Sustainable Tourism Policy

Our sustainable tourism policy outlines how we take a sustainable tourism approach for our cruises. We are passionate about the natural landscapes and wild places we visit and we are committed to operating in a manner that does not harm these pristine environments.

Committed to the Culture and Heritage of Local Communities

Our cruise itineraries take in the coastline and islands of Argyll and we have a commitment to the local communities which we engage with; their way of life, culture and heritage add enormously to the positive experience our guests have while onshore. We are committed to working with local businesses and communities to ensure we bring benefits which help the local economy. Many guests will require on-shore accommodation before and after their cruise and we will recommend the best places to stay. Our cruising area is dotted with delightful communities along the coastlines and we love to introduce our guests to these through shore visits. Any local events such as food or music festivals, may be included in our itinerary to give our guests a true flavour of the area and meet the locals.

We only use local produce in our menus and will highlight the food specialities of the area, which are of excellent quality. We take our guests onshore to find out more about the history and culture of the area and find authentic local food, drink and craft gifts to purchase and take home. Local trades are used in the maintenance of our vessel, with berthing fees supporting the local marina.

During the skipper’s briefing, before casting off, passengers are advised on our environmental responsibility, for example not to throw anything overboard. Our vessel Splendour is a wonderful example of re-using materials as she is a converted wooden trawler, which had outlived her usefulness as a working boat but serves magnificently in her new role as a small-boat cruising vessel.

Locally Sourced Produce

All food and drink on board is sourced locally to keep the carbon footprint to a minimum and also because no finer provisions can be found elsewhere, especially seafood.  All fresh produce is sourced within our cruising grounds. All waste on board is brought ashore for recycling.

Low Carbon Footprint

Our vessel Splendour was chosen for our cruises because she boasts a magnificent Gardner engine, which is known worldwide for economy and reliability. The engine is also perfect for economical cruising and good for the marine environment. The engine is ‘keel cooled’ which means there is no overboard discharge from the cooling system and therefore no possibility of heavy metal contaminants entering the ecosystem.

There is masses of space on the deck for stowing passengers own bicycles or kayaks. This encourages guests to explore the waters we visit and also onshore “under their own steam”, thus causing no pollution through their activities.

We cruise in an area which is a magnificent habitat for a large variety of bird and animal species. When these are spotted we are very careful to observe at a respectful distance to ensure we cause no disturbance to the presence of wildlife.

Public Transport

We suggest using public transport to get to us wherever possible. Both Dunoon and Oban are well served by public transport links. See our Getting To Us page for more details.

Be Aware of Water Use

We encourage guests to be aware of how much water they are using, especially when showering and brushing their teeth.

Reduce Single-Use Plastics

We don’t carry plastic bottles of water on board and instead provide reusable water bottles that guests can fill from the tap and use during their trip.

Shop Local and Buy Pre-Loved

Whether you are looking for a new waterproof or for some sustaining snacks on your travels, shopping local and secondhand are really powerful ways of supporting the local community and the environment.

Green Tourism

Green Tourism is a brilliant resource promoting greener ways for businesses and organisations to operate and has information on other environmentally friendly businesses. Check them out over on their website Accreditation for the sustainable businesses | Green Tourism – Green Tourism (green-tourism.com). We are delighted to partner with them and have been awarded gold in their accreditation process.