Scotland's Royal Majesty All-Gay Cruise & Exploration 2023 - Adonis Gay Holiday

Scotland's Royal Majesty All-Gay Cruise 2023

Scotland's Royal Majesty
All-Gay Cruise & Exploration

June 3 – 15, 2023

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Scotland's Royal Majesty All-Gay Cruise & Exploration 2023

12 nights from Inverness to Edinburgh, Scotland

June 03 – 15, 2023
MV Lord of the Glens

Gay Scotland tour We invite you to join Adonis Gay Holiday & Brand g Vacations for an exclusive and inclusive, 13-day all LGBT journey, exploring Scotland’s Royal Majesty. This all-gay cruise & tour offers a fascinating insight into Scotland’s history and its Royal connections past and present with unparalleled access to the former and current homes of the Her Majesty The Queen and Her Majesty The Queen Mother. Following two nights in Inverness, enjoy a breathtaking 7-day luxury cruise from Kyle of Lochalsh to Inverness on board the Lord of the Glens.

See Scotland’s famous scenery and visit the islands of Eigg, Iona and Skye as well as the towns of Tobermory, Fort William and Laggan and sail on famous Loch Ness.

Following the cruise, our exploration continues with three nights in Edinburgh. Here we tour Edinburgh castle, Holyrood Palace while taking in the famous Scottish atmosphere and culture. Our last night ends with a Royal Invitation to a luxury State farewell dinner onboard the Royal Yacht Britannia.

Scotland's Royal Majesty All-Gay Cruise & Exploration Itinerary

Day 1 - Inverness, Scotland
Welcome to Scotland. Our guides will meet you at the Inverness airport to assist with your transfer to the Cullodon House Hotel. After settling in to the hotel, enjoy the remainder of your day exploring Inverness.

Join us in the evening for a Welcome Reception where you can meet your fellow travellers followed by a light dinner.

Included: Welcome Reception & Dinner
Accommodation: Culloden House Hotel, Inverness

Day 2 - Inverness, Scotland
After a leisurely breakfast enjoy a morning briefing from your hosts before heading off on tour. In the evening enjoy a private hosted Scottish themed welcome dinner with local entertainment in the Culloden House Hotel.

Tour of Balmoral Palace
Your morning will take you by bus to HM, The Queen’s Scottish home, Balmoral for an insight into Royal life in a palace. You will have a private lunch in HRH, Prince Charles Restaurant Rothesay Arms where you can also shop for luxury gifts Duchy Highgrove shop.

Walking Grade 3/5: Moderate amount of walking which will include stairs and uneven surfaces.
Duration approx: 9 hours

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Culloden House Hotel, Inverness

Day 3 - Inverness / Kyle of Lochalsh (Embarkation)
After Breakfast depart from Inverness for a 2.5-hour scenic drive through the beautiful West of Scotland to Kyle of Lochalsh to board the MV Lord of The Glens to begin your luxury 7-night voyage.

Enjoy a welcome reception and dinner. Moor Kyle of Lochalsh overnight

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Accommodation: MV Lord of The Glens

Scotland gay cruise - Eileen Donan Castle

Day 4 - Sound of Sleat / Skye / Inverie
Enjoy a morning tour of Eileen Donan Castle and the picturesque village of Plockton. Sail via Kyle Rhea and the Sound of Sleat to Armadale on the Isle of Skye. Later see the Clan Donald Centre and Gardens before sailing to the small village of Inverie on Loch Nevis. Moor Inverie overnight.

Tour of Eileen Donan Castle – Morning
Walking Grade: 3/5 Moderate amount of walking which will include stairs and uneven surfaces.
Duration approx: 2 hours

Tour to Clan Donald Centre & Gardens – Afternoon
Walking Grade: 3/5 Moderate amount of walking which will include stairs and uneven surfaces.
Duration approx: 3 hours

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: MV Lord of The Glens

Day 5 - Eigg / Tobermory, Mull
Sail to the tiny island of Eigg, Sail around Ardnamurchan Point the most westerly point of mainland Britain into the Sound of Mull to arrive at Tobermory on the Isle of Mull. Moor Mull overnight.

Tour of Eigg - Morning
Visit the tiny island of Eigg where you get a sense is like for the roughly 90 people who live on the island community.

Walking Grade: 3/5 Moderate amount of walking which will include stairs and uneven surfaces.
Duration approx: 2.5 hours

Tour of Tobermory - Afternoon
Explore Tobermory on foot whose most striking feature is the gaily painted houses that line the waterfront originally built by the British Fisheries Company to house its workers.

