cruise ship visits south queensferry

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Edinburgh (South Queensferry) United Kingdom

Edinburgh , the capital of Scotland, is built on an extinct volcano. The port of South Queensferry is located 18km east of Edinburgh. The Old Town is a maze of alleys and cobbled streets filled with historic castles, museums and cathedrals. After the Act of Union of 1707, Scotland joined England and many wealthy people abandoned Edinburgh for London. The Georgian terraces of the New Town were built with the aim of attracting them again. Both the Old City and the New Town are UNESCO World Heritage Sites . In August, Edinburgh hosts the Frindge Art Festival and the Military Tattoo .

The banks of Scotland issue their own currency which is at parity with the pound sterling.

Watch out for the rain. In July and August, there may be mosquitoes. Bring mosquito repellent.

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Where is located the Port of South Queensferry Cruise Terminal

The harbour is located 18km east of Edinburgh. The ships are anchored in the Forth River and passengers transferred by small boats to Hawes pier in the town of South Queensferry.

Smaller ships can dock at The Ocean Terminal in Leith near the Royal Yacht Britannia.

Travelling around the Edinburgh (South Queensferry) Cruise Port

Dalmeny Train Station is located at the top of the hill. The journey to Edinburgh’s Waverley Station (near Princes Street) is about 20 minutes and the cost is about 4 pounds.

Once in Edinburgh the various sites are easily visited on foot.

Activities in Edinburgh (South Queensferry)

Neighborhoods.

The street leading from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Palace in the middle of the Old Town. Several local product shops are located here.

Calton Hill

Climb this hill for a beautiful view of the city and its monuments.

Arthur’s Seat

A hill in Holyrood Park with interesting views.

Holyrood Palace

The official residence of the Queen of Scotland. Admission costs £11 (June 2013). Visits are only possible when the royal family is away.

Scott Monument

Climb the 287 steps to see this monument on Princes Street. Admission costs £4 (June 2013).

Scottish Parliament

You can visit this modern building near Holyrood Palace for free.

Floors Castle

Residence of the Duke of Roxburghe, one of the largest inhabited castles in Scotland.

Glamis Castle

Royal residence since 1372.

Historical sites

Edinburgh castle.

This hilltop royal fortress is home to the jewels of Scottish royalty. A cannon shot is fired at 1PM every day except Sunday. Admission costs £16 (June 2013) and tickets can be purchased online to avoid the queue. Plan an hour and a half for the visit of the castle.

Dryburgh Abbey

Ruins of a 12th century monastery.

Royal Yacht Britannia

Visit the royal family former ship. You can see the royal apartments as well as the crew quarters and the engine room. Admission costs £12 (June 2013) and tickets can be purchased online. Plan at least an hour and a half for the visit if you want to take advantage of the audioguide.

Scottish National Portrait Gallery

National gallery of scotland, scottish national gallery of modern art, royal botanic garden.

The visit to the gardens is free, but the visit to the greenhouses costs £4.50 (June 2013)

Medieval town where the Royal - Ancient Golf Club and the British Museum on the Golf are located.

Excursions in Edinburgh (South Queensferry)

Visitors on their first visit will probably want to tour the city and visit Edinburgh Castle.

Other excursions will show you attractions in Edinburgh’s vicinity.

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Useful References

• Tourism Board - Edinburgh (South Queensferry)
• Tourism Board - United Kingdom
• Visit Scotland
• Edinburgh (South Queensferry) on Wikipedia
• United Kingdom on Wikipedia
• Travel Advice and Advisories (Government of Canada)

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Leith-Edinburgh (Newhaven-Rosyth-Queensferry, Scotland)

Cruise port schedule, live map, terminals, news.

Region Ireland - UK - British Isles

Local Time 2024-06-28 03:31

Port Leith-Edinburgh cruise ship schedule shows timetable calendars of all arrival and departure dates by month. The port's schedule lists all ships (in links) with cruises going to or leaving from Leith-Edinburgh, Newhaven-Rosyth-Queensferry, Scotland. To see the full itineraries (ports of call dates and arrival / departure times) and their lowest rates – just follow the corresponding ship-link.

