An osprey soars high above us. Higher still, Ben Nevis towers over the point where the ocean meets Scotland’s best-known canal.
“I couldn’t choose between an ocean and an inland cruise, but I think I just discovered the best of both worlds in Scotland,” says Australian passenger Susan Katnic, a glass of bubbly in hand.
We are on the 38-passenger Lord of the Highlands, sailing from saltwater Loch Linnhe through a sweep of canal locks towards the freshwater of Loch Lochy. With one crew member for every two passengers, a fine dining restaurant, excursions and a range of whisky included in the fare, it feels more like a Highland country house party than a cruise.
Like Katnic, many cruise travellers are torn between an ocean adventure, or sailing on inland waterways. The owners of the Hebridean Princess – the stately small ship the late Queen chartered twice – saw a gap in the market and steered this converted Turkish ferry to Scotland in 2021, after a major refit.
The Lord Of The Highlands cruise ship can take 38 passengers (Photo: Lord Of The Highlands)
