Sustainable Wildlife Cruising on the West Coast of Scotland since 1996
Hebrides Cruises is a family-run business and the leading luxury wildlife cruise company on the west coast of Scotland, owning and operating three ocean-going vessels. Owner Rob Barlow has been introducing people to the idyllic islands of the West Coast of Scotland for the past 27 years.
Rob and his son-in-law James Fairbairns are qualified Skippers and Rob’s daughter Emma Fairbairns is Shore Manager, the helpful contact for guests from their first communication to post-cruise feedback. Other crew members are long-standing friends and colleagues who return every season, providing a continuity of knowledge and expertise.
Customer service is at the heart of our business
The atmosphere of friendship onboard very quickly extends to guests and every season, over 50% of guests have cruised with us before. We are very proud that the hundreds of reviews on our website, posted by our guests in their own words are 100% positive. On every cruise, the close-knit team of Skipper, Chef, Steward and Wildlife Expert ensure the best possible holiday for a maximum of 10 guests on board. Highly qualified, with an intimate knowledge of the Hebrides and the west coast of Scotland, our crews love to provide the best Scottish hospitality, always with a dash of fellowship and fun
We felt very honoured to received a double award at the 2023 Herald Scottish Family Business Awards, firstly for Customer Service Excellence and then for the overall micro Scottish Family Business of the Year.
A passion for the natural environment
Sustainability and a love of nature is at the heart of our company and we are proud to have gained the Green Tourism Gold Award standard for the second year, with a very high percentage level of passes.
The award report stated “Hebrides Cruises have done an excellent job in not only retaining the Green Tourism Gold award but increasing their score thanks to some new initiatives. The team has displayed an excellent understanding of sustainability and awareness of opportunities and challenges associated with running a responsible business. They continue to incorporate sustainability into every aspect of their cruises, whilst maintaining extraordinary levels of customer service and biodiversity knowledge on each trip”
Hebrides Cruises is WiSe accredited. The Wildlife Safe Scheme (WiSe) is the British standard for wildlife watching which provides training and accreditation for wildlife cruise operators and many other types of craft. The scheme advises operators on how best to view and interact with marine wildlife while minimising disturbance. In 2017 Rob was awarded the Gold WiSe Standard at a WiSe ‘Masters’ Course Read more about Rob's WiSe Gold Standard Award here>
We are very proud to have been closely associated with the development of the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust (HWDT) "Whale Track App" followed by testing the App on board our ships prior to its launch. In October 2018 we were very pleased to support the work of HWDT by becoming a Corporate Partner.
Oh dear. I had an incredible time on the Emma Jane last year, such a life altering experience that I was just a little nervous; it couldn’t possibly be as good again, could it? But it was…no, it was better. It might feel like happy accident to get good conditions, find amazing sealife, or really feel at home on a boat with twelve strangers, but of course it’s not; it skill, experience, planning, hard work and kindness. This is family, a family business that has created an ethos and atmosphere that flows through the crew (on shore and at sea) so that you feel totally at ease as you are taken by the hand and shown the wonders of the Hebrides. Vanessa, the steward, was bright, attentive and lovely. Chef Nicola cooked and baked delicious and varied food and is the sweetest and happiest person. Lynsay, wow, capable, knowledgeable and a hawkeye that never failed to spot or identify the multitudinous sealife, plus she’s the beautiful artist on display all over the boat! And Skipper Bren, so relaxed and accomplished that everyone assumed it was his umpteenth season on the Emma Jane…I hope he’s tempted back many more times. Thank you so much for showing me such incredible places, giving me unique experiences and indulging a chatty singleton who kept peeling off to sing in caves or check out the Mishnish’s 80-/ and random locals! I really appreciated the care, attention and honesty of the crew, they clearly love their jobs, had endless patience and are really interesting people to talk with. I can’t wait to come back and have booked another cruise aboard the Emma Jane; can it possibly be as good as this one? I’m not nervous. x
Ellen Orrock: 9 September 2023Skye and the Small Isles: Hebridean horizons