News

We were very pleased to be nominated for several awards this year and have been fairly overwhelmed at the results.

Due to unprecedented demand we have released our 2026 calendar ahead of schedule

We were delighted that Hebrides Cruises owner, Rob Barlow, was awarded the 2024 Scottish National Investment Bank Award for Outstanding Business Leader, at the Prosper Award Ceremony on September 12th. 

The Award Ceremony took place in the Drumossie Hotel, Inverness with impressionist and comedian Rory Bremner as host. Almost 300 finalists and local businesses gathered to celebrate the outstanding business achievements in the Highlands and Islands and congratulate the winners of ten awards being presented.  With a record number of nominations, the judging panel had a difficult job .choosing winners from many inspirational examples of business excellence.

Rob was declared winner of the outstanding business leader award due to his passion in running a sustainable cruise business, helped by training and retaining the best qualified crews which in turn provides an exceptional experience for our guests and a significant contribution to the local economy.

We would like to congratulate all the winners and finalists who together painted a picture of encouraging and impressive business excellence in the Highlands and Islands

And thankyou to our amazing crews, shore team, lovely guests, excellent suppliers and everyone who plays a part in making Hebrides Cruises such a success.

The intention of this new cruise itinerary was to search for whales in the former whaling grounds on the west of Scotland and document what was found.

We are delighted to be shortlisted in two categories for the Highlands and Islands Business Excellence Awards 2024.

We are pleased to report that we have retained our Green Tourism Gold Award status for the third consecutive year at very high pass rates in all categories.

We are delighted that we have been shortlisted in the Highlands and Islands Thistle Awards 2024 for "Innovation in Tourism"! 

On July 9th 2024 Hebrides Cruises ship Elizabeth G was returning from the Outer Hebrides via Gunna Sound off the island of Coll when a shout went up from Helen, one of the guests.  She had spotted a big “blow” in the distance which could only be made by a whale,

Our Wildlife Guides are often asked, “What do you do in the winter?” Two of our Guides, Zoë Stevenson and Lynsey Bland have been very busy working on an exciting and delightful project when they weren’t guiding with us during the summer months. They are about to launch a children’s book which is turning into a major success story.

Here is our latest Green Report from our Green Initiative Crew Member Lynsey Bland. Lynsey understands every aspect of our business, from cruising with us as one of our expert Wildlife Guides, to helping maintain our vessels over the winter period.  The 2024 season will be Lynsey’s 7th year working with us and we have benefited so much from her determination and advice on green issues

After the long winter months, we invite you to escape to the Hebrides to feel rejuvenated aboard a luxury cruise with a heady mix of gourmet meals, gorgeous scenery and close encounters with nature. 

Wow - what a night we had at the Herald Scottish Family Business Awards! We were absolutely delighted to win the Customer Service Excellence Award.  Customer service is the foundation of our family business so we were very proud to be recognised for the importance it plays in running our cruises.  However, unknown to us, the best was yet to come. Completely out of the blue for us, Hebrides Cruises was awarded the overall micro Scottish Family Business of the Year.

When our colleague and friend Dr Conor Ryan suggested a new cruise to the migratory corridor for large baleen whales and sperm whales in the former Hebrides whaling ground, we had to find out more.

Hebrides Cruises is shorlisted as finalist in no less than 4 categories at this years The Herald Scottish Family Business Awards

HWDT have published an incredible digital catalogue of photographs of over 300 individual minke whales submitted by members of the public since 1990.