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Peregrine Travel Centre

September in the Isles with Island Sky

September in the Isles with Island Sky

From GBP £3,895

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Description

Join us for a leisurely voyage from Troon to Portsmouth visiting both inhabited and uninhabited islands and places of great natural beauty where you can be as active and footloose as you choose. Sailing distances are short allowing us to visit multiple isles and on each island there will be organised walks with members of our expedition team as well as ample time for you to explore independently. This is not a cruise that could be offered aboard a large cruise ship but is an ideal itinerary for one the size of the all-suite MS Island Sky with her ability to drop anchor and transfer guests ashore by Zodiac or local tender.

This unique itinerary offers the rare opportunity to focus exclusively on islands and we will visit some of the most bewitching including the Isle of Man, the island of Lundy in the Bristol Channel and the Isles of Scilly where we have the benefit of two full days to explore. Here the grey Atlantic dissolves miraculously into turquoise, white sandy beaches give way to verdant islands and palm trees and the nurturing warm waters of the Gulf Stream have helped to create a microclimate endowing the islands with great botanical diversity. We will also visit Guernsey the ‘Island of Flowers’ where we explore its beautiful coastline and fascinating history.

With just over 100 passengers, we will not overrun the islands but instead will be absorbed into island life. Everything about this captivating corner of the kingdom is to be relished and our voyage will provide you with the opportunity to revel in the timeless enchantment, peace and serenity that so often evades us in this modern way of life.

Trip Name
September in the Isles with Island Sky
Days
8
Overview
Vessel Type: Luxury Small Ship Length: 90 metres Passenger Capacity: 116  Built / refurbished: 1992 / 2010 / 2017 Sister ship to Hebridean Sky. Island Sky and Hebridean Sky are truly sisters. Built in the same Italian Shipyard, both boast spacious, well-appointed suites, stylish common areas, and redundant core technology that allows them to operate smoothly, even under the most challenging of conditions. Both ships are all-suite, all-inclusive small expedition vessels with touches of elegance throughout. The Island Sky is scheduled for additional upgrades in 2017, including the addition of tinted sliding glass doors to all cabins on the Promenade Deck. Services: World-Class Cuisine Complimentary Wine or Beer with Dinner Live Entertainment Complimentary Coffee/Tea station Voyage Photographer On-board MD and Facilities Dedicated Passenger Service Manager Pre-voyage hotel night Complimentary Expedition Jacket Facilities: Elevator serving all passenger decks Upgraded WIFI Internet Library with computers Panoramic Top Deck Observation Platform Bar/Lounge with Live Entertainment Lounge with Audiovisual Facilities DVD Movie Library Tinted sliding glass doors in all cabins on the Promenade Deck World-Class Cuisine: Great expeditions require great food! Our team of world-class chefs offer breakfast, lunch and dinner menus that change daily. They have boat-loads of creativity, so you are sure to experience a variety of remarkable cuisine throughout your voyage. Accommodations: All Suites Feature: Exterior views Your choice of queen-sized or two twin-sized beds Sitting area with sofa and side chair Flat Screen TV with DVD/CD player Telephone Independent temperature controls Mini-Bar Marble-appointed bathroom with fine toiletries Hair dryer 220 square feet or more Sofa can be converted to bed for third person PLEASE NOTE - DECK PLANS CAN VARY.

