ARGYLE AHOY! BRITISH ISLES KNITTING CRUISE MAY 9-MAY 21, 2026
Think of it…knitting onboard a cruise ship, without a care in the world, eating, drinking, and being merry all day and evening, learning all about knitting Argyle while circling around the British Isles. That’s what is planned for May, 2026!
This is Celebrity Cruise Lines’ ship, the Eclipse. This is the ship for the cruise.
To register for the cruise, use this Link https://www.cruiseandcrop.com/ArgyleAhoy2026.html
Please read this blog in its entirety before registering because it will answer almost all of your questions!
Interior Observation Deck
One of many bars outside and inside—drink package included in price!
For details of the itinerary, such as arrival and departure times, check out the link above. But in summary, the itinerary is this:
May 9, Saturday: Embark ship in Amsterdam, Netherlands and depart in the evening. May 10, Sunday: At Sea May 11, Monday: Cobh (Cork) Ireland May 12, Tuesday: Dun Laoghaire (Dublin), Ireland May 13, Wednesday: At Sea May 14, Thursday: Holyhead, Wales May 15, Friday: Liverpool, England May 16, Saturday: Belfast, Northern Ireland May 17, Sunday: Glasgow (Greenock), Scotland May 18, Monday: At Sea May 19, Tuesday: Inverness, Scotland May 20, Wednesday: At Sea May 21, Thursday: Amsterdam, Netherlands—Disembark ship.
Dining Room—one of many options for dining.
Mulitple “complimentary” choices of dining included in price.
You must book this cruise with the coordinating travel agent through the registration link provided to participate in this knitting cruise. Also, it is important that you book soon with your deposit ($450 per person/$900 per cabin). We need at least 10 cabins/20 persons booked within 6 weeks to secure this retreat cruise. Do not book your transportation until we are sure we have the required bookings. Be aware that as we get closer (starting at 9 months prior to the cruise) the travel agent can help you arrange all pre or post packages for lodging, etc., along with airfare and transfers.
The Cruise
Things to keep in mind:
The cabin/stateroom cost shown includes the unlimited beverage package (thus includes alcohol). It also includes unlimited wifi. By adding in the packages upfront with a group booking, the prices for the packages are discounted. All meals are included in the restaurants and buffet marked “complimentary”. If you do not want the beverage package, contact our travel agent Cheri at 1-800-645-1481 to discuss how to remove that. For those of you needing a roommate, the travel agent can assist with that too. All other questions about the cruise should also be directed to the travel agent.
Our group booking also allows you to receive a full refund, including deposit, for the stateroom, up to the final payment date, which is 120 days prior to the cruise.
In addition to the cabin cost, there will be a $550 retreat fee for the knitting instruction for 6 sessions (3 hours each). There will be a non-refundable 50.00 retreat deposit. The remaining balance of the retreat fee ($500) will be included in the final payment date, 120 days before the cruise. Significant Others travelling with you but who are not participating in the retreat will not pay this retreat fee.
Significant Others are definitely invited to be a part of the cruise! They will find plenty to do on the ship while you are in the class sessions. You and they can take a look at the activities onboard the ship here: https://www.celebritycruises.com/cruise-ships/celebrity-eclipse/onboard-experience
Finally, cruise lines expect you to pay a gratuity fee which will range $216-228 depending on your type of cabin.It is from this fee that a large part of the waiters and cabin steward's income comes from.
You are responsible for all your transportation costs—flights, shuttles/Uber/Lyft, etc—along with any lodging costs such as hotel stays if you arrive early or stay longer after the cruise. Again, the travel agent can help you with these arrangements beginning 9 months before the cruise. You will also book all your own port excursions.
The Knitting Retreat:
The focus of the retreat instruction will be “Argyle Style”, and you would learn how to make Argyle socks as the main focus. The instruction would occur on three of the “At Sea” days from 9-12 and 1:30-4:30. You’ll be guided through how to knit Argyle, how Argyle socks are knitted flat and seamed in the leg and on the gusset sides with a flat seam, the math involved for incorporating Argyle diamonds into garments, three slide shows, one on the social and cultural significance from Argyle’s beginnings in Scotland (hence the British Isles cruise to include Scotland!) to present day USA, another on contemporary variations of Argyle, and another on other vintage socks that are knit flat in the same fashion as Argyle socks. Once you get going with how to knit Argyle, and perhaps complete the first sock, you could also start on a secondary project, like an Argyle hat, scarf, or sweater.
We will have a spacious room for our instruction—in fact, we will have this room reserved for the entirety of the cruise, so our group can gather there as desired to knit and socialize as well on days other than the instruction days.
These are the socks you will make! DK weight so that the project will go more quickly and you can learn all you need to know about Argyle sock construction during the cruise, including knitting them flat, how to wrap the yarns properly, a non-bulky seaming technique, how to ensure proper seaming on the gusset slits, etc. The instruction will be over three of the “At Sea” Days and those days are spaced out perfectly (see the itinerary above) so that everyone can complete the sock leg in order to move to the heel and gusset on the next instruction day, etc. There will be plenty of time to accommodate all knitting speeds!
There will be secondary projects available to start as well…an Argyle hat, or scarf, maybe mitts, or a tie, or even start an Argyle sweater!
Pringle commerical Argyle sweater…set in Scotland! But you’ll be able to knit your own Argyle after what you learn on this cruise.
Finally, I want to clarify two sections on the registration form that I found confusing, but the travel agent indicated it necessary to have them on the form for persons signing up through their site without the benefit of my email messages or having read this blog.
In one section you will be asked: “Do you want the NON-REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT rate (lowest price) or the REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT rate (higher but you can cancel before final payment without a penalty from Celebrity Cruise Line).” You want to pick: “I want a refundable deposit rate and understand this will be at a higher cost (vs a non-refundable deposit rate)” The listed cost related to our group booking already is a refundable deposit rate, so you will not see additional cost added in.
In another section you will be asked: “On Celebrity Cruise Line, you have the option to include the Beverage & Wi-Fi Packages with your pricing. This is the best value if you planned to purchase the Beverage Package anyways. Or you can book the lowest rate, without these items included. The group rates quoted on our site INCLUDE these items. Please select one of the following." You want to pick: I want the Beverage & Wi-Fi Packages, and I know I'll have to pay a little more to get them (best value). Again, because the listed price for our group booking already includes this package, you will not see additional cost added in.
If you know you don’t want the beverage and wifi package, then you should pick the other option and contact the travel agent Cheri at 1-800-645-1481 to get details.
A cruise is a really fun experience. Combine that with a knitting retreat, and it’s just about perfect! Please share the information with others who might be interested. If you have any questions, please contact me at goodforaboy@gmail.com.
See you on board!
Harry