Arrive at the airport and head to the hotel via the group transfer to your hotel. Relax, and spend the overnight here preparing for your adventure.

*Pre/Post hotels and flights are always subject to change until the Travel Documents are provided.

In the morning, join the group and transfer to Portsmouth. Afterward, embark on SH Diana for your adventure.

Your Anglo-French cruise begins in the UK’s only island city and the world’s oldest dry dock. With easy access by rail and road from airports in London and Southampton, Portsmouth has a long and proud naval heritage. Board your boutique ship, following in the footsteps of the likes of Admiral Nelson and Henry VIII as you settle in for your voyage. If time permits, the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is definitely worth a visit. The attraction is home to a wonderful collection of famous historical ships including Lord Nelson’s HMS Victory, Queen Victoria’s HMS Warrior, and the only surviving ship from the First World War’s Gallipoli campaign, the HMS M.33. A very fitting way to begin your seafaring adventure.

Returning back across the channel, arrive in the picturesque Cornish town of Fowey. With strong ties to its Celtic roots, this beautiful historic town has a wonderful selection of shops and eateries to explore. Nearby, find the world-famous Eden Project and the Lost Gardens of Heligan. The port here is deep but small, so with your boutique cruise ship as the star attraction, you can be guaranteed a warm, friendly Cornish welcome.

Included Excursions

SCENIC CORNISH DRIVE & POLPERRO

• Enjoy a scenic drive through the peaceful Cornish countryside and its granite farmhouses.
• Discover Polperro, a quaint old Cornish fishing village, and its charming winding streets and pretty cottages.
• Opportunity to try the local and traditional Cornish pasty

Reach one of Britain’s most peaceful and beautiful places today. The Isles of Scilly are a low-lying archipelago 45 kilometers off Cornwall. The Gulf Stream provides a mild climate in which flowers and other flora thrive and the Isles’ white-sand beaches and lapping translucent green sea could easily be mistaken for the Caribbean. From the world-famous Tresco Abbey Garden with its 20,000 species from all over the globe and Elizabethan castles to fortresses to Bronze Age sites and illuminating lighthouses, the Isles of Scilly boasts several outstanding attractions to be enjoyed.

Included Excursions

TRESCO ABBEY GARDENS

• Walk through the ruins of the Benedictine priory that the garden is now built on
• Discover their immaculate collection of Valhalla figureheads and decorative carvings from shipwrecks dating from the 19th century
• Replenish with a traditional Cream Tea in the garden cafe before heading back to the pie

The charming harbor town of Bantry lies amid headlands and islands in Ireland's southwest on Bantry Bay. Ancient sites like the Kealkil stone circle, Kilnaruane Pillar Stone and 16th-century Carriganass Castle surround the town, which is prime for walking. More recent is the grand 18th-century Bantry House with Italianate gardens by the water. Nearby, Seal Island bustles with friendly seals, and the garden paradise Garinish Island graces the bay.

Included Excursions

SKIBBEREEN HERITAGE TOWN & TRADITIONAL IRISH PUB

• Explore the beautiful coastal village of Skibbereen, considered the capital of West Cork region
• Deepen your connection to Ireland by talking with a local historian about the Potato Famine and its unforgettable impact
• In Ballydehob, enjoy a refreshing drink and live traditional Irish music in a unique and quirky pub located in the town center

A LEISURELY DRIVE THROUGH WEST CORK TOWNS
 

Dingle, a historic Irish fishing village on the Dingle Peninsula's western edge, features craggy cliffs, dramatic waves and hidden beaches. It's guarded by a Victorian lighthouse, reached via a 6 km coastal walk. The surroundings offer diverse hikes, from mountain ridges to secluded shores. The area's rich history encompasses the medieval Garfinny Bridge, 15th-century Gallarus Castle and the ancient Reask monastic site.

