heb newsletter

Cruising the Clyde

Inside this issue

Wonders of the Natural World

The Isle of Ulva

Flavours of Scotland

By appointment to HM The Queen.

Provision of cruise holidays on Hebridean Princess.

All Leisure Holidays trading as Hebridean Island Cruises.

TheHEBRIDEANTIMES

I S S U E E I G H T E E N | W I N T E R 2 0 1 4

02 T H E H E B R I D E A N T I M E S • W I N T E R 2 0 1 4

Contents

03 Welcome from the Chief

Operating Officer

Ken Charleson’s Foreword

04 View from the Bridge

by Captain Richard Heaton

05 News from the ship

Charity fundraising

Food and Travel Magazine Award

06 A Fond Farewell

by Christine Broadley, Office Manager

07 Doon the Watter

by Ken Charleson,

Chief Operating Officer

08 On the Move

by Mike Everett, Guest Speaker

09 Competition

Scottish Seabirds Anagram Quiz

Sea-changers

Over £10,000 raised for Marine

Conservation Projects

10 The Isle of Ulva

11 New cruise for 2015

Flavours of Scotland

12 The Elegant Way to cruise the

Rhine, Main and Danube Rivers

by Jonathan Moffatt, Sales

& Marketing Manager

13 What our guests say

14 Ilkley Literature Festival

Mini Kilt Tours e-books

15 Cruising with All Leisure Holidays

A host of holiday opportunities for you

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03T H E N E W S L E T T E R O F H E B R I D E A N I S L A N D C R U I S E S

Welcome from the Chief Operating Officer

AS you read this winter edition

of The Hebridean Times,

Hebridean Princess will

have just completed her 2014 cruising

season at Greenock and will be entering

dry dock for her annual visit. During

the winter months many of the crew

are hard at work overhauling the ship’s

engines as well as carrying out repairs

and maintenance work, in order to ensure

everything both front of house and

behind the scenes on board Hebridean

Princess is ready to welcome guests in

March 2015, for her 27th cruising season.

As we look back on the 2014 season, which

saw our successful return to Norway for

the first time since 2009, Captain Heaton

reflects on his personal highlights.

We feature the Firth of Clyde which,

over the last four years, has become a

popular addition to our regular cruising

area, both early and late in the season.

We also hear from Mike Everett, one

of our guest speakers, on what you

might encounter if you join him on The

Wonders of the Natural World cruise

departing from Greenock on 17th March.

We focus on one of our favourite islands,

Ulva, and give you an insight into what

some of our crew have been doing in

their efforts to raise money for charity.

We also thought you might be interested

in what some of your fellow guests had to

say about their Hebridean experience.

Jonathan Moffatt, our Sales & Marketing

Manager, (please note the new job title,

well done to Jonathan who has been

rewarded for all his hard work) focuses on

what will be our 4th season of European

river cruises on the Royal Crown,

featuring the Rhine, Main and Danube.

I hope you enjoy this, the 18th Edition of The

Hebridean Times, and we look forward to

welcoming you on board on either Hebridean

Princess or Royal Crown in 2015, if not both!

Ken Charleson – Chief Operating Officer

“ We focus on one of our favourite islands,

Ulva, and give you an insight into what

some of our crew have been doing in

their efforts to raise money for charity.

“


FROM THE BRIDGEby Captain Richard Heaton

Well it has to be said

that this season really

has flown by and our

winter berth at James Watt Dock

seems like a distant memory.

As I write this there are only a

handful of cruises left this year and

I’d like to share with you some of

my highlights of the year so far...

In May we enjoyed a rare treat indeed,

as four white-tailed sea eagles were

spotted amidst the abundance

of sea birds at the Shiant Isles.

Pushing north to Handa Island we

enjoyed even closer encounters

with puffins and arctic skuas.

We certainly covered some mileage

in June; heading south to Northern

Ireland we ‘shot the rapids’, so to speak,

in Strangford Lough - taking in views

of an incredible feat of engineering

in the form of the world’s first

commercially installed tidal turbine.

Crossing over the Irish Sea, our Manx

friends made us feel welcome, as

always, in the sheltered harbour of Peel

on the Isle of Man. With the weather

on our side our guests enjoyed some

wonderful visits and views of the

island, but all too soon it was time to

leave - a real shame, as having lived on

the island I know only too well that this

little gem has plenty more to offer...who

knows what future itineraries will hold.

(Hebridean Princess is scheduled to

visit the Isle of Man on the

Gaelic Tapestry cruise

commencing 9th June 2015).

Back on the west coast again, we

embarked on our second St Kilda

cruise of the season, venturing out

into the Atlantic. With a pleasant

overnight passage, our early morning

arrival at the stacs was a bit misty,

but very atmospheric, as we cruised

the gannet colonies of Boreray, Stac

Armin and Stac Lee. As the morning

progressed, the sun won through

and made for a fantastic landing at

Village Bay on the main island, Hirta.

