The cruises mark the first time that Riviera has offered Britain and Ireland-based voyages although Scotland has not yet announced lifting of its travel rules, including whether people living in other parts of the UK will be allowed to visit, as part of its roadmap out of lockdown.
Four eight-day sailings feature two to Scotland’s Highlands & Islands and two around Ireland.
Riviera will deploy 158-guest Seaventure, built in 1990 and sailing most recently as Bremen for Hapag-Lloyd, which was refurbished in 2019.
The 111.5mtr long vessel has 82 sea-view cabins and fitness suite, sauna, heated saltwater pool, expedition theatre and library.
The Scottish voyage departs from Edinburgh and will take in Aberdeen and Balmoral Castle, before heading to Inverness, Orkney, Oban, the Outer Hebrides and County Donegal in Ireland. Tours on offer include trips to Loch Ness, the Neolithic Ring of Brodgar henge and stone circle, and the Callanish Standing Stones. It concludes in Greenock.
Round Ireland
The round Ireland cruise departs from Greenock and encompasses Belfast, Dublin, Kilkenny, Galway, County Donegal and Cork. Tours on offer include Kilkenny Castle, Kylemore Abbey, a guided walking tour of Belfast with entry to the Titanic Visitor Centre, access to Trinity College, and a visit to Connemara, the largest Irish-speaking region.
Katja Hildebrandt, head of product cruise & worldwide at Riviera Travel, said: ‘Both cruises offer a unique insight into these countries, as passengers can explore ports inaccessible to larger ships for a much more authentic experience.’
Both cruises can be booked back-to-back for an extended 15-day voyage.
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