Cruise Advice
We all have those places in the UK that we've never quite managed to visit, those trips that we put on hold - but why not tick off our home shores on your next cruise? These are the best round Britain cruises and small ship cruises around the British Isles to book now for 2026.
A small ship cruise around the British Isles offers surprisingly diverse itineraries. Yes, you can never count on the weather, but that's true of plenty of other, more fashionable destinations (we're looking at you, Iceland). So who exactly would enjoy a small ship British Isles cruise and which are the best small ship cruises around the UK to book now?
Which Are the Best Small Ship Cruises Around the British Isles?
1. Hebridean Footloose Round Britain Cruise
If you're the sort of cruiser who likes to get off the ship and really stretch their legs, a cruise around Britain will tick all the boxes. Take a stroll around genteel coastal towns such as Dartmouth and Great Yarmouth, or explore the mountains of Anglesey with a call at Holyhead.
Hebridean Island Cruises offer special 'footloose' cruises around he British Isles and Scotland on their small ships, designed specifically for hikers and which include guided walks combined with visits to the region's historic sites. In 2025 and in September 2026 on board the 48-guest Hebridean Princess, you can enjoy footloose voyages exploring the Outer Hebrides, the Southern Isles, and the northwest corner of Scotland.
2. British Isles Island Hopping Cruises
Any British Isles cruise is by definition an island-hopping cruise, and one of the real advantages of exploring by small ship is that it allows you to explore islands that are usually tricky to reach. Look out for voyages visiting the Shetlands and the Orkneys, the rugged Skellig islands off the west coast of Ireland, or the sunny Isles of Scilly.
There are also plenty of itineraries that include the Isle of the Man or the Channel Islands, and you will occasionally find a cruise calling at the Isle of Wight. Oceania's British Isles cruises often include a call in Kirkwall or Stornoway, and Seabourn regularly offers round-Britain voyages which include the Isle of Man.
3. British Isles Cruises for Culture Vultures
The UK has a fantastic array of museums and galleries, including plenty outside London. Regent's stunning small ship, the 744-guest Seven Seas Grandeur, sails on a round Britain cruise from Southampton to Belfast in June 2026 with calls including Belfast, home to the excellent Titanic museum, and Liverpool for the Tate Liverpool.
4. Round Britain Cruises for History Buffs
The complex history of the British Isles is one of the most compelling reasons to cruise here. Celts, Romans, Normans, Vikings, Saxons and many more besides helped shape our towns and countryside, and a round Britain cruise can help you to piece together the story of our islands.
Oceania's Marina sails around the UK from Southampton to Belfast in September 2026, with the chance to visit historic Invergordon, also the jumping off point for the Scottish Highlands; go city slicking in Glasgow; and explore Scotland's lovely capital, cosmopolitan Edinburgh. An alternative British Isles cruise operates in May 2026 with Seabourn including historic Fishguard as well as Cork, Belfast, Edinburgh and the pretty Dorset coast.
5. Cruises Around Britain for Nature & Wildlife Lovers
Wildlife enthusiasts (and birdwatchers in particular) should keep their eyes peeled for the occasional expedition-style cruises visiting Britain's more rugged and unspoilt corners, such as Ponant's Hebrides cruises in May and August 2026. Highlights on these British isles cruises include the outlying Shiant Isles, a key breeding site for seabirds, home to species including Atlantic puffins, razorbills, common guillemots and northern fulmars, plus calls at the remote Treshnish and Canna islands, famous for their puffins and seals.
Other options for nature lovers include Ponant's 'From the English Channel to the Irish Sea' cruise in May 2026 calling at Fowey in Cornwall, within easy reach of the Eden Project, as well as the windswept isle of Portland, Isles of Scilly and the popular resort town of Portrush for the attractions of the Antrim Coast.
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Best British Isles cruises to book now
Cunard
Wellness At Sea
From Southampton to Southampton
5 Jul - 12 Jul 2026 (7 Nights)
From £879 per guest
Cunard
Norwegian Fjords
From Southampton to Hamburg
5 Jul - 14 Jul 2026 (9 Nights)
From £1,039 per guest
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Icelandic Rhapsody
From Belfast to Reykjavik
5 Jul - 12 Jul 2026 (7 Nights)
From £10,599 per guest
Seabourn Cruises
Wild Scottish Isles & Iceland
From Dublin to Reykjavik
6 Jul - 16 Jul 2026 (10 Nights)
From £6,799 per guest
Seabourn Cruises
20-Day Scottish Isles, Iceland & Scoresbysund
From Dublin to Reykjavik
6 Jul - 26 Jul 2026 (20 Nights)
From £13,004 per guest
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
Northern Europe Explorer
From London (Greenwich) to Copenhagen
6 Jul - 16 Jul 2026 (10 Nights)
From £13,300 per guest
Crystal Cruises
Southampton (London) to Copenhagen
From Southampton to Copenhagen
7 Jul - 16 Jul 2026 (9 Nights)
From £4,540 per guest
Crystal Cruises
Southampton to Liverpool
From Southampton to Liverpool
7 Jul - 26 Jul 2026 (19 Nights)
From £9,710 per guest
Hebridean Island Cruises
Pedal the Hebrides
From Oban to Oban
7 Jul - 14 Jul 2026 (7 Nights)
From £7,380 per guest
Crystal Cruises
Southampton (London) to Hamburg
From Southampton to Hamburg
7 Jul - 12 Jul 2026 (5 Nights)
From £4,000 per guest
Hebridean Island Cruises
Explore the Hebrides
From Oban to Oban
7 Jul - 14 Jul 2026 (7 Nights)
From £7,380 per guest
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
Best Of Great Britain
From Kiel to Hamburg
8 Jul - 23 Jul 2026 (15 Nights)
From £5,925 per guest