Returning through the stacs, we set

course for an alternative route back;

in recent years the charts and buoyage

for the Sound of Harris have been

greatly improved, so with favourable

weather and tidal conditions it seemed

the ideal opportunity to make use of

this passage - certainly a first for me.

Now we come to my favourite of the

year so far...Norway. It has been five

years since Hebridean Princess last

visited the Norwegian Fjords, and

what a fantastic time we had there.

Cruising deep into Sognefjord, fond

memories came flooding back as

we berthed alongside some of the

smallest piers, ran mooring lines

across gardens and rigged our

gangway by cafes and bars - much to

the fascination of the local populous

and passing tourists. It always serves

as a reminder when Hebridean

Princess visits these beautiful

secluded places, because at the end

of the day size isn’t everything and it

always brings a wry smile to my face

knowing that we can reach the parts

others cruisers can only dream of!

Returning across the North Sea from

Norway is always a challenge - the

weather and sea conditions can be

kind or equally harsh. This year it was

amazing, so much so that we enjoyed

a guest and crew BBQ out on the boat

deck. So far, 2014 has been mint!

CAPTAIN RICHARD HEATON

NORTH SEA BBQView

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Crew News


Charity fundraising

Many of you may have heard

of the Ice Bucket Challenge

which took the world by

storm earlier this year. Sometimes

called the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge,

it involved pouring a bucket of

iced water over someone’s head to

promote awareness of the disease

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

and to encourage donations to

research. It went viral on social

media during July–August 2014. In

the USA many people participated

for the ALS Association, and in the

UK many people participated for the

Motor Neurone Disease Association,

although some individuals opted

to donate the money from their Ice

Bucket Challenges to other charities.

Both of our Hebridean Princess

Captains, and a number of the

ship’s crew, took part in Ice Bucket

Challenges this summer.

Whilst the vessel was in Norway in

August, Captain Richard Heaton

and several crew members took

part in an Ice Bucket Challenge

in order to raise awareness for

Macmillan Cancer Support. It took

place in Fjaerland, Sognjefjord with

the back drop of Supphellebreen

and Boyabreen Glaciers.

Although this event was not openly

advertised to the guests, several did

hear about it and wished to add their

support. They banded together and

raised funds of their own free will,

raising a total of £540 for which

we would like to thank them.

Those taking part were:

Captain Richard Heaton (Master)

Caroline Palmer (First Officer)

David Indge (Chief Purser)

George Little (Sous Chef)

Lance Miller (Chef de Partie)

In a moment of wild enthusiasm,

Captain Trevor Bailey entered into

the world of Ice Bucket Challenges

during the Footloose to the Butt of

Lewis cruise in September, diving

into the sea off the Isle of Lewis,

before being ‘drowned’ in ice by one

of the guests. This challenge raised

just over £300 for the Macmillan

Cancer charity - many thanks to

the guests for their generosity.

Food and Travel Magazine Award

The 2014 Food and Travel

Magazine Reader Awards

were held at The Mandarin

Oriental Hyde Park on September 1st,

honouring the best of the best in the

worlds of food, drink and travel.

Hebridean Island Cruises was

delighted to be awarded winner of the

Adventure Cruise Line of the year and

the award was collected by Sales and

Marketing Manager, Jonathan Moffatt.

The award recognises the dedication

of all crew and staff afloat and ashore,

as well as the loyalty of our guests. Our

thanks go to each and every one of

them, as well as to the readers of Food

and Travel Magazine.

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JONATHAN COLLECTS THE AWARD

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I remember it well.

In those days I didn’t have my

own transport so was relying on

the local bus service to transport

me the short distance out of

town to my new employment.

I had carefully checked out how long

it would take to walk from my home

to the bus station in town; I had the

timetable and worked out which bus

I needed to catch, so I was confident

I would arrive on time – wrong!

What I hadn’t factored into my

calculations was the fact that the

bus might not arrive. It didn’t!

I waited, and waited – “This often

happens” exclaimed my fellow

passengers – no consolation.

My first day with Hebridean

and I was late!!

However, I must have been forgiven

because 22 years, 6 months and

17 days later I am still here!

