Day 1 – Belfast, Northern Ireland

Departs 05:00 pm.

The capital of Northern Ireland – part of the United Kingdom – Belfast has experienced a renaissance since the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 that promised an end to the decades-old “Troubles” between Catholics and Protestants. Stretching along both sides of the River Lagan, this graceful city of Victorian and Edwardian buildings has become a cosmopolitan tourist destination. Once a major industrial center, Belfast is also your gateway to the rich, Irish countryside of Counties Antrim and Down.Belfast was an industrial giant in the 19th century, famed for its linen and its shipyards. Explore this exuberant city, marvel at the Giant’s Causeway or shop for superb Irish linens.

Day 2 – At Sea

Day 3 – Orkney Islands (Kirkwall), Scotland

Arrives 07:00 am, departs 11:00 pm.

Just north of Scotland lay the Orkney Islands. Washed by the furthest reach of the Gulf Stream, this chain of over 70 islands offers dramatic landscapes that range from sea cliffs rearing 1,000 feet above the waves to sweeping white sand beaches. Bird watchers flock to the Orkney Islands, drawn by the multitudes of sea birds. Divers explore the wrecks lying in the clear waters of Scapa Flow, the Royal Navy’s fleet anchorage in two world wars. And most fascinating of all, the Orkney Islands boast the greatest concentration of prehistoric sites in all Europe, including the mysterious Ring of Brodgar and 5,000-year-old Skara Brae.Vikings – Norsemen – ruled the Orkney Islands from the 9th to 13th centuries, leaving in their wake such monuments as St. Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall. This hint of Scandinavian influence can be heard in the lilting accent with which Orcadians speak.

Day 4 – Fair Isle, Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK

Arrives 07:00 am, departs 12:00 pm.

Day 4 – Mousa, Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK

Arrives 03:00 pm, departs 06:00 pm.

Day 4 – Shetland Islands (Lerwick), Scotland

Arrives 08:00 pm.

The Shetlands are the most northerly of the British Isles and consist of over one hundred islands, of which a mere 16 are inhabited. Lerwick is the capital of the archipelago. Located on the eastern shore of Mainland, the largest Shetland Island, the town was largely developed by Dutch herring fisherman in the 17th century. The islands are renowned for their superb crafts ranging from woolen and cashmere knitwear to intricate lace shawls and fine jewelry.Note: Lerwick is an anchorage port. Guests transfer to shore by ship’s tender.

Day 5 – Shetland Islands (Lerwick), Scotland

Departs 03:00 pm.

The Shetlands are the most northerly of the British Isles and consist of over one hundred islands, of which a mere 16 are inhabited. Lerwick is the capital of the archipelago. Located on the eastern shore of Mainland, the largest Shetland Island, the town was largely developed by Dutch herring fisherman in the 17th century. The islands are renowned for their superb crafts ranging from woolen and cashmere knitwear to intricate lace shawls and fine jewelry.Note: Lerwick is an anchorage port. Guests transfer to shore by ship’s tender.

Day 5 – Isle of Noss, Shetland Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom

Arrives 04:00 pm, departs 10:00 pm.

Day 6 – At Sea

Day 7 – Vagur, Faroe Islands

Arrives 07:00 am, departs 05:00 pm.

Day 8 – Torshavn, Faroe Islands

Arrives 07:00 am, departs 05:00 pm.

Day 9 – Klaksvik, Faroe Islands

Arrives 07:00 am, departs 05:00 pm.

Day 10 – Oyndarfjordur, Faroe Islands

Arrives 07:00 am, departs 02:00 pm.

Day 11 – Djupivogur, Iceland

Arrives 07:00 am, departs 09:00 am.

Day 11 – Papey Island, Iceland

Arrives 10:00 am, departs 04:00 pm.

Day 12 – Grimsey, Iceland

Arrives 08:00 am, departs 06:00 pm.

Day 13 – Siglufjordur, Iceland

Arrives 08:00 am, departs 05:00 pm.

Day 14 – Dynjandi, Iceland

Arrives 07:00 am, departs 11:00 am.

Day 14 – Patreksfjordur, Iceland

Arrives 02:00 pm, departs 08:00 pm.

Day 15 – Reykjavik, Iceland

Arrives 07:00 am.

Iceland is a land of volcanoes and glaciers, lava fields and green pastures, boiling thermal springs and ice-cold rivers teeming with salmon. This unspoiled demi-paradise is also home to a very old and sophisticated culture. The northernmost capital in the world, Reykjavik was founded in 874 when Ingolfur Arnarson threw wood pillars into the sea, vowing to settle where the pillars washed ashore. Today, Iceland is an international center of commerce and home to one of the most technologically sophisticated societies in the world.Reykjavik is the gateway to Iceland’s natural wonders, which range from ice fields to thermal pools. The island is in a continual process of transformation much like its society, which blends Nordic tradition with sophisticated technology.