Itinerary Expand all London to Edinburgh Depart Board your independent overnight flight to London. Day 1 Enjoy a day at leisure to explore the city of London on your own. Check in to the Hilton London Paddington Hotel, with the rest of the day at leisure to explore the city on your own. Gather at the hotel this evening for a welcome reception and dinner. Accommodation: Hilton London Paddington Hotel Meals included: Dinner Day 2 Visit Portsmouth before boarding Le Dumont d'Urville. After breakfast, depart overland for Portsmouth. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before a tour of this famous port city. This afternoon board Le Dumont d'Urville. Accommodation: Le Dumont d'Urville Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 3 Visit Trebah Garden and The Eden Project. This morning take a stroll through Trebah Garden, a beautiful subtropical garden with a stunning coastal backdrop. After lunch on board, take a tour of the Eden Project. This innovative complex of domes houses plants from around the world, with each emulating a natural biome. Accommodation: Le Dumont d'Urville Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 4 Visit the ruins and lush, subtropical gardens of Tresco Abbey. Warmed by the North Atlantic Drift, the Isles of Scilly have given their fortunate inhabitants the luxury of turning a passion for growing flowers into a major industry. This morning board local boats and cruise to Tresco to visit the ruins and lush, subtropical gardens of the medieval Tresco Abbey. Accommodation: Le Dumont d'Urville Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 5 Visit the Ballinskelligs priory. The Ballinskelligs Priory was founded in the 12th century by monks who moved to the mainland from Skellig Michael after numerous Viking attacks. A number of buildings still remain, including a church, tower house, parts of the cloister, a large domestic hall, and cemetery, most of which dates from the 15th century. On a clear day, views across the bay are simply spectacular. Accommodation: Le Dumont d'Urville Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 6 Visit the renowned House of Waterford Crystal, or enjoy a tour of Mount Congreve. From the village of Dunmore East, drive through scenic countryside to Waterford. Options today include a visit to the renowned House of Waterford Crystal to watch master craftsmen at work, or enjoy a tour of Mount Congreve, a magnificent estate with exquisite gardens. Return to the ship for lunch as you cruise toward the privately-owned Saltee Islands. These islands attract a variety of birds to their craggy masses; on Great Saltee Island (permission pending) search for puffins, murres, razorbills, gannets, and more of the 47 bird species recorded here. Accommodation: Le Dumont d'Urville Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 7 Disembark in Port St. Mary to enjoy a full day on the Isle of Man. After breakfast, disembark in Port St. Mary on the Isle of Man. Board the Isle of Man Steam Railway, the single remnant from the extensive Victorian system that served the main centers on the island. Ride through quaint and picturesque villages to the southern resort of Port Erin. Accommodation: Le Dumont d'Urville Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 8 Visit Giant's Causeway, a World Heritage Site. Disembark at Portrush and travel overland to the World Heritage Site of Giant’s Causeway. This three-mile section of coastline is a geological masterpiece—some 40,000 closely-packed hexagonal columns of varying heights line the coast and descend like a staircase into the sea. After lunch, go ashore on the Isle of Islay for a tour of the Ardbeg Distillery. Accommodation: Le Dumont d'Urville Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 9 Explore the uninhabited island of Staffa. Weather permitting, spend the morning exploring the uninhabited island of Staffa by Zodiac and its most famous feature, Fingal’s Cave. The cave’s peculiar rock formations and unusual coloring are a delight to behold, and the wonderful echo of the sea from within served as the inspiration for Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture.In 563 AD the Christian missionary, St. Columba, built a monastery on Iona and spread Christianity throughout Scotland. Though the monastery suffered repeated attacks by Vikings over the centuries and the original was destroyed, it was rebuilt each time and some of these later buildings still stand. Visit the monastery site; the nearby cemetery of St. Oran, where numerous Scottish kings are buried; and the 12th-century Iona Abbey. Accommodation: Le Dumont d'Urville Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 10 Visit St. Kilda and the Flannan Islands. Spend the morning at St. Kilda, once home to a small community, evidenced by abandoned houses and cleits, beehive-shaped cells where goods were stored. Spend the afternoon cruising among the Flannan Islands; puffins, fulmars, murres, and kittiwakes should be plentiful. Accommodation: Le Dumont d'Urville Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 11 Arrive in the capital city of Kirkwall on Mainland Island in the Orkneys. Arrive in the capital city of Kirkwall on Mainland Island in the Orkneys today for visits to the magnificent St. Magnus Cathedral and some of the island’s major archaeological sites. Visit the enigmatic Standing Stones of Stenness, the Ring of Brodgar, and