Edinburgh's principal cruise port is Port Leith, but some ships may alternatively stop at Newhaven (tender cruise port). Both seaports are located on Firth of Forth's southern shore. Firth of Forth (mainland Scotland) is River Forth's estuary. Aberdeen Harbour is approx 100 mi (160 km) away. Edinburgh is Scotland's capital city. By population (around 0,5 million, metro 1,35 million) it is ranked country's 2nd largest - after Glasgow . Edinburgh is also UNESCO World Heritage Site, attracting international and UK tourist with its historic sights, castles, numerous entertainment and activities options, the annual Edinburgh Festival.

Forth Ports (Edinburgh's cruise port operator company) manages a total of 7 UK seaport terminals and anchorages - Leith, Dundee, London-Tilbury , plus the anchorages Rosyth, South Queensferry and Newhaven (England). In 2018, Edinburgh received 114 cruise ship calls with 150,000+ tourists (passengers and crew). In 2019, the number grew to 155,000.

Port Leith (Edinburgh)

Port Leith (locode GBLEI) is to the northeast of Edinburgh City and is within the city's council area. Leith is one of Edinburgh's most profitable enterprises, with annual cargo shipping capacity 1.5+ million tons.

Leith Docks became Edinburgh's port in early-19th-century, when there were built numerous facilities serving the shipbuilding and ship repair industries. During 19th-century, Leith also became a major port serving Scotland's herring export trade.

Currently, Port Leith is Scotland's biggest enclosed (harbor) deepwater port, with capability to handle vessels up to 50,000 DWT (deadweight tons). Port Leith provides easy access to major roads in Scotland, including A1 highway, Edinburgh by-pass, M8 and M9. It offers road and rail connections and is perfectly located for North Sea shipping operations of any kind. Port's busy cruising season is March through October, with roundtrip itineraries offered mainly by large liners operated by Cunard , Princess , MSC , Costa .

In January 2023, the cruiseferry Tallink Victoria I (permanently berthed at Imperial Dock and being chartered by the Scottish government to house Ukrainian refugees) became Port Leith's first vessel to receive shore-power . The technology allows berthed vessels to switch off their diesel engines/electricity generators and instead use electricity from the city grid for their onboard hotel services. In this case, the ship was provided with electricity generated from non-fossil fuels (wind turbines).

In January 2023 was also completed the Port's electrical network extension (connection to the Harbour Berth) that now allows shore-power supply to offshore construction vessels homeported in Leith.

Port Rosyth (Edinburgh)

An alternative cruise port for Edinburgh is Port Rosyth (locode GBROY), but it is rarely used. Large-sized liners usually anchor near South Queensferry (opposite to Rosyth), from where their passengers are tendered ashore. Port Rosyth is located across Forth Railway Bridge, approx 35-min drive distance from Edinburgh's downtown. Rosyth is a ferry port used by Blue Star Ferries .

Next photo shows South Queensferry's cruise ship anchorage area.

South Queensferry (aka "The Ferry") is a small port town located approx 10 mi (16 km) to the northwest of Edinburgh downtown. The town is between Forth Railway Bridge and Forth Road Bridge. The prefix "South" is used to distinguish it from the town "North Queensferry". Both towns are named for the established by Queen Margaret (aka Margaret of Wessex, 1045-1093) ferry service between them. The service was discontinued in 1964, when the Forth Road Bridge was inaugurated.

The above photo shows Rosyth Dockyard (part of the seaport). Rosyth Dockyard is a naval dockyard owned and operated by Babcock Marine Ltd (2007-founded subsidiary of Babcock International Group / multinational corporation). Before the company's privatization in 1987, the large shipyard complex was named "Royal Naval Dockyard Rosyth" and was operated as British Government-owned and contractor-managed facility. In 1997, Babcock International purchased the shipyard. Currently, this is the shipbuilding yard for the UK's newest and largest aircraft carriers of the Queen Elizabeth-class.

