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Peregrine Travel Centre

Hidden Isles aboard Serenissima

Hidden Isles aboard Serenissima

From GBP £3,495

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Description

Join us aboard the MS Serenissima for a delightful summer voyage from Liverpool to Portsmouth by way of some of the most bewitching of places in the UK. Our journey will be a leisurely one visiting some truly idyllic islands where you can be as active or footloose as you choose. There will be organised walks with members of our expedition team as well as ample time for you to explore independently, and with a maximum of 95 passengers we will not overrun the islands but instead will be absorbed into island life.

Setting sail from Liverpool we will visit the Isle of Man, Anglesey, from where we explore the hidden garden of Plas Cadnant, and remote Lundy before arriving at the idyllic Isles of Scilly where we will be greeted with turquoise seascapes and white sandy beaches which give way to verdant isles and palm trees. The nurturing warm waters of the Gulf Stream have helped to create a microclimate endowing the islands with great botanical diversity and a highlight for many will be our visit to Tresco’s subtropical Abbey Gardens. Our final days will be spent in the Channel Islands where each island has its own unique character and we will head to some of the least explored including Alderney and Herm.

This is not a cruise that could be offered aboard a large cruise ship but is an ideal itinerary for the MS Serenissima with her ability to drop anchor and transfer guests ashore by Zodiac. For those who are looking for a break over summer and who enjoy botany, wildlife and history, or simply the joy of small ship cruising and the chance to explore on foot, this is the perfect getaway.

Trip Name
Hidden Isles aboard Serenissima
Days
9
Overview
Vessel Type: Small Ship Length: 87 metres Passenger Capacity: 95 Built / refurbished: 1960 / 2013 / 2019 MS Serenissima is a charming vessel and one of her best known and loved features of this vessel is its unique style. During a major refit the then owners commissioned Swedish interior designers to create a Gustavian style interior. This bright Swedish 18th century influenced, country house style works particularly well on a vessel of this vintage, providing intimacy and classic nautical sensibility often lacking in larger vessels. The vessel is equipped with a fleet of Zodiac landing craft allowing us to visit remote places where normal tender arrangements are not possible. The European Captain, Officers, Expedition Staff, and crew offer a first class service and have been selected for their professionalism and caring attitudes. The atmosphere on board is warm and welcoming and dedicated to discovery and relaxation. AIR-CONDITIONING The ship is air conditioned throughout. Please note that only the Serenissima Suites have individually controlled air-conditioning. DAILY PROGRAMME A Daily Programme, detailing the following day’s arrangements as well as any specific information about the day’s activities is produced onboard and delivered to your cabin each evening during the turn down service. DINING, DRINKING AND DIETARY REQUIREMENTS The Venice Restaurant onboard serves international cuisine and accommodates all guests at a single open seating. Tables seat 4 to 10 diners. In addition, there is an outside dining area for when the weather and itinerary permit. Breakfast and lunch are both buffet style, dinner is waiter service only. Complimentary (red and white) house wine, beer and soft drinks are included with lunch and dinner. Bar drinks and other beverages with meals are not included; these may be purchased onboard and paid for at the end of your cruise. Complimentary tea and coffee are available between 07:00 hours and 23:00 hours at the tea and coffee station located in the Andrea lounge. Please advise of any special dietary requests in advance. DISABLED FACILITIES The ship can accommodate passengers with mobility restrictions and wheelchair dependent passengers in cabin 407, which has a wider door and no step into/out of the bathroom and shower area. There is a lift serving decks 3 to 6, but there is no stair lift. DOCTOR A medical doctor is available on board 24 hours a day. A fee is charged for any consultations and medication prescribed. Please ensure you carry adequate supplies of any regular medications you may require.  ELECTRICITY The electrical outlets in the cabins and public areas are 220V and take a two-round-pin plug (as in continental Europe). There is a 110/220V, 60Hz outlet for electric shavers in the bathroom. We recommend that you bring an international adaptor. GRATUITIES Gratuities to crew and whilst on excursions are included in the cost of your holiday. INTERNET The onboard library has a computer equipped for email/internet access and Wi-Fi access is available in public areas, although you will require your own laptop, tablet or smartphone, and charges apply – 100mb for €15 Euros, or 500mb for €25 Euros. Please note that connection is dependent on weather conditions and location. LANGUAGE All members of the crew speak English. MONEY The following payment methods are accepted for settlement of shipboard accounts: Cash (Euros or British Pounds), Credit Card (MasterCard, Visa, American Express), Debit Card (MasterCard and Visa). Please note that personal cheques and Travellers’ Cheques are not accepted. PUBLIC AREAS • Andrea Lounge (on Deck 5). The bar is open from 11.00 until 24.00. • Harald Jarl Lounge (on Deck 5). There is a small library here with books and games. There is also a computer for public use (charges apply for internet access) • Lido area (on Deck 5) with a Jacuzzi and fitness room with two running machines • Observation Deck (access from Deck 5 lido area) • Deck 5 and Deck 6 outside seating areas SNORKELLING Snorkelling equipment is kept onboard. Please note that there is no snorkelling from Zodiacs. All snorkelling stops will operate from a beach.  TELEVISION The ship is equipped with a satellite TV system which receives 15 channels. TV reception depends on the satellite dish and on occasion it may not be possible to receive a signal. There is one central video channel on which it is possible to listen to the lectures delivered in the Andrea Lounge. There is also a channel for the ship’s camera located in front of the ship. ZODIACS Some destinations may require the use of Zodiacs to go ashore. These are usually on expedition cruises though may sometimes be used on destination cruises. 