Skara Brae, a remarkably well-preserved Stone Age village buried in sand some 4,500 years ago. Return to Kirkwall for an afternoon walking tour of this charming city. Accommodation: Le Dumont d'Urville Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 12 Enjoy a guided tour of Lerwick, and cruise to the Isle of Noss. This morning enjoy a guided walking tour of Lerwick, capital of the Shetland Islands, which are steeped in Norse heritage. After the tour there will be free time to stroll the narrow streets and browse the many shops, or raise a pint at the local pub. After lunch on board, cruise to the Isle of Noss, where spectacular cliffs support a large and diverse seabird colony, home to 80,000 seabirds—guillemots, razorbills, gannets, shags, and more. This evening go ashore at Mousa to view one of Britain’s finest Iron Age ruins, an unusually well-preserved 40-foot broch, a dry stone structure, dating from about 200 AD. Accommodation: Le Dumont d'Urville Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 13 Visit Fair Isle, one of the most isolated settlements in the British Isles. One of the most isolated settlements in the British Isles, Fair Isle is renowned for the quality and intricacy of its handmade sweaters, using local wool. It is also famous as a haven for seabirds, including gannets, murres, black-legged kittiwakes, numerous gull species, and a large colony of puffins. After a short walk, join some of the 70 islanders at their community center for tea and cakes, and a visit to the local museum. Accommodation: Le Dumont d'Urville Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 14 Disembark in Aberdeen and enjoy a scenic drive to Edinburgh. Disembark in Aberdeen this morning, and enjoy a scenic drive to Edinburgh. Check in to our hotel for a special farewell dinner and overnight. Accommodation: Standard Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 15 Tour ends Transfer to the airport for your independent homeward flight. Meals included: Breakfast
Ireland UK passport holders do not need visas for this trip. Other nationalities should check with the relevant embassies. For further Brexit travel advice please visit https://www.abta.com/tips-and-advice/brexit-advice-for-travellers
United Kingdom UK passport holders do not need visas for this trip. Other nationalities should check with the relevant embassies. For further Brexit travel advice please visit https://www.abta.com/tips-and-advice/brexit-advice-for-travellers
Le Dumont d'Urville Le Dumont d'Urville features innovative and environment-friendly equipment, elegantly designed suites, and lounge areas that open onto the outside. All suites feature ocean views and private balconies, while public spaces include an underwater lounge, as well as a pool, outside bar and dining area, theater, single-seating dining room, panoramic lounge, sun deck, salon, and a spa and fitness room. Le Dumont d'Urville will carry a fleet of Zodiacs. GENERAL Six decks of guest facilities. - Deck 0 (not pictured in deck plan) – Blue Eye Underwater Lounge.- Deck 3 – guest suites, reception, main lounge, pool, outdoor bar and dining area, boutique, theater, and doctor’s office.- Deck 4 – guest suites and restaurant.- Deck 5 – guest suites and bridge. - Deck 6 – guest suites, panoramic lounge, and outdoor seating.- Deck 7 – guest suites, sun deck, outdoor seating, salon, spa and fitness room. Stairs and an elevator service all decks. The ship carries a fleet of Zodiacs. The bridge is available to visit most times throughout the day, contingent upon weather, security, and navigation conditions. Smoking is permitted only on outside decks. SUITES All suites feature ocean views and private balconies, with two twin beds that can be reconfigured into one king, a well-appointed en suite bathroom, closets, desk, IpodTM players, small refrigerator, flat-screen TV, personal safe, hair dryer, bath robes, French toiletries, individually controlled air-conditioning and heating, and American style outlets (two flat prongs) at 110 volts. Category 1, 2, 3, and 4 suites are 205 square feet and have a sliding glass door leading to a 43 square foot private balcony. Category 5 suites are 291 square feet and have a sliding glass door leading to a 65 square foot private balcony. Category 6 suites are 344 square feet and have a sliding glass door leading to a 86 square foot private balcony. Suites are 484 square feet and have a sliding glass door leading to a 328 square foot private patio. The owner’s suite is the same size as the suites and features a Jacuzzi on the private balcony. DINING The main restaurant can accommodate all guests at one seating. Most diets can be catered for on board, but special dietary requests must be made in advance. Breakfast and lunch are served buffet-style. Dinner is served in the main restaurant with four, a la carte courses. When weather permits, meals can also be served on deck. Afternoon tea is served in the lounge and coffee and tea are available 24 hours a day. SERVICES Le Dumont D’Urville carries a fleet of Zodiacs. Laundry services (no dry cleaning) and a small doctor’s office are available on board. Rates are posted. The Euro is the currency used on board. Traveler’s checks, Visa, MasterCard, and American Express are accepted for payment of shipboard accounts. Wi-fi access is available throughout the ship. Rates are posted.
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