In 2017, the Fred Olsen -owned ship Black Watch offered a total of 8 cruises leaving roundtrip from Rosyth. Operated in the period August 14 through October 14, the roundtrip itineraries included 7-night Norwegian Fjords, 10-night Northern European cities, 16-night Canary Islands and Madeira . Also roundtrip from Rosyth, In 2017 the company offered (for the first time ever) 2 river cruises. The itineraries were themed "French Rivers" and "German Waterways".

According to statistical data provided by Peter Wilson (cruiseforth.com), for season 2019, from all the 110 scheduled to visit Edinburgh cruise liners, 34 were booked at Newhaven, 29 at Rosyth, 25 at Leith and 22 at Queensferry.

In October 2022 was announced the "Forth Green Freeport" project to transform Rosyth into a modern port, an advanced shipbuilding and manufacturing center as well as a major logistics hub. The project (budgeted ~GBP 1 billion/~EUR 1,14B) included the construction of a new cargo terminal, a new rail freight connection, manufacturing facilities for the marine renewable energy industry (offshore wind farms) and green power generation.

• Forth Green Freeport covers an area of ~150 hectares/~370 acres (sites within Rosyth and Burntisland) owned by the companies Babcock International Group plc, Forth Ports Ltd and Scarborough Muir Group Ltd.
• Forth Green Freeport's employment at Rosyth and Burntisland included ~7000 newly created local jobs in addition to ~50,000 new jobs across Scotland.

In July 2022, DFDS Seaways (Danish ferry company) signed with Ptarmigan Shipping an agreement for a new freight ferry route connecting Rosyth with Zeebrugge-Bruges Belgium (opened in 2023)

Leith-Edinburgh cruise terminal

Smaller-sized cruise ships to Edinburgh dock at Leith port's cruise terminal located approx 3 mi (5 km) from downtown Edinburgh. Cruise vessels enter the port from River Forth's estuary. The dock can accommodate vessels with max LOA length 720 ft (220 m).

Newhaven UK is a tender cruise port, meaning passengers are tendered between the anchored ship and the quay (~10-min ride). Newhaven Port Authority complimentary provides bus transfer to Ocean Terminal's shopping mall. At the quay, there are a taxi rank and a bus station.

Port Leith is an important destination for Northern Europe's ship cruising industry. The port handles around 40 cruise vessels and 20,000 passengers annually. Leith Cruise Terminal provides good facilities for turnarounds (roundthrips) and transit calls.  Its central location is convenient for shore excursions and tours to Edinburgh and the surrounding areas.

The cruise ship terminal building features a modern design and has all the necessary passenger facilities, including waiting area, phone, internet, toilets. More amenities are offered by the "Ocean Terminal" shopping mall, located at 5-min walking distance from the Leith cruise port terminal. The mall has shops, banking facilities, restaurants, cafes, car parking, and is served by Lothian Buses lines 11, 22, 34, 35, 36. Lothian Buses started the direct service "X99 Cruiselink" Queensferry-Edinburgh (in 2018) and Newhaven-Edinburgh (in 2019).

At Port Leith are available taxis and shuttle buses. The port's parking area is adjacent to the cruise terminal and can accommodate up to 450 vehicles (cars and tour buses). The closest to the cruise port airport (Edinburgh Airport) is about 30 min ride. The closest to the port railway station (Waverley) is about 15-min ride from the cruise terminal.

At Ocean Terminal is also the permanently berthed Royal Yacht Britannia (officially "HMY Britannia"). This is Queen Elizabeth II's former royal yacht, operated in the period 1954-1997.

Large cruise ships dock at Newhaven (Edinburgh City's district) located between Leith and Granton. It is approx 3 km (2 ml) north of downtown Edinburgh. These liners actually anchor near Newhaven and their passengers are transported between the anchorage point and the tender pier via tender boats. This distance is approx 1,7 mi (3 km) or about 15-min ride.

