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Black Sea cruise: Ship of dreams
Cruise ships conjure up images of floating cities, but what if the ship was smaller, more exclusive yet with all the luxury and splendour or a regular liner. ALISON COULDRIDGE took a dream cruise around the Black Sea and found the Hebridean Spirit just to her liking
Having never cruised before, I was unsure what the next seven days would have in store when I arrived at Stanstead Airport but after being fast-tracked through customs to a champagne breakfast in a private waiting lounge, I knew the Hebridean International Cruises company was something special.
Since its £4.5m renovation from a gambling ship in 2001, Hebridean Spirit has taken its satisfied customers all over the world. So satisfied, in fact, more than 70 per cent of its guests return so see her after their first visit.
We reached the ship at Istanbul and embarked on our week-long cruise around the Black Sea to Romania, the Ukraine, Bulgaria then back to Istanbul.
The itinerary ensured there was something for everyone from the bustling, mosque-filled Turkish capital, to the Bulgarian town of Balchik with its botanical gardens, to the polished coastal town of Odessa in The Ukraine.
But even if guests preferred not to participate in the excursions, they were more than welcome to make the most of the ship's facilities while the rest explored the Baltics.
Which brings me onto the accommodation aboard the beautiful Hebridean Spirit. From the minute you step on to her, you begin to understand why she has been awarded a five-star award from the Scottish Touring board.
The small number of travellers onboard ensures peace and tranquillity everywhere you go. My favourite retreat, The Panoramic Lounge on the top deck, is filled with sofas comfortable enough to melt into and offers an abundance of books to read in the adjacent library.
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| The Hebridean Spirit's Mizzen deck is a great place for breakfast or lunch |
The Mizzen Deck is the ideal place to enjoy breakfast and lunch in the open air, with many guests remaining there until it was time to dress for dinner.
The beautiful Skye Lounge, with its three-ton Bath stone Inglenook fireplace, provides a place for guests to make new friends while listening to the tinkle of piano keys in the background. There is a spa onboard which offers an array of treatments and the cabins can easily have been mistaken for five-star hotel rooms in central London.
The ship's staff complement the surroundings perfectly there is almost one member of staff to every customer and their attention to detail could not be faulted. One return guest told me a waiter still remembered how she likes her iced coffee from her previous visit.
A special word has to be said about the gorgeous food and wine although it's hard to confine it to one paragraph. Meals which stand out are the goat cheese and beetroot salad, the breast of pheasant and the peach strudel with vanilla ice cream.
The Chateau Puy la Rose, Pauillac, 2001 served with dinner on the first night set the standard of wine provided for the rest of the week.
Being at the high end of cruiseliners, a week on the Hebridean doesn't come cheap (starting from £3,050 based on two people).
But for the ultimate in spoil-yourself-rotten treats, its journey to the South African coast and the sculpted dunes of Namibia this winter could be a strong contender. Visit hebridean.co.uk
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