Trip Report: Scotland

By Belinda Zuhlke, Senior Travel Advisor, VTA, MCC

Hello everyone! I'm excited to share my Scotland experience aboard Azamara Journey with a pre-cruise hotel stay in Copenhagen.

Copenhagen
Our cruise started in Copenhagen, and my husband and I decided to stay two nights at the Best Western Hebron before the cruise. It is a 3-star hotel ​

with an inviting atmosphere, great public spaces and welcoming staff.  It’s centrally located and the hotel offers an excellent Scandinavian breakfast that I would describe as Continental style with more variety.  We splurged a bit and booked a suite which we felt was worth it since European hotel rooms tend to run a bit smaller than in the U.S.  We arrived to the hotel around 9am, and they waived the early check-in fee (can’t remember the cost) because I’m a BW Member! I have zero status with BW by the way. Just around the corner from the hotel, we tried Smagsloget Sandwichbar.  They offer delicious gourmet sandwiches for a great value.  Keep in mind 25% VAT that can be a bit of a sticker shock.  Overall, I would highly recommend this place for an easy casual bite to eat. I was told by our guide that Smagsloget translates to ‘tasty onion’, here’s a link to their website for your next trip to Copenhagen:  https://smagsloeget.wixsite.com/website-1.

Outside of Copenhagen
Having been to Copenhagen before we decided to venture outside the city the day after our arrival. For this we pre-booked a full-day tour. The private 7-hour tour included a driver in a Black Mercedes E-Class, an experienced guide, a visit to Frederiksborg Castle in Hillerod, and Kronborg Castle in Elsinore - a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The tour was lovely. Frederiksborg Castle is a Dutch Renaissance castle, used from the 1600’s to the 1850’s as a royal residence and was the setting for important ceremonies. En-route to Elsinore the guide surprised us with a quick stop to view the Queen’s current residence, which is far more modest from years past, and it was timed perfectly because we got to see a ​

changing of the guard!  Kronsborg Castle was fun.  It was chosen by William Shakespeare as the setting for his play, Hamlet, and during high season you can see quick re-enactments in some parts of the castle.  Kronsborg Castle is situated on the narrow sound between Denmark and Sweden, and yes, we could clearly see Sweden from the edge of the castle. 

Scotland Intensive Voyage on Azamara
Now on to Azamara and our “Scotland Intensive” voyage.  This is a cruise line that aligns with guests looking for immersive, enriching voyages, with authentic cultural connections, and overall, they delivered well on this promise. The focus of our itinerary was Scotland, including the Shetland and Orkney Islands. We had a highly informative Destination Guest Speaker, who was very creative narrating the long and rich history of the area. Most intriguing for me was learning about the Picts, or as the Romans described them in their writings the “painted ones”, referring to their tattoos and body paint.  It is said they were fierce warriors and feared by the Romans but not too much is known about the Picts.  Intricate carved stones have been found from the Picts providing some insight into their culture, religion and history.

The Cultural Event & Azamazing Evening
The Cultural Event onboard our cruise was a presentation showcasing Highland dancers, Bag Pipers and a wonderful Singer celebrating Scottish tradition and culture.  It was really good.  Our AzAmazing Evening was filled with bag-rock and high energy taking place at Aberdeen’s historic Music Hall, presented as Bagpipes with Attitude with the Red Hot Chilli Pipers. I had lots of fun at this show and I would say most of the audience shared my enthusiasm.  The group is from Aberdeen and apparently very popular in Europe.  Some of their members are World Champion pipers.

​Azamara Journey
The ship is designed to balance luxury with a relaxed ambiance, and it does feel that way throughout all its public spaces. Our Club Veranda Plus stateroom (category P1) was comfortable with a queen bed, love-seat sofa, writing desk and chair, all wrapped up in sophisticated neutral tones.  The bathroom was… efficient. When it comes to Azamara’s culinary offerings they do a particularly nice job with their specialty buffet events such as the one offered on “White Night”.

Overall, one of Azamara’s strengths is their very welcoming service, and their crew with plenty of shining smiles throughout the cruise. More information about Azamara here.

Scotland
Where Azamara really excels is in their destination-focused itineraries and their ability to help you fully experience it. I found the Shetland Islands landscape incredibly captivating.  I’ve never been to a place that was so green, with rolling hills, but with no trees! To learn more check out this website https://www.shetland.org/geopark/heritage/landscape. 

Amongst our favorite excursions was visiting a farm where we got up close and personal with many farm animals including the cutest cows on the land, the Highland Cows.  We also enjoyed visiting many of the mysterious standing stone circles throughout Scotland – what can I say I’m an Outlander fan!  

Edinburgh
The biggest highlight was finally seeing The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo! This year they celebrated the 75th Anniversary with the theme ‘The Heroes who made us’.  One of the most special moments was when they gave homage to their local heroes, who were nominated by the locals, and included teachers, first responders, and many others who enriched the community in special ways.

We ended up booking our Tattoo tickets 10 months in advance, and independent of Azamara.  Because of the transportation logistics after the show, we decided it was best to stay within walking distance of the show and take a transfer to the ship the next day. While in Edinburgh we decided to stay at

The Witchery by the Castle - one of the most wildly magical we’ve ever experienced.  They have 9 rooms, all suites, and each one has its own opulent gothic style décor theme.  We stayed at the one they call The Old Rectory.  Would I stay here again? Most definitely!  The place is more known for their restaurant, offering two dining rooms: the 'Secret Garden' and the

‘Original’ dining room.  The dining experience is well worth it – even if you’re not staying there.  Such atmosphere is hard to replicate anywhere else, and the dishes we tried were delicious. Making dining reservations well in advance is a must, especially for high season.  For more information check out their website http://www.thewitchery.com.

This incredible trip to Scotland was aboard the August 13, 2025, 12-night Scotland Intensive cruise aboard Azamara Journey.  We embarked in Copenhagen, and called at Leith (for Edinburgh), Aberdeen, Invergordon, Lewick/Shetland Islands, Kirkwall, Stornoway, Oban, Greenock, Douglas/Isles of Man, and disembarked in Dublin. Azamara's "immersive" itineraries are unique because they explore a region in more depth than the typical cruise itinerary. Even though I'm home, the warmth of Scotland will be with me forever.