Deckplan
Please note that all beds can be configured as twin or double with the exception of suites 601 and 602 which both feature a fixed double bed.
A voyage between Stockholm & Copenhagen discovering the fascinating Baltic states with Guest Speaker Martin Sixsmith aboard the MS Hebridean Sky
Join us on a voyage of discovery aboard the all-suite MS Hebridean Sky as we explore seven nations of the Baltic. Nations who speak different languages, have a diverse culture and cuisine, worship in different churches, yet are united by a single sea. The cities of the Baltic offer a cornucopia of delights from the now independent Baltic states and their capitals with marvellously untouched Medieval quarters to the sheer delight of Scandinavian ports with their colourful architecture and a freshness that is unique to the area.
Exploring the Baltic by small ship is the most perfect way to visit this endlessly fascinating corner of Northern Europe and our in-depth journey between Stockholm and Copenhagen offers the perfect balance of time to explore cities, towns and islands during the guided excursions combined with some time to relax or explore at leisure. We will visit the charming cities of Tallinn, Riga, Gdansk and Helsinki as well as some smaller ports which the larger cruise vessels in the region are unable to access such as the island of Bornholm in Denmark and the Estonian island of Saaremaa, a gem with its Medieval Episcopal castle and timeless countryside. An added benefit will be some wonderful musical highlights including a private performance of music by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius, a concert by the Polish Baltic Philharmonic in Gdansk and an exclusive concert during our time in Tallinn at the Church of the Holy Spirit.
Whether your interest lies in the region’s Viking and Medieval history or the more recent events of the breakaway Baltic States, it is an endlessly fascinating region and our expert local guides and Guest Speaker will add much to your knowledge and understanding of this intriguing region.
Please find a selection of useful websites to refer to for information from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, on visa requirements, NHS travel health advice and other useful travel tips.
The MS Hebridean Sky is one of our two flag ships and sister vessel to the MS Island Sky. Both vessels were built in the same ship yard in Italy at similar times and share the same excellent attributes that make them two of the finest small ships in the world.
Fly by scheduled flight. On arrival transfer to the MS Hebridean Sky and embark. Enjoy welcome drinks and dinner as we moor overnight.
Our morning city tour will include the Vasa Museum built around the 17th century warship which sank in Stockholm’s inner harbour on her maiden voyage in 1628; its discovery in 1956 and subsequent salvage in 1961 is one of the most important events in marine archaeology. In addition to the well-preserved, elaborately decorated hull, thousands of items from the ship, including hundreds of sculptures, have been recovered. On our return to the MS Hebridean Sky we will drive through old Stockholm and past the Parliament Building and Royal Palace which overlooks the inner harbour. After some free time to explore at your own pace we will set sail in the late afternoon through the many islands of the Swedish archipelago. This is a great sailing area and the islands are peppered with attractive summer homes.
This morning we sail through some of the 6700 islands of the Aland archipelago and into the attractive town of Mariehamn. On an island tour we will head into the beautiful countryside along scenic roads towards the Jan Karlsgarden Museum where we learn about the island’s farming traditions. We continue to Badhausberget which provides panoramic views over the town and islands before visiting the fascinating Aland Maritime Museum with its exhibits of model ships as well as highlighting the region’s shipbuilding history.
Arriving in Helsinki over breakfast, our morning city tour will take us to the colourful Market Square, the President’s Palace and the impressive architecture of Senate Square including the Lutheran Cathedral of Finland and Uspenski Cathedral. We continue to the Sibelius Monument and the impressive Temppeliaukio, the church in the rock, before returning to the vessel for lunch. This afternoon we journey to Ainola, the home of Finnish composer Jean Sibelius situated on the edge of the city on the shores of Lake Tuusula where, after exploring the museum, we will enjoy a private concert of his music.
