scubacruiserx2

Some previous photos of the Caribbean Princess . A princess at rest and returning to home port , Ft. Lauderdale in the morning The Ultimate Balcony Dinner for 2

Retracing our route back out the The Regent 7 Seas Navigator

On the way back to the ship we saw more wildlife Seals sunning themselves on the beach Pheasant in the field We heard the pipers and drums and went to the Promenade Deck to video

As the church was in use Matthew showed us around the town pointing out the Gargoyles ( rain spouts ) . The Castle and shopping

A Happy Father's Day to all who celebrate it !

The last place that we stopped as Dornoch Cathedral . It's where Madonna and Guy Richey were married and also Elon Musk . We could not go in because they were having a wedding there It turned out that it was the Still Master's daughter from Glenmorangie . What a reception that must have been !

The next stop for a nature walk Going fishing and fish but no chips . The first photo we had the Sun at our back and the second almost in our face .

We had asked Matthew if we could see heather during our visit He told us that August was the best time . We were there in June and are scheduled to be there on July 28th this trip , so we hope for an early bloom this year . He did look around before we came and found a patch on the way to our next stop . The purple is the heather and the yellow is Scotch Broom - an invasive plant . Our next stop was at the Glenmorangie Distillery The Cadillac painted orange was a 1960 model , 1 year older than my father's car . His was the first car that we had air conditioning in - almost a must in South Florida . With frequent rain during the Summer the car windows would fog up making it hard to see and drive . It was paint pink so as teens my brother and I nicknamed it The Pink Panther . The company has the tallest stills in Scotland painted yellow called " Giraffes ". We were not allowed to take photos inside of the plant . We did take this photo of the giraffes from the out side , open to vent the heat from the inside which was quit warm from the boiling kettles of mash . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenmorangie_distillery

Our next stop was our favorite . It was about a mile or 2 from the castle and we took it to the beach to enjoy some great fish and chips .

We next went into the Museum . Our guide called it the Zoo and it features many trophies of animals killed on Safari . There was also a lecture on hunting with Falcons . He showed how the birds are trained for hunting . The bird was so fast that I couldn't take it's still photo , so we went to video . The Peregrine Falcon can dive at 240 mph !

The Gardens are similar to Versailles and walking through them allows good photos of the castle with the sun at our back . The plants in the foreground are Ruhbarb and the stalks when cooked can be used as food

Beautiful Tapestry Our dining area on the cruise ship ( we wish )

Inside the castle

Our next stop was Dunrobin Castle which had a number of tour busses out front from the cruise ship . But the castle and grounds were so large that there was plenty of room for everyone . Including pipers .

On the way down to the river we saw several flowers The last 2 are Foxglove I believe . Which is toxic and dangerous to touch or inhale . It produces the heart drug Digitalis which we used in the EMS system . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digitalis

The next stop was the Falls of Shin to look for Salmon None spotted except on the sign . Maybe this trip . But we will settle for a Florida Panther sighting and hopefully a win tonight in the Stanley Cup Finals in Edmonton .

We set out for the Highlands and Loch Shin We came upon the Wee house of Loch Shin . I can't remember the story that Matthew told us but we found it on another site . The story A tiny house, which is appropriately known as the Wee Hoose (or the Wee House), sits on a mini island in Loch Shin, Scotland. Allegedly, it was built in 1824, by a gentlemen named Jock Broon. He was given a small plot of land by a local official, as a token of appreciation for Broon’s whisky distillation know how. Sadly, shortly after becoming a first time land owner, Broon perished in an unfortunate hunting accident: he unknowingly aimed his gun at his own foot. https://unusualplaces.org/the-tall-tale-behind-the-wee-hoose-in-scotland/

Meanwhile , in Invergordon , we were ready to disembark and meet our guide Matthew . He wore plaid pants instead of the Kilt like our TBL guide Cruin in Ketchikan wore . And there's nothing like bagpipes to wake you up in the morning !

We're not sure what these stacks are Approaching the port Lots of birds here and bird netting Moving the gangway into place

Entering Cromarty Firth from the North Sea and passing Barbraville on the Port side . There a number of oil rigs here that may be destined for the North Sea . The was also another small cruise ship at another smaller port .

We had first visited Antarctica on the Zaandam at Christmas - New Years on the Zaandam 2018 - 2019 . We also did 4 days in Antarctica leaving Antarctica on New Years Eve 2019 . The visit there this year was prompted by having booked a tour to Iceland on the NCL Star in May of this year which was to finish in Iceland . We had planned on spending a week there in an apartment in Reykjavik and 2 night at a hotel near the Glacier Lagoon . But the prices was so high and with a drop in prices 1 month before the Star sailed , we canceled Iceland and went to Antarctica - in the exact same cabin . It was by far the nicest cabin that we have ever had . And so now , with a good price on Princess and the help of a payment plan - Iceland is back on the schedule .

The next port that we will visit on the CB that we have done before is Invergordon . Hope that you're ready for some bagpipe music . The port is well protected from the North Sea in the Moray Firth . We also did the same format on our last cruise when we went to Antarctica , South America and Patagonia in January , when it was Summer there . That being pre- cruise , cruise and post cruise . It was a great cruise and you and the other readers may enjoy our last thread found at the link below .

The last port that our last cruise to Iceland and the UK that we will do on our upcoming cruise is Invergordon , Scotland . That's the day after we leave . We do like the Royal Class in many ways . The photos that I'm currently using are from a Baltic and Northern European cruise in 2019 which included Saint Petersburg before the invasion of the Ukraine .

You're welcome , hopefully your next cruise and thread will be soon .

Thank you . We are not on the ship yet so we don't know . We board in a month .