Scottish Isles and Norwegian Fjords

Trace the cultural crossroads of Scottish and Nordic civilizations on this when the weather is mild and the days are long. Travel with alumni and friends from June 4 – 12, 2025 on a rare voyage that is best accomplished aboard a small ship. Explore smaller ports inaccessible to larger vessels while cruising for seven nights aboard the specially chartered, World Traveller, featuring 95 suites and staterooms, each with a private balcony.

Journey from dynamic Glasgow to charming Bergen — where rows of colorful, gabled houses on the historic, UNESCO World Heritage site of the Bryggen waterfront evoke the city’s past as a center of Hanseatic League trade. Navigate the ancient shipping lanes of the Vikings and gain an intimate perspective of Norway’s spectacular mountain landscape aboard the Flåm Railway, one of the world’s most scenic train rides.

On the Inner Hebridean Isle of Iona, marvel at the sacred abbey. Bask in the dramatic scenery of the Isle of Skye, with its 11 peaks of the Cuillin Mountains, and visit the evocative Eilean Donan castle. See the untamed shorelines, serrated sea stacks and crystal-clear waters of the Orkney Islands and learn more about the islands’ fascinating Neolithic history. Immerse yourself in the Norse history of the tradition‑steeped Shetland Islands.

Discover lochs and fjords, bagpipes, tartans and whisky. Request your reservation online today or please contact the Georgetown Travel Society at 866-525-8664 or GeorgetownTravelSociety@Georgetown.edu for more details .

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Dates and Prices:

Dates: June 4 – 12, 2025

Countries: Norway, Scotland

Rates: from $6,195 to $18,395 per person based on double occupancy. Taxes are an additional $195 per person.

Traveling solo? A limited number of staterooms may be reserved by single travelers in Categories 6, 7 , and 8* at 160% of the per person double price (per person rate x 1.6),  or please contact us to inquire about any possible roommate options.

Terms/Deposits/Payments:

Early Booking Savings of $1000 are available for early bookings and payment in full at time of booking. If you pay only your $1,000 per person deposit by early booking date, you still save $500 per person. (https://www.gohagantravel.com/terms for complete terms and conditions)

Trip Type: Cruise

Activity Level: Moderate:
Walking tours are at least 1.5 hours and require walking and standing on cobblestones, uneven paths, pavement and hills. Some excursions may require climbing stairs, which may not have railings, and crossing rail tracks. Disembarking the ship requires walking on narrow, and sometimes steep, gangplanks. Getting on and off coaches requires climbing or descending 3-6 steep steps.

Trip Status: Open for Reservations. Request a reservation today!

 Itinerary:

Day 1, Wednesday, June 4 | Depart Home City
Depart for Glasgow, Scotland. Please check your bags from your gateway city to your arrival city.

Day 2, Thursday, June 5 | Glasgow, Scotland/Embark Ship| D
Arrive in Glasgow Airport in Glasgow, Scotland. Proceed through immigration to the baggage claim area and retrieve your luggage. Early arrivals will transfer to the Corinthian Club Hospitality Room and enjoy lunch on your own. This afternoon, all passengers transfer to the dock at Greenock and embark the deluxe World Traveller. Immerse yourself in the soulful sounds of a Scottish bagpiper as the ship departs Glasgow. Enjoy dinner on board the ship this evening. The ship sails overnight to Iona.

Day 3, Friday, June 6 | Iona/Isle of Iona | B, L, R, D
Breakfast will be served on board the ship each morning. Arrive in Iona this morning and disembark for your excursion.

Iona Abbey: Visit the Inner Hebridean Isle of Iona. On this emerald-green, teardrop-shaped island, experience an in-depth visit to Iona Abbey, founded in the year 563 and considered the birthplace of Christianity in Scotland. It was the monks of Iona who spread Christian ideas across Scotland and the north. St. Martin’s Cross—dated to the eighth century—still stands by the roadside, and a replica of St. John’s Cross is found by the doorway of the abbey.