Spend the day in the historic maritime city of Tallinn with her awe-inspiring city walls and fortifications, narrow Medieval streets and the gateways which remain remarkably well preserved. In the Upper Town we will enjoy the views from Dome Hill with the extraordinary vista of domes, spires and gables and see Toompea Castle, once a fortress, and now the seat of the Estonian parliament. Walking to the Lower Old Town we will visit the main square where we will find the oldest pharmacy in Europe, the Gothic Cathedral and the 15th century Town Hall. There will be free time to explore further at your own pace this afternoon before we meet this evening for a concert at the Church of the Holy Spirit.
Spend the morning at sea before we arrive at Estonia’s largest island which offers a glimpse of a bygone age. Untouched by industry it is a green and very pleasant land dotted with attractive villages in a rolling forested landscape. During an afternoon drive we will visit the lovely capital Kuressaare with its magnificent Medieval castle and stroll through the streets of the enchanting old town. Continue inland on a journey that will take you back in time through a countryside of stone walls, thatched roofs, traditional villages and windmills.
Established in 1265, the Hanseatic town of Parnu has been a market town, a fortress, a university town, an industrial and administrative centre as well as a resort. Our guided walk this morning will include the 14th century Red Tower and Mary-Magdalena Guild before we head into the Estonian countryside. We will stop at the Kurgja Farm Museum and enjoy a lunch of locally grown produce before continuing to Viljandi, one of the oldest towns in Estonia, situated on the shores of a beautiful lake which was historically one of the key strongholds in Livonia. We will see the 13th century castle that overlooks the town before exploring the ancient, cobbled streets where we find museums and galleries. Return to the ship via the picturesque landscape of the Soomaa National Park. Alternatively spend time at the Tamme Farm where we will visit the herb garden and hear about the alternative growing methods used here before trying some of the locally grown herbal teas, jams and vegetables.
Spend the day in Latvia’s capital city. Founded in the 13th century, Riga became one of the most successful trading cities of the Baltic. Explore the Old Town with its Medieval streets lined with Hanseatic warehouses and punctuated with Gothic and Baroque churches including St Peter Cathedral, the largest Medieval church in the Baltic. Return to the ship for lunch and spend an afternoon exploring independently, maybe see the Art Nouveau district, visit one of the many local museums or the impressive central market housed in an old zeppelin hangar.
Founded in 1252 by the Teutonic Knights of East Prussia, Klaipeda was annexed by Hitler in 1939 and almost destroyed towards the end of World War II. Arriving at lunchtime we explore the old town of Klaipeda including a stop in Theatre Square before strolling along the atmospheric narrow streets where in the past craftsmen: shoemakers, blacksmiths, bakers used to live and work. Continue towards the resort town Palanga where, after a walk through the Botanical park, we arrive at a 19th century Neo-Renaissance style mansion which houses the largest Amber Museum in the Baltics. Here we will learn all about “Baltic gold” before returning to Klaipeda, where we can enjoy a drink and live music in a nearby restaurant before setting sail this evening.
Gdansk’s 1000 years of history have left a collection of buildings and monuments designed in Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles. We have the benefit of a day and a half to explore and during our city tour will walk along the cobbled streets of the Royal Way in the old quarter and view the elaborate architecture, including the 15th century merchant’s palace of Artus Court. Also see the pride of Gdansk, Gothic St. Mary’s, which is the world’s largest brick church, accommodating some 25,000 worshippers. During our time in Gdansk we will also visit the 13th century Malbork Castle which belonged to the Teutonic Order and at the time was the largest castle in the world. Over the years it has been used as a royal residence as well as a fortress and was renovated after being damaged during World War II. In 1997 it was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNSECO and now serves as a museum with grand exhibition halls displaying collections of armoury, ceramics, sculptures and spectacular Baltic amber. During our evening in port we will enjoy a recital from the Polish Baltic Philharmonic at a local venue. We will sail at lunchtime on day 11 and enjoy a relaxing afternoon at sea.
Over breakfast we arrive at the peaceful and scenic island of Bornholm with its mixture of wheat fields, forests and attractive coast dotted with fishing villages. During our morning excursion we will drive to the north of the island to see the famous 12th century Osterlars Round Church and the imposing ruins of Hammershus Castle before we visit the town of Gudhjem where we can sample the local speciality of smoked herring. Return to the ship for lunch and spend the afternoon at leisure to explore the town of Ronne at your own pace.