How things have changed in that time;

in the first years I worked for Susan

and Tony Binns, founders of the

company who were inspired to create

Hebridean Princess. Since then, I’ve

seen Managing Directors come and go;

Captains come and go; moved offices

several times. There were challenging

times with the acquisition of Hebridean

Spirit; the number of staff at that time

grew from just nine initially to around

40, but now we’re back to a loyal

A Fond Farewellby Christine Broadley, Office Manager

From L to R, DAVID SMITH (former Business Development Manager) ALISON BANKS (former

Administration Director) SUSAN BINNS (Founder of the Company) CHRISTINE BROADLEY

(retiring Office Manager) TONY BINNS (Founder of the Company) LISA WHITE (Reservations

Manager) LOUISE PRATT (Sales Consultant) and ANDREW QUARRIE (former Chief Purser)

And now it’s time to ‘hang

up my boots’ as they say

and hand over the reins

to someone else, but I

guess it will take some

time to get ‘Hebridean’ out

of my system – if at all.

“

“

Along with other significant dates, birthdays and anniversaries,

16th March 1992 is firmly etched into my brain – my first day at

Hebridean Island Cruises.

team of ten, most of whom have been

with the company for many years.

My job has also changed directions

over the years; starting out as

Administration Assistant and

ending up as Office Manager with

responsibility for most things

printed – very much a ‘back of house‘

position but still contributing to

the experience that is Hebridean.

And now it’s time to ‘hang up my

boots’ as they say and hand over the

reins to someone else, but I guess it

will take some time to get ‘Hebridean’

out of my system – if at all.”

On Wednesday 24th September the

staff at the Skipton office surprised

Christine, our longest serving member

of shoreside staff, with a get-together

of personnel past and present,

including founders of the company,

Susan and Tony Binns, and the original

Chief Purser, Andrew Quarrie, when

she was presented with an engraved

Dartington Crystal clock. Reservations

Manager Lisa White baked and

decorated this beautiful chocolate

cake which was enjoyed by all.


To many the River Clyde conjures

up visions of the heyday of

ship building; over 25,000

ships have been built on the river

since the founding of Scotts Shipyard

in Greenock in 1712; to others it is

synonymous with the industrial decline

of the second half of the 20th Century.

There is however another river, west of

the city, the one where Victorian workers

escaped the grime of the factories

and the shipyards and boarded the

Clyde Steamers to take them “Doon

the Watter” for their annual holiday.

While the Clyde, and more accurately

the Firth of Clyde, has featured in

Hebridean Princess itineraries from

as early as her first year in 1989, it

was not until 2010 that we started to

feature regular cruises on the Clyde,

mainly in March and November.

The Firth of Clyde is one of the deepest

coastal waterways in the UK, protected

from the Atlantic by the Kintyre

Peninsula, and contains a number of

sea lochs that penetrate deep into the

surrounding land, providing beautiful

scenic cruising areas including Lochs

Fyne, Long, Goil and Striven.

The firth is scattered with over 40

islands and skerries, including nine

main islands; Ailsa Craig, Arran,

Bute, Davaar, Great Cumbrae, Holy

Isle, Inchmarnock, Little Cumbrae

and Sanda. Today however only

four are inhabited - Arran, Bute,

Great Cumbrae and Holy Isle.

The Highland Boundary Fault,

which separates the Lowlands from

the Highlands, runs through the

middle of the Firth of Clyde creating

islands of great contrast, leaving

some islands in the Lowlands and

others in the Highlands, plus the

odd one split between both.

All along the firth there is an

abundance of wildlife to be found;

harbour porpoise, common and

grey seals are frequent visitors and

otters are commonly sighted.

Ailsa Craig, famous for the granite used

to make curling stones, also boasts an

internationally important gannetry.

The gannets, along with many other

seabirds, waders and ducks, either

breed or winter on the shores around

the Firth of Clyde and are often seen.

The Clyde has been an important

seaway since Viking times and, as

such, has been well defended. The

area boasts a number of medieval

castles, many in ruins, but others

still lived in or partially restored.

We visit a number of castles, from

the ruins of Robert the Bruce’s castle

at Tarbert and Robert II’s favourite

residence at Dundonald, to the

extended Kelburn Castle, still the

family home of Lord Glasgow.

Later developments saw elaborate

and elegant country homes built, a

number of which are still family homes

to this day, such as Ardgowan House,

Ardkinglas and Finlaystone House.

These properties are not open to the

general public but the owners allow

special access for Hebridean guests

offering a private tour of their homes,

often led by a member of the family.

Other properties, such as the

flamboyant Mount Stuart House on

Bute, the Duke of Argyll’s Inveraray

Castle and Dumfries House,

saved by the Duke of Rothesay

for the nation, open out of season

especially for Hebridean guests,

offering enlightening private tours.

A number of National Trust for Scotland

properties will also open outwith their

normal season for our guests, including

Brodick Castle, Culzean Castle and

Hill House, all of which offer exclusive

behind the scenes tours when visitors

are not generally made welcome.

The Firth of Clyde offers a fascinating

area to cruise, with scenic lochs,

elegant mountains, abundant

wildlife and an extraordinary history

of human settlement. In true

Hebridean style you get to experience

it in a unique way, far from the

hustle and bustle of the crowds.