Walking Grade: 3/5 Moderate amount of walking which will include stairs and uneven surfaces.
Duration approx: 2 hours

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: MV Lord of The Glens

Day 6 - Iona / Oban
Morning sail to Craignure, again on the Isle of Mull, for the visit to the Isle of Iona the last resting place of some 50 Scottish Kings and where St Columba introduced Christianity to Britain. Return to the vessel at Craignure and sail across to Oban – the seafood capital of Scotland – with a pause in front of Duart Castle for photographs. Moor Oban overnight.

Tour of Iona - Morning
Walking Grade: 3/5 Moderate amount of walking which will include stairs and uneven surfaces.
Duration approx: 4 hours

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: MV Lord of The Glens

Day 7 - Corpach / Neptunes Staircase / Banavie
Sail via the Sound of Mull and Loch Linnhe to Corpach and the entrance to the Caledonian Canal. Later ascend Neptune’s Staircase a flight of eight inter-connected locks that lifts the vessel 103 feet to Banavie. Afternoon visit to Glenfinnan. Moor Banavie overnight.

Tour to Glenfinnan - Afternoon
See the viaduct made famous in the Harry Potter films as you take the train to Glenfinnan. In 1745 the Jacobite rising began here when Prince Charles Edward Stuart raised his standard on the shores of Loch Shiel. Seventy years later, the Glenfinnan Monument was erected to commemorate the historic event.

Walking Grade: 2/5 Easy amount of walking which will include stairs and uneven surfaces.
Duration approx: 4 hours

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: MV Lord of The Glens

Day 8 - Loch Lochy / Fort Augustus
Sail in the morning along the Caledonian Canal via Loch Lochy, Laggan Avenue and Loch Oich to Fort Augustus. Moor in Fort Augustus overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: MV Lord of The Glens

Day 9 - Loch Ness / Culloden / Inverness
Sail in the morning across Loch Ness pausing approximately half-way in front of Urquhart Castle for photos. Later cross Loch Dochfour and arrive at Inverness. Afternoon visit to Culloden Battlefield and Clava Cairns. Evening reception and dinner. Moor Inverness overnight.

Tour of Culloden Battlefield - Afternoon
Enjoy a drive to historic Culloden, the powerfully emotive and atmospheric battlefield where the 1745 Jacobite Rising came to a tragic end. See the Clava cairn which is a type of Bronze Age circular chamber tomb cairn, named after the group of three cairns at Balnuaran of Clava.

Walking Grade: 2/5 Easy amount of walking which will include stairs and uneven surfaces.
Duration approx: 3 hours

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: MV Lord of The Glens

Day 10 - Inverness (Disembarkation) / Edinburgh
Disembark in Inverness after breakfast and board your luxury bus to Edinburgh. En- route you will experience stunning scenery and exceptional wildlife. After a short break in Aviemore we continuing to Glamis Castle for a tour and lunch. We then continue to our host hotel in Edinburgh where you can settle into your luxury room. This evening is free to relax or, explore Scotland's capital city

Tour of Glamis Castle (Including transfer to Edinburgh)
As the former home of HHR, The Queen Mother immerse yourself into the splendour of the life of a Queen and experience a lunch in the castle kitchens before setting off for our luxury Hotel in Edinburgh. We will include refreshment stops along the route.

Walking Grade: 3/5 Moderate amount of walking which will include stairs and uneven surfaces.
Duration approx: 9 hours

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Accommodation: Hilton Edinburgh Carlton Hotel, Edinburgh

Day 11 - Edinburgh
Enjoy a free morning to explore Edinburgh on your own or choose one of our optional tours to Roslin Chapel or Stirling Castle. Lunch is on your own before being fitted for your kilt or pick up your highland sash before we set of for a luxurious farewell experience on board the Royal Yacht Britannia.

Tour of Roslin Chapel - Morning (Optional, book in advance),
or
Tour of Stirling Castle - Morning (Optional, book in advance0

State Dinner & tour of The Royal Yacht Britannia
Follow in the footsteps of Kings, Queens, Prime Ministers and Presidents as you board one of the most famous ships in the world . You will receive a unique insight into life aboard in days gone by and join your fellow guests in the State Drawing Room for a glass or two of chilled champagne and a selection of irresistible canapés. You are then invited into the State Dining Room, where the finest crystal, gleaming cutlery, fresh flowers, and personalized menus embossed with Britannia’s unmistakable gold crest await you. Dine on the finest food and wines fit for Royalty.

Walking Grade: 2/5 Easy amount of walking which will include stairs and uneven surfaces.
Duration approx: 7 hours

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Accommodation: Hilton Edinburgh Carlton Hotel, Edinburgh

Day 12 - Edinburgh
After breakfast, enjoy the morning exploring Scotland’s Historic Capital City of Edinburgh. Enjoy an evening on your own. In the evening join us for a farewell dinner and whisky experience.

