Scotland, Iceland & Arctic Explorer

Arrive in London and be transferred to your luxurious ship. Unpack, relax and get acquainted with your ship's amenities.

Enjoy a full day at sea. Relax in the spa, take in a lecture at the Discovery Centre or watch the world go by in the lounge.

Today you will cruise to one of the Scottish Orkney Islands, Copinsay Island. Located off the east coast of Orkney Mainland, this location has been a nature reserve since it was purchased in 1972 by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Embark on a bird watching tour with your expedition team and navigate the area by Zodiac. Afterwards, return to the ship and set sail for Orkney’s capital, Kirkwall. Arrive in Kirkwall and explore this ancient Norse town peppered with Neolithic remains with your chosen activity.

Freedom of Choice - Highlights of Orkney

Travel to the Neolithic Heartland of Orkney, designated as a World Heritage Site. See the Standing Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar before visiting the charming fishing village of Stromness. 

Freedom of Choice - South Isle

Travel along the coast of Scapa Flow to the smaller South Isles, visiting the hand-painted Italian Chapel and the pretty village of St. Margaret’s Hope. 

Travel to the most remote inhabited island in Britain, Fair Isle, where you’ll join your expedition team for a guided walk. Formerly governed by Norway, Fair Isle is occupied by around 55 residents and owned by the National Trust. The knitting industry is an integral source of income for the island, famous for its world-renowned knitted wool sweaters. In the afternoon, traverse the tiny, uninhabited island of Mousa by Zodiac. See one of Scotland’s most well-preserved prehistoric monuments, an eponymous broch. Continue cruising to Lerwick, where your ship will dock overnight.

This morning, wake up in the bustling seaport of Lerwick, Britain's most northerly town. Enjoy a choice of tours, followed by free time to explore the town and harbour at your leisure. Later this afternoon, set sail for the Faroe Islands.

Freedom of Choice – Meet the Locals

Embark on a guided tour, passing by the Town Hall before heading west to the picturesque harbour village of Hamnavoe on the Isle of Burra. Here, meet a local fisherman to learn about the significance of Shetland's fishing industry, and its historical and present-day impact. Later, visit a herd of Shetland ponies and hear about their history and characteristics from a local breeder. Afterward, relish a scenic journey through the spectacular Shetland scenery. 

Freedom of Choice- Jarlshof Tour

Visit the remarkable archaeological site of Jarlshof, an extraordinary settlement with at least 5,000 years of human history. 

Visit the capital and largest island of the Faroe Islands, Tórshavn, and choose how you would like to spend the day.  Later, continue to the old farm Dúvugarðar, which is now a national heritage museum. Together with the outbuildings that belong to the museum, it provides an intimate look into past rural life in the Faroes. 

Freedom of Choice – Day in Tórshavn Head out to explore the old whaling station at Áir and visit Streymin Bridge, spanning the narrow channel of Sundini to connect Eysturoy with the larger island of Streymoy. Later, call into Gjógv, where you’ll find a gorge which forms a natural harbour for fishing boats. You’ll then savour pancakes and coffee at the local guesthouse. 

Freedom of Choice – Visit Saksun and Kollafjørður Choose to head north to Saksun and Kollafjørður, where you’ll visit an old Faroese church with a traditional turf roof. 

Today you’ll visit the southernmost island of the Faroe Islands, Suðuroy, which translates to South Island. Start by heading south via the old mountain road and stop above the village Hov. Here, you can admire the beautiful scenery and have a glimpasrcse into Faroese geology with the very special basalt formations next to the road. Continue to the small village of Porkeri to visit an old Faroese church built in 1847. Winding down again on the other side, drive through the village of Sumba to Akraberg and the 1909-built lighthouse on the southernmost tip of the Faroe Islands. Later, return to the ship via a three-kilometre-long tunnel and beautiful sea-level fjords. 

Dock at Papey Island this morning, situated five kilometres off the eastern coast of Iceland. Here, you’ll join your expedition team for a Zodiac cruise. Indulge in picturesque views of windswept, grassy slopes and rocky sea cliffs surrounding the island. The island is an ideal place for sea birds, particularly Guillemots which occupy Papey until mid-summer and Atlantic puffins abound until mid-September.