Hebridean Princess is scheduled to cruise the Clyde on the following departures in 2015:2nd March – Outlook on the Clyde

6th March – Pearls of Argyll and Bute

10th March – Houses and

Castles of the Clyde

17th March – Wonders of

the Natural World

27th October – Voyage to the Clyde

3rd November – Grand

Houses of the Clyde

9th November - Outlook on the Clyde

13th November – Pearls

of Argyll and Bute

Prices from $1,699 per person

based on double occupancy of an

inside cabin.

GREAT CUMBRAE

Doon the Watterby Ken Charleson, Chief Operating Officer


On the Moveby Mike Everett, Guest Speaker

Just after the middle of March,

Hebridean Princess begins a

journey that will, in effect, take

her out of winter quarters and on to

her base for the spring and summer

season. The timing is particularly apt;

at around the same time, the huge

turnover in bird populations that we

call “migration” will be getting under

way too. It likewise involves changes

of scene and different routines.

It is possible that we might encounter

one or two front-runners from the

hundreds of thousands of small

birds that will already be moving

out of Africa towards Scotland, but

where migrants are concerned we

will essentially be looking at birds

preparing to go the other way - from

winter in Argyll back to breeding

grounds far to the north, in many

cases in the brief but benign Arctic

summer. When we visit Islay, we should

be in plenty of time to see some

of the thousands of wild geese for

which Western Scotland is famous

in winter. These are Greenland

White-fronted Geese and the much

more numerous Barnacle Geese, also

from Greenland. The RSPB Reserve we

visit is an internationally important

refuge for these birds, and one that

is a working farm also specially

managed with their needs in mind.

Seabirds too will be much to the

fore during this trip. Many of them

will be migrants returning to breed

in Scotland, in their case having

wintered at sea, sometimes a long

way from home. We will not be all that

far, in Gannet terms at least, from

their huge and important colony on

Ailsa Craig. Gannets are common,

big and obvious, but we will probably

have to work a bit harder to sort out

Guillemots and Razorbills out on the

open sea - and perhaps a few Puffins

too. Black Guillemots are a lot easier

to see. They are common in the waters

we will be cruising, usually close

inshore and frequently inside harbours

themselves. And whenever we are in a

harbour, the big gulls there will merit

a close look; in western Scotland in

winter, there is always a chance of

finding either Glaucous or Iceland

Gulls, both visitors from the Arctic.

Close inshore, there will be Eiders

and Shags, and also Black-throated

and Great Northern Divers to look

for. These last two have a particular

liking for the area around Gigha,

and in fact the Sound of Gigha is

one of the most important wintering

areas in Britain for both of them.

The Great Northern is actually a very

scarce winter migrant to Britain, with

the total population not much in

excess of 300 individuals. The five-

year average count for the Sound of

Gigha stands at 88, but it is distorted

somewhat by the fact that in one

winter over 200 were counted there!

This is just a taster for what we ought

to see. Any guest speaker whose job

is also to show birds to people knows

better than to guarantee anything, but

we should see lots of birds, plus seals

and, with luck, perhaps an otter or two

as well. There ARE Golden Eagles in a

few places we will be visiting, and one

of Scotland’s rarest birds, the Chough,

is found on Islay: no promises, but

we will be keeping our eyes open...

Wonders of the Natural World departs from Greenock on

17th March 2015 for seven nights.


based on double occupancy of

an outside cabin with portholes.

GANNET BY JOHN NOORANI

PUFFINS

Wonders of the Natural World


Your Generosity has now raised over £10,000 for Marine Conservation ProjectsHebridean Islands Cruises’ partnership

with marine conservation charity

Sea-Changers is now in its third year.

Many guests have chosen to add a

small donation to their booking, as

a way of giving something back to

protect the beautiful seas, shores

and marine wildlife that form such a

fundamental part of the experience

when cruising on board Hebridean

Princess. The total raised now exceeds

£10,000. Every penny donated goes

to fund vital marine conservation

projects, including: direct clean-

up activities; species protection

work; conservation research or

education and awareness-raising.

The charity’s activities have increased

in 2014 as a direct result of your

generosity. Sea-Changers has recently

supported important work in and

around the Garnock Valley and Irvine,

to make this part of Scotland an even

better place for marine wildlife. The

RSPB received funds to run wildlife

workshops at Irvine Harbour and

to conduct a community clean-

up around the nearby estuary to

improve this inter-tidal habitat for the

wintering and breeding shore birds.