Royal Mile Walking tour - Morning & Afternoon
Join our expert tour guides for a walking tour of Holyrood Palace, HM The Queen’s formal Scottish home and The Queen’s Gallery. Enjoy a traditional Scottish lunch just off the Royal Mile followed by a guided tour of the Royal Mile and the historic cobbled streets with entrance to Edinburgh Castle.

Walking Grade 5/5: Very hard amount of walking will include stairs and uneven surfaces.
Duration approx: 9 hours

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Hilton Edinburgh Carlton Hotel, Edinburgh

Day 13 - Edinburgh
Following breakfast, an included transfer will take you to the airport or train station for your trip home or onward destination. Hotel check-out is at 11:00am this morning.

Meals: Breakfast

All itineraries are dependent on weather and tide, and as such are subject to change.

Scotland's Royal Majesty All-Gay Cruise & Exploration 2023 Itinerary
Date	Port	Meals
03 June	Inverness, Scotland	R, D
04 June	Inverness, Scotland	B, L, D
05 June	Inverness / Kyle of Lochalsh	B, D
06 June	Sound of Sleat / Skye / Inverie	B, L, D
07 June	Eigg / Tobermory, Mull	B, L, D
08 June	Iona / Oban	B, L, D
09 June	Corpach / Neptunes Staircase / Banavie	B, L, D
10 June	Loch Lochy / Fort Augustus	B, L, D
11 June	Loch Ness / Culloden / Inverness	B, L, D
12 June	Inverness / Edinburgh	B, L
13 June	Edinburgh, Scotland	B, D
14 June	Edinburgh, Scotland	B, L, D
15 June	Edinburgh, Scotland	B

Scotland's Royal Majesty All-Gay Cruise & Exploration Highlights

• See Balmoral, Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth's Scottish home set in the heart of Scotland

• Enjoy Loch Ness and search for the world-famous Loch Ness Monster “Nessie” and take in the romantic ruins of Urquhart Castle

• Visit to Macbeths Cawdor castle and Culloden where “Bonnie” Prince Charlie’s Jacobite forces were defeated in 1746

• Take the West Highland railway line over the renowned viaduct to beautiful Glenfinnan, made famous in the Harry Potter films

• Sail Neptune’s Staircase in the shadow of Ben Nevis, Great Britain’s highest mountain

• Visit Eigg where you can get a sense of what life is like for the roughly 90 people who live on this island community

• Tour Glamis Castle, former home of HM The Queen Mother and enjoy a private tea in the kitchen

• Visit Holyrood Palace, HM The Queen’s formal home in Edinburgh and view the Queen’s gallery

• Enjoy a guided tour of the Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle

• Explore the Royal Yacht Britannia and enjoy a Luxury State Dinner

Scotland's Royal Majesty All-Gay Cruise & Exploration Inclusions

• Guaranteed all-LGBT+ charter

• 2 nights pre cruise hotel accommodation in Inverness including breakfast

• Welcome reception in Inverness

• Traditional Highland Dinner in Inverness with local entertainment

• 7 nights deluxe cruise accommodation

• Free flowing house wine, spirits, local beer and soft drinks throughout cruise

• Gourmet dining with all meals included during your cruise

• Complimentary shore excursions offered daily

• Hosted receptions throughout the cruise

• Lunch at HM The Queen Mother's former home Glamis Castle

• Three nights deluxe accommodation in The Hilton Carlton Edinburgh

• Exclusive lunch on the Royal Mile, Edinburgh

• Optional tours of Stirling Castle or Roslin Chapel

• Formal state dining on the Royal Yacht Britannia, HM The Queen's former floating home

• Airport transfers in Inverness (IVN) and Edinburgh (EDI)

Hotels

Culloden House Hotel, Inverness
As luxury hotels go, the grand country mansion that is Culloden House Hotel is one of the best in Scotland.

At the time of the Jacobite uprising in 1745-46, Bonnie Prince Charlie used Culloden House as his lodging and battle headquarters prior to that fateful battle on Culloden Moor.

Today, this historic Inverness luxury hotel stands in nearly 40 acres where you are free to wander about the woodland and private gardens to enjoy the exceptional peace, tranquility and majesty of the grounds.

Undoubtedly the hotels’ greatest asset is the staff. The Highland hospitality has been elevated to its highest art form without being “stuffy” nor too “proper” or reserved. After all you deserve, without compromise, the very best.

