Many of our guests are from Australia as part of a major trip around Scotland, the UK or Europe. Our Scottish cruises are the perfect way to see several islands of the Hebrides while taking a break from constant travelling. We were delighted to welcome Autralian guests mother and daughter Hilary and Tania on board Emma Jane and provide them with an individual bespoke cruise experience. Our overseas guests really appreciate our guided shore trips, providing a great insight into the communities, history and nature of the Hebrides. It is very easy to reach our departure point in Oban from Edinburgh or Glasgow,please just get in touch with Emma if you need travel advice. Hilary and Tania were wonderful guests and we really do hope they can come on board again in the future. Their guest companions on board all sent in pictures which are seen in the gallery below. Here is what Tania said about their cruise to Skye and the Small Isles:
"My Mum and I have just been on this wonderful Skye and Small Isles cruise – it was so amazing- the mix of outdoor adventure- heading to shore in a zodiac, walks on the islands, amazing sunsets, wildlife spotting- and yes we did see puffins, Minke whales and dolphins, to name just some- and lots of bird life. But also a life of luxury on Emma Jane- there seemed to be so much space- 3 viewing decks, a large luxurious lounge area, just max 10 passengers, and 4 amazing staff. James- our Skipper – who always managed to find a beautiful and still mooring for the night – and has a great eye for spotting sea creatures, Emma our bosun- worked so hard looking after us all and the boat, Caroline our amazing gourmet chef, and Chris our wildlife and photography expert. The crew were fantastic- we are planning on another cruise as soon as we get a chance to revisit Scotland. My Mum is elderly but adventurous and was fine on this cruise and so well looked after. So if you read this – and are thinking of a trip like this- just book it now- you won’t regret it!"
From Tania and Hilary in Australia.
What can I say? There are truly not enough superlatives to describe the amazing experience we had onboard Lucy Mary during our recent cruise. From start to finish, the treatment we received from the crew was first class. The booking process was a dream, with the lovely Emma steering us through the whole thing very professionally, answering all our pre-cruise questions promptly and setting our minds at rest. Once we arrived in Oban, we were greeted on board with champagne and cake (my favourite combo!) and from then on, things just got better and better. Abby, the steward, was attentive, warm, funny and made everyone feel comfortable and cared for at all times. Bella, the wildlife guide was great fun and extremely knowledgable and fantastic at finding us interesting wildlife to observe and learn about - we were lucky enough to see hordes of different species, including minke whales, loads of porpoise, seal, birds galore including sea eagles and my favourite gannets and shearwaters and of course otters! Our chef Carleton was a delight - interesting and funny as well as being the most incredible chef. I think I put on about 3kg during the cruise - my fault entirely, I just couldn't resist anything that came out of his kitchen and had to have second helpings of it all. The cod with a crispy crab crust was just a phenomenon. And of course, can't forget our wonderful skipper James. He gently steered us to all the best spots in weather that wasn't always the easiest to navigate but he made the cruise comfortable and enjoyable at all times. His lifelong love affair with the Hebridean area and with being at sea shines through and you can't help but be caught up in his enthusiasm for boat life and for the incredible surroundings we were in. If you haven't visited this area before, there are no words to describe how breathtaking and magical it is
Nicki Wordsworth: 16 April 2024Hebrides Magical Mini Cruise