This is just one example of recent

activities, in part made possible by

the generosity of Hebridean Island

Cruises’ guests. To find out more

about Sea-Changers’ work, visit

www.sea-changers.org.uk

Competition

The anagrams below are the names of 12 Scottish seabirds, many of

which could be spotted from a cruise on Hebridean Princess. Unscramble

the letters and email your answers, along with your name, address and

postcode to [email protected] by 31st December 2014.

One winner will be randomly selected from the correct entries and will receive

a copy of the RSPB Guide to Scottish Birds and a pair of RSPB binoculars.

Scottish Seabirds Anagram Quiz

01 TASK ARGUE

02 MARX WHERE SATAN

03 IT WEAK KIT

04 CENTRIC ART

05 LETTER ROMPS

06 MOCK GULLIBLE AT

Please note email addresses may be used for marketing purposes.

If you would prefer not to receive email communications from

Hebridean Island Cruises, please state this in your entry.

07 WIDE AGILE ATHLETE

08 CUE KIDDER

09 ACORN MORT

10 ARM FLU

11 BULK CALL DECK BAG

12 HANG RENT ON RENT

Many eagle eyed readers (pardon the

pun!) correctly identified the location

of the ship in the picture competition

in the last issue and the answer is

shown below. The lucky winners were

Mr Simon Greenly of Southampton,

Mrs Heather Smith of Kyle and

Mr David Stewart of Ulverston, all of

whom received a lovely cotton polo

shirt with a Hebridean Princess logo.

Answer to the picture

competition from Issue 17:

The location of Hebridean

Princess was Kyleakin with Castle

Maol in the background.


The Isle of Ulva

Lying just off Mull’s west coast,

bound by Loch Tuath to the

north and by Loch Na Keal to the

south, is the privately owned island

of Ulva. Measuring, at its greatest

extent, five miles from east to west

and two and a half miles from north to

south, Ulva is now home to a thriving

population of 16 people, most of

whom are engaged in sheep and cattle

farming, fish and oyster farming or

tourism. There are no tarmac roads,

no hustle and bustle of modern life,

however what the island does have is

a stunning nature and an extremely

peaceful and almost forgotten way

of life. The current proprietors, the

Howard family, are dedicated to

creating a balance between the

needs of the community and the

preservation of one of Scotland’s

most unique and beautiful islands.

Ulva’s history dates back thousands

of years and it’s name probably comes

from the Old Norse for ‘Wolf Isle’,

revealing a history of settlement by

the Vikings in around 800. However,

the Vikings were not Ulva’s first

residents; standing stones on the

island date back to around 1500

BC and Livingstone’s cave, a raised

sea cave on the south side of the

island, has revealed traces of human

occupation dating back 7,000 years.

Ulva was traditionally the property

of the Clan MacQuarrie. Lachlan

MacQuarrie, last chief to live on

the island, claimed that his clan had

possessed the island since the 9th

century. The most famous member of

the clan, General Lachlan MacQuarrie,

was born here in 1762 and went on

to become Governor of New South

Wales. His mausoleum at Gruline on

Mull is described as the last resting

place of ‘The Father of Australia.’

On 16th October 1773, Lachlan

MacQuarrie’s father, also called

Lachlan, was visited by James Boswell

and Samuel Johnson. Boswell wrote

“M’Quarrie’s house was mean; but

we were agreeably surprised with the

appearance of the master, whom we

found to be intelligent, polite and

much a man of the world. Though

his clan is not numerous, he is a very

ancient chief, and has a burial place

at Icolmkill. He told us his family had

possessed Ulva for 900 years; but I was

distressed to learn that it was soon to

be sold for the payment of his debts.”

The island was sold by the MacQuarries

in 1777. The new laird, Francis William

Clark, undertook large scale and rapid

clearance of the resident population

to make way for grazing. The ruthless

new owner deported over two-thirds

of the population in just 4 years,

turning families out of their cottages

without warning by setting fire to the

thatch! This, together with potato

famines, saw Ulva’s population

decline from over 600 in the 1840’s

to just over 50 residents by 1881.

Today Ulva’s woodlands, shores and

open moors make it an ideal place for

bird watching and wildlife is plentiful.

The animals and plants you see will

depend on the season, but red deer,

mountain hares and the occasional

sea otter might be spotted at any time

of year. 123 different species of birds

have been recorded on the island.

A restored thatched cottage, known as

Sheila’s Cottage, near the ferry landing,

houses Ulva’s Heritage Centre. Once

the home of Sheila MacFadyen, here

you can learn about life on the island

from the Stone Age to the present

day, and the famous visitors to Ulva,

including Boswell and Johnson, as

well as Sir Walter Scott and Beatrix

Potter. The grandparents of the

famous explorer David Livingstone

also lived here and you can walk up

to the ruins of their croft house.

Ulva had it’s own Parliamentary Church,

one of five churches on Mull and Iona

designed by Thomas Telford and built

in 1828 to his standard T-plan design.