Included Excursions

WILD ATLANTIC WAY - DINGLE PENINSULA

• Engage with all of the interactive displays, artifacts, audio-video presentations, and exhibitions the museum has to offer
• Take in breathtaking headlands hugged by the shimmering North Atlantic on your coastal drive
• Learn from local experts about the authors behind literary classics like ‘The Islandman’, ‘Twenty Years A-Growing’ and ‘Peig’

A harbor city on Ireland’s west coast, Galway has a little of the air of Dublin, centered on 18th-century Eyre Square. Its architecture ranges across the centuries, from widespread medieval creations to the elegant university and the playful design of the 1960s cathedral. Ireland's national aquarium, the Galway Atlantaquaria, sits on the waterfront with more than 1,000 species from the Atlantic, its lakes and rivers on show.

Included Excursions

GALWAY CITY & COUNTRYSIDE

• Visit Galway Cathedral, the largest church in Ireland with a 145-ft dome
• From Salthill, enjoy views of the Aran Islands, Galway City and the mountains of Connemara
• On your way back to the pier, make one last stop at the charming village of Moycullen

A WALK THROUGH GALWAY CITY

• Step out of the ordinary with this in-depth experience of Irish culture
• See the farmer in action as he maneuvers his flock with the help of his loyal sheepdog and be invited to hand-feed newborn lambs (if in season)
• Learn the history of the 14 tribes that earned Galway the nickname “The City of Tribes”

Killybegs, a quaint coastal town in County Donegal, is famed for its vibrant fishing industry and rich maritime history. Surrounded by Donegal's natural wonders—mountains, forests, and remote beaches—the Atlantic coastline, adorned with sea stacks, adds to its allure. The Slieve League Cliffs, Europe's tallest sea cliffs at 600m, dominate the skyline. Killybegs also offers Celtic gems like Donegal Castle and the ruins of Donegal Abbey.

Included Excursions

DONEGAL TRADITIONS & FOLKLORE

• Drive through some of the most spectacular, picturesque and ruggedly beautiful areas of Donegal, Ireland's most remote county
• Visit Glencolmcille Folk Village, which is steeped in the culture, tradition, language and lifestyle of southwest Donegal: see the school house were the children learned the Irish language, discover the old Irish cures, or enjoy a demonstration of spinning and weaving in this area renowned for its tweed
• Enjoy refreshments accompanied by a performance of traditional Irish Music

THE WILD SLIABH LIAG CLIFFS
 

This small town is the gateway to one of Northern Ireland’s most popular destinations - the Causeway Coast with clifftop walks and beaches. Top of the bill is the UNESCO-listed Giant’s Causeway with its 40,000 basalt formations. The crashing Atlantic on one side, towering cliffs the other, it is Northern Ireland’s number-one attraction, leaving the question: is this prehistoric volcanic activity or the handiwork of two legendary Celtic giants?

Included Excursions

ANTRIM COAST & GIANT'S CAUSEWAY

• Listen as your guide tells the story of the early Christians and Vikings who were drawn to the Dunluce Castle where an Irish fort once stood
• Walk through the castle for an up-close look at the details fortified in the 16th and 17th century

ANTRIM COAST & GIANT'S CAUSEWAY

• Visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Giant's Causeway and see the breathtaking views of the North Antrim Coast
• Discover Dunluce Castle one of the most picturesque and romantic of Irish Castles.

Rathlin Island, a mountainous and sparsely populated island off the Northern Irish coast, is a treasure trove of natural beauty and historic intrigue. Views include the harbour with fishing boats and a lighthouse, which has stood guard for over 150 years.

 

Gateway to Scotland’s Isle of Mull, a wild, wonderful place that has the fairytale feel of a desert island, ringed by beaches, from little white-sand Calgary to the wide-open swathe of Laggan Sands. Tiny Tobermory, with its brightly painted houses, is the island’s picture book capital, lovely to wander in. There are six castles in splendid spots, two brochs (drystone Iron Age shelters), and Lochbuie, a Bronze Age standing stone circle and magnificent walks taking in mountains, cliffs and shoreline.

