Embark the Sea Spirit this afternoon. Settle in to your cabin and familiarize yourself with the ship and her crew. Set sail this evening.

As your ship cruises the north Atlantic, continue to become familiar with the ship and take advantage of her amenities. Also take time to enjoy the ocean breeze on deck and be sure to keep your eyes peeled for Arctic marine wildlife.

Alive with culture and history, the capital of Scotland is a thriving UNESCO World Heritage Site. The lively atmosphere and classic beauty of this city is on display around every corner. Join one of the ship's optional excursions to explore Edinburgh.

Inverness is one of Scotland's seven cities and sits in the south of the Highlands region on the banks of the River Ness. Crowned by a pink crenelated castle and lavishly decorated with flowers, Inverness is a thriving city with a rich variety of places to visit and things to do both in the city and around.

Fair Isle is Britain's most remote inhabited island. Located in the Shetland, Fair Isle's 70 or so inhabitants welcome you upon arrival. Once on shore, enjoy a scenic walk to the bird observatory. Fair Isle is a haven for seabirds, which are very accessible. Also look out for gray seals.

Further north than the southern tip of Norway, but with a mild climate, North Ronaldsay is the furthest flung of the Orkney Isles. This small, low-lying island has been inhabited for centuries. The high number of Neolithic sites on the island - including stone burial cists, standing stones, and the Broch of Burrian - speak to this long history. Today the island continues to be heavily farmed from old-style crofts and is famous for its seaweed-eating sheep. North Ronaldsay supports an extremely rich and diverse population of wild flowers and mammals. The island is also a hotspot for rare birds that stop by in spring and autumn.

Following in the footsteps of the famous Fair Isle, there is now a bird observatory here. North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory was established in 1987 to study and record the migrant birds that pass through Orkney's most northerly island each year.

Kirkwall is the capital of the amazing Orkney archipelago, standing at the dividing point between East and West Mainland. Founded around 1035 by Earl Rognvald Brusason, Kirkwall quickly became the administrative center of Orkney. Kirkwall's best feature is perhaps its sandstone St. Magnus Cathedral, widely considered the finest medieval building in the region. The original town is one of the best preserved examples of an ancient Norse town. Other sites of historical interest in the town include the Bishop’s Palace and Earl’s Palace, a fine example of French Renaissance architecture.

Tórshavn is a city of colors with its brightly-painted houses, vibrant boats in the marina, and the deep-green commons and grazing plots. Stroll through the city, enjoy the changing light playfully reflecting in the sea, and meet the locals. The Faroese may seem reserved, but are open and friendly on approach. Enjoy the changing weather, where even the rain and the fog bring out another hue. The harbor, the ocean, the hills, and the sky add to the many colors and the very special light in the Faroe Islands.

Vágar, together with Mykines, is located in the westernmost part of the Faroe Islands. Vágar Island has a broad variety of possibilities to explore nature and its beauty, including the country's two largest lakes – Sørvágsvatn and Fjallavatn.

Mykines island is known as the “paradise of birds.” The foremost resident of Mykines in the summer is the puffin. This little creature is one of the main attractions for visitors. Its brightly colored bill and its willingness to remain posed with fish in its beak makes the puffin the ideal photo subject for any budding ornithologist.

The 11-mile cruise along Seydisfjördur showcases a scenic wonderland of stunning geology, cascading waterfalls, and soaring mountains. At its head, a natural harbor shelters the fishing town of the same name, renowned for its brightly painted 19th-century wooden buildings.

Early in the morning we dock in Djupivogur and depart for a full-day tour of the Vatnajokull area. Explore the vast Vatnajokull ice cap – the largest and most voluminous Icelandic glacier, and one of the largest in Europe by area. View 15-meter-high icebergs of different shades of blue floating in the large ice lagoon of Jökulsárlón. Observe great skuas nesting in the area and Jökulsárlón seals.

Höfn, meaning "harbor", is located on a peninsula in southeastern Iceland. Höfn is a fishing port surrounded on three sides by the sea with beaches on the long shoreline on the southeast. Sand bars and glacial rivers traverse this area with many shifting lagoons and sand reefs being formed.

Vestmannaeyjar, or the Westman Islands, were formed by undersea volcanoes between 5,000 and 10,000 years ago and are among the youngest of the world’s archipelagos. In 1963, the world witnessed the birth of its newest island, Surtsey — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — which you can glimpse as your ship cruises past the coast.

Following breakfast on board, disembark in Reykjavik and transfer to the airport to continue your travels.