Noble Caledonia

From: European Cruise Guide

ABOVE:  The MS Island Sky departs from Venice on its way to the Adriatic.

Noble Caledonia is primarily a tour operator and cruise-travel agency, but it does have four chartered oceangoing ships that it operates under its own brand:

• Island Sky (formerly the Renaissance VIII), an intimate 4200-ton vessel that carries a maximum of 116 passengers. The ship underwent a major overhaul in 2010 and now offers such modern amenities as flat-panel TVs with DVD players and Wi-Fi Internet access in both cabins and public rooms.

• Caledonian Sky (the former Renaissance VI and Hebridean Spirit), which was acquired in 2011 and is a sister ship to Island Sky.

• Quest, which carries only 50 passengers and cruises in Scotland, Norway, Svalbard, and Greenland.

• Variety Voyager, a new megayacht that will offer a small number of seven- to 12-night cruises in Europe during the spring of 2013.

In addition, Noble Caledonia has chartered two river vessels for 2013: Johann Strauss (which will cross Europe from the North Sea to the Black Sea in a series of cruises) and the smaller Rembrandt, which is cruising in Burgundy and Provence.

Cruise line's Web site:

Noble Caledonia

Cruise video:

MS Island Sky in Venice, Italy