Passengers are waiting to find out when they will be allowed to get off a ship at the centre of a vomiting bug outbreak.
The operators of the Marco Polo have said the cruise ship will terminate its voyage at Invergordon, in Easter Ross, where it is currently berthed.
Hundreds of passengers and crew on board have shown symptoms of norovirus and are being treated on the ship.
The ship's operator, Transocean Tours of Bremen, said the decision for the ship to terminate its 10-night cruise a few days into the trip was taken in consultation with NHS Highland.
A spokeswoman said arrangements would be made for all passengers fit to travel to disembark and go home at the "earliest opportunity," but she could not say how soon that might be.
Those passengers who doctors think should not travel will remain on board for continued nursing and will be sent home once fully recovered.
Five people have been treated in hospital after falling ill on the ship, while a sixth person was airlifted to hospital after developing a medical condition unrelated to the suspected norovirus outbreak.
Passenger Roy Sillett, 74, from Norwich, died on Monday of an apparent heart attack which the company said was not related to the bug.
NHS Highland said Mr Sillett had serious underlying health problems and a post-mortem examination would be carried out to establish the exact cause of his death.
The Marco Polo left Tilbury, Essex, on Saturday on a round-Britain cruise. About 380 people on board the ship were showing symptoms of the illness, NHS Highland said.
