12 Nights - British Isles & Scotland

Southampton, England

The Port of Southampton is the busiest cruise hub in the UK and is known as the cruise capital of Northern Europe. This bustling cruise port has five total cruise terminals: Horizon, Mayflower, City Cruise, Ocean and QEII. Two of the terminals (City and Ocean) are within walking distance of the city center, while the other two are a five-minute taxi ride away.

Portland, England

On one of our Dorset cruises, you’ll disembark in the Isle of Portland, which is situated on the southern coast of England. The tiny island is the perfect jumping-off point for excursions to Stonehenge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located just 90 minutes outside of the city.

During your day in port, you can also wander through the charming town, where you’ll find picturesque lighthouses, miles of beaches, and an intriguing maritime history. Or head out to the English countryside and tour crumbling castles, see the Roman Baths, or sample local sparkling wine.

At Sea

Enjoy the whole day at sea.

Cobh, Ireland

Cobh, known from 1850 until 1920 as Queenstown, is a tourist seaport town on the south coast of County Cork, Ireland. Cobh is on the south side of Great Island in Cork Harbour and is home to Ireland's only dedicated cruise terminal. Tourism in the area draws on the maritime and emigration legacy of the town - including its association with the RMS Titanic.

Facing the town are Spike Island and Haulbowline Island, and on a high point in the town stands St Colman's Cathedral, one of the tallest buildings in Ireland and seat of the diocese of Cloyne.

Liverpool, England

Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, United Kingdom along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880. In 2011 the population administered by Liverpool City Council was 466,415[4] and is at the centre of a wider urban area, the Liverpool City Region.[5]

Historically, Liverpool was a part of Lancashire. The city's urbanisation and expansion were largely brought about by the city's status as a major port. By the 18th century, trade from the West Indies, Ireland and mainland Europe, coupled with close links with the Atlantic slave trade, furthered the economic expansion of Liverpool. Liverpool is also well known for its inventions and innovations, particularly in terms of infrastructure, transport, general construction, and in the fields of public health and social reform. Railways, ferries and the skyscraper were all pioneered in the city, together with the first societies for animal and child protection, the first schools for the blind, for working-men, and for girls. Liverpool was the port of registry of the ocean liner, the RMS Titanic, and the words Titanic, Liverpool could be seen on the stern of the ship.

Belfast, Ireland

the town's highly publicized political unrest has greatly subsided. Curiosity-seekers can still find elaborate murals and other relics from turbulent times lingering in certain neighborhoods, but for the most part, Belfast is now safer than many other European capitals, and its new image is one of both progress and hospitality.

If you've been to Dublin, the differences between that city and Belfast may seem striking. Belfast, of course, is part of Northern Ireland, which itself is part of the United Kingdom; the Republic of Ireland is part of... just the Republic of Ireland.

So British influence seems to have coated Belfast with a more polished veneer and a Victorian elegance that's evident in the town's shops, restaurants and even its pubs. The omnipresent Irish charm still exists, but Belfast also projects a cosmopolitan flair that's rarely seen elsewhere on the Emerald Isle. The glittering row of boutiques lining the Golden Mile, Belfast's premier shopping district, is more reminiscent of Paris or Milan, while a new wave of trendy restaurants now offers visitors haute cuisine in addition to local favorites. The city has come a long way since the days of security checkpoints and armored patrols, and Belfast now appears poised to shed its unfortunate past and take its place among Europe's new hot spots.

Greenock (Glasgow), Scotland

Glasgow is one of the liveliest and most cosmopolitan destinations in Europe. The city has been reborn as a centre of style and vitality set against a backdrop of outstanding Victorian architecture. Glasgow boasts world famous art collections, the best shopping in the United Kingdom outside London, and the most vibrant nightlife in Scotland. A must see is the Art Nouveau splendour of Scotland's best known architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh, whose inimitable style adorns attractions such as The Lighthouse, Glasgow School of Art, and House for an Art Lover.

Art and culture are important in Glasgow life where galleries and museums are in abundance - most with free admission. A choice of over 20 includes the world's first Museum of Religion, the renowned Burrell Collection and the outstanding McLellan Galleries. No visit would be complete without experiencing the city's shopping with high street stores, designer labels, and speciality outlets to explore, with welcome pit-stops in the first class café culture around the Italian Centre, Merchant Square or Gallery of Modern Art.