A visit to Ulva is not complete without

sampling the delicious home cooked

food and home made cakes at the

Boathouse tearoom which specialises

in locally available ingredients,

including the island’s own oysters.

Hebridean Princess is scheduled to visit the Isle of Ulva on the following cruises in 2015:24th March

Seasons of the Inner Isles

31st March

Easter in the Hebrides

7th April

Footloose in the Inner Isles

30th June

Classical Music Sojourn

4th September

Hebridean Sampler


based on double occupancy of an

inside cabin.

Today Ulva’s woodlands, shores and

THE BOATHOUSE


New cruise for 2015Flavours of Scotland

2015 is the year of Food and

Drink in Scotland, a chance

to showcase the nation’s

outstanding natural larder

and quality produce.

During Scotland’s last Year

of Food & Drink in 2010,

the International Culinary

Tourism Association described

Scotland as one of the most

‘unique, memorable and

interesting places’ for food

and drink on the planet.

In order to celebrate this

landmark year, we have

introduced a new cruise for 2015

exploring the fantastic local

produce of the Highlands and

Islands, including whisky, oysters,

honey and cheese, as well as

sampling the culinary offerings

of the renowned Kinloch Lodge,

Torridon Hotel and Three

Chimneys restaurant. The cruise

is rounded off with a Champagne

reception at Duart Castle,

hosted by Sir Lachlan Maclean,

Chieftain of the Clan Maclean.

Owing to the unprecedented

interest in our newly introduced

Flavours of Scotland cruise,

departing on 13th October 2015,

we have now added a second

departure commencing 14th

April. We are extremely grateful

to Lady Clare MacDonald, owner

of Kinloch Lodge Hotel, who will

provide a cookery demonstration

during the April cruise.

Travel Plan – 7 nights

Tuesday 14th April

Embarkation in Oban.

Wednesday 15th April

Morning; Laphroaig Distillery

from Port Ellen, Isle of Islay.

Afternoon; Colonsay Oysters

and Honey, Isle of Colonsay.

Thursday 16th April

Morning; Iona Abbey.

Afternoon; Cruise the west coast

of Mull and the Small Isles.

Friday 17th April

Morning; Kinloch Lodge

from Armadale, Isle of Skye.

Afternoon; Kyle of Lochalsh.

Saturday 18th April

Morning; Cruise under the

Skye Bridge to Shieldaig

for walks ashore.

Afternoon; The Torridon

Hotel from Shieldaig.

Sunday 19th April

Morning; Dunvegan Castle

and Three Chimneys

Restaurant, Loch Dunvegan.

Afternoon; Cruise

the Small Isles.

Monday 20th April

Morning; Isle of Mull

Cheese from Tobermory.

Afternoon; Champagne

reception at Duart Castle

from Craignure, Isle of Mull.

Tuesday 21st April

Disembarkation in Oban.

Prices per person

Cabins Was Save Now

Buie; Scavaig; Scresort SOLD OUT

Islay; Jura; Mull; Sleat SOLD OUT

Canna; Eigg; Rum SOLD OUT

Harport; Torridon $5,499 $550 $4,949

Lews $7,699 $770 $6,929

Kinloch; Torosay $8,699 $870 $7,829

Danna SOLD OUT

Colonsay $10,899 $1,090 $9,809

Barra $10,899 $1,090 $9,809

Bute $12,499 $1,250 $11,249

Arran SOLD OUT

OBAN

JURA

ISLAY

Craignure Duart CastleIONA

Iona Abbey

COLONSAY Colonsay Oysters

and Honey

CANNA

SKYE

RUM

EIGG

MUCK

MULL

COLL

Port EllenLaphroaig

Distillery

TobermoryIsle of Mull Cheese

Shieldaig Torridon Hotel

Armadale Kinloch Lodge

DunveganDunveganCastle

Three ChimneysRestaurant


Vistas and Vineyards of the Rhine

3rd to 10th July 2015

Basel to Nuremberg

with guest speaker

Dr Arabella Woodrow MW

The Rhine Valley is

renowned for some of the

finest wines throughout

Europe and this cruise will

introduce you to some of

the many varieties available

including Alsace, Neckar

and Franconian wines.

From $4,620 per person

Danube Symphony

10th to

17th July 2015

Nuremberg to Budapest

with guest speaker

James Naughtie

Explore the romantic

Danube whilst enjoying a

variety of musical recitals,

including the Regensburg

Domspatzen and the

Vienna Philharmonic

string quartet, staged in

some of the most acoustic

locations in the area.


Treasures of the Danube

22nd to

29th August 2015

Budapest to Nuremberg with

guest speaker Eric Knowles

Relish some of Europe’s

most eclectic centres

on this Danube cruise

encompassing the

architectural and artistic

gems of Budapest,

Bratislava, Vienna and more.


