21 September 2024
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. Hannah provided expert wildlife guidance and was so welcoming, knowledgeable, kind and engaging. We could make informed decisions about the walks and she was always available and wonderfully enthusiastic, providing a helpful recap each evening that also helped bring our fellow guests together. Chris was a very welcoming skipper and we benefited from his expertise (changing routes to avoid choppy water / bad weather) and particularly appreciated his summary each evening of where we'd been and cruising plans for the next day. Craig was the most perfect steward/bosun in making us feel so very welcome and at home, with laughter plenty and every guest detail noted and remembered. Izzy cooked the most incredible meals and we were sated and amazed each day, with delicious and inventive food and great thoughtfulness regarding dietary needs. Huge congratulations and thanks to all the team for making our holiday so very special. In summary, our cruise was incredibly special and very magical. We can't praise the team enough and found all elements to work so well together, from the amazing food to the friendliness and professionalism, with such a stunning backdrop and a very well understood and researched itinerary. Pausing the boat to enjoy dolphins, view white-tailed eagles and hunt for the elusive Minke whale really did put guests first, most importantly in balance with nature too. A holiday we will never forget and certainly one that we would repeat.
Rebecca Lovelace
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