Sheep, sheep and more sheep…

It’s Day 2 of TravelMole associate editor Diane Evans’ CMV cruise aboard the Marco Polo and things are starting to sway.

The first inkling that something was up was when I emerged from my Swedish massage feeling queasy.

Enjoying total relaxation face down for the last 30 minutes had meant I’d failed to notice that the boat was swaying gondola style… although a lot less fun.

During the day the sea had been fine but it was minutes before the Gala Dinner was to start and guests were dropping like flies in our party of mostly first-time cruisers although it was barely noticeable among the 700-odd passengers. Despite the strategically placed sick bags, the regular cruisers seemed to be coping fine.

Seasickness aside, most enjoyed being dressed up in their fineries – a cruise tradition that is becoming more relaxed. This was our only ‘formal’ night on board the 50-year-old Marco Polo which included great food, flowing wine and a medley of musicals which is no mean feat on a boat with a entertainment troupe of less than 20.

As the waves ceased in the early hours of the morning, we knew we were nearer dry (ish) land.

After a 30-hour voyage from Leith, we woke up to the pretty capital of Torshavn complete with its multi-coloured houses. The Faroe Islands, under the jurisdiction of Denmark, have their own parliament and flag.

The eighteen islands are of volcanic origin but so small you can hardly find them on a map although they are featured increasingly on popular Norwegian, fjord and Baltic cruise itineraries.

We headed off on a tour through the capital, past ‘snob hill’ where the nouveau riche have built the bigger houses and out to the dramatic scenery with craggy hillsides, deep valleys and impressive waterfalls – those that haven’t been redirected to a huge water dam for generating electricity.

No two houses are the same. The Faroese people, of which there are 49,000 on the 18 islands, pride themselves on building properties of different style and colour. Many sport a grass roof which is a long standing tradition providing insulation against the harsh weather conditions there.

The islands are home to 72,000 sheep – many of them black – with each islander eating 28 kilos of lamb a year. Potatoes are grown in most gardens for personal use as well as being the only vegetable exported. Salmon farms are also scattered along the water although you’ll be lucky to find a fish restaurant. As our tour guide said: "The tourist season is mainly June, July and August. We eat fish four times a week. When we go out, we want to eat beef."

We viewed the huge basalt pillars off the coast, the Giant and the Witch as well as enjoying a traditional Faroese lunch at the Gjaargarour guest house, in the pretty village is Gjogv on the island of Eysturoy. 

Perfectly positioned to enjoy the hills and the coast, the guest house boasts new luxury rooms with stunning views designed by the owner, some existing en suite rooms and a number of quirky dorms – consisting of double mattresses housed in ‘cupboards’ in the eaves which share shower and toilet facilities.

The cost of the excursions on board the Marco Polo do add up if you haven’t budgeted for much more that the ‘package’ price but the guides are informative and provide a flavour of the country.

Language is also an issue in the Faroe Islands which is worth bearing in mind and the length of time you have on land limits your options.

Back on board, the evening was warming up with the sounds from ‘We Will Rock You’.

Luckily the boat itself was steadier! Marco Polo offers a range of bars and entertainment from the formal, theatre style Marco Polo to the lounge-style Captain’s Club, intimate Columbus Lounge and the more relaxed Scott’s Bar – making it easy to ramp up your bar bill with friendly table service. Staff are all nationalities, blending together to offer great customer service.

As we looked out towards our next stop, the Outer Hebrides, dolphins were spotted leaping in and out of the waves alongside the boat.

Cruise and Maritime Voyages (CMV) operates the adult-only Marco Polo specialising in smaller ex-UK cruises including the British Isles, Scandinavia and the Fjords, the Baltic and the Amazon and West Indies.

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