Scottish Highlander barge

MS Scottish Highlander is a boutique hotel barge cruising in Scotland, offering roundtrip departures from Inverness. The vessel is operated by European Waterways and sails along the Caledonian Canal and the lochs and rivers of the Great Glen.

The luxury hotel barge Scottish Highlander accommodates a maximum of 8 passengers and features 4 guest cabins, 3 crew cabins, and a bar saloon lounge. The crew consists of the Captain, tour guide, chef, and housekeeper. Two staircases connect the vessel’s decks.

The onboard whisky selection includes a range of premium Scottish single malts such as Benromach (10 years), Glenmorangie (10 years), Lagavulin (16 years), Dalwhinnie (15 years), Glenfiddich (12 years), Bowmore (12 years), Isle of Jura (10 years), Talisker (10 years), Highland Park (12 years), The Singleton of Glen Ord (15 years), and Tomatin (12 years).

Dining onboard focuses on traditional Scottish cuisine, including seafood and game dishes prepared by the ship’s chef and served by the crew.

Cabins

The Scottish Highlander has only 4 passenger cabins for up to 8 guests. All cabins are outside staterooms of equal size (12 m² / 130 ft²), each featuring an opening window and two single beds convertible into a double.

Standard cabin amenities include an en-suite bathroom (WC, washbasin, shower), flat-screen TV with DVD player, radio, telephone (for onboard calls only), hairdryer, electronic safe, and individually controlled air conditioning with central heating.

European Waterways Scotland barge cruise itinerary

Scottish Highlander cruises include the 6-day “Classic Cruise” itinerary as well as themed voyages such as Whisky Trail, Family Cruise, Golf Cruise, and Honeymoon Cruise.

The 6-night classic itinerary is designed for travelers interested in Scotland’s wildlife, landscapes, and historic sites. The vessel is also frequently chartered by families or special-interest groups including walkers, golfers, food enthusiasts, and whisky lovers.

Highlights of the itinerary include:

• Tour and tasting at Glen Ord whisky distillery
• Culloden Moor battlefield
• Visit to The Highland Club
• Tour of Cawdor Castle and its gardens (May–September)
• Exploration of Clava Cairns prehistoric burial site
• Cruising on the freshwater lakes Dochfour, Loch Ness, Loch Oich, and Loch Lochy
• Walking and cycling opportunities along canals and rivers

The typical cruise itinerary includes the following ports and activities:

• Day 1 (Muirtown) – Guests meet at Glenmoriston Townhouse Hotel in Inverness, followed by a private minibus transfer to the barge. Embarkation with Champagne welcome reception and dinner onboard.
• Day 2 (Muirtown – Dochgarroch) – Cruise through Muirtown locks and under Tomnahurich Bridge. Optional walk along the River Ness to Dochgarroch. Afternoon excursion to Culloden Moor and Muir of Ord distillery with guided tour and whisky tasting.
• Day 3 (Dochgarroch – Fort Augustus) – Visits to Cawdor Castle and Clava Cairns. Afternoon cruise across Loch Dochfour and Loch Ness, passing the ruins of Urquhart Castle before arriving at Fort Augustus.
• Day 4 (Fort Augustus – Kytra) – Walking tour of Fort Augustus followed by cruise to Kytra. Afternoon visit to The Highland Club and falconry demonstration on the shores of Loch Ness. Dinner at a local restaurant.
• Day 5 (Kytra – Laggan) – Morning excursion to Eilean Donan Castle. Afternoon cruising along Loch Oich before arriving in Laggan.
• Day 6 (Laggan – Banavie) – Cruise across Loch Lochy, passing Gairlochy with optional visit to the Clan Cameron Museum. Afternoon excursion to Glen Coe with optional cable car ride to Aonach Mor and visit to Old Inverlochy Castle. Captain’s Farewell Dinner onboard.
• Day 7 (Banavie) – Breakfast onboard followed by disembarkation and transfer to Inverness. Additional transfer options are available for private charters.

In North American and Australian markets, European Waterways barge cruises are often sold through the luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent Ltd, headquartered in Cheltenham (Gloucestershire, UK).

Note: You can explore CruiseMapper’s complete list of river cruise ships and riverboats in the itinerary section of the River Cruises hub, where companies and their fleets are listed.