Disembark after breakfast and transfer to the airport for our scheduled flight to London.
Fly by scheduled flight. On arrival transfer to the MS Hebridean Sky and embark. Enjoy welcome drinks and dinner as we sail this evening.
Over breakfast we arrive at the peaceful and scenic island of Bornholm with its mixture of wheat fields, forests and attractive coast dotted with fishing villages. On a morning excursion we will drive to the north of the island to see the famous 12th century Osterlars Round Church and the imposing ruins of Hammershus Castle before we visit the town of Gudhjem where we can sample the local speciality of smoked herring. Return to the ship for lunch and spend the afternoon at leisure to explore the town of Ronne at your own pace.
After a leisurely morning of cruising we arrive in Gdansk where 1000 years of history have left a collection of buildings and monuments designed in Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles. We have the benefit of a day and a half to discover the highlights of the city and the surrounding area and our city tour will include a walk along the cobbled streets of the Royal Way in the old quarter viewing the elaborate architecture, including the 15th century merchant’s palace of Artus Court. Also see the pride of Gdansk, Gothic St. Mary’s, which is the world’s largest brick church, accommodating some 25,000 worshippers. Also visit to the 13th century Malbork Castle which belonged to the Teutonic Order and at the time was the largest castle in the world. Over the years it has been used as a royal residence as well as a fortress and was renovated after being damaged during World War II. In 1997 it was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNSECO and now serves as a museum with grand exhibition halls displaying collections of armoury, ceramics, sculptures and spectacular Baltic amber. During our evening in port we will enjoy a recital from the Polish Baltic Philharmonic at a local venue.
Founded in 1252 by the Teutonic Knights of East Prussia, Klaipeda was annexed by Hitler in 1939 and almost destroyed towards the end of World War II. This Morning we explore the old town of Klaipeda including a stop in Theatre Square before strolling along the atmospheric narrow streets where in the past craftsmen used to live and work. Continue towards the resort town Palanga where, after a walk through the Botanical park, we arrive at a 19th century Neo-Renaissance style mansion which houses the largest Amber Museum in the Baltics. Here we will learn all about “Baltic gold” before returning to Klaipeda, where we can enjoy a drink and live music in a nearby restaurant before sailing this afternoon.
This morning we will explore Latvia’s capital by foot. Founded in the 13th century the city became one of the most successful trading cities of the Baltic. Explore the Old Town with its Medieval streets lined with Hanseatic warehouses and punctuated with Gothic and Baroque churches including St Peter Cathedral, the largest Medieval church in the Baltic. Return to the ship for lunch and spend an afternoon exploring independently, maybe see the Art Nouveau district, visit one of the many local museums or the impressive central market housed in an old zeppelin hangar.
Established in 1265, the Hanseatic town of Parnu has been a market town, a fortress, a university town, an industrial and administrative centre as well as a resort. A morning walk will include the 14th century Red Tower and Mary-Magdalena Guild before we head into the Estonian countryside. We will stop at the Kurgja Farm Museum and enjoy a lunch of locally grown produce before continuing to Viljandi, one of the oldest towns in Estonia, situated on the shores of a beautiful lake which was historically one of the key strongholds in Livonia. We will see the 13th century castle that overlooks the town before exploring the ancient, cobbled streets where we find museums and galleries. Return to the ship via the picturesque landscape of the Soomaa National Park. Alternatively spend time at the Tamme Farm where we visit the herb garden and hear about the alternative growing methods used here before trying some of the locally grown herbal teas, jams and vegetables.
After a morning cruising we arrive at Estonia’s largest island which offers a glimpse of a bygone age. Untouched by industry it is a green and very pleasant land dotted with attractive villages in a rolling forested landscape. During an afternoon drive we will visit the lovely capital Kuressaare with its magnificent Medieval castle and stroll through the streets of the enchanting old town. Continue inland on a journey that will take you back in time through a countryside of stone walls, thatched roofs, traditional villages and windmills.
