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Noble Caledonia


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We have put down a deposit for a very interesting b2b itinerary on Noble Caledonia in 2021:  [starts and ends in London with flights included to the ship] Mallorca, Menorca, Sardinia, Corsica, Elba, Corsica (again), Naples – then second cruise Naples, 7 ports in Sicily, and Malta.  The ship is Hebridean Sky.

 

There is so little about Noble Caledonia on Cruise Critic.  I would love to chat with anyone who has sailed on them.

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I have done many trips with NC but not since 2015.  They have some brilliant itineraries and use these old Renaissance class ships, Island Sky, Caledonian Sky and Hebridean Sky.   These were all built 1989-91.  I've been on Island Sky and Caledonian Sky but not Hebridean Sky.  However, these ships (which also includes Corinthian which I've also been on) are all similar with subtle differences in layout.

 

I'm happy to answer any queries you might have.

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4 minutes ago, Fletcher said:

I have done many trips with NC but not since 2015.  They have some brilliant itineraries and use these old Renaissance class ships, Island Sky, Caledonian Sky and Hebridean Sky.   These were all built 1989-91.  I've been on Island Sky and Caledonian Sky but not Hebridean Sky.  However, these ships (which also includes Corinthian which I've also been on) are all similar with subtle differences in layout.

 

I'm happy to answer any queries you might have .  Two tips: on this ship avoid Deck 4, the Mawson Deck.  This deck has a  wraparound promenade deck so people will be walking or standing  right by your window for much of the day.  Second tip: the cabins on Deck 2 are the most spacious.

 

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Thanks @Fletcher  I do have some questions:

 

•  We have booked cabin 510, which has a balcony.  Doing a back-2-back we thought it a good idea to have privacy available if/when we want it and that this was a good compromise to give space and privacy without spending the extra for a suite.  Any thoughts about that cabin versus the alternatives?

 

•  Noble Caledonia will be including flights from London.  We plan to stay 2 nights in London before the flight to Mallorca, so it doesn't matter which airport they leave from.  At the end we are taking the post-cruise extension in Malta but then plan to continue on to New York JFK directly after arriving in London – any idea which London airport they are likely to use?  A lot of their itineraries end in Malta, so I'm hoping they have a pattern.  We want to fly Virgin Atlantic, which has one non-stop from LGW and many from LHR.

 

•  I'm are used to arranging our shore excursions myself, so it will be a bit different having everything included [we have had that in Galapagos and on river cruises, but not a Mediterranean cruise like this].  They generally seem to do the excursions in the morning and leave the afternoon free.  Are there activities onboard in the afternoon, or what do people generally do?

 

 

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Cabin 510 will be fine.  There is a trade-off in space inside the cabin because of the balcony and the balcony itself will be narrow, so you will sit facing each other rather than facing outwards.  BTW, another of these ships is the Silver Galapagos which you might have been on.

 

As far as flights are concerned, I have no way of knowing except they are most likely to use British Airways which flies into Gatwick from Malta, arriving sound 4pm.  Only NC will know and maybe not yet.  I often used to call them about flights and hotels and they hadn't a clue until very near departure date.

 

NC excursions are generally very well organised and heavily biased towards cultural sightseeing.  They won't do touristy things or much shopping and your itinerary will be heavy on history.  The Sicily portion looks fabulous.  I once did a NC cruise in this region and it remains one of our best  cruises. There will probably be some sort of historian on board for talks, there will be a pianist but nothing else in the way of entertainment. Your fellow passengers are likely to be at least 95 percent British, elderly and extremely well travelled.  NC has a loyal following of regulars who have been everywhere, usually on NC ships. 

 

Do not expect a genuine luxury cruise like Seabourn or Silversea or Regent - the only other cruise lines I have sailed with.  Food on the ship won't be in the same league and house wines are very basic with a choice between red and white and that's it.  However, it will be a rewarding cruise and a very social one - everyone gets to know everyone else.   And there is no dress code.  In my experience on NC ships, the classier the person, the least dressy they are.

 

NC has very little internet presence.  They like it that way and most of their clients have never heard of the internet anyway.  

Edited by Fletcher
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Thanks.  When Windstar recently cancelled our Spanish Serenade cruise for this October, I thought about jumping on this year's Noble Caledonia Sicily cruise – but it's on Serenissima and I remember your warning about that ship.  When I saw the brochure for 2021 was on Hebridean Sky, I felt much more comfortable.  I have never sailed on an R-roman numeral ship [we did Galapagos on Celebrity Xpedition], but we very much enjoy the successor generation of R-ships on Azamara.

 

I will look forward to a proper pot of tea or a good G&T in the afternoon.  [It's easy to find decent gin, but most places ruin it with poor tonic.  I might have to ask for Noel Coward's martini recipe:  fill a glass with gin, then waive it in the general direction of Italy – that should be pretty easy in Sicily!]

