FEATURE Naturally appealing From whale watching in Alaska to solar eclipse experiences in Australia, cruise lines are seeking to deliver more natural experiences for their guests. Alice Chambers asks a selection of ports and destinations around the world to highlight a natural feature or phenomenon that has proven to be popular with visiting cruise passengers Orkney, UK Scapa Flow is the largest natural harbour in the Northern Hemisphere and has a central place in the geography and hearts of Orcadians. A rich history of use can be seen across the archipelago from the Neolithic to the Viking, Medieval and World War II periods, when Orkney was the base for Royal Navy fleets. Scapa Flow is 125 square miles of sheltered water that is the home for orca pods, dolphins and seals, as well as many species of birds. Visible from anywhere in Orkney, cruise guests can see the scale of this water that is ‘the island’s lifeblood Ports of Jersey, UK With its small size, measuring just nine by five miles, the island of Jersey is an ideal location for a day trip. Shaped by the sea, the island has the third largest tidal range in the world, and on spring tides the difference between low and high tide can be up to 12 metres. Additionally, Jersey’s beaches have won multiple awards and rank among the cleanest in the UK. With golden sandy bays in the south, Atlantic waves on the west coast, and the sheltered coves and hidden rock pooling spots on the north and east, Jersey’s beaches provide a variety of natural landscapes to explore. 28
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzQ1NTk=