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Scotland, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands

Program Overview

Discover the lands of the Vikings and Gaels on an exclusive 8-night cruise itinerary that combines the treasures of Scotland and Iceland. Marvel at the 5,000-year-old Neolithic ruins of the Standing Stones of Callanish on the Isle of Lewis. Experience the beauty of the Inner Hebridean Isles and visit the breathtaking archipelago of the Faroe Islands. Learn about Scotland's Vikings and Scotland's Jacobites with guest speaker Professor Jeremy Martin Black, MBE. Enjoy an excursion to Iceland’s Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and cruise along UNESCO-inscribed Surtsey Island. Extend your journey with the Edinburgh/Glasgow Pre-Program and/or Reykjavík and the Golden Circle Post-Program options.

Program Details

May 30 to June 8, 2024 (Le Bellot)
From $6,115 plus air View Terms & Conditions
  • Exclusive 10-day, 8-night cruise from Glasgow, Scotland, to Reykjavík, Iceland,
    featuring the remote Faroe Islands.
  • Cruise in the wake of the Vikings and Gaels on this unique voyage aboard the exclusively chartered, 5-star Le Bellot, featuring only 92 suites and staterooms.
  • Experience Dun Carloway Pictish Broch—one of the best-preserved of its kind in the Hebrides—and continue north to see the Gearrannan Blackhouse Village.
  • Arrive in Tvøroyri and visit the wooden Faroese church, built in 1847 with a traditional turf roof.
  • Discover the ruins of St. Magnus Cathedral and the 900-year-old Roykstovan, the oldest wooden house in Europe.
  • Embark specially designed boats for a private cruise and the chance to touch ice blocks broken from Breidamerkurjökull.
  • Visit Heimaey Island for a tour of the Herjólfsdalur valley and its Viking ruins.
  • Continue to Stórhöfdi’s lava fields of Eldfell, known as the “Pompeii of the North,” and tour the Eldheimar Museum.
  • Cruise along Iceland’s Surtsey, one of Earth’s youngest islands and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  • Edinburgh and Glasgow Pre-Program Option and/or Reykjavík and the Golden Circle Post-Program Option.

Day 1 - Depart Home City

Day 2 - Glasgow, Scotland/Embark Le Bellot

Day 3 - Isle of Iona

Day 4 - Kyle of Lochash

Day 5 - Stornoway/Callanish Standing Stones/Isle of Lewis 

Day 6 - Tórshavn, Faroe Islands, Denmark/Kirkjubøur/Kollafjørður

Day 7 - Cruising the North Atlantic Ocean

Day 8 - Djúpivogur, Iceland, for Jökulsárlón

Day 9 - Heimaey, Westman Islands/Cruise along Surtsey Island

Day 10 - Reykjavík/Disembark ship/Return to home city

View detailed program itinerary >

The Le Bellot

Exclusively Chartered, 5-Star Luxury Small Ship

The Le Bellot, launched in 2020, represents a new generation of 5-star small ships, combining revolutionary design and a new standard of luxury for unparalleled cruising. Dock in smaller ports inaccessible to larger ships, where authentic cultural experiences and majestic scenery await you.

View Le Bellot Deckplan >

Learn more about The PONANT Fleet >

Jeremy Martin Black, MBE

Jeremy Martin Black, MBE

Professor Jeremy Martin Black, MBE, is a British historian and the prolific author of over 180 books, principally on British history. After graduating with a starred First from Cambridge, he undertook research at Oxford and subsequently was professor of history at the Universities of Durham and Exeter. He is a senior fellow of both the British Foreign Policy Group and the Foreign Policy Research Institute. Professor Black is a recipient of the Samuel Eliot Morison Prize from the Society for Military History. An eminent authority on British and Scottish history, he will present lectures on Scotland and the Viking World and Scotland and the Jacobites.

Beautiful view of Ross Fountain Edinburgh Castle Scotland

Edinburgh/Glasgow Pre-Program Option

Explore two of Scotland’s great cities intertwined with Celtic history. In Edinburgh, tour the medieval Old Town and Neoclassical New Town—both UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and witness the Crown Jewels of Scotland at Edinburgh Castle. Head inland to visit the lovely Loch Katrine, journey through the celebrated Trossachs region, and tour the legendary Stirling Castle. Explore Glasgow’s 12th-century cathedral and the St. Mungo Museum, followed by a tour of the premier Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Spend two nights in the five-star Sheraton Grand Edinburgh. 