At Sea

Enjoy the whole day at sea.

Invergordon, Scotland

Although it's the most popular cruise ship port of call on Scotland cruise itineraries, Invergordon might look a bit bleak as you pull up to the dock. Its main industry is repairing oil rigs, which are towed into Cromarty Firth, so there's little glamour to the waterfront. But the town's natural deep harbor (carved by glaciers) makes it the ideal cruise portal to the Highlands.

Once ashore, you'll probably head out to see the Loch Ness monster, Culloden Battlefield, the town of Inverness, a castle or perhaps a whisky distillery.

Because most visitors scurry off to the heather-covered Highlands, this town of about 4,000 is less touristy than you might expect, and it owns a homespun charm. When we visited on our Windstar cruise, a handwritten sign greeted us at the little tourism kiosk: "Welcome Wind Surf! 100% guaranteed sighting of Nessie tomorrow!"

Take a short walk into the town center and you'll find impressive murals, overflowing flowerboxes, small shops, cafes, banks -- and friendly people happy to have a wee chat. Don't forgo a shore excursion to hang out there, but if you have an extra hour or so, you can have a pleasant time seeing the murals and poking around High Street.

The town seems thoroughly genuine and blissfully short on jaded tourist glitz. One of the best memories of our cruise was being played off during our sailaway by an 18-member high school drum and bagpipe corps in full Scottish regalia. Their haunting music carried out over the waters as we sailed off through the firth.

Queensferry, Edinburg

Historic Edinburgh, capital of Scotland, has so much to offer that you can't possibly do it in a day. The city lies in a beautiful setting, sprawling over an extinct volcano, known as Arthur's Seat, and dominated by the grey, brooding hulk of the Medieval Edinburgh Castle -- the tourist hub of the Royal Mile, a street exactly one Scots mile long. (The outdated measurement is equivalent to 1,807 meters, longer than the standard 1,609-meter mile.)

Old Town, as this area is known, features a wonderful labyrinth of alleyways and cobbled streets filled with a castle, museums and churches. After the 1707 Act of Union joined Scotland and England politically, many of Edinburgh's wealthier residents abandoned Edinburgh for London. The Georgian terraces -- individual terraces found on the front of Georgian-style row homes -- of nearby New Town were built in an effort to attract them back. Both Old Town and New Town are part of the city's UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Tourism staples include Scotch whisky (with opportunities to learn taste and buy) and golf at St. Andrew's Links, 50 miles north of the city. Edinburgh is, perhaps, most well known for its annual Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the largest arts festival in the world, taking over the city for three weeks every August (if you can time your cruise during this time, it's well worth it). In addition to a wide array of performances, the city's iconic Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo takes place at the same time, with the castle as its backdrop.

Alongside this tradition, Edinburgh has an edgy, modern vibe, too. Galleries display cutting-edge art, while chic restaurants, day spas and hotels peddle sophistication. A hip pub culture and nightlife scene complete the picture. Meanwhile, on the city's doorstep is the Scottish countryside -- miles of rolling, heather-covered hills, craggy mountains and still-as-glass lochs (one has a resident monster you might have heard of).

At Sea

Enjoy the whole day at sea.

Le Havre (Paris), France

Le Havre, France's second largest port, was founded in 1517 by Renaissance king François Ist.

It is a bustling, modern town. Among its special attractions are the shimmering metal and glass Music des Beaux-Arts and the picture-pretty seafaring quarter of Ste-Adresse, with shops, boutiques and restaurants. Strategically situated along the coast, Le Havre makes for an excellent departure point to visit the major highlights of the area, including the historic Normandy Beaches, the medieval city of Rouen, the artisan and resort towns of Honfleur and Deauville, or the beautiful villages of the Alabaster Coast.

With its old stones, museums, music, theatre, dancing and reading, Le Havre has something for everyone, for every age or season.

Southampton, England

The Port of Southampton is the busiest cruise hub in the UK and is known as the cruise capital of Northern Europe. This bustling cruise port has five total cruise terminals: Horizon, Mayflower, City Cruise, Ocean and QEII. Two of the terminals (City and Ocean) are within walking distance of the city center, while the other two are a five-minute taxi ride away.