10 April 2025
Dear Emma - I wanted to write a proper thank you for our cruise. I know you have all moved seamlessly to creating a special experience for the next sets of guests, but you must know that you, the whole team ashore and aboard, have once again created a treasure-trove of memories for our family. It’s hard to believe that a week ago we woke up on Lucy Mary looking at Lismore lighthouse. The whole experience was so perfect it’s like we stepped into another world at the end of the pontoon. The Hebrides are glorious and we were very lucky with the weather, but we know that the rest of the perfection comes from a great deal of skill, organisation, talent, and very hard work. You and James have created and inspired a team which not only provides five star service but also radiates fun, imagination, attention to detail and compassion. Indy’s enthusiasm is so infectious. Sammy somehow managed to make everyone’s favourite food and serve exactly what everyone wanted to eat. It was wonderful to see Will’s growing confidence; his rock-pooling was a revelation and we did so appreciate the shining windows and the flying tender and the great piles of coats and shoes and lifejackets that were all kept shipshape. Abbie is a marvel; there is no single thing to thank her for, but a million little things, which together create a feeling of welcome, safety, beauty and comfort. As well as a great leader of the team, James is an intuitive, talented and hugely knowledgeable skipper and we all loved being on the bridge looking at charts and searching for lights and beasties (and doing fast and bumpy on the tender). A heartfelt thank you from each and every one of us, especially me. I had the best time, doing what I love and knowing everyone else was happy too. With love
F Mylchreest
From the first contact to the final farewell, this couldn't have been a better experience. This particular cruise was perfect for me as a novice cruiser who suffers from sea-sickness! I'm now a convert.... six days was enough for my first trip but I'd be delighted to go for longer with Hebrides Cruises now. We were very lucky with the weather - only a day and a half of rain - and the sea was calm. The staff on land and the crew on board looked after us so well. The wildlife guide had an exceptional wealth of knowledge, the bosun could turn his hand to anything from origami napkins to cleaning the anchor chain, the cook should offer master classes in haute cuisine in a tiny galley and the skipper took decisions based on the conditions so that we had the best chance of seeing wildlife. All were professional and considerate, and relaxed. While the space on board is 'compact', it is a charming vessel with everything provided. I can't recommend this cruise highly enough!
Milly Goddard: 27 April 2024Skye and the Small Isles: Hebridean horizons