Discovering the Rhine

29th August to

5th September 2015

Nuremberg to Amsterdam with

guest speaker Major General

Peter Williams, CMG, OBE

Explore the military past

of the Rhine on this cruise

sailing from Germany to

the Netherlands as we take

in Cologne Cathedral, the

Arnhem Airborne Museum

and the magnificent splendour

of the Rhine Gorge.


The Elegant WayTO CRUISE THE RHINE, MAIN AND DANUBE RIVERS

by Jonathan Moffatt, Sales & Marketing Manager

2015 Hebridean River Cruises Calendar

OFFER

SAVE 10%ON THE FARES

SHOWN

152015

A river cruise is

an elegant and

relaxing way to

discover Europe from a

different perspective and,

as Hebridean River Cruises

approaches it’s fourth year

of operation, it has gained

an enviable reputation for

offering exceptionally well

planned and genuinely

all-inclusive itineraries

on the rivers of Europe.

The 2015 Hebridean River

Cruises programme takes

us to the Rhine, Main and

Danube rivers, where we

are transported to the heart

of iconic cities, including

Strasbourg, Cologne,

Vienna and Budapest.

Enchanting towns such

as Bamberg, Melk and

Regensburg enhance our

voyages of exploration

along these magnificent

waterways of Europe.

Each of our meticulously

planned itineraries is

uncovered from on

board the delightful river

cruiser Royal Crown.

Accommodating just 85

like-minded guests, a

house party atmosphere

will prevail and, to ensure

that our guests enjoy their

river cruise to the full, our

own Chief Pursers from on

board the revered Hebridean

Princess accompany each

itinerary to oversee the

delivery of discreet service.

Unlike most other

cruises, a Hebridean river

cruise includes all shore

visits, accompanied by

Hebridean’s Host, Cruise

Director and Tour Manager

and after a morning or

afternoon ashore the

warm welcome of Royal

Crown awaits your return.

Comfortable sofas adorn

the panoramic lounge,

the social hub of the ship,

where guests enjoy a

glass of Champagne and

mingle before dinner, as

Hebridean’s musician gently

plays the baby grand piano.

Royal Crown’s restaurant

delivers a mix of British

and European cuisine and

the Head Chef has worked

closely with Hebridean

River Cruises to produce the

highest standard of menu

choices, utilising some

of the finest and freshest

ingredients available.


What our guests sayWe are always striving for excellence, and ensuring that guests have a five star

holiday experience in every way is central to the ethos of Hebridean Island Cruises.

That is why your opinion matters to us and we welcome your feedback.

Our After Cruise Questionnaires are a good indicator of guest satisfaction

and we love to receive your comments and feedback. In the 2014 season on

Hebridean Princess guests indicated that:

I just want to say that the Captain and

crew were excellent and have made

my holiday an unforgettable and truly

wonderful experience. Thank you.

Mrs S, Windsor

Everything is done to perfection, in

great style. The cuisine surprises with

outstanding quality and variety.

Dr & Mrs R, Switzerland

I always think that the Hebridean

experience could get no better!

But thanks to the crew including

the Guides and Officers, I

enjoy each one even more!

Mrs C, Harrogate

You cannot improve on perfection!

Mrs T, Cheltenham

The vessel reflects the

peacefulness, charm and service

of days long since gone.

Captain W, Hull

This was simply an exceptional

experience in all ways. What stood

out was the helpfulness, charm and

attentiveness of every member of

staff, which was beyond five stars.

Mr P, Cranleigh

It just keeps getting better!

Mrs M, Taunton

Utterly captivating. The staff are

superb, the food excellent and

we thoroughly enjoyed all the

shore visits. We have had our first

experience of Hebridean Princess, it

won’t be our last! Many, many thanks.

Mr & Mrs P, Christchurch

Our experience of the Hebridean

Princess was the best holiday we

have ever experienced. Words are

not enough to describe our time

on board and the arrangements

prior to our arrival. Thank you!

Mr & Mrs C, Sleaford

Pure luxury! We were pampered and

cosseted by the staff, crew and officers

from start to finish. All the passengers

were friendly and I just can’t find

one complaint about anything. It

was a marvellous seven days.

Mrs S, Axbridge

99.8%

97.9%

99.1%

enjoyed their holiday

on Hebridean Princess

would consider cruising on

Hebridean Princess again

would recommend

Hebridean Princess to others

What’s includedMeals

All meals and snacks on board and

ashore as shown in the itineraries.

Beverages

Selected wines of the day, plus

all other house wines and spirits,

including Champagne by the

glass, soft drinks and beers, tea,

coffee and other hot drinks.

Scotch whisky selection

Hand-picked whiskies, shipped

from Hebridean Princess

including our own blend!