Included Excursions

EXPLORE DUART CASTLE

• Learn how Sir Fitzroy Maclean restored the castle in 1911 to the spectacular condition it stands in today
• Experience the castle through the ages with a visit to the exhibition of clan history where many historical objects are on display
• Get unbeatable views of the Sound of Mull surrounded by the rolling hillsides of Scotland’s west coast

One of Britain’s most beautiful stretches of water, The Sound of Mull, between Mull and the Scottish mainland, is a dreamlike destination with ancient fortifications, beaches and cliffs always on view. The waterway takes in distant peaks often wreathed in mist. Three lighthouses stand guard, while a number of wrecks sit below on the seabed.

 

The capital of the most populous island in the Outer Hebrides, Lewis, is a windswept, rugged place famed for its weavers who make world-famous Harris Tweed. The spellbinding Callanish Stones on the west coast, are standing stones in a cruciform pattern with a central stone circle. This circle is thought to have been built some 500 years before Stonehenge, in 3,000 BC, making it (along with one on Orkney) the UK’s oldest.

Included Excursions

ANCIENT LEWIS & BLACKHOUSE VILLAGE

• Visit the Callanish Standing Stones
• Learn about the construction of the blackhouses which involved dry stone masonry and thatched roofs
• Take a break for unforgettable views overlooking the Atlantic coast

A sheltered deep water loch, Loch Ewe in the Scottish Highlands has a big Naval history. During WWII the Home Fleet stayed here, it was a base for Arctic convoys and a post-war depot for captured German U-boats. NATO still uses the loch as a base for submarine servicing. The loch is a beauty spot , with low-lying Ewe Island in the middle. Sitting on the banks is Inverewe, a Victorian garden rich in exotic plants.

Included Excursions

INVEREWE GARDENS EXCLUSIVE VISIT

• Marvel at this feast of human achievement where a father and daughter were able to turn barren wilderness into thriving landscapes in the 19th century
• Take a ride around the shores of the peninsula before getting dropped by Zodiac to your destination
• Become familiar with the rare plant species that thrive in the heritage gardens thanks to the effects of the Gulf Stream meeting the Highlands

Oban, a beautiful seaside town on the west coast of Scotland, is the "Seafood Capital of Scotland." Brimming with life, its picturesque harbor serves as the gateway to the enchanting Hebridean islands. The city is surrounded by miles of dramatic shores and beautiful countryside, and is home to the Oban Distillery, which produces some of Scotland’s finest whisky.

Included Excursions

SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS & GLENCOE

• Enjoy the incredible scenery during a panoramic drive around the tip of Loch Awe with views of Kilchurn Castle
• Visit the award-winning Glencoe visitor center to learn more about the history, geology, and nature of this region.
• View Castle Stalker, a tower house on its own islet set against a dramatic backdrop of mountains

Your cruise comes to an end today in Dublin, the Republic of Ireland’s capital. It’s at times gritty and in places, gorgeous – Georgian squares, hidden parks, and tree-lined canals. It’s lively, complex, cosmopolitan, and eminently walkable. So bid farewell to Diana and start exploring, if time allows before your flight home. Come full circle and visit The Long Room in the Old Library in stately Trinity College to inspect the Book of Kells, which was produced on Iona. The Long Room itself is much lauded for its beauty – it’s a stunning, two-story, barrel-vaulted space that houses 200,000 of Trinity’s oldest books and manuscripts. Elsewhere the new Museum of Literature Ireland, the National Museum of Ireland, Christ Church and St Patrick’s Cathedrals, the Guinness Storehouse, Kilmainham Gaol, and Glasnevin Cemetery entice visitors – just be sure to stop into a snug somewhere for a pint.

On this day, make your farewell to your fellow travelers and crew. Head to the airport via the group transfer provided and catch your flight home.