Private Cruise Charter Reviews

28 September 2024

Trip was a huge success! Special note must be made of the wonderful crew - skipper Charlie was always in control, calm and hugely knowledgeable and interesting, wildlife expert George relentlessly answered our queries and had great ability to sight activity far away, Charlie chef provided endless, beautiful and varied meals and Sofia stewardess could not do enough for us, smiled endlessly and made stunning table displays. Great team cohesion. Mostly fab weather was a real bonus. Shame about the whale, but otherwise wildlife sigthings exceeded expectations!

Moira Clink

28 September 2024

I was fortunate to be on a six day private charter cruise on the Emma Jane. We were very fortunate with our weather given that we travelled at the end of September but what really made the cruise special was the quality of the crew on the vessel. We could not have asked for better. Our skipper (Charlie) was very responsive to our requests or suggestions for places we wanted to visit. Our chef (also called Charlie) was terrific, producing great meals on a series of special themes. Our wildlife guide (George) was brilliant at spotting animal life and helping us to understand their way of living. We especially enjoyed the frequency with which common dolphin took to surfing off the bow of the ship. Our stewardess (Sofia) was also really good. She looked after us so well and was tremendous at decorating the dinner table and ensuring that service throughout was of the highest standard. She also was particularly strong at remembering our individual preferences for drinks and food and quickly mastered all our names. I was hugely impressed with the whole effort by the team who all got on together so well. They seemed to be enjoying themselves which only made it easier for all of us to enjoy ourselves. All round a full five star review. It was a terrific six days which will last long in the memory. Thank you all so much.

Michael Spence

9 September 2024

We all had a great memorable time although the weather could have been kinder but we were dressed for it. The crew were great nothing was too much trouble.Food was excellent and flexible, catering for our different needs.

barry fehler

24 August 2024

We chartered the Lucy Mary for a Big Boat Adventure with our special and complicated family. It was even better than last year: there is a magical space where the sky meets the sea and everyone becomes their best self. Together our children, diverse in every way, were awed at following otter tracks up a pristine white beach, thrilled at fast and bumpy tender rides and delighted to hang over the bow with the dolphins. The crew scanned the sea for creatures great and small and navigated us into Fingal’s cave and up to the top of Ardnamurchan lighthouse; yet every adventure ended in a beautiful calm anchorage for swimming and sleeping. Each day we woke up to sparkling windows and stunning scenery; after each adventure we feasted on delicious fresh food at a whimsically decorated table. Somehow the water and wind and wild made the world stop awhile and we had huge fun and enjoyed every moment. Even the rain didn’t matter: our clothes dried superfast and we warmed up with hot chocolate and tea in thermos mugs (and chocolate cake). Next year’s adventure is already the highlight of our calendar.

Fiona Mylchreest

15 August 2024

The whole experience was amazing from start to finish, and that’s even though we never managed to reach the Outer Hebrides, like we'd been hoping (too much wind/swell in the Minch, thanks to hurricane remnants from across the Atlantic, so the Captain advised we turn back to Skye). We chartered the Emma Jane for 8 days, and there were three generations of us from 11 to 65 (including two kids). Most amazing was Chef Louis, who did the impossible, and served food to suit us all, despite our varied and complicated dietary issues. (Very, very tasty food too.) He was ably assisted by Jenny, our Steward, who kept everything running smoothly. And now everyone misses having their breakfast toast served to them in a Harris Tweed toast cosy. The scenery and wildlife were just as amazing, ably interpreted by our naturalist guide Lynsey. We had several pods of dolphins come surf the bow wave, much to everyone’s delight. As well as eagles and many other bird and mammal sightings, as well as rainbows, castles, perfect beachcombing beaches, and so much more. Lynsey led our rambles ashore, with options for the less energetic among us to still enjoy a stroll while those with younger knees tackled the hills. James, our captain, did a fine job of avoiding the worst of the swells, and he consulted with us each step of the way, so even though we were disappointed not to get to Lewis/Harris, we knew it was for the best. James and Lynsey also made for excellent hosts at dinner. This trip was to celebrate our 30th anniversary, and James managed to surprise us by having his daughter pipe in our cake while we were docked in Tobermory, in fine Scottish style. I’ll keep overusing the word “amazing” as it’s the only word which just about manages to capture the experience. Highly recommended. If you are thinking about doing a Hebrides cruise, do it, and do it with these people. You will not be disappointed. Thank you James, Lynsey, Jenny, and Louis; you made our trip extraordinary. Comments from other family members: Awesome, highly recommended. So friendly, and nice people, incredibly accommodating (especially Louis), extra awesome. Emma Jane is the best! When can we go again? I loved everything about the trip.

