s, Belfast was a tiny village called Béal Feirste ("sandbank ford") belonging to Ulster's ancient O'Neill clan. With the advent of the Plantation period (when settlers arrived in the 1600s), Sir Arthur Chichester, from Devon in southwestern England, received the city from the English Crown, and his son was made Earl of Donegall. Huguenots fleeing persecution from France settled near here, bringing their valuable linen-work skills. In the 18th century, Belfast underwent a phenomenal expansion—its population doubled every 10 years, despite an ever-present sectarian divide. Although the Anglican gentry despised the Presbyterian artisans—who, in turn, distrusted the native Catholics—Belfast's growth continued at a dizzying speed. The city was a great Victorian success story, an industrial boomtown whose prosperity was built on trade, especially linen and shipbuilding. Famously (or infamously), the Titanic was built here, giving Belfast, for a time, the nickname "Titanic Town." Having laid the foundation stone of the city's university in 1845, Queen Victoria returned to Belfast in 1849 (she is recalled in the names of buildings, streets, bars, monuments, and other places around the city), and in the same year, the university opened under the name Queen's College. Nearly 40 years later, in 1888, Victoria granted Belfast its city charter. Today its population is nearly 300,000, tourist numbers have increased, and this dramatically transformed city is enjoying an unparalleled renaissance.This is all a welcome change from the period when news about Belfast meant reports about "the Troubles." Since the 1994 ceasefire, Northern Ireland's capital city has benefited from major hotel investment, gentrified quaysides (or strands), a sophisticated new performing arts center, and major initiatives to boost tourism. Although the 1996 bombing of offices at Canary Wharf in London disrupted the 1994 peace agreement, the ceasefire was officially reestablished on July 20, 1997, and this embattled city began its quest for a newfound identity.Since 2008, the city has restored all its major public buildings such as museums, churches, theaters, City Hall, Ulster Hall—and even the glorious Crown Bar—spending millions of pounds on its built heritage. A gaol that at the height of the Troubles held some of the most notorious murderers involved in paramilitary violence is now a major visitor attraction.Belfast's city center is made up of three roughly contiguous areas that are easy to navigate on foot. From the south end to the north, it's about an hour's leisurely walk.
	16th16	SepSep	202525	Liverpool, England, disembark the Ambition	07:00
From world-class attractions and sports to legendary music, Liverpool offers old-world charm with modern sophistication, underpinned by a rich cultural history.

Ambition

Launch Year

2022

Tonnage

48,123

Capacity

1,200

Cabins

714

Accessible

The images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of what you find on the ship.

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Holiday Summary

	8 nights aboard the Ambition
	Port Taxes and Fees
	ABTA and ATOL Protection*

Interior staterooms
1	Standard Twin
2	Standard Plus Twin
3	Superior Twin
4	Premium Twin

Oceanview staterooms from		£725pp
6	Standard Twin
7	Standard Twin
8	Standard Plus Twin	£725pp
9	Superior Twin	£735pp
11	Superior Plus Twin	£755pp
12	Premium Twin	£775pp

Balcony staterooms
16	Superior Balcony

Suite staterooms from		£1,340pp
JS	Junior Suite	£1,340pp
SJS	Superior Junior Suite	£1,500pp
DS	De Luxe Suite	£1,835pp
PS	Premium Suite	£1,670pp