Itinerary



Day 1 - Day 1 Troon, Scotland.
Embark the MS Island Sky this afternoon. Transfers will be provided from Glasgow International Airport and Glasgow Central Station at a fixed time. Enjoy welcome drinks and dinner this evening as we sail.
Day 2 - Day 2 Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland.
Located just a few miles from the North Antrim coast, Rathlin Island has been settled for more than 6000 years. Today, there are only 80 or so souls, whereas before the famine there were 1200 inhabitants. History is everywhere and on a guided walk we will discover historic buildings and ruins as well as the unique “upside down” Rathlin West Light, a great feat of engineering and one of the Great Lighthouses of Ireland.
Day 3 - Day 3 Peel, Isle of Man.
Arrive this morning on the Isle of Man at the main fishing port of Peel. Settlements have been here since the Mesolithic Age and the island also claims to have the longest continuous parliament which was founded in 979 AD. Leaving Peel we will visit Tynwald Hill, located in the little village of St John’s. This grass-topped, tiered hill is made from the soil and stones from each of the island’s 17 parishes and is the point from which, each 5th of July, all the laws enacted in the year preceding are promulgated to the gathered government officials and the public at large, both in Manx and English language. Continue to Castletown where we board the vintage steam train for a delightful and traditional journey to Douglas. Dating from 1874, the Isle of Man Steam Railway is the island’s oldest Victorian rail system and this narrow gauge railway still runs with its original locomotives and carriages. Return to the ship for lunch and enjoy an afternoon at leisure to explore Peel at your own pace.
Day 4 - Day 4 Lundy Island, England.
Spend the morning at sea as we continue our journey south. Over lunch we arrive at Lundy, a remote island in the Bristol Channel. Although small, just three miles long by half a mile wide, its isolation has made it a home for a range of wildlife as well as a selection of listed buildings and monuments. The towering cliffs and rocky shoreline are a haven for migrating seabirds, whilst Sika deer, red deer and Soay sheep can also be seen as we walk along its traffic-free lanes and paths. Using our Zodiacs to land ashore, spend the afternoon being as active as you wish, maybe explore the wide bays and coves by way of hanging valleys, climb the lighthouse, have a drink at the tavern or buy the island’s ‘puffin stamps’ at the shop.
Day 5 - Days 5 & 6 Tresco, St Martin’s, Bryher & St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly.
We have two days to explore the idyllic Isles of Scilly. From our central anchorage, we will use our Zodiacs and local tenders to visit a number of the islands in the group. We will visit traffic-free Tresco, walking its idyllic lanes from the beach to the famous subtropical Abbey Gardens. Defying the Atlantic weather, this miracle of a garden is home to more than 20,000 species of plants from over 80 countries. Enjoy time to wander at your own pace along the paths, maybe visit the Valhalla collection of ship figureheads from ships wrecked on the islands or relax in the café. See the northernmost island of the group, St Martin’s, a small island community of just 120 residents. Enjoy time to explore independently, climb one of the viewpoints for vistas over the islands and the offshore seal colonies, join one of our expedition team on a guided walk or maybe visit the island’s vineyard. We will tender ashore to Bryher, the smallest of the inhabited Isles of Scilly. Take the chance to wander along the tracks that cross the island amongst hedgerows and fields bursting with wildflowers. Those feeling active may wish to climb Watch Hill where in the past islanders would keep watch for ships in distress or alternatively take a stroll to one of the beautiful beaches. On St Mary’s, the largest island in the archipelago (yet still only six square miles), you can enjoy some time in the shops in Hugh Town or walk the historic Garrison Walls.
Day 6 - Day 7 Guernsey, Channel Islands.
We spend our last day exploring Guernsey and during a panoramic drive will see the beautiful coastline, rocky cliffs and wild sandy bays. Along the coast we will see the Martello Towers, built during the Napoleonic wars, and the fortifications built by the Germans during the occupation in the Second World War. Return to the ship via country lanes and the Little Chapel, built in 1914 as a miniature version of the famous basilica at Lourdes and covered in fragments of shattered china, seashells and pebbles. This afternoon is free to explore St Peter Port at your own pace or to join a cliff walk where, if the weather is fine, we should be able to see the nearby Channel Islands and possibly the French coast.
Day 7 - Day 8 Portsmouth.
Disembark this morning after breakfast. Transfers will be provided to Portsmouth Harbour Railway Station at a fixed time.
Day 8 - Please Note:
Itineraries are subject to change.

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
12-09-202319-09-2023GBP £3,895Magellan Deck Standard Suite
12-09-202319-09-2023GBP £4,195Columbus Deck Superior Suite
12-09-202319-09-2023GBP £4,395Marco Polo Deck Premium Suite
12-09-202319-09-2023GBP £4,695Marco Polo Deck Corner Suite
12-09-202319-09-2023GBP £4,895Magellan Deck Standard Single
12-09-202319-09-2023GBP £5,195Columbus Deck Superior Single
12-09-202319-09-2023GBP £5,295Erikson Deck Deluxe Balcony Suite
12-09-202319-09-2023GBP £5,695Explorer Deck Owner's Balcony Suite
12-09-202319-09-2023GBP £6,195Explorer Deck Island Suite

Inclusions

    • Rathlin Island
    • Lundy Island
    • Guernsey

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