St Kilda and the isles of the Outer Hebrides 10-nights

17 July 2021

Hello Emma - As you can see from the grades that we have put below, we could not have been more pleased with our time on Elizabeth G. We were blessed with exceptionally fine weather which obviously colours our views a little, but our enjoyment of the whole time would not have been anywhere as much had it not been for the service we received.  Food was excellent, leaving nothing to be desired. Wildlife sightings were exceptional including all the bird life that we expected, plus bonuses like Snowy owl, Humpback whale, Sunfish, Risso’s dolphin, Minke whale and very close encounters with a large pod of common dolphins. All of these were made possible by the local knowledge and skill at spotting of the crew. Onshore trips were well organised and we visited and also moored in some beautiful places.  Many thanks for making this holiday such a memorable experience. We would recommend it to anyone, especially people who enjoy good food, natural history and beautiful scenery.  Jim & Margaret Oakley.

Jim Oakley

5 July 2021

Just returned from our second successful trip to St Kilda on the Elizabeth G. It was lovely to be greeted by the familiar faces of Rob and Craig from our previous trip along with naturalist Zoe and chef Sian. Rob’s experienced weather-eye meant he paced our journey to St Kilda so that we made the best of the beautiful weather so that we had the full day ashore on the sunniest day, even better than the previous trip in 2019. As before, Craig attended to our every needs and sumptuous meals were served up by Sian, maintaining the high standard of cuisine we have come to expect on the Elizabeth G. As an experienced whale-watcher Zoe was indefatigable in keeping a lookout for whales and dolphins and her enthusiasm was very infectious. She was also careful to make sure everyone was alerted when any were sighted. All in all it was a fantastic trip and I can’t wait till the next one.

Helen Mainwood

5 July 2021

Emma was excellent.  We will well informed during the difficult Covid time.  Our holiday was a wonderful mixture of shore visits, calm anchorages, picturesque scenery and amazing selection of wildlife.  The public areas are delightful and great outdoor space for wildlife watching.  Book it and enjoy!!

Sue Jackson

5 July 2021

I found the staff on the phone (Emma who I dealt with) most helpful and reassuring.  The crew were so helpful and friendly, it was a pleasure right from the start.  All of the crew were knowledgable as well as the guide, Will - the all contibuted to a marvellos trip.  Do it!!

Jackie Thompson

5 July 2021

We had an absolutely wonderful time, it was lovely to stop at all the islands and have enough time to explore properly. All the crew were amazing, nothing was too much trouble for any of them, and together they made a superb team and all looked after us really well. Zoe was so good at spotting things and helping us identify all the birds and mammals and made sure everyone was involved and doing what they wanted. The food was absolutely first class, I think Sian should have lots of Michelin stars and the scallops were my favourite!! The boat was really comfortable and I felt really safe.

Linda Godfrey

5 July 2021

Our expectations were high - they were comfortably exceeded by every aspect of the cruise: the ship (it's more than a boat), the delightful and most efficient team of four forming the crew, the accommodation and the fantastic food. The scenery and the wildlife were amazing. Not part of the offer but how else would you see a Minke Whale breaching several times within 100 metres of the ship?

Roger Richardson

5 July 2021

The cruise was excellent. St Kilda is breath taking for its geology, bird life and mysterious historic buildings. Gill and I quite spontaneously both compared its haunting atmosphere with Machu Picchu.  Rob the captain took us as close as possible to some wonderful bird covered cliffs, stacks and caves and homed in on bird flocks, seals, minke whales, dolphins, otters and other wildlife sights whenever he glimpsed them.  We enjoyed walking on Hirta and the other islands where we saw so many wildflowers. We were lucky to see the St Kilda mouse and wren although TV enthusiasts might consider the Balamory cat more important.  I was surprised to learn that the crew of four had not all worked together many times as they formed such a well co-ordinated team. All the passengers got along well.  Rob the captain seemed to know the islands in detail and is obviously a man of many accomplishments but still seemed happy to help serve meals. Sian, the lady chef, produced very fine meals and evening dinners were a culinary and social joy. Craig seemed to be everywhere helping and Zoe the naturalist never stopped looking for wildlife and pointing it out from the boat and when she guided us on the islands.  We are both somewhat stiff jointed but with a little help we had no trouble with beach landings. We slept in one of the two smaller cabins. There was no space to spare but we quickly made ourselves at home and were very comfortable. The little wet room worked well.  We can happily recommend Hebrides Cruises to anybody.  Thanks to all you all.

Gill & Paul Gillians

12 June 2021

Hello Emma - I just wanted to let you know how much we loved the trip.  It was a perfect gem of a cruise & what a fabulous team you have put together! All credit to them for making it so memorable. If I had to pick one it would be Emma, as she is quite an amazingly talented chef,but really all were fantastic in their different roles.  It was truly amazing & we were so lucky to see St Kilda in such brilliant sunshine.  James put together a lovely video and I would love to have a copy of it if possible?  Our very best wishes to you and your family, 

Jan Rubin

12 June 2021

Fantastic cruise, we visited so many islands. And st Kilda was amazing. Our crew looked after us so well, the food was exceptional. Fantastic islands, amazing scenery, fabulous wildlife. We’ll definitely be booking again.

Mandy smith

3 August 2019

I am recently returned from an amazing 10 days on Elizabeth G. We were fortunate to achieve the goal of St Kilda early on and an evocative visit to the Village was followed by a cruise around the truly awesome sea stacks and Boreray. The rest of the trip followed on with a variety of peaceful anchorages and well led shore visits. The wildlife didn't let us down with sightings of eagles, dolphins, the St Kilda wren, a whale and too many seabirds to list. We couldn't have been better looked after better by skipper Chris, guide Nigel, bosun Amy and chef Iain who made a lovely team. My thanks too to Emma for all the admin beforehand and to my fellow guests for their excellent company. I would highly recommend a voyage with Hebrides Cruises.

Jan Hazell