17 July 2023
Dear Emma - It was lovely to meet you briefly both before and after our recent cruise - Fiona and I had such a wonderful time, the fellow passengers were great company but what really made the trip was the fantastic crew, James (for the first 2 days), Bren, Zoe, Hannah and Charlie. They were so professional but also very personable and we could not have asked for better care (or indeed better food when it came to Charlie!). The cruise gave some spectacular highlights but for me the encounter with the humpback whale on the return leg was amazing but even better was the sunset off the Cairns of Coll - the evening meal had just finished when Bren came to announce that the sunset promise to be spectacular. I spent a good hour on the top deck photographing the beauty of the sunset but was aware of something special as Zoe, Hannah and Bren remained on top and there was total silence as we reflected on the profoundness of the scene.
Ian Woods
This was such a magical adventure. I can't praise the crew highly enough, with the attention to detail, caring approach, thoughtfulness and professionalism all making our trip so easy, relaxing, happy and fun. I travelled with my elderly mother who benefited from a helpful hand navigating some of the wobblier walking moments and was thrilled at the generous approach towards topping up her wine glass. The kindness and thought put into celebrating her birthday was hugely appreciated. Like me, she came away having enjoyed fabulous scenery, majestic views (we were so fortunate with the weather), amazing animal encounters, excellent food, cleanliness throughout and generous hospitality, but it was the sheer friendliness and kindness of the crew that made the holiday so perfect. I brought with me various food intolerances and not once did I feel that I was getting second-best, indeed quite the opposite with my own freshly-baked cake each day and a very understanding approach from the fabulous Izzy and Craig.
Rebecca Lovelace: 21 September 2024The Small Isles and sea lochs: Wildlife havens