Hallgrímskirkja Church with Snow Capped Mountains in background, Reykjavik, Iceland

Reykjavík and the Golden Circle Post-Program Option

The captivating city of Reykjavík and its surrounding natural wonders provide you with the perfect conclusion to Iceland. Tour the imposing Hallgrímskirkja Church, followed by an informative visit to the National Museum. Enjoy a full-day excursion to the legendary Golden Circle. Visit the UNESCO-listed Þingvellir National Park, the meeting point of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. Gaze at the Strokkur geyser and see the picture-perfect Gullfoss waterfall, an impressive double waterfall that provides a spectacular setting like no other. Accommodations are for two nights in the deluxe Hotel Konsulat.

Pre-Program and Post-Program Options are available at an additional cost. Details will be provided with your reservation confirmation.

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Program Itinerary

Days 1 Depart Home City

Your trip will begin by departing your home city.

Day 2 Glasgow, Scotland/Embark

Arrive in Glasgow, famed for its trade and shipbuilding history, elegant Victorian homes, and public buildings. Embark
Le Bellot.

Day 3 Isle of Iona

Cruise to the Isle of Iona, the birthplace of Christianity in Scotland, and visit the restored Iona Abbey. Notice the churchyard’s intricate Celtic crosses, see the Augustinian nunnery, and stand on Torr an Aba to admire panoramic views across the Sound of Iona. Tonight, gather for the Captain’s Welcome Reception.

Day 4 Kyle of Lochlash

Venture out to discover the village of Kyle of Lochalsh, a spectacular gem nestled in the Scottish Highlands and surrounded by imposing castles, lochs, moors, and mountains. Take a guided tour of the 13th‑century Eilean Donan Castle, set on the banks of Loch Duich. Following your tour, enjoy a scenic drive around the Isle of Skye. 

Day 5 Stornoway/Callanish Standing Stones/ Isle of Lewis

Call at Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis and continue on an excursion to the 5,000-year‑old Neolithic ruins of the Standing Stones of Callanish. Among Scotland’s best-preserved ruins, the stones form a cross shape and predate Stonehenge. Although no known reason for their existence remains, historians and archaeologists speculate that the Standing Stones were once a setting for ritual activities and astronomical observances. Discover Dun Carloway Pictish Broch, one of the best‑preserved of its kind in the Hebrides, and continue north to see the Gearrannan Blackhouse Village, a fascinating living museum. This cluster of traditional stone houses was abandoned in the late 1970s and eventually restored as an island landmark. After lunch on board the ship, enjoy the afternoon at leisure to explore Stornoway, or choose to visit Lews Castle, home to a Victorian estate.

Day 6 Tórshavn, Faroe Islands, Denmark/Kirkjubøur/Kollafjørður

Explore the island of Streymoy. Begin in the municipality of Tórshavn, founded by Norsemen in the 10th century. Navigate the narrow, historic lanes of Tinganes, which are bordered by traditional grass-roofed houses. Transfer to Kirkjubøur to visit the ruins of St. Magnus Cathedral and the 900-year‑old Roykstovan, the oldest wooden house in Europe. Continue to Kollafjørður to visit a traditional Faroese church and see Dúvugarðar, a national heritage museum located in the remote village of Saksun.

Day 7 Cruise the North Atlantic Ocean

Enjoy five-star amenities on board or attend an enriching lecture as you cruise the North Atlantic Ocean. Gather with friends to trade stories of your adventure thus far and look out for dolphins, whales, and seabirds.

Day 8 Djúpivogur, Iceland/Jökulsárlón

Welcome to Iceland! On a drive from Djúpivogur, soak up the beauty of the dramatic landscape. Here, snowcapped mountains rise from grassy plains and fertile lowlands give way to vertiginous cliffs. Discover the legendary Jökulsárlón ice lagoon in UNESCO World Heritage‑designated Vatnajökull National Park, the largest of Iceland’s national parks. Embark specially designed boats for a private cruise and the chance to touch ice blocks broken from Breidamerkurjökull, one of Vatnajoküll’s glacier outlets. You may also spot a seal or two! Witness the mesmerizing Diamond Beach, where glistening spheres of ice stand out against a black-sand backdrop.

Day 9 Heimaey, Westman Islands/Cruise along Surtsey Island

Arrive at Heimaey Island, part of the Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands) archipelago. Drive past Sprangan, where locals train for the island sport of rope swinging. See the ruins of ancient Viking farmhouses dating from A.D. 650 in Herjólfsdalur Valley. Continue to Stórhöfdi’s lava fields of Eldfell, known as the “Pompeii of the North,” and tour the Eldheimar Museum, which chronicles its fateful activity of 1973. Cruise by Surtsey Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the youngest and most fragile islands on Earth Island. The island is a natural laboratory for scientists who study the plants and animals of the astonishing new landform. Cap off your day with a convivial Captain’s Farewell Reception.

Day 10 Reykjavík/Disembark/Return to Home City

Following breakfast, disembark and continue on the Reykjavík Post‑Program Option or transfer to the airport for your return flight home.