30 independent reviews for Isle of Mull and Small Isles explorer

Dear Elissa, Thank you very much for the lovely review you wrote for us. We really appreciate you taking the time and it is a great pleasure for us to know that you enjoyed your cruise aboard St Hilda. Our small cruise ships, because they are small, can take their passengers in places which bigger vessels would not be able to visit, which is so special and exciting. The vessel aboard which you travelled, is the smallest vessel in our little fleet and the forepeak twin cabin you had booked is the most basic, smallest cabin (thus the least expensive). The double cabin ensuite is larger and more comfortable for the guests who might prefer a bit more privacy and space. Our other vessels (Seahorse II, Speideren and Gemini Explorer) also have more spacious and more comfortable cabins. I thought that you might like to know that, as a small Scottish company, we strongly support local communities and employ the services of the local marina, shops, restaurants, guides and services (such as laundrette, cleaners, shipwrights etc). These suppliers employ local staff. We encourage our guests to visit locally important heritage sites, visit local gardens, craft shops and participate in cultural events. We also work with local wildlife rangers and tour guides. Regarding our environmental impact and how we support conservation: We have been awarded The Green Tourism's Gold Award. We are also members of the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), the Shark Trust and the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust (HWDT). Our crew are officially WiSe Scheme Trained which means they are taught how to observe and approach marine wildlife in a safe way. We have also taken some more specific steps to reduce our environmental impact. We ask guests to bring their own water bottles which we refill. We do not use straws, plastic cutlery/plates, drink stirrers. We recycle all of our waste where it is possible to do so. We buy items with minimal packaging. Engine revolutions are kept to a minimum to reduce fuel consumption. We do not travel at night as we anchor in secluded anchorages. All fuel usage is recorded so that fuel consumption can be tightly monitored. Our company depends largely on the internet and word of mouth for marketing to reduce paper waste. We use low energy LEDs where possible. When purchasing equipment, priority is given to the products that consume less water, energy and fuel. Guests traveling all the way by public transport (bus, ferry or train) will receive a Green Voucher towards the cost of their cruise. We try to use seasonal and locally produced food when possible, which, unfortunately, isn’t always the case, depending on the season and demand. Vegetarians and Vegans are catered for. Again we thank you for your review and support.

Dear Helen, Please find below our comments to your review: Layout: A link to the vessel layout was sent to you so you would have been aware of the cabin layout before booking with us. In addition, the berths were designed to meet the highest standards of boat building (Lloyds 100 A1) for keeping seafarers/passengers safe in a seaway and when sleeping at night. The toilets are modern electrically operated toilets for sailing vessels and not the traditional mechanical pump-out toilet. Like in any enclosed environment, it is important to keep hatches ajar when at anchor to stop condensation. Main sail: The main sail can be reefed and has a number of reefing points. However, our Company policy is not to put to sea and set sail above a force 4 as many of our guests are not used to being at sea in turbulent conditions thereby making it unnecessary to reef the main sail. The vessel is also classified as a motor sailor and is not an ocean greyhound’. Further, as the vessel is a ketch, we have the option of using the three sails (jib, main and mizzen) in different combinations depending on weather conditions. Environment: With regards to our commitment to sustainable tourism, we always support local communities and employ the services of the local marina, shops, services, restaurants and guides. These suppliers employ local staff. We encourage our guests to visit locally important heritage sites, visit local gardens, craft shops and participate in cultural events. We also work with local wildlife rangers and tour guides. With regards to our environmental impact: We ask guests to bring their own water bottles which we refill. We do not use straws, plastic cutlery/plates, drink stirrers. We recycle all of our waste where it is possible to do so. We buy items with minimal packaging. Engine revolutions are kept to a minimum to reduce fuel consumption. We do not travel at night as we anchor in secluded anchorages. Our company depends largely on the internet and word of mouth for marketing to reduce paper waste. We use low energy LEDs where possible. When purchasing equipment, priority is given to the products that consume less water, energy and fuel. Guests traveling all the way by public transport (bus, ferry or train) will receive a Green Voucher towards the cost of their cruise. We try to use seasonal and locally produced food when possible, which, unfortunately, isn’t always the case, depending on the season and demand. Vegetarians and Vegans are catered for. Brown water: Our vessels sail in the North Atlantic Ocean and the waters of the Hebridean Islands which are tidal with strong currents and big ranges. The Mediterranean has almost no tides and is almost an enclosed sea. The modern electric toilets thoroughly macerate the black water and we follow the governmental procedures for black water discharge. In addition, our vessels are also professionally surveyed every year to ensure we are following the governmental regulations with regards to the environment and to the safety of passengers. We always take feedback very seriously and do make changes upon guest feedback. We would like to apologise if you thought our comments were patronising, we were just trying to reply factually.

We really appreciate you taking the time to write a review regarding your recent cruise with us. I would like to add a few details which might also be useful to any future guests. We employ the services of the local marina, shops, restaurants, guides and services such as launderette, engineers, electricians, shipwrights, cleaners, chandleries, crew when possible, etc. We encourage our guests to visit locally important heritage sites, visit local gardens, craft shops and participate in cultural events and work with local wildlife rangers and tour guides. We are proud to say we have been awarded The Green Tourism's Gold Award and are committed to excellence in offering vacations to people who have a feel for the sea and its wildlife, both below and above the waves, as well as the wildlife ashore. Our aim is to respect the sea and the local marine and shore-based environment. To leave everything as we find it is our motto, respecting the delicate eco-system balance of sky, sea and shore. To try and achieve this, we have taken many steps and our crews have been carefully trained. One of the steps we have taken is to offer a £50 Green voucher to all the guests who travel to join us using public transport. Alternatively, they can, if they wish, donate the £50 to the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), the charity working for 'seas full of life'. We are very pleased that you found your vacation with us to be excellent and look forward to seeing you again.