grand voyage


I


t’s a sunny day off the coast of the Shetlands when, as I’m dozing in my Seabourn Venture suite, the sound of the waves is drowned out by an excited shout: “Whale, portside!” In the 24 hours since boarding, I’ve


learnt my port from my starboard and excitedly realise my stateroom is on the correct side, so I grab the Seabourn-supplied binoculars and make for my veranda. Though my scouring of the seas


proves fruitless, my neighbour Mandy had spotted the animal and raised the alert. Where there’s one, there are often more, so we all keep a watchful


eye on the remainder of our five-night voyage to Greenwich, enjoying some rugged coastal scenery and other sightings along the way.


NORTHERN HIGHLIGHTS We joined Venture in Lerwick for the last leg of a 14-day cruise that had taken in Iceland and the Faroe Islands, before arriving at the Shetlands and Orkneys. Our fam trip group has been watching puffins and numerous other seabirds whirl and wheel over Mainland, Fair Isle and Mousa in the Shetlands and Copinsay in Orkneys, all the while spotting seals and other


marine wildlife. Tracking them up close is easy thanks to the 24 Zodiacs that get us into small fishing ports and harbours, and even up onto beaches that would be inaccessible to standard transfer vessels. The snugness of the rib boats makes


for a camaraderie that soon has us getting to know our fellow travellers and the 23 knowledgeable expedition leaders, everyone excitedly sharing stories of excursions and activities they’ve enjoyed so far on the cruise. Overwhelmingly, what stands out


is the closeness and intimacy of the encounters with cultures, communities


travelweekly.co.uk/cruise


September 2024October 2025


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