Barry Twycross

3 August 2024

Huge thanks once again to skipper Rob who, with his lovely boat the Elizabeth G and his magnificent team gave us such a wonderful family trip.  With his vast experience he was able to use a short weather window to get us to St Kilda and give us a magical half day there with the island to ourselves.  We landed in seven other places, were repeatedly in the company of common or bottlenose dolphins and saw eleven Minke whales in the Sound of Raasay.  Our crew were cook Charlie, steward Maggie and guide George who were superb in their roles, efficient and knowledgeable, and soon seemed to become part of the family for this special trip.  Very many thanks to you all including Emma who works so hard behind the scenes to make it all happen.  We hope to be back.  Margaret Knowles

Margaret Knowles

27 July 2024

Having left the Elizabeth G and the amazing Hebrides Cruises team today (following the most extraordinary 10 day trip to St Kilda & the Hebrides) I cannot shout loud enough in my support for this shortlisting!! Your care, attention, professionalism and quality are all beyond top standard. We have had amazing nature, wildlife, Hebrides and boating experiences and lessons everyday & I am leaving the trip with a far better awareness & understanding than when I started (in particular regarding our human impact on sea life and why we must respect & preserve it as much as possible). Thank you so much Hebrides Cruises & good luck in the finals!!

Kate Knowles

1 June 2024

Fellow guests have already expressed how you looked after us so wonderfully on a recent charter on Emma Jane but you all did such a good job you deserve all the praise we can give you! Please know how much all your hard work, friendliness and expertise was appreciated by us all As a repeat guest I knew my friends were in for a treat sailing on one of your lovely vessels and we weren’t disappointed as the holiday exceeded even my expectations. Thanks to Rob for guiding us safely through the weather, Zoe for her enthusiasm and knowledge, Sofia for pampering us ( and amazing table decorations) and last , but definitely not least , Nicola for her truly delicious gastronomic delights. To all the crew , Rob, Zoe , Sofia and Nicola , you made our holiday extra special and as we said our goodbyes it was like leaving friends behind rather than hosts! Well done Hebrides Cruises and full marks for yet another fabulous trip .

Hilary Holt

1 June 2024

We had the most amazing 6 days on the Emma Jane . We went to the small Isles and Skye ,seeing spectacular scenery. The crew were in every way outstanding . The skipper was informative and suggested ideas , including a very popular visit to a distillery! Nicola the chef provided us with exquisite food and Sofia the house keeper looked after us all with great finesse. Our wild life expert Zoe helped us to make the most of our trip seeing eagles and dolphins , many birds and a minke whale . We also did some great walks and hikes . We will definitely be back !

Chris and Judi Russell

1 June 2024

We have just returned from a cruise on the Emma Jane.It was excellent.The crew were fabulous.Nothing was too much trouble. Rob was a great captain ,keeping us safe and accommodating our wishes.What a nice guy.Zoe was our wildlife expert and guide ,so enthusiastic ,friendly and knowledgable. Nicola was our chef,her cooking was amazing.Every meal was fantastic .She catered for one of our number who is gluten free and for myself as I do not eat red meat. She always provided us with alternatives and little extras.In addition ,she is a lovely person. Finally there was Sofia ,our steward ,what a lovely young woman .She was very efficient and nothing was too much trouble. We visited 5 islands ,we saw loads of wildlife and we were generally lucky with the weather.I would highly recommend the company .My only advisory note would be that if you are tall ,Cabin 2 ,with beds at right angles would not be the best choice.

Carol Nicholls