Shore visits

Entrance fees and transport

to and from shore visits.

Gratuities - no tipping

All gratuities.


Ilkley Literature Festival

For the fifth consecutive year

Hebridean Island Cruises was

proud to sponsor two events

at the Ilkley Literature Festival. Now

in its fifth decade the festival is the

fourth largest in the country and

features over 200 events which are

attended by over 26,000 people.

On Saturday 11th October we were

delighted to meet James Naughtie

and introduce him to some of our

guests prior to his talk about his

debut political thriller, The Madness

of July. James has had a number

of previous associations with the

company and will be accompanying

our Danube Symphony cruise as

guest speaker on 10th July next year.

We were delighted to sponsor the

ever popular Sheila Hancock on

Wednesday 15th October when

we were thrilled to be joined by

so many guests old and new.

Sheila reflected on her life, her writing

and her new novel, Miss Carter’s

War, and has signed a copy of her

book which will be available in the

library on board for all to enjoy.

SHEILA HANCOCK WITH

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

KEN CHARLESON

JAMES NAUGHTIE CHATS TO

SOME OF OUR GUESTS

As a guide for Hebridean Island

Cruises I hear guests saying “I wish

the holiday was longer.” So the

idea to put together an ebook was

hatched... The result is ‘Glasgow

to Oban via Inveraray and Loch

Awe’ a Self-Drive Touring Guide.

Guests travelling by car can

enhance their journey to the ship,

starting the holiday earlier.

The advantage of driving is the

freedom it gives, you can stop

wherever and whenever you want,

enjoying all that Argyll has to offer.

This ebook will give you ideas and

show you places you have not seen

or thought of stopping to see.

Directions are given on each

page so following the route is

easy. Unlike other guide books

it’s not just historical content but

local folklore and legend as well

to help bring the area to life.

They are easy to download to your

Kindle or Kindle app. Just log on to

Amazon, search for Mini Kilt Tours

and the series of ebooks are there

for you to download. They cost

around $8 per ebook. This is one

in a series of Self-Drive Touring

Guides. Don’t wait, buy and enjoy.

Look forward to seeing you on board.

Mini Kilt Tours e-booksby Andrea Middleton, Hebridean Princess guide

“ Thank you for the

invitation to the Ilkley

Literature Festival to listen

to Sheila Hancock. Both

of us enjoyed the evening

very much, including the

drinks and canapés.

Mr & Mrs M

““

Just to say thank you for the

complimentary tickets to the

Ilkley Literature Festival - we

enjoyed the evening immensely.

I hope your sponsorship

of events such as this is

rewarded and continued.

Mr H

“


Hebridean Island CruisesHighlands and Islands of

Scotland, England, Northern

Ireland, Wales & Eire, The

Channel Islands, The Isles

of Scilly, Northern France.

To book or request a

brochure call:

877.600.2648www.hebrideancruises.com

Cruising with

ALL LEISURE HOLIDAYS

Voyages of Discovery April 2015 – May 2016

Small ship discovery cruises

in Northern Europe, the

Mediterranean, the Far East, the

Indian Ocean and South Africa.

To request a brochure call:

844.726.6960www.voyagesofdiscovery.com

Swan Hellenic January 2015 – April 2016

Worldwide small ship

discovery cruises.

To request a brochure call:

866.923.9182www.swanhellenic.us

SJa

W

d

T

8

Hebridean River Cruises A collection of relaxing

cruises through the heart

of Europe on the Rhine,

Main and Danube rivers.

To book or request a

brochure call:

877.600.2648www.hebrideancruises.com

HRA

c

o

M

T

S

C

o

1800 S.E. 10th Avenue, Suite 205

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316

www.hebrideancruises.com

Contact your travel agent or call us at

877.600.2648

Find us on:

www.facebook.com/hebrideancruises.americas

www.twitter.com/HebCruisesNA

For Information or to request brochuresContact your Travel Professional or Hebridean Islands Cruises

855.866.8615 or visit www.hebrideancruises.com

TERMS AND CONDITIONS: *Promotion valid only for residents of North, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. Fares are perperson in U.S. dollars and based on double occupancy. All advertised fares are capacity controlled, subject to availability, and may be with-drawn or modified at any time, without notice. Government fees and taxes, service fees and fuel charges (if applicable) are included. Everyeffort has been made to ensure accuracy of this information. We reserve the right to correct errors and to change any fares, fees, and sur-charges at any time. Booking terms and conditions apply.For full Terms and Conditions visit www.hebrideancruises.com or call (855) 866-8615. © Hebridean Island Cruises 2014, a trading nameof All Leisure Holidays Ltd. Ship’s registry: Scotland.

1800 SE 10th Avenue, Suite 205Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316

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