14-Day ~ British Isles Knitting Cruise (Jul 2026)

14-Day Wild British Isles Knitting Cruise with Heather Storta
July 11-25, 2026

Beginning and ending in Rotterdam, this 14-Day British Isles adventure aboard Holland America's Nieuw Statendam visits this region during the peak of summer when the weather is at its best. This cruise visits many favorite ports, including Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Isle of Lewis, Isle of Skye, Belfast, Greenock, Liverpool, Dublin, Cork, and Dover. This itinerary allows travelers to steep themselves in the region's rich history and learn about knitting traditions. Shop for yarn in charming shops, walk through beautiful gardens, and take in dramatic coastal scenery. There is no better way to see the British Isles than on this 14-Day knitting cruise.

While onboard, Heather Storta will offer a range of knitting classes and share many great tips to give knitters a deeper understanding of knitting. Courses will include a range of popular topics such as Tips and Tricks from a Master Knitter, Decorative Cast Ons and Bind Offs, Sweaters that Fit, Finishing School, Beginning Fair Isle, Mosaic Knitting and Conquering Cables.

Pack up our needles and kick up your skills a few notches!

14-Day Wild British Isles Knitting Cruise Highlights

• Before the cruise, take an optional canal tour in Amsterdam, walk around the floating flower market, or visit the Van Gogh Museum.


• Make a pilgrimage to Steve & Penelope's yarn shop in Amsterdam, home of Stephen West's Westknits.


• Shop for souvenir yarn at Ginger Twist Studio and Kathy's Knits in Edinburgh.


• Walk the Royal Mile through the heart of old Edinburgh (South Queensferry), Scotland.


• Shop for yarn at the beloved, award-winning yarn shop in Aberdeen, Scotland, Wool for Ewe.


• Learn about the history of Harris Tweed in Stornoway and take an optional tour of the Callanish Standing Stones, stone monoliths pre-dating Stonehenge, on a Holland America tour.


• In Portree, on the mountainous Isle of Skye in Scotland's Inner Hebrides, visit a working croft, Eilean Òir Croft, to learn about Hebridean and Black Cheviot sheep and how they thrive in this harsh environment.


• Enjoy the gorgeous gardens and historical landmarks and learn about the Titanic in Belfast.


• Take an optional excursion to Lisburn outside Belfast to visit the Irish Linen Centre and trace the history of linen production from the earliest to the present with the 'Flax to Fabric: the Story of Irish Linen' exhibit and see live spinning and weaving demonstrations.


• Tour the New Lanark Mill and World Heritage Site, learn the town's history, see wool spun, shop for yarn, and have traditional high tea with a little free time to explore the grounds and shop.


• Tour the Tate Museum of Modern Art in Liverpool, enjoy learning about the Beatles' hometown, and have a cream tea.


• In Dublin, meet Kieran Foley, an innovative Irish designer known for his incredibly inventive patterns.


• Shop for beautiful Irish wool at This is Knit Yarn Shop, housed in a gorgeous 18th-century mansion in the heart of Dublin.


• See the Book of Kells and enjoy a pint of Guinness in Dublin, Ireland.


• Shop for Hedgehog Fibres at their dyeing studio in Cork.


• Visit the Blarney Woollen Mills in Cork and shop for 100% made-in-Ireland Aran wool.


• From the port of Dover, visit the rolling green countryside of medieval Canterbury or head into London, where you can shop, see a few sites, or visit the V & A Museum, where you can trace the history of fashion.