Unlike large cruise ships our small ships are able to visit and anchor in shallow, small, unspoiled bays and secluded coves. The friendly atmosphere aboard means that socialising and meals are more relaxed, and our small number of guests quickly get to know each other and their crew. You are closer to the water which makes spotting the myriads of wildlife from the open decks far more enjoyable - and you don’t even have to use binoculars!

 The small groups of like-minded people dining together in breath-taking surroundings, visiting remote island and peaceful walks ashore create wonderful, unforgettable experiences that are not available on large cruise ships. This often makes for guests forming long-lasting friendships and returning voyages.

We have a “leave only a wake” cruising philosophy on all our small ships which are more eco-friendly than large cruise ships and we do not flood small towns and villages with hundreds of tourists.

St Hilda (maximum of six guests) is great for a family holiday. On St Hilda, youngsters and adults can help to haul up the main and mizzen sails, set the jib, learn to tie sailing knots and use the inflatable sea kayak. Swimming from the boat is always enjoyed by our passengers as is fishing for dinner!

Our vessels can be booked for Private Charter up to a maximum of 6 passengers on St Hilda, eleven passengers on Seahorse II, 8 passengers on Gemini Explorer and 8 passengers on Speideren. If you click on the following link you will be able to find all of our Private Charter departure dates: https://www.sthildaseaadventures.co.uk/special-cruises/private-charter

Many of our guests travel solo and enjoy the camaraderie of a small groups of guests. There are single cabins available aboard Gemini Explorer and Seahorse II. St Hilda’s three cabins and Speideren’s four cabins are all for two guests. However, it is possible to book a twin/double cabin aboard any of our four vessels for your sole use with a 25% discount.

Each cruise includes full board (breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner), accommodation in your own private cabin, and the services of a dedicated skipper and chef. There are special cruises which offer whisky tours, creating writing tutoring, art tutoring, photography tutoring and Scottish music. Check individual itineraries for specifics.

Our cruising season is April to October. Each season has its highlights. Spring is an excellent time of the year to visit the Inner and Outer Hebrides when the weather is usually settled and sunny. Wildlife encounters are many, especially the seabirds that are returning to their traditional nesting sites. The puffins can be seen from very close up which makes for an extraordinary experience. The autumn cruises are also very special as the mountains and hills are truly magnificent in their red and gold colours and they become alive to the bellows of the rutting stags. 

You will be able to enjoy wildlife encounters throughout the cruising season (April to October) and all our itineraries have the wildlife experience as their core. Depending on the season and itinerary, you could see puffins, sea and golden eagles, otters, dolphins, porpoises, seals, minke whales, seals, basking sharks, red deer as well as many types of seabirds. Occasionally we do see orcas and humpback whales. You can view some wonderful pictures, some taken by our guests, on our online photo gallery: https://www.sthildaseaadventures.co.uk/gallery.

The ‘Hebridean Cruise: Wildlife & Malt Whisky’ focuses on visiting iconic distilleries on Islay and Jura. Included in the whisky cruise is a guided whisky tour on the Isle of Islay.  

The ‘Southern Hebridean Wild Isles: Islay, Jura, Luing and Shuna’ cruise has a similar itinerary to the whisky cruise. You will also be able to visit some of the distilleries on Islay and possibly Jura during this cruise. Before or after all of our cruises you will be able to visit the distillery in Oban.

Safety is always our priority. Cruises are weather-dependent and routes may be adjusted based on sea conditions, tides, and wind. The flexibility of our small ships allows us to adapt to all weather conditions while still offering a memorable experience.

We have many guests joining us in their eighties, and some in their nineties. It is, however, important to be reasonably fit and agile to be able to be safe and comfortable aboard our vessels. We can send you pictures of the boarding steps and stairs leading to the accommodation to help you decide if a cruise aboard our vessels would be suitable to you. The access is a little more difficult on St Hilda.

Embarking is at 1330 at Dunstaffnage Marina which, on the A85, is just three miles north of Oban. You will be met at that time by a crew member at the pontoon gate who will assist you with your luggage.

You can leave your car in the Dunstaffnage Marina secure parking. The cost is £30/week (or £6/day). 

Should you be travelling all the way by public transport (bus, ferry or train), you will receive a £50 voucher per booking towards the cost of your cruise.  Alternatively, we can donate your £50 to the Marine Conservation Society, a charity that is working for 'seas full of life'. 

Our chefs are used to cater for various dietary requirements. When you book a cruise, you will receive the Booking Form where under “Food Information” you will be able to give us details of your special dietary requirements.

Also, let us know if you are celebrating a special event. We will bake a delicious cake and provide a bottle of champagne to make the moment even more memorable.

We never suffer from the midges aboard the vessels as there is always a little breeze and we are always sufficiently away from the shore. Even when you explore beaches, there is usually enough wind for the midges not to bother you. You could encounter them ashore, when there is no wind and it is warm and muggy or at dusk thus, it is a good idea to carry an insect repellent of some sort - “Smidge” seems to work very well: https://www.smidgeup.com/.

Layers of clothes are best to adjust to the Scottish weather, which can be changeable. It is good to have a light waterproof jacket and trousers. A small rucksack is very useful, as well as a bottle of water, sunhat and sun lotion. Carry a warm hat and gloves, just in case! It can sometimes feel cold in the tender as you are not moving around. A pair of walking boots for going ashore is recommended and a pair of clean, non-slip shoes for onboard.

All cabin linen and towels are supplied including towelling dressing gowns on Seahorse II and Gemini Explorer for the cabins with no en-suite. Hand-wash is provided in each cabin but toiletries are not.

It will be possible to give the bags/cases that you don’t need onboard for the cruise to the crew when they meet you at the pontoon gate at 13:30 on the day of departure, and we will store them for you. Just let us know so that we can plan ahead with the crew.

The dress code onboard is casual and you don’t need to dress up for dinner.

The comfort and safety of all our passengers is paramount and our skippers are very careful to choose the best and calmest routes and most sheltered anchorage - there are plenty of lochs in which to shelter from inclement weather. The skippers, who will have the latest weather forecast, will be able to give you advice should you feel seasick. We would recommend that you carry some travel sickness tablets just in case. If you worry about feeling seasick, you could take a tablet about half an hour before the boat sails. “Stugeron” is very effective and some of our passengers have found using a travel band very useful too.

Every day we will spend some time, generally a few hours, travelling to our next anchorage. You will then have time to explore the local area. The crew can recommend walks of various difficulties and length.

This is your holiday, and you will be able to do as much or as little as you wish. Should you prefer to just go for a gentle stroll on a beach or even stay aboard the vessel, relaxing comfortably on deck, it’s up to you and you can be sure that you will be well looked after by the crew.

We either go alongside a pontoon or anchor and then use our tender to take guests ashore. We mostly anchor in a sheltered, remote anchorage where there is very little light pollution.