Free Time: Spend any extra time at leisure on Iona before returning to the ship.

Welcome Reception: This evening, get to know your fellow travelers at the Captain’s Welcome Reception and Dinner on the ship.

The ship departs Iona and sails overnight to Kyle of Lochalsh.

Day 4, Saturday, June 7 | Kyle of Lochalsh/Isle of Skye | B, L, D
Arrive in Kyle of Lochalsh this morning.

Eilean Donan Castle Tour: Visit Eilean Donan Castle, one of the world’s most recognized and famous castles— located on a tiny island at the confluence of three sea lochs amid some of Scotland’s most dramatic scenery. During your visit, learn the rich history of this castle and its clansmen. Eilean Donan was named for the sixth- century Irish saint who established the first community on the island. There has been a fortified castle on this site since the 13th century, although it has been destroyed and rebuilt several times in its long and turbulent history. The restored castle you will see today was completed in the 1930s. Return to the ship for lunch.

Isle of Skye Tour: Depart by coach for a scenic tour of the Isle of Skye with its 11 Cuillin Mountain range peaks and dramatic peninsulas. Stop at Portree, a charming town founded 200 years ago as a fishing village by the local lord. The name Portree is Gaelic for Port on the Slope, which is the perfect description for this town surrounded by rocky cliffs and green rolling hills. Take in the charming sherbet-colored houses lining the waterfront and the fishing boats tooling in and out of the harbor as you stroll the picturesque streets. Return to the ship and savor dinner on board. The ship departs Kyle of Lochalsh and sails overnight to Kirkwall.

Day 5, Sunday, June 8 | Kirkwall for Orkney Islands | B, L, D
Enjoy breakfast, some leisure time and an early lunch on board before departing for the day’s excursion.

Mainland, Orkney Islands: The Orkney Islands are an archipelago of 70 small islands, only 20 of them inhabited. The islands are famous for their seals—15% of the world’s seal population lives here!— and their prehistoric settlements. Mainland, the largest island, is home to Neolithic Heartland of Orkney—a UNESCO World Heritage site containing four sites and a wealth of prehistoric archaeology. View the sacred Standing Stones of Stenness and continue to the 5,000-year-old settlement of Skara Brae to see the unusual dwellings and their remarkable stone furnishings. Follow the coastline of Scapa Flow, made famous for its role in both World Wars, before visiting St. Magnus Cathedral. Known as the “Light of the North,” the cathedral was built by Vikings during their 500-year reign over the islands. Embrace the sounds of a Scottish bagpiper as you re-board the ship in Kirkwall.

Storyteller Performance: This evening, enjoy an authentic Scottish storyteller’s performance of traditional Scottish tales.

Savor dinner tonight on the ship. The ship departs Kirkwall and sails overnight to Lerwick.

Day 6, Monday, June 9 | Lerwick, Shetland Islands | B, L, D
The ship arrives in Lerwick.

Jarlshof and Southern Shores: Disembark in Lerwick, the capital and main port city of Shetland, for a coach tour to the island’s southernmost point. En route, pass through the rural townships of Fladdabister with a view— weather permitting—of the magnificent Mousa Broch, the tallest and best-preserved broch in the world. Continue down the west coast and pass St. Ninian’s Isle, where the famous Pictish hoard of silver, dating from the ninth century, was found in 1958. Next, embark on a guided visit to the remarkable archaeological site of Jarlshof. A violent storm in the winter of 1896 to 1897 uncovered the site, revealing an extraordinary settlement embracing more than 5,000 years of human history. View the sequence of stone structures, including an Iron Age broch and wheelhouses, late-Neolithic stone houses, a Bronze Age village, Norse longhouses, a medieval farmstead and a 16th-century laird’s house. Look for sightings of Shetland’s famous ponies as you travel back to the ship.

