In 2017 we introduced our new luxury vessel, which had a very successful season and she is already almost booked out for 2018. Over the winter, a few essentials were addressed, including operational upgrades such as new stabilisers to provide the best cruising experience possible for our guests. The ship was then painted blue to match our brand colours and her sister ship Elizabeth-G. All along, we knew that we would rename our new ship and tradition demands that a ship should have a feminine name which is often a close relative of the owners family. So what better name to choose than for our own daughter who has been instrumental in building Hebrides Cruises to the success it now is.
Emma Jane will arrive in Oban on April 3rd, ready for the new season and splendid in her new colour. She will be officially named at a special ceremony on Sunday 22 April. Ships are renamed all the time, but as all seafarers know, there is a vital formula to go through to ensure continued good fortune on the seas. As part of the ceremony a special speech will be made to Neptune before the usual procedure of naming the boat. The boat will then be blessed by a minister, in this case Donald Kirsop, Uncle of Emma.
Sunday 22 April will also be our Open Day from 2pm onwards on the pontoons at Oban. All are welcome to come and find out if small ship wildlife cruising (with an extra bit of luxury!) is for them!
I have long wanted to visit the Scottish Isles. A friend of mine recommended Hebrides Cruises and, since my husband gets seasick just looking at the ocean, I decided to travel alone. How fortunate, then, to have both delightful fellow guests and the most delightful of crews imaginable. The boat herself, the Elizabeth G, proved to be staunchly seaworthy and decidedly comfortable. AND she came equipped with a simply marvelous chef, Sarah, who fed us like royalty. Thank goodness for the daily walks that enabled us to eat most of what she presented. I think we saw every seabird in the book, my favorite -- no surprise here -- the adorable puffins who are much smaller in real life than I had imagined. We also saw numerous minke whales and porpoises, as well as eagles and red deer at a distance. Loved the ruined nunnery on Iona. Very atmospheric. Was awed by Fingles Cave and enchanted by the beauty of the isles themselves. With deep thanks to ALL the crew and to Hebrides Cruises which is both warm and highly professional.
Jennifer Tomkins: 22 April 2023Idyllic Islands: Mull, Iona, Staffa & the Treshnish Isles