The Viking Sky glides slowly into the harbor at Lerwick, and I’m standing on our balcony watching the Shetland Islands come into view. Stone buildings line the waterfront in tidy rows. Fishing boats bob alongside weathered docks. A pilot boat cuts a white wake through the steel-grey water, guiding us in.
I have been waiting for this moment. I’m a devoted fan of Shetland, the BBC crime drama filmed on these remote Scottish islands, and now here I am — sailing straight into the landscape I’ve watched on screen for years. My husband Benjamin is beside me, coffee in hand, equally taken in by this island coast.
British Isles Explore Cruise with Viking
It’s day 13 of our 15-day Viking British Isles Explorer cruise, and every new port has been a unique adventure.
That’s the magic of this itinerary. Viking’s British Isles Explorer takes you through six countries — England, Wales, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Norway — in 15 days aboard the elegant Viking Sky.
You see Greenwich and Edinburgh, Dublin and Belfast, the Orkney Islands and the rugged Highlands. You never unpack twice. And you do it all in the kind of quiet, unhurried comfort that Viking Ocean Cruises does so well.
Sailing in Style on the Viking Sky
Ben and I have cruised with Viking before, and it’s easy to see why we keep coming back. The Viking Sky embodies the line’s signature philosophy: Scandinavian design, understated luxury, and a genuine focus on destination. The ship is beautiful without being showy, with clean lines, warm wood, and lots of natural light.
Our stateroom is spacious and well-appointed, with a private balcony, a king-size bed, and a bathroom with a heated floor. Small details matter on a long cruise, and Viking gets them right: good lighting, ample storage, Freyja toiletries, and USB ports in sensible places.
What Viking is not matters just as much. There are no children under 18. No casino. No art auctions, no photography sales, no umbrella drinks. The all-inclusive pricing covers Wi-Fi, beer and wine with lunch and dinner, specialty restaurant dining, and one complimentary shore excursion in every port. You are never nickel-and-dimed. It makes for a peaceful, refreshingly civilized way to travel.
On this cruise, we have the added pleasure of sailing with our friends Pat and Stu. Sharing meals with good friends and comparing notes on our adventures of the day make the whole experience richer. If you’ve ever considered convincing another couple to join you on a cruise, this itinerary is an excellent argument for it.
Viking also feeds curious minds. Onboard historians deliver lectures on topics ranging from the History of Britain to the Hanseatic League to the Vikings themselves. The library is well-stocked, a big plus for me. There’s always something to learn, which suits the destination-focused philosophy of the entire trip.
London, Dover & the English Channel
The cruise begins in Greenwich, where the Viking Sky moors along the River Thames, downstream from central London. It’s a fitting starting point.
We spend two days here, exploring the park that is home to the Prime Meridian and Royal Observatory, browsing the eclectic Greenwich Market, and walking past the Cutty Sark — the world’s last surviving tea clipper, built in 1869.
Our included Viking excursion takes us past St. Alfege Church, the elegant Queen’s House, the National Maritime Museum, and the Old Royal Naval College. History is layered thick in Greenwich, and it sets the tone beautifully for the days ahead.
Dover, England
From Dover, we sail along the famous white chalk cliffs before crossing the English Channel.
Our excursion takes us through Kent’s rolling countryside to Dover Castle, perched high above those iconic cliffs, and then to the pretty harbor town of Deal, where Henry VIII’s sixteenth-century Deal Castle stands guard along the shore. It’s a glimpse of England that most visitors never see.
Dublin, Wales & the Celtic Fringe
A day at sea brings us to Dublin, where we dock at Dún Laoghaire and motor into Ireland’s capital. We pass Trinity College (founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I, and home to the world-famous Book of Kells), the brightly painted Georgian doors that line the streets, St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin Castle, and St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where we head inside for a tour.
Holyhead, Wales
Wales surprises us. They call it the Castle Kingdom — more castles per square mile than anywhere else in Europe — and the drive across the green pastures of Anglesey Island makes the claim easy to believe.
Sheep graze in low fields. Ancient stone walls mark the hillsides. Our excursion takes us to Beaumaris, a charming coastal town dominated by Beaumaris Castle.
Though never completed, it’s considered a masterpiece of medieval military architecture, with a moat, stone walls, and a commanding presence above the sea.
Our guide, a volunteer lifeboat rescuer with the RNLI, entertains us with sea rescue stories during the drive. In Wales, the history and the people are equally compelling.
Liverpool, Belfast & a City Reborn
Liverpool is more than the Beatles, though the city wears its Fab Four connection proudly. Our tour takes us past the Gothic arches of Liverpool Cathedral — the largest Anglican cathedral in the UK — and along the waterfront that once made this city one of the world’s great maritime powers.
It was also the home port of the RMS Titanic. There’s a layered, complicated story here, for those who want to learn more.
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Belfast is one of the cruise’s most moving stops. Northern Ireland’s capital has undergone a remarkable transformation since the Troubles ended in 1998.
Our guide shares the city’s complicated history without flinching, then shows us the Belfast of today: the Renaissance-style City Hall, the Grand Opera House, and the Albert Memorial Clock.
We also step inside the Crown Bar, one of Belfast’s most beloved landmarks. Dating to 1826, it’s a masterpiece of Victorian excess, with elaborate tilework, etched stained glass, and carved woodwork, all the handiwork of Italian craftsmen who were persuaded to work on the pub after hours.
