Ocean Discovery – Southampton, Edinburgh & Kirkwall

About this cruise

If you've got 12 nights to work with, this sailing from Hamburg on April 21, 2028 through Southampton, Leith (Edinburgh) and Kirkwall, with additional stops along the British Isles & Western France is genuinely one of the better ways to spend them. You do all the exploring first, then the last few days are at sea. It's like a built-in wind-down. Castles, old pubs, and rough coastline. The British Isles show up differently at each port. If one port sticks with you, it'll probably be Kirkwall, Viking roots beneath Orkney's wide skies. Around 10 hours per port on average, which is generous enough to go beyond the obvious. MSC Preziosa takes the food seriously, with 7 restaurants to choose from. 5 are included, and the rest are worth the splurge. There are enough performances, events, and social mixers on a cruise this length that you couldn't do them all if you tried. And that's a good problem. Families and groups will find plenty to do: waterslides, shows, multiple pools, and something for every age. Timing-wise, spring usually means comfortable temperatures and lower prices than peak season. It's the kind of trip you actually remember afterwards.