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4 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

When Windstar recently cancelled our Spanish Serenade cruise for this October, I thought about jumping on this year's Noble Caledonia Sicily cruise – but it's on Serenissima and I remember your warning about that ship.  

 

Our cruising life began in 2005 on a Noble Caledonia cruise to the Baltic.  We were hooked on the small ship experience.  We went everywhere with NC until 2016.  That was our 11th cruise with them to the Caribbean aboard the Serenissima.  That ship was beyond awful and a lot went wrong with the itinerary as well.  It was the cruise from hell.  I wrote some harsh criticism on the internet and received a letter from NC's managing director who said he disliked public criticism so much that he had banned us for life.  That's the sort of company that NC is.  Very touchy.  When things go right, their cruises are great.  When things go wrong . . . 

 

Have a great trip on the Hebridean Sky.

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Sorry to hear that.  I hope our cruise will resemble one of your better ones :classic_smile:  I do like their approach [interesting itineraries, all we have to do is get ourselves to London, excursions included].  But there are plenty of other small-ship options at their price point.

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Last year I cruised on Serenissima, a Russian ship, which is chartered by Noble Caledonia, from Tromso, Norway to Oban, Scotland.  I really liked the Noble Caledonia product of interesting itineraries and included excursions.  I would definitely cruise with them again on cruises which have no single supplement.

 

I was told by passengers that Noble Caledonia's other ships are better than Serenissima, but I enjoyed the unique ship and my large port hole cabin. 

 

Ask Noble Caledonia which airport they will be using in London.  Our flight with Noble Caledonia departed from Heathrow, where I stayed at an Ibis Hotel close by for two nights and caught a local bus to Windsor for the day.   

 

Bon Voyage for your b2b cruise.  

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Thanks @MMDown Under  I don't care which airport Noble Caledonia starts from as we will be staying two nights in Kensington to re-visit the V&A and other museums in the area.  It's the flight home that matters, as we would like to keep going straight to JFK.  But most flights from Malta seem to go to LGW and most flights to JFK leave from LHR.  I will check with Noble Caledonia when it's time to book our Atlantic flights, but they may not know yet – so I will book a late flight from LHR and figure we can get a transfer if necessary.  But you offer a good idea:  assuming we'll have more than enough time for the transfer, we could arrange a stop at Windsor.

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  • 2 months later...

An interesting situation in the Falkland Islands . . . two Noble Caledonia ships, Hebridean Sky and Island Sky, have been moored in a bay for several days.  This bay is close to Mare Harbour and the large Mount Pleasant RAF base.  National Geographic Orion has been with them but has now sailed away.  It's my understanding that Noble Caledonia will be air-lifting passengers on their two ships back to the UK, possibly using the RAF.  It's unknown to me if any passengers are ill.   As usual, it's hard to get any info about NC.  

Edited by Fletcher
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  • 3 weeks later...

Friends of ours were booked on a 7-day Hebridean Sky cruise around Scotland in May.  They are Noble Caledonia loyalists and must have done a dozen trips with them.  They received a general email from NC advising them that their cruise is cancelled.  On NC website in the T&Cs it says clearly that in the unlikely event that NC cancel a cruise, passengers will receive a cash refund, plus modest compensation, or the chance to transfer to another cruise.  All quite reasonable.

 

However, our friends have been given a voucher for 110 percent of their cruise price to put against another cruise.  If the voucher is not taken by 31 December 2021 only then will they receive a refund.  By which time NC may well be out of business.  

 

 

 

 

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Wouldn't that 2021 payout be guaranteed by ABTA or ATOL?  [What I'm wondering is if our 2021 Noble Caledonia fly/cruise package is protected, since we are in the US and purchased through a US travel agent.]

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My friends wrote to NC requesting a refund and NC have responded positively on the same day. The latest and laudable company statement is here -

 

https://www.noble-caledonia.co.uk/about-noble-caledonia/coronavirus-company-update/

 

As someone who has been critical of NC over the years I think they seem to be reacting well to this crisis.

Edited by Fletcher
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On 4/14/2020 at 4:54 PM, Fletcher said:

My friends wrote to NC requesting a refund and NC have responded positively on the same day. The latest and laudable company statement is here -

 

https://www.noble-caledonia.co.uk/about-noble-caledonia/coronavirus-company-update/

 

As someone who has been critical of NC over the years I think they seem to be reacting well to this crisis.

I Really like this company and would like to cruise with them on a small ship in the future.

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  • 10 months later...

@Fletcher – Our B2B has a turnaround stop in Naples, and I am planning out what to do there [our second visit].  On the last night of the 'first' cruise, we plan to attend Mass at 7 pm.  It seems to be the case that dinner onboard is one fixed seating.  Do you know what time that is?  [I have found an interesting restaurant in Naples, but the farewell dinner might be a social occasion to say goodbye to our new friends from the first leg.]

 

Also, is it possible for you to put me in contact with your friends who have sailed so recently?  My email is in my signature [hostjazzbeau@cruisecritic.com] so they can contact me if they are willing.  Thanks!

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