Spend the day in the historic maritime city of Tallinn with her awe-inspiring city walls and fortifications, narrow Medieval streets and the gateways which remain remarkably well preserved. In the Upper Town we will enjoy the views from Dome Hill with the extraordinary vista of domes, spires and gables and see Toompea Castle, once a fortress, and now the seat of the Estonian parliament. Walking to the Lower Old Town we will visit the main square where we will find the oldest pharmacy in Europe, the Gothic Cathedral and the 15th century Town Hall. There will be free time to explore further at your own pace this afternoon before we meet this evening for a concert at the Church of the Holy Spirit.
Arriving in Helsinki over breakfast, our morning city tour will take us to the colourful Market Square, the President’s Palace and the impressive architecture of Senate Square including the Lutheran Cathedral of Finland and Uspenski Cathedral. We continue to the Sibelius Monument and the impressive Temppeliaukio, the church in the rock, before returning to the vessel for lunch. This afternoon we journey to Ainola, the home of Finnish composer Jean Sibelius situated on the edge of the city on the shores of Lake Tuusula where, after exploring the museum, we will enjoy a private concert of his music.
This morning we sail through some of the 6700 islands of the Aland archipelago and into the attractive town of Mariehamn. On an island tour we will head into the beautiful countryside along scenic roads towards the Jan Karlsgarden Museum where we learn about the island’s farming traditions. We continue to Badhausberget which provides panoramic views over the town and islands before visiting the fascinating Aland Maritime Museum with its exhibits of model ships as well as highlighting the region’s shipbuilding history.
Be on deck this morning as we sail through the many islands of the Swedish archipelago into Stockholm. This is a great sailing area and the islands are peppered with attractive summer homes. After lunch we will enjoy a guided city tour which includes the Vasa Museum built around the 17th century warship which sank in Stockholm’s inner harbour on her maiden voyage in 1628; its discovery in 1956 and subsequent salvage in 1961 is one of the most important events in marine archaeology. In addition to the well-preserved, elaborately decorated hull, thousands of items from the ship including hundreds of sculptures have been recovered. On our return to the MS Hebridean Sky we will drive through Stockholm’s Old Town and past the Parliament Building and Royal Palace which overlooks the inner harbour. Moor overnight in Stockholm and from our central mooring you may wish to spend the evening ashore.
Disembark after breakfast and transfer to the airport for our scheduled flight to London.
18 to 30 July 2022 | ||
---|---|---|
Category | Brochure Price | Special Offer Price |
Amundsen Deck Standard Suite | £6295 | £6095 |
Byrd Deck Superior Suite | £6695 | £6495 |
Mawson Deck Premium Suite | £7195 | £6995 |
Mawson Deck Corner Suite | £7595 | £7395 |
Scott Deck Deluxe Balcony Suite | £8095 | £7895 |
Shackleton Deck Owner's Balcony Suite | £8495 | £8295 |
Shackleton Deck Hebridean Suite | £9495 | £9295 |
Amundsen Deck Standard for sole use | £8195 | £7995 |
Byrd Deck Superior for sole use | £8395 | £8195 |
30 July to 11 August 2022 | ||
---|---|---|
Category | Brochure Price | Special Offer Price |
Amundsen Deck Standard Suite | £6295 | £6095 |
Byrd Deck Superior Suite | £6695 | £6495 |
Mawson Deck Premium Suite | £7195 | £6995 |
Mawson Deck Corner Suite | £7595 | £7395 |
Scott Deck Deluxe Balcony Suite | £8095 | £7895 |
Shackleton Deck Owner's Balcony Suite | £8495 | £8295 |
Shackleton Deck Hebridean Suite | £9495 | £9295 |
Amundsen Deck Standard for sole use | £8195 | £7995 |
Byrd Deck Superior for sole use | £8395 | £8195 |
Tour Reference Code: SCHKS300722
Price Includes: Economy class scheduled air travel • 12 nights aboard the MS Hebridean Sky on a full board basis • Wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner • Noble Caledonia onboard team including Guest Speaker • Gratuities • Shore excursions • Transfers • Airport taxes • Port taxes.
