12-night Polar Regions cruise: Ijmuiden (for Amsterdam) to Reykjavik, Iceland on Sonata
The Amsterdam (Ijmuiden), Netherlands to Reykjavik, Iceland is a 12-night Polar Regions cruise aboard Sonata, operated by Oceania Cruises. Departing Ijmuiden (for Amsterdam) on June 1, 2028 and arriving in Reykjavik, Iceland on June 13, 2028, the voyage visits 11 ports including Newcastle, UK, Dundee, Scotland, Invergordon. Fares start from $6,949 per person.
The fourth largest city in Scotland, Dundee lies 40 miles north of Edinburgh and overlooks the Tay Estuary, a seaside location that has greatly influenced the town’s history. Dundee’s shipbuilding industry reached an apex during the golden age of sail, with the three-masted sailing ship RRS Discovery of the famed Robert Falcon Scott expedition being constructed here in 1901. One of the last of its type to be built in Britain, the ship is now on display at Discovery Point. Another vessel, the 46-gun frigate Unicorn, built in 1824, is one of the six oldest warships in the world and only a short walk along the riverfront from Discovery. You may also want to navigate your way to other city highlights, some quirky like the bronze statue of cartoon character Desperate Dan in the city square, and others historic, such as St. Mary’s Tower, the tallest existing medieval tower in the UK.
Kirkwall, Scotland
The seventy or so Orcadian isles apart from rugged rock of Hoy - are low-lying and richly fertile. First inhabited by late Stone Age settlers, followed by broch-builders and Picts, fromthe 15th centuries Orkney was ruled as a Norse kingdom, passing to the Scottish crown in 1471. Mainland Kirkwall is the capital.
The Orkney Islands are politically a part of Britain, yet seem quite different in many ways. Numerous place names have non-English sounds, reflecting the original Viking settlement of the 9th century. Norse crafts and traditions are obvious everywhere. These islands were ruled from Norway and Denmark until 1468, when a Norwegian king gave them to Scotland in lieu of a dowry for his daughter's marriage to King James III. In addition to the Norse heritage there are numerous remains of prehistoric monuments such as the Stenness Standing Stones at Finstown.
The archipelago is located at the same latitude as southern Greenland; the Gulfstream accounts for the islands' temperate climate. Approximately half of the 60 islands are inhabited; the rest are home only to seals and sea birds. Most of the inhabitants, who draw their livelihood from the fertile hills rather than the sea, live on Mainland, the largest of the Orkney Islands.
Kirkwall, located on Mainland, is the principal harbor and capital of the Orkneys. Steep-roofed stone houses line streets that wind around the medieval St. Magnus Cathedral. A museum featuring Orkney historical artifacts is housed in the 16th-century Tankerness House. Other attractions around the island include Maes Howe, the site of Britain's best-preserved megalithic tomb, and the stone-age village of Skara Brae. Scapa Flow serves as a reminder of more recent times when, during both World Wars, Britain's naval base was located here.
Ullapool
The port of Ullapool on the shores of Loch Broom is a quaint, bustling settlement in Western Ross and one of the most alluring spots in the Scottish Highlands. A gateway to the Western Isles, the town has grown into a popular holiday centre in recent years.
Founded by the British Fisheries Society in 1788, Ullapool’s row of whitewashed harbour cottages are most visitors’ first impression. The town offers fishing in the sea and the loch, deer stalking, golf, boat hire as well as an art gallery, An Talla Solais.
The award-winning Ullapool Museum is in a former church: a Grade-A building designed by Thomas Telford. It was built in 1829 following a parliamentary initiative to provide places of worship throughout the Highlands, hence it was called a “Parliamentary Church” before it closed.
The town clock is claimed to be the most photographed in Scotland. Each of its four cast-iron, pediment faces are decorated with crowns and the urn on top carries a weathervane. Just outside Ullapool is Rhue, a four-acre Bronze-Age settlement, with the remains of ancient roundhouses.
A stop in Amsterdam offers the chance to explore the sights of one of Europe’s most colorful, dynamic and historic cities—one with a well-earned reputation as a laid-back and…
Oceania Cruises®, the world’s leading culinary- and destination-focused luxury cruise line, unveiled Oceania Sonata, the latest expression of the brand’s signature blend of intimate, luxurious experiences. Set to debut in 2027, the vessel will be the first of four 1,390-guest ships in the new Sonata Class, representing the next chapter in the line’s continued evolution of its intimate, luxurious ships.
A true masterpiece of design, she will deliver a symphony of unforgettable experiences at sea, anchored by the brand’s hallmark passion for gastronomy and its legacy of serving The Finest Cuisine at Sea®.
Blending grand, light-filled spaces that inspire celebration with serene enclaves designed for relaxation, Oceania Sonata is poised to resonate deeply with the most discerning travelers. Every detail has been composed to create an ambiance that feels both uplifting and indulgent, capturing the very essence of refined seagoing luxury.
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