Itinerary



Day 1 - Day 1 Liverpool, England.
Embark the MS Serenissima this afternoon. A transfer will be provided from Liverpool Lime Street Railway Station at a fixed time. In the early evening sail away from this iconic port under the watchful eye of the Liver Birds.
Day 2 - Day 2 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 3 - Day 3 Holyhead, Anglesey, Wales.
Over breakfast we arrive at Holyhead, adjacent to Anglesey with its spectacular sea cliffs. Here we will visit the RSPB’s reserve at South Stack, a beautiful but fragile maritime sward, farmland and heathland set on a stretch of dramatic seacliffs facing the islets of South Stack. If we are lucky, we might also see some choughs. On a choice of walks we also see Ellin’s tower, a Victorian folly, and South Stack lighthouse built in 1809, maybe spotting some dolphins in the waters below. This afternoon we drive the short distance to Plas Cadnant, a hidden historic garden, which is slowly being uncovered – a Welsh ‘Lost Gardens of Heligan’. Three different gardens have been discovered, including an unusual walled garden with curving walls and a pool, a secret valley garden with three waterfalls and a river, and an upper woodland garden with stone outcrops and the remains of a 19th century folly. Work started on restoring the gardens and grounds in 1997, which was a huge undertaking as large areas had not been maintained for more than 70 years. Since then large parts of the gardens have undergone a spectacular transformation and have been restored to their former glory.
Day 4 - Day 4 Lundy, England.
We have scheduled a whole day on 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 day being as active as you wish, maybe explore the wide bays and coves by way of hanging valleys, climb the lighthouse, have a drink or lunch at the tavern or buy the island’s ‘puffin stamps’ at the shop. If conditions permit, enjoy a Zodiac cruise spotting the island’s grey seals.
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 or maybe join one of our expedition team on a guided walk. 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 - Days 7 & 8 Alderney, Guernsey & Herm, Channel Islands.
Enjoy a relaxing morning at sea and arrive over lunch to begin our exploration of the islands of the Bailiwick of Guernsey. On an afternoon visit to Alderney, visit the island’s only town, St Anne, which has all the old-world charm of a Normandy village with tiny squares and pastel shaded cottages and shops. Maybe join a short walk to see the German fortifications or a longer walk with our naturalists heading to the cliffs. The following morning on Guernsey, the ‘Island of Flowers’, enjoy a panoramic drive during which we will see the beautiful coastline and beaches. Visit the Little Chapel, built in 1914 as a miniature version of the famous basilica at Lourdes and covered in fragments of shattered china, or, alternatively, join a cliff walk along the scenic coastline. Over lunch, we will sail the short distance to Herm, the smallest inhabited Channel Island and, at just one and a half miles long and half a mile wide, perfect for exploring on foot. Here, you will have free time to explore, perhaps take a stroll over to Shell or Belvoir Beach whilst our naturalists will be ashore on the lookout for wildflowers and birds.
Day 7 - Day 9 Portsmouth.
Disembark this morning. A transfer 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
28-08-202305-09-2023GBP £3,495Standard Stateroom
28-08-202305-09-2023GBP £3,695Classic Stateroom
28-08-202305-09-2023GBP £3,895Superior Stateroom
28-08-202305-09-2023GBP £4,295Deluxe Stateroom
28-08-202305-09-2023GBP £4,395Standard Single
28-08-202305-09-2023GBP £4,595Junior Suite
28-08-202305-09-2023GBP £4,895Owner’s Suite
28-08-202305-09-2023GBP £5,095Serenissima Suite

Inclusions

    • Isle of Man
    • Holyhead
    • Lundy
    • Isles of Scilly
    • Channel Islands

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