Edinburgh Shore Excursion: City Tour and Royal Yacht Britannia
Description
When your cruise ship arrives in Edinburgh, get to know Scotland’s capital on this full-day shore excursion. Board a comfortable coach which takes you to visit the Royal Yacht Britannia (optional extra), the former royal yacht of the British monarchy. Then enjoy a panoramic tour of Edinburgh before stopping to explore medieval Edinburgh Castle (optional extra), once residence to Scotland’s kings and queens. Use your free time for lunch and to explore the famous Royal Mile and see the Palace of Holyroodhouse the official residence of the British Royal Family in Scotland.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Visit the former royal yacht of the British monarchy, now situated in Leith. She was in service from 1954 until 1997
Your Edinburgh Shore Excursion will then travel to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official residence of the British Royal Family in Scotland, for a photo stop. This baroque palace is full of history and is perhaps best known as the home of Mary, Queen of Scots, and was the setting for many dramatic episodes during her short and turbulent reign.
We will travel to the Royal Mile to visit historic Edinburgh Castle, Scotland’s most iconic castle and named the UK’s best heritage attraction in 2014. Spend time touring the castle, learn all about its history and even see the famous Stone of Destiny; the traditional crowning seat of the ancient Scottish monarchs.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Please note we pick up from the following cruise ships25/04/2026 Majestic Princess 07/05/2026 Majestic Princess 19/05/2026 Majestic Princess 31/05/2026 Majestic Princess 03/06/2026 Norwegian Sky 12/06/2026 Majestic Princess 13/06/2026 Norwegian Sky 19/06/2026 Norwegian Sky 20/06/2026 Norwegian Sky 23/06/2026 Norwegian Sky 25/06/2026 Sky Princess 04/07/2026 Norwegian Sky 10/07/2026 Norwegian Sky 11/07/2026 Norwegian Sky 14/07/2026 Norwegian Sky 18/07/2026 Majestic Princess 30/07/2026 Majestic Princess 31/07/2026 Norwegian Sky 01/08/2026 Norwegian Sky 11/08/2026 Norwegian Sky 21/08/2026 Norwegian Sky 23/08/2026 Majestic Princess 25/08/2026 Norwegian Sky 04/09/2026 Majestic Princess 15/09/2026 Norwegian Sky 16/09/2026 Majestic Princess
- This tour will depart from the port at 9:30 AM. Make sure to arrive on shore at least 15 minutes prior to departure to allow sufficient time for check-in.
- Please note: The attractions for this tour must be pre-booked to avoid disappointment. We will send you a pre-booking template before your tour departs.
Reviews(43)
The Royal Brittannia was really interesting. Edinburgh Castle was interesting but very spread out. Lots of walking. Not like most castles where you go into one building. Gregor and Neil were very pleasant and we had a wonderful tour!
Because this stop was tendered and the boats were running late we lost time at the Britannia and did not get to see the entire ship. Same held true for Edinburgh castle. Pretty rushed, only got to see the highlighted areas. However our guide Gregor was fabulous. He was so knowledgeable in Scottish and English history. He had a wonderful personality and you could tell he loved his job and was very excited to show off Edinburgh.
The sites we visited were great. Royal Ship Brittania so interesting and Edinburgh Castle the most impressive castle we saw on our cruise through Ireland and Scotland. However, felt more like a transport service than a tour. Robert was very friendly, but not much information provided between stops. Maybe at least explain the history of Edinburgh, population, etc. Also, some confusion at Brittania as everyone who had purchased tickets ahead of time not allowed in until guide showed up, which was surprise to all including Guide. Would recommend with some improvements.
Boosting the Royal Yacht was nice. The tickets we bought to the Yacht from Tumberbush tours would not work at the entry but the tour guide got it straightened out. This happened on a different tour as well from Timberbush tours and it took that guide several minutes to get it straightened out. So Timberbush needs to work on that part, but at least the guide was there to show that we had in fact paid the entry. The price of the tour didn't include the entry tickets, so they had to be purchased after the tour was booked. Other than that, the tour went well and the guide did areally good job.
Ticket needed for Yacht and for the Castle. We chose not to do either. Had to waste time in the mall where ship is docked. Wasted our time.
Dear Sherry, We appreciate your time in leaving a review. Entrance fees to attractions are not included in the tour price, as these are optional extras, which some guests may or may not want to participate in on the day, as stated in the advertised. We understand that not every passenger wants to do the attractions, so we like to give them options to explore the area if they wish to not partake in these optional extras. We hope that despite these issues, we you were still able to enjoy your experience in the Scottish Highlands! Kind regards, Fatima
Really enjoyed our experience overall. Comfy bus. Free time at Edinburgh and Castle was good but Britanica visit was too short. All places worth a visit. Back in plenty of time for our ship.
Hi there, Thanks for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear that your excursion went well, and that you were able to experience some fantastic spots in the Scottish Highlands during your cruise! We hope we can welcome you back to Scotland soon! Kind regards, Fatima
It is difficult to get through the yacht in the time allowed. The castle was interesting. Our driver/guide, Connor, was very entertaining and informative. He gets 5 stars..
Hi there! Thank you so much for your review! We are happy to hear that you enjoyed your Shore Excursion tour with Connor! His entertaining stories and fantastic facts really make a tour fun! We will be sure to pass your kind words on to him! Thank you so much for your feedback about the length of time you have at the Royal Yacht Britannia! We are sorry to hear that you felt rushed! We do our best to schedule the itinerary so that you can see as many of the sights in Edinburgh as possible while still being able to return to your cruise before its departure time. We hope you were still able to enjoy the tour despite this! We hope we can see you again in the future! Best wishes, Elizabeth
Not enough time to tour the Brittania and fee was not included, Castle was also inferred but not incl. Tour was misleading
Dear Lesile, Thank you for taking the time to leave a review about your tour. Entrance fees to attractions are not included in the tour price, as these are optional extras, which some guests may or may not want to participate in on the day, as stated in the advertised. This gives passengers the opportunity to either explore the area or take their time exploring the area. We hope that despite these concerns, you were still able to enjoy the beauty of Scotland and get a feel of the country! Kind regards, Christie
More info on the time. We lacked the ability to utilize more time due to political rallies, street closings, etc.
Hello, Thank you for your review! We are happy to hear that you enjoyed your Edinburgh Shore Excursion tour. We hope you learned a lot of new and interesting facts about Scotland. Please don't be a stranger, we hope to welcome you back on tour with us someday soon! Best regards, Paulina.
Vix an shafiq were amazing throughout the whole tour of the highlands we had a fab time! I loved the sites & was a good first time experience of the highlands. Thank you !
Hello, Thank you for your review! We are so happy to hear you had a great time on your Edinburgh Shore Excursion tour with Vix and Shafiq! They certainly knows how to make a tour fun! We hope you learned plenty of new and interesting facts. Please don't be a stranger, we hope to welcome you back on tour with us someday soon! Best regards, Paulina.