It’s quiet when we visit, but you can feel the life that has been lived here across nearly two centuries.
For lunch, we find our way to the Three Cs Club, a historic pub that has been serving locals since 1849. It is exactly the kind of place you hope to stumble upon.
Scotland: Highlands, Orkney & Edinburgh
Scotland fills the second half of the cruise, and the ports range from small island towns to bustling cities.
We arrive first in Ullapool, a fishing village of 1,500 souls nestled on the shores of Loch Broom in the northern Highlands. The town is tiny and charming, with gabled rooftops, fishing boats in the harbor, and streets with Norse names that tell you exactly who built this place.
We walk the village with a local guide, taking in its charming streets and harbour. It’s a quiet, genuine place, and all the more memorable for it.
Orkney Islands, Scotland
The Orkney Islands deliver a different kind of wonder. Our excursion carries us across rolling green landscapes to the Ring of Brodgar — 27 standing stones arranged in a ceremonial circle, nearly 5,000 years old, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Standing among them in the wide Orkney sky, you feel the deep strangeness of time. We continue to the charming harbor village of Stromness, with its flag-stoned streets and craft shops selling local knitwear, pottery, and artwork, before following the coastline back to the ship.
Edinburgh, Scotland
Edinburgh is a city that earns every superlative. We spend the day exploring with Pat and Stu, walking the Royal Mile, and ducking into shops along the St. James Quarter. Later, we dine on fish and chips at a laid-back local restaurant, which is always a highlight.
Aberdeen, Scotland
Aberdeen, Scotland’s third-largest city, earns its nickname: the Granite City, built from grey stone that catches the coastal light in moody, beautiful ways. Our excursion takes us along the rugged North Sea coast to Dunnottar Castle, a medieval fortress perched 160 feet above the sea on a dramatic headland, dating to the 13th century and once home to the powerful Earls Marischal.
Ben and I explore the castle and then follow the 1.5-mile clifftop trail into Stonehaven, where we lunch in the harbor town and linger over coffee and crepes at Café Noir.
The Shetland Islands: Wild, Remote & Utterly Charming
Back to that morning in Lerwick. Of all the ports on this cruise, the Shetland Islands move me most — and not just because of the television show, though it is genuinely thrilling to recognize the landscapes rolling past the bus window.
The Shetlands are something else entirely: remote, wild, weathered, and warm in the way that only tight communities can be.
The archipelago has 100 islands, roughly 20 of which are inhabited, with a total population of about 23,000. The main industries are fishing — Shetland mussels are famous, as are its salmon and scallops — and oil.
There’s a small but growing tourism industry, partly driven by that television show and its 80-person cast and crew who descend for seven weeks each year to film.
Our guide, Lyle, is a local, and he has that unhurried, matter-of-fact warmth that you find in people who have lived their whole lives in a place they love.
He tells us how neighbors help each other here, how the Viking heritage runs deep — the local dialect still carries Norse words — and how the community makes island life work across water and weather.
We stop to visit Connie’s Ponies, where we learn about the Shetland pony — an island fixture for more than 2,000 years, used since the Bronze Age.
Then in Lerwick, outside a shop called Love from Shetland, I encounter an unexpected celebrity: Goatee, a goat wearing a tiara, the beloved subject of a popular children’s book by a local author.
I go inside immediately, buy the book for my granddaughter, and return to properly meet Goatee. This is travel at its best, the unscripted moments that you couldn’t have planned.
The departure from Lerwick stays with me. As the Viking Sky pulls away, a local pilot guides our ship along the tidy waterfront and past the scenic shores of the island.
When we reach the open sea, the pilot boat pulls alongside, and the pilot steps aboard it. Two quick horn blasts echo across the water. A wave. And then we are on our way to Bergen, Norway, carrying that small, friendly gesture with us.
Bergen: A Norwegian Farewell
The cruise ends in Bergen, Norway’s colorful gateway to the fjords. We explore the city by e-bike, an efficient way to see it, pedaling past the 12th-century St. Mary’s Church and Bergenhus Fortress, and past the statue of Madam Felle, the legendary proprietor of a beloved Sandviken pub.
Bryggen, the UNESCO-listed wooden wharf district, is exactly as striking in person as in photographs: candy-colored buildings leaning slightly toward the harbor. We spend an hour or two wandering through its shops.
Over dinner aboard the ship that last night, Ben and I try to pick our favorite experience. We can’t. Maybe that’s the best measure of a journey’s success.
If You Go
Viking’s British Isles Explorer: The 15-day itinerary runs from London (Greenwich) to Bergen and visits 12 ports in 6 countries. Fares start from $9,499 per person. The cruise includes one complimentary shore excursion per port, all onboard meals, beer and wine with lunch and dinner, Wi-Fi, spa access, and all port taxes and fees. Learn more at vikingcruises.com.
Pre-cruise extensions: Viking offers several pre-cruise London packages, including Churchill’s Britain (5 nights, from $4,299) and Best of London (3 nights, from $2,999).
Post-cruise extensions: Options from Bergen include Iceland & the Golden Circle (3 nights, from $2,999) and The Best of Norway & Scenic Train (4 nights, from $2,199).
Ships: Viking Ocean ships are adults-only (18+), with no casinos and no inside staterooms. All ships feature the Nordic Spa & Fitness Center, multiple dining venues, and a well-stocked library.
Tip: Consider bringing along some friends. Sharing this itinerary with travel companions makes the experience even richer.
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