By Anne Kalosh.
Poseidon Expeditions is introducing a 2019 itinerary that takes travelers to the Scottish Highlands and Arctic glaciers. Also new is a British Isles cruise that, in a first for this polar specialist, has nothing to do with the Arctic or Antarctica. Both voyages operate on the recently refurbished, 114-passenger SEA SPIRIT.
The recently refurbished Sea Spirit. * Photo Poseidon Expeditions
The new 12-day cruise from Scotland to the Arctic sails June 3, 2019, from Leith (Edinburgh) to Norway’s Longyearbyen (Spitsbergen), tracing the routes of Vikings who invaded Scotland’s coast centuries ago.
Highlights include Skara Brae, a 5,000-year-old village and UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Orkney Islands; Fair Isle in the Shetland Islands, famous for its sweaters and as a birder’s paradise (puffins galore!); Denmark’s Faroe Islands, with their whaling heritage; Norway’s stunning and wild Jan Mayen; and the high Arctic wilderness of Svalbard.
Puffins! * Photo: Poseidon Expeditions
A 15% discount is available if booked by Nov. 1 this year, bringing the starting rate to $5,396 per person.
Preceding that trip is SEA SPIRIT’s new 12-day British Isles expedition, departing May 21, 2019. It embarks from Plymouth in southwest England. From there, the pilgrims sailed to America in 1620.
The voyage continues along the Scottish coast to isles of Scotland and Ireland, ending at Leith. Many stops feature birding. Some highlights include the high cliffs of Scotland’s St. Kilda, the basalt columns of Ireland’s Giant’s Causeway, castles and monasteries (including Iona Abbey), Waterford (crystal), Snowdonia National Park and a 13th-century castle in Wales, Shetland ponies, and a Highland distillery.
Rates start at $5,795 per person.
SEA SPIRIT recently underwent a $1 million refurbishment of all 55 guest suites and public areas.
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HEIDI SARNA
