Island Sky

Island Sky is a small cruise ship owned and operated by London based cruise company Noble Caledonia, carrying a maximum of 118 passengers. Built in 1992 at Nuovi Cantieri Apuania in Marina di Carrara, Italy, she launched as Renaissance VIII for Renaissance Cruises before later being renamed. She's now one of the most frequently logged expedition vessels among travellers, particularly for voyages to remote and polar regions where her size becomes a genuine advantage.

Island Sky is built for exploration in places larger ships simply cannot reach. Her shallow draft of just 13 feet (4 metres) opens up access to remote islands and unique coastal destinations, while her ice class 1D rating allows her to operate safely in polar waters. She carries a fleet of Zodiacs and stand up paddleboards for reaching remote shores and islands, along with complimentary equipment for scuba diving.

All 57 cabins are outside oceanview staterooms with private en-suite bathrooms, and 23 of these, the Deluxe and Suite categories, come with private step out balconies. Even the smallest cabins run to around 215 square feet, offering more space than many similarly sized expedition ships.

Guests enjoy wine with lunch and dinner, a professional guest speaker program, and in-depth shore excursions included in the fare. Her intimate size means all passengers can dine together in single seating, creating a genuinely close-knit shipboard community suited to those after focused exploration and wildlife watching over busy entertainment schedules.

Island Sky suits adventurous solo travellers, couples, and small groups drawn to polar expeditions, coastal explorations of Scotland and the Mediterranean, and voyages centred on wildlife viewing and naturalist-led discovery in remote corners of the world.

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