Free Time: After lunch on board the ship, relax and enjoy the amenities while cruising toward Norway. Savor dinner on board the ship this evening.
The ship sails overnight to the entrance of the Songefjord.

Day 7, Tuesday, June 10 | Sognefjord, Norway/Flåm | B, L, D
The ship arrives at the Sognefjord entrance in Norway.

The Sognefjord: Experience this breathtaking cruise along the mighty Sognefjord, Norway’s longest and deepest fjord, stretching 127 miles, passing traditional farmsteads and villages flanked by mountains and glaciers.

Enjoy a delicious lunch on board. The ship anchors in Flåm.

Flåm Railway: This afternoon, disembark the ship and board the Flåm Railway, for one of the world’s most scenic train rides, descending 3,500 feet during a 13-mile journey through 20 tunnels to Myrdal’s mountaintop station. Revel in views of snowcapped mountains, cascading waterfalls, intriguing hamlets and spectacular fjordlands— including the awe-inspiring Kjosfossen Falls.

Return to the ship and enjoy dinner on board. The ship departs Flåm and sails overnight to Bergen.

Day 8, Wednesday, June 11 | Bergen | B, L, R, D
Bergen and Troldhaugen: Enjoy a panoramic tour of Bergen as you travel to the summer home of famed Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg. Stroll the grounds of Troldhaugen, Grieg’s home for 22 years, where he composed many of his best-known works in the little garden hut by the shore of Lake Nordas. This living museum features an exhibition center, concert hall, composer’s cabin and Grieg’s villa dating from 1885. Edvard and his wife, Nina, are buried in a cliff-hewn tomb on the grounds of the estate. Enjoy a private piano concert.

Continue to the Fantoft Stavkirke, a 12th-century wooden stave church demolished by fire in 1992, and painstakingly rebuilt in its original post-and-lintel construction. Take a walking tour of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Bryggen, Bergen’s historic waterfront. The old wharf is a reminder of the town’s importance as part of the Hanseatic League’s trading empire from the 14th to the mid-16th century.

Free Time: Return to the ship for lunch and enjoy time at leisure in Bergen.

Farewell Reception: Share highlights of your trip with fellow travelers at this evening’s Captain’s Farewell Reception and Dinner.

The ship overnights in Bergen.

Day 9, Thursday, June 12 | Bergen/Disembark the Ship/Return to Home City | B
Following breakfast, disembark the ship and transfer to the Bergen Airport for your return flight home.

B | L | R | D denotes included breakfasts, lunches, receptions, and dinners.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Access to ports unavailable to larger vessels and included excursions throughout your program.
• Specially arranged piano concert in the home of Edvard Grieg, Norway’s most famous composer.
• Two UNESCO World Heritage sites — Heart of Neolithic Orkney, Orkney Islands, and Bryggen, Bergen — plus Shetland UNESCO Global Geopark, Shetland Islands.
• Edinburgh and Glasgow Pre-Program Extension Option and Norway and Copenhagen Post‑Program Extension Option.
• All excursions and visits, as outlined in the itinerary, led by experienced, English-speaking local guides.
• Gratuities to local guides and drivers on included excursions.
• The services of an experienced team of professional travel directors throughout the program.
• Hospitality desk aboard the ship.

Not included:
Airfare; Taxes; passport fees; visas and fees for obtaining visas; personal expenses such as laundry and telephone calls; accident/sickness, trip cancellation, and baggage insurance; gratuities to ship and hotel personnel; optional sightseeing excursions; excess baggage charges on aircraft; local departure air taxes; airfare and associated local taxes*, airport facility taxes and federal inspection fees not listed in the “terms and conditions” at https://www.gohagantravel.com/terms/ ; transfers and baggage handling to/from airport/hotel on day(s) of arrival and/or departure if you are arriving earlier or later and/or departing earlier or later that scheduled group transfer(s); meals and and alcoholic beverages not listed as included; and all other services not specifically mentioned.