British Isles Knitting Cruise - 14 Nights

About this Cruise

Beginning and ending in Copenhagen, this 14-day British Isles adventure aboard Holland America's Nieuw Statendam visits this region during the peak of summer when the weather is at its best. This cruise visits many favorite ports, including Edinburgh, Kirkwall, Invergordon, Stornoway, Greenock, Douglas, Liverpool, Dublin, Cork, and St. Peter Port. This itinerary gives travelers a chance to steep themselves in the region's rich history and learn about knitting traditions. Shop for yarn in charming shops, walk through beautiful gardens, learn about unusual geology and take in dramatic seascapes and coastal scenery. Enjoy a cold local brew in a pub, take high tea at an outdoor cafe, and knit a few rows. There is no better way to see the British Isles than on this 14-day knitting cruise.

While onboard, Lucy Neatby and Alissa Barton will offer a range of knitting classes. These two experts will share tons of great tips and techniques to give knitters a deeper understanding of knitting. Courses will include a range of popular topics. Lucy Neatby will teach popular favorites such as ambidextrous knitting, increasing your confidence and managing disasters when steeking, the ins and outs of double knitting, and tons of hot sock tricks. Alissa Barton will teach Celtic Cables, The Art of Keeping a Knitting Journal, Kitchener Stitch in Pattern, Two-Color Brioche, Get Yoked, and Advance Repair. No matter your skill level, Lucy and Alissa will help everyone kick up their skills a few notches!

HIGHLIGHTS

Enjoy a trunk show at Uldstedet in Copenhagen and meet Sus Gebhard, the owner shop owner, who will have her beautiful designs and lovely hand-dyed yarns on display.

Shop at Sommerfuglen, the largest yarn store in Denmark, and see work by many popular Danish designers.

Take a historical walking tour of Copenhagen and have lunch at one of Copenhagen's famous outdoor food markets.

Shop for kits by Danish designers such as Marianne Isager, Bente Geil & Hanne Falkenberg at prices below those in the US.

Shop for souvenir yarn at Ginger Twist Studio and Kathy's Knits in Edinburgh.

Walk the Royal Mile through the heart of old Edinburgh (South Queensferry), Scotland.

Be mesmerized by the drumbeat at the famous Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Holland America Line gets a limited number of tickets, so book early!

Visit one of Scotland's most famous medieval churches, St. Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall.

Shop for Orkney Knitwear and yarn at the Judith Glue shop in Kirkwall, near the cathedral.

While visiting The Highlands, meet local knitters from Ripples Crafts and Loch Ness Knitting while shopping at a pop-up fiber market featuring many popular indie dyers.

Spend time in the heart of The Highlands in Invergordon. This area, known for its rich Scottish heritage, is most known for Loch Ness, lush greenery, the sound of bagpipes, and rare breed sheep farms.

Tour the New Lanark Mill and World Heritage Site learning the history of the town, see wool spun, shop for yarn and have traditional high tea with a little free time explore the grounds and shop.

In Liverpool, tour the Tate Museum of Modern Art, enjoy learning about the Beatles' hometown, and have a cream tea.

In Dublin, meet Kieran Foley, an innovative Irish designer known for his incredibly inventive patterns.

Shop for beautiful Irish wool at This is Knit Yarn Shop, housed in a gorgeous 18th-century mansion in the heart of Dublin.

See the Book of Kells and enjoy a pint of Guinness in Dublin, Ireland.

Enjoy a trunk show featuring the Irish cable designs of Carol Feller onboard the ship in her hometown of Cork.

Shop for Hedgehog Fibers at their dyeing studio in Cork.

Visit the Guernsey Folk and Costume Museum, where visitors can walk through 250 years of island history, including a collection of traditional Guernsey costumes and Gansey sweaters.