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British Isles and Ireland cruises
Our cruises sailing around the UK and Ireland
As well as cruises further afield, our small British cruise ships also cruise around the UK. Seek out ports in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, along with the Channel Islands and Isle of Man.
These ports prove there’s so much to discover much closer to home, from historic houses and period architecture to national parks and coastal scenery. Take your pick of cruises aboard our new boutique ships, Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Adventure, and get closer to the history and culture right here in the British Isles.
2026 British Isles and Ireland cruises
Why cruise the British Isles and Ireland?
Bantry
The town of Bantry is located inside the wind-sheltered Bantry Bay in West Cork. Sitting on the edge of the Bay is the Bantry House. Here, you can explore the gardens in the ancestral home of the Earls of Bantry. Bantry is perfectly located for exploring some of Ireland’s finest Atlantic Coast scenery.
Belfast
Belfast is fast becoming a celebrated haven for literature, art, music and theatre. The Cathedral Quarter is at the city’s cultural heart and well worth a visit. The city also boasts a rich seafaring history, and it was here that the ill-fated RMS Titanic was built. Today visitors can explore Titanic Belfast, which narrates the story of the White Star Line.
Cork
The historic city of Cork includes attractions such as the Victorian Gothic St Fin Barre’s Cathedral and the 18th-century English Market. You can also pay a visit to Blarney Castle with its famous stone. The 600-year-old castle sits amid 60 acres of gardens and parklands. The Blarney Stone is located at the top of the castle tower and is said to give the gift of eloquence to anyone who kisses it.
Falmouth
Falmouth is a port town on the coast of Cornwall. It was converted into a seaport at the suggestion of Sir Walter Raleigh, and is rich in maritime heritage. Positioned on the Fal Estuary, the town is the start and finish line for many record-breaking sea voyages including those of Dame Ellen MacArthur and Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.
Kirkwall
Located on the Orkney Islands is the ancient Norse town, Kirkwall, which was founded by the Vikings in the early 11th century. This distinctive town is known for its twisting lanes, historical Bishop’s and Earl’s palaces and Britain's most northerly cathedral, St Magnus Cathedral.
St Peter Port
St Peter Port is a charming town on the island of Guernsey, in the Channel Islands. Here you can explore the town church, which was completed in 1466, and hilltop Candie Gardens which offer exceptional coastal views. Listen out for the Noon Day Gun fired daily from 13th-century Castle Cornet, set on an island in the harbour.
The Legendary Giant’s Causeway
From Belfast’s port, drive through County Antrim and make a short photo-stop at the viewpoint overlooking Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, which spans a chasm roughly 80 feet deep. Then continue to the world-famous Giant’s Causeway. The 40,000 irregular basalt columns here are thought to have resulted from volcanic activity, but they have also been the subject of many intriguing legends. One of the most popular is that a giant, Finn MacCool, constructed the causeway as a path to his true love, Oonagh.
Ancient Treasures of Orkney
Experience the West Mainland of Orkney, the location of one of the greatest concentrations of World Heritage and prehistoric sites in the British Isles. Leaving Kirkwall, head to the Bay of Skaill where you can explore Stone Age Skara Brae, the remains of a village that pre-dates the pyramids and Stonehenge. Afterwards, a scenic drive will take you via the Standing Stones of Stenness - which you will drive past slowly - to the Ring of Brodgar, where 27 of the 60 stones that once formed a perfect circle are still standing. Finally, pass historic Scapa Flow, where you can hear stories of dramatic wartime experiences that make this one of the most famous stretches of water in the world.
Exotic Tresco Gardens
The gardens are home to an astounding 20,000 exotic plants from 80 countries as diverse as Brazil, South Africa and New Zealand. Many species would not withstand the climate on the Cornish mainland, less than 30 miles away, yet even at the winter equinox, more than 300 plants can be found in flower here. It was Augustus Smith who first built the walled enclosures around the Priory ruins. He was a wealthy merchant banker who purchased the islands from the Duchy of Cornwall in the 1830s. Work on the gardens commenced in 1834, incorporating the ruined walls of the old Benedictine Priory.
Victorian Railways and Snaefell
Look forward to journeys aboard two of the Isle of Man’s distinctive railways: the Manx Electric Railway and the Snaefell Mountain Railway. The Manx Electric Railway, which opened in 1893, connects the island’s capital Douglas with Laxey in the east and Ramsey in the north. At Laxey Station you’ll transfer to the Snaefell Mountain Railway. This is the only electric mountain railway in the British Isles. The railway opened in 1895 and six of the original tramcars are still in use today. Enjoy the scenery during the four-and-a-half mile train ride to the summit of Snaefell. At 2,036 feet, this is the highest point on the Isle of Man, where (weather permitting) you will have views of Laxey Glens, the coast and the countryside.
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