This hotel is for the sole use of Brand g guests who will have access to the award-winning Adam’s Dining Room where Chef Scott O’ Keefe draws on superb local and near-local produce: Loch Fyne salmon, sweet Orkney crab, Scotch beef fillet from the Highlands.

As one would expect the cellars of Culloden House brim with Malt Whiskies, a passion which has resulted in it being recognized as Malt Whisky Ambassadors and a Malt Whisky Embassy by the Scottish Malt Whisky Society.

Many of the malts are rare, exclusive and not available to purchase in even the more famous whisky shops, that is because they buy many of them from private collectors and specialty auctions which provide 100% provenance as well as the best possible price.

Hilton Edinburgh Carlton Hotel, Edinburgh
Blending perfectly into the historic surroundings of the Royal Mile, Hilton Edinburgh Carlton is an iconic element of the city. The building dates back to 1900s and is part of the impressive North Bridge which links Edinburgh’s Old and New town together, giving you easy access to countless shopping, dining and entertainment.

Once one of Edinburgh’s top department stores, the building was fully refurbished in 2016 to bring the décor back to its stylish best.

The spacious, 4-star bedrooms at Hilton Edinburgh Carlton each have a private bathroom with Peter Thomas Roth toiletries. Rooms also feature a work desk and HD freeview TV.

Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Restaurant offers a traditional British menu and some of Marco’s classic dishes. Nineteen Hundred Bar features a lounge, and offers a range of cocktails, a selection of whisky and light snacks and meals.

Ship

Lord of the Glens
Step on board one of Scotland’s most elegant cruise ships – Lord of the Glens. Enjoy an inspirational and relaxing Highland cruise along stunning waterways, hidden sea lochs and around beautiful islands. Explore Scottish history and folklore from Urquhart Castle to the Loch Ness Monster. Furthermore, experience the magical Harry Potter Glenfinnan Viaduct to the splendour of Mull and Oban.

For over twenty years, the beautiful Lord of the Glens cruise ship has been an icon of the Caledonian Canal with its sleek good looks and sumptuous interiors it is the perfect way to experience Scotland from the water.

Lord of the Glens a luxury expedition vessels featured in the Lindblad and National Geographic portfolios. At just 150 feet, this elegant vessel can squeeze through the Caledonian Canal linking the North Sea to the Atlantic, but her design as a seafaring yacht means she can sail through the Atlantic with aplomb too.

It’s all done in grand style, the locks and Lochs, the starkly beautiful islands of the Inner Hebrides all viewed from the comforts of a ship that feels like a small stately home. Lord of the Glens features polished wood, teak decks, sumptuous fabrics and upholstery contribute to the cosy feel as much as the intimate size – there are just 27 mainly twin-bedded cabins, all well-appointed accommodating 54 guests.

The open top deck, with tables and chairs is a wonderful place to watch the glorious Scottish country and seascapes slip past; while the lounge and bar on board Lord of the Glens provide all the warmth and welcome of a good country house hotel.

Dining on board Lord of the Glens is a treat – the restaurant is an elegant room, with fine views without, sparkling crystal and fine china within. The meals are exceptional too. A full Scottish breakfast welcomes the day, and local ingredients sourced en- route are the basis of hearty lunches and dinners. Dinner is served at a single seating, with some tables for odd numbers to allow for easy mingling.

Optional Add-Ons

Stirling Castle - Morning Excursion from Edinburgh
$95 pp
Stirling Castle, (1 hr drive from Edinburgh by coach), is one of the largest and most important castles in Scotland, both historically and architecturally. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological formation. It is surrounded on three sides by steep cliffs, giving it a strong defensive position. Its strategic location, guarding what was, until the 1890s, the farthest downstream crossing of the River Forth, has made it an important fortification in the region from the earliest times.

Departs Edinburgh – appx 5 hrs
Moderate Difficulty: some walking on uneven surfaces and stairs.

Rosslyn Chapel - Morning Excursion from Edinburgh
$95 pp
Rosslyn castle made famous in The Davinci Code (30 Minute drive from Edinburgh by coach) and formerly known as the Collegiate Chapel of St Matthew, is a 15th-century chapel located in the village of Rosslyn, Midlothian, Scotland. Rosslyn Chapel was founded on a small hill above Rosslyn Glen as a Catholic collegiate church in the mid-15th century. The chapel was founded by William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness of the Scoto-Norman Sinclair family. Rosslyn Chapel is the third Sinclair place of worship at Rosslyn, the first being in Rosslyn Castle and the second in what is now Rosslyn Cemetery.

Departs Edinburgh – appx 3.5 hrs
Moderate Difficulty: some walking on uneven surfaces and stairs.