Celtic Voyage: The Hebrides and the Irish Sea - with Smithsonian Journeys

In alliance with Smithsonian Journeys.This cruise is part of a collection of Ponant voyages that are specially-tailored for English-speaking travelers who want to engage with the world. In addition to the usual elements of the Ponant experience, the listed price for these voyages includes transfers to and from the ship, talks and discussions aboard ship by world class experts, and a shore excursion or activity in each port of call that encourages guests to embrace the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells of the local environment and culture.Join Ponant aboard Le Dumont-d'Urville for a 7-day cruise...read more on an exceptional itinerary to discover the rich cultural history and stunning landscapes of the Celtic lands. Begin your voyage in Glasgow, Scotland's warm cultural capital with a rich artistic and architectural heritage.Your ship will sail first to Kyle of Lochalsh, gateway to the Isle of Skye. Not to be missed is Eilean Donan, one of the most recognizable castles in the world and an iconic symbol of Scotland. You may recognize the castle as the Scottish headquarters of MI6 in the James Bond film, The World is Not Enough.Continue along the Hebrides archipelago and call at Tobermory, a charming fishing port on the Isle of Mull with multi-coloured houses and whose distillery produces a renowned single malt scotch whiskey. Lose yourself in the local lore of Duart Castle before proceeding to a mystical abbey on the Isle of Iona, home to the first Christian settlement in Scotland.Le Dumont-d'Urville then sails for Belfast, Northern Ireland's dynamic capital and gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage listed Giant's Causeway, whose 40,000 iconic basalt columns resulted from a volcanic eruption some six million years ago.Your ship sails next towards Dublin, the vibrant capital of Ireland and a UNESCO City of Literature, where Trinity College holds the legendary and important Book of Kells. Dublin is also home to Guinness, whose brewery has been pouring the world-famous stout for over 250 years.End your voyage in the quaint seaport of Holyhead, Wales. From here, a drive across the Isle of Anglesey brings you to the mainland and to the medieval Caernarfon Castle, which together with three other northern Welsh castles built by King Edward I are recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site.Your cruise comes full circle as you disembark in Fairlie, a quaint village outside Glasgow.