Scotland Cruise: Best Cruises to Scotland 2023 & 2024

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Luxury Cruises to Scotland

Scotland and its islands are a world rich in legend, history, and extraordinary beauty. Mist-shrouded mountains are reflected in glassy lochs. Wild deer graze on hillsides purple with heather. Towering cliffs plunge into water that in the sunshine is as turquoise as anywhere in the Caribbean. Brooding castles lie amid dense forest, guarding the secrets of the centuries.

A luxury cruise to Scotland offers you a thrilling range of places to visit. Stroll the Royal Mile in chic Edinburgh and tour Edinburgh Castle. Join a whisky tasting—you’ll find opportunities to sample the country’s finest at every turn. Take a cruise along the tranquil shores of Loch Lomond, or from Invergordon, explore deep, dark Loch Ness and learn about the legend of its resident monster. Further north, the islands of Orkney are dotted with fascinating neolithic remains, while Shetland is famed for its birdlife, white-sand beaches, craggy mountains, and shaggy little ponies.

Scotland Cruise Highlights

Haggis & Whisky

Scotland’s cuisine is unique, with specialties you’ll want to try. You’ll find opportunities for whisky tasting anywhere from small distilleries to famous names like Glenmorangie, on a visit from Inverness. Have a “wee dram” on your oatmeal in the morning, or try a whisky-flavored “tablet”, similar to fudge. Haggis—a dish of spiced meat and offal—is a classic, served with neeps and tatties (turnips and potatoes). The game and seafood, meanwhile, are spectacular.

Historic Castles

Scotland is dotted with magnificent, turreted castles and stately homes, many of which are open to the public. From Inverness, take a trip to the 15th-century Cawdor Castle, featured in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Or tour the craggy ruins of Urquhart Castle, a wonderfully romantic spot on the shores of Loch Ness. From Glasgow, you could spend a day at the imposing fortress of Stirling Castle, or travel to Edinburgh and explore Edinburgh Castle, perched on a crag high above the city.

Remote Islands

Cruises to Scotland visit Kirkwall, capital of Orkney, and Lerwick in Shetland, both remote archipelagos scattered off the north coast. In Shetland, you’ll find jaunty, red timber-framed houses that cling to the treeless hills, where seals bask on creamy-white beaches under vast skies; there’s a sense here of being on the edge of the world here. Orkney, meanwhile, is rich in Neolithic remains. Explore five-thousand-year-old Skara Brae, one of the best preserved neolithic villages in the world.

Scotland Cruise Ports

Inverness/Loch Ness, Scotland

View Inverness Port Guide

Glasgow (Greenock), Scotland

View Glasgow Port Guide

Lerwick, Scotland

View Lerwick Port Guide

Kirkwall, Scotland

View Kirkwall Port Guide

Scotland Cruise Itineraries

Cruise itineraries featuring ports in Scotland last 11 or 12 nights. There are multiple choices of itinerary available. You could sail from Amsterdam on a cruise visiting Ireland and Glasgow, Lerwick, and Inverness. A round-trip cruise from Southampton to Iceland visits Kirkwall, the sleepy capital of Orkney. Or sail around the United Kingdom and Ireland from Amsterdam, visiting Lerwick as well as Cobh and Liverpool.

Why Cruise to Scotland With Celebrity Cruises

On board a Celebrity cruise to Scotland, you’ll find a luxurious spa, a state-of-the-art gym, and in the evenings, live music and entertainment all over the ship. Multiple restaurants and bars offer everything from delicious sushi and seafood to French classics. Choose The Retreat, with all-suite accommodation, and try signature dishes created by chef Daniel Boulud in the exclusive Luminae at The Retreat.

Take in the highlights of Scotland and its islands as you explore neolithic ruins, majestic castles, whisky distilleries, towering, often snow-capped mountains, and serene lochs. Whether you’re shopping for tartan, tracing your family’s roots, following in the steps of the Vikings, or learning why Scotland is so beloved by Britain’s modern royals, you’ll be endlessly surprised by this multilayered country.

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