Venture across the Arctic Circle today with a visit to Iceland’s Grimsey Island. Literally straddling the Arctic Circle, the island’s basalt cliffs are home to countless nesting birds. Explore the area on a nature walk with your expedition team and soak up the views of the Arctic Ocean, which stretch as far as the eye can see. In Siglufjörður, spend time strolling around this colourful fishing town and enjoy a Signature Experience.  

Signature Experience - Siglufjörður

Siglufjörður was once a bustling herring town with a gold-rush like atmosphere. Visit the Herring Era Museum and learn about the booming economy of the 1900s, which centred around the fishing industry. Enjoy a fun and energetic ‘herring salt show’, and sample traditional rye bread with local herring and Icelandic schnapps. 

Journey to Dynjandi Waterfall, the most magnificent location in Iceland’s remote Westfjords. Witness the flow of water cascade more than 325 feet down a rocky staircase. Continue to the small village of Patreksfjordur, serving as gateway to the Westfjords peninsula in northeastern Iceland. Enjoy a guided walk through this charming Icelandic village with scenic surrounds.

This morning you’ll dock in Reykjavik, where you’ll disembark your ship and enjoy a guided walking tour. 

Tour the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Take the journey through several small fishing villages that hug the coastline to Snæfellsjökull, the glacier made famous by Jules Verne's novel 'Journey to the Centre of the Earth'. 

Enjoy a full day at sea. Relax in the spa, take in a lecture at the Discovery Centre or watch the world go by in the lounge.

Situated on the eastern coast of Greenland, just north of Iceland, Scoresby Sund is a deep inlet with a vast fjord system. Delight in panoramic views of the deep blue water of the fjords contrasting with stark white icebergs. On the border of the sound, Ittoqqortoormiit remains as one of the most remote settlements in the world, colonised 4,000 years ago by the Palaeo-Eskimo peopleae. Be welcomed by the small community and guided through their local museum. Afterwards, indulge in a tasting of musk oxen meat, a popular Greenlandic delicacy. Embrace the opportunity to see charming sled dogs being fed and watch a demonstration of artists creating traditional Greenlandic handicrafts, ‘Paaruli’. 

Arrive in Northeast Greenland National Park, the world’s largest National Park, known for its unique Arctic wildlife and unspoiled, pristine wilderness. Here, your itinerary becomes flexible to maximise your discovery of this enchanting landscape. Your Captain will charter a course based on the best sights that this region has to offer and the most favourable ice and weather conditions.

Enjoy a day at sea to relax on board as your ship cruises towards Iceland.

This morning, explore Námaskard’s lava fields and boiling mud pools, as well as the steam vents of Lake Mývatn’s craters. Rounding off the day, you’ll visit the ‘Waterfall of the Gods’, Goðafoss, one of Iceland’s most spectacular sights. 

Arrive in Husavik and set out on a Signature Experience. This afternoon, take a walking tour of the town of Husavik, including a visit to the Exploration Museum.  

Signature Experience – Whale Watching

Explore Skjalfandi Bay for a whale watching tour aboard a local oak fishing boat, keeping an eye out for one of the 15 species of whales in the area including humpback, minke and blue whales. 

Enjoy a choice of tours in Seyðisfjörður before a special Signature Experience. 

Freedom of Choice – Seyðisfjörður Tour

On a walking tour, discover the brightly painted Norwegian-style wooden buildings of this fishing village. Visit local shops famous for their Icelandic patterned woollen garments. 

Freedom of Choice – Local Farm

Take a scenic drive along Iceland’s third largest lake, Lagarfljót, to a local family-owned farm. Here, you’ll tour the property and learn about local farming life, before a tasting of Icelandic produce. 

Signature Experience – Vök Baths

Relax with a private visit to Vök Baths, opened exclusively for APT guests. Plunge into Iceland’s purest hot spring water, and bathe in floating pools by Lake Urriðavatn. 

Just south of Iceland's mainland, Heimaey is the largest island situated off the Icelandic coast. Since the early days of settlement, the livelihoods of this vibrant community centred around the harbour. Embark on a guided tour around this spectacular location, inhabited by an array of birdlife including puffins. Delve deeper into the Viking Age as you visit captivating ancient Viking ruins from AD900. Indulge in panoramic views of the other islands from Heimaey Island’s west coast. More majestic vistas can be seen from the Great Cape, Stórhöfði, known as the windiest destination in the world. Journey to the island’s old town, buried under a thick layer of lava from the Eldfell eruption in 1973.

This morning you’ll dock in Reykjavik, where you’ll disembark your ship for the final time and transfer to the airport.