Not Included: Travel insurance .
Please note that all beds can be configured as twin or double with the exception of suites 601 and 602 which both feature a fixed double bed.
The MS Hebridean Sky is one of our two flag ships and sister vessel to the MS Island Sky. Both vessels were built in the same ship yard in Italy at similar times and share the same excellent attributes that make them two of the finest small ships in the world.
Martin Sixsmith was the BBC’s correspondent in Moscow, Washington, Brussels and Warsaw in the 1980s and 90s and worked as Director of Communications for the British Government from 1997 to 2002. He is now an author, presenter and journalist. His non-fiction books include Moscow Coup, The Litvinenko File, Putin’s Oil and Russia: A Thousand Year Chronicle of the Wild East. He worked as a consultant on the BBC2 political sitcom The Thick of It and the 2010 movie In the Loop. In 2011 he presented the BBC’s 50-episode history of Russia on Radio Four. In 2013 his book The Lost Child of Philomena Lee was adapted into the film Philomena, starring Judi Dench and Steve Coogan. It was nominated for four Oscars. In 2014 he presented Radio 4’s 25-part history of psychology and psychiatry. His latest book ‘The War of Nerves – Inside the Cold War Mind’ is a major new history of the Cold War: exploring the conflict through the minds of the people who lived it.
If you wish to explore Stockholm in more depth, we are offering a two night hotel extension. Our stay will include a visit to Drottningholm Palace, Sweden’s best preserved royal palace constructed in the seventeenth century and the permanent residence of the royal family. It features magnificent salons from the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, a beautiful park, a unique palace theatre and a Chinese Pavilion. The remainder of your stay in Stockholm will be at leisure for you to explore independently.
16 to 18 July 2022 | |
---|---|
Category | Price |
Twin | £695 |
Single | £995 |
Price Includes: Two nights hotel accommodation with breakfast, half day tour including lunch, Tour Manager, gratuities, transfers.
Not Included: Travel insurance.
If you would like to spend some time in Copenhagen we are offering a two night hotel extension. This will be an independent stay allowing the opportunity to explore at leisure.
30 July to 1 August 2022 | |
---|---|
Category | Price |
Twin | £545 |
Single | £795 |
Price Includes: Two nights hotel accommodation with breakfast, Tour Manager, gratuities, transfers.
Not Included: Travel insurance.
If you would like to spend some time in Copenhagen we are offering a two night hotel extension. This will be an independent stay allowing the opportunity to explore at leisure before embarking the MS Hebridean Sky.
28 to 30 July 2022 | |
---|---|
Category | Price |
Twin | £545 |
Single | £795 |
Price Includes: Two nights hotel accommodation with breakfast, Tour Manager, gratuities, transfers.
Not Included: Travel insurance.
If you wish to explore Stockholm in more depth after disembarking the MS Hebridean Sky, we are offering a two night hotel extension. Our stay will include a visit to Drottningholm Palace, Sweden’s best preserved royal palace constructed in the seventeenth century and the permanent residence of the royal family. The remainder of your stay in Stockholm will be at leisure for you to explore independently.
11 to 13 August 2022 | |
---|---|
Category | Price |
Twin | £695 |
Single | £995 |
Price Includes: Two nights hotel accommodation with breakfast • Half day tour including lunch • Tour Manager • Gratuities • Transfers.
Not Included: Travel insurance.
A voyage from Stockholm to Portsmouth aboard the MS Hebridean Sky with Guest Speaker Michael Jones
A voyage from Aberdeen to Tromso aboard the MS Hebridean Sky
Summer in the Islands & Cities of the Baltic aboard the MS Hebridean Sky with Guest Speaker Neil Taylor
Speak to one of our advisors on 020 7752 0000