At Port Rosyth, due to the lack of public transportation service, the available ways for cruise ship passengers are taxis (at the passenger / ferry terminal building) and eventually shuttle bus service provided by the cruise company.

Most cruise operators offer shuttles to Edinburgh's downtown. This service is at fee pp. The local bus operator Cramond Coaches provides an alternative shuttle service to downtown. Cramond Coaches staff will be waiting at the pier. Their buses go to Charlotte Square, from where passengers can catch the green bus (hop-on / hop-off) for the popular Edinburgh Tour. Cruise line's bus shuttle offers 25-min travel to Waterloo Place (a green bus stop).

• Edinburgh castle: the castle is the most popular landmark in the city. It is two kilometres from Edinburgh cruise port. It is located on a volcanic rock’s top. The view from the highest point offers a panorama of the Firth of Forth and Fife. Inside you can see the Great Hall, the St Margaret’s Chapel and the Stone of Destiny.
• The Royal Mile: the one-mile long road connects the Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, both Royal Residences.
• Royal Botanic Garden: the second oldest (after Oxford’s) British botanic garden. It dates from 1670 and was originally medicinal plants garden. It is located in the north of the city and is amazing, especially in the spring time.
• Edinburgh Fringe Festival: the world’s largest art festival is held for three weeks every August.
• National Museum of Scotland: located on Chambers Street. It was reopened in July 2011 after a renovation for £47 million. It houses 16 galleries and displays more than 8,000 different objects.
• Camera Obscura: spend a really fun time! Located in Victorian rooftop chamber near the Edinburgh Castle’ entrance.

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City tours and shore excursions.

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Tours from South Queensferry Cruise Port | Go Scotland Tours

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Private Full Day Tour of Edinburgh with Holyrood Palace and Edinburgh Castle

• Tour ID: 1207
• Tour theme: Historic and Cultural Tours ,
• Duration: 1 Day - 8 hours approx.
• Starts from: Edinburgh, South Queensferry

Full day Private tour of Edinburgh. Begin with a tour of the New Town, then Grassmarket, visit Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh Castle, then a Royal Mile walking tour

Private Shore Excursion from Edinburgh

• Tour ID: 1277

Hire a driver guide for a private shore excursion from Edinburgh. Private tours the Edinburgh Cruise Ports of Ocean Terminal, South Queensferry and Rosyth ...

Private Tour to St Andrews and Fife

• Tour ID: 1075
• Starts from: South Queensferry, Edinburgh

Privately guided tour from Edinburgh to St Andrews, with private walking tour of the Cathedral, Castle and University, then free time to see the Home of Golf ..

Private Shore Excursion to Royal Yacht Britannia and Edinburgh

• Tour ID: 1508
• Duration: 1 Day - 6-8 hours
• Starts from: South Queensferry

Private Day tour from Queensferry or Rosyth Cruise Port to Edinburgh and the Waterfront. Visit elegant Royal Yacht Britannia home to The Queen for over 40 year.

Edinburgh at your Leisure Private Shore Excursion

• Tour ID: 1510
• Duration: 1 Day - 6 hours

Private Tour from the cruise ship ports of Queensferry and Rosyth. City tour of Edinburgh and a day at your leisure for shopping and exploring the Royal Mile..

Private Tour of Edinburgh and Rosslyn Chapel

• Tour ID: 1084

This is a private tour with a half day tour of Edinburgh in the morning to Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile. After we then go to the famous Rosslyn Chapel...

Whisky Tour

Glenkinchie Distillery and Johnnie Walker Experience Private Tour from Edinburgh

• Tour ID: 1598
• Tour theme: Whisky Tours ,

A full day of exploring the spirit of Scotland and the lowland whisky region. Your guide can pick you up from your hotel in Edinburgh or cruise ship port. Glenkinchie Distillery, Portobello Beach, Sheeps Heid, Holyrood Disitllery Whisky and Gin.

Private Shore Excursion to Edinburgh Underground Vaults

• Tour ID: 1509
• Duration: 1 Day - 7-8 hours

Private tour from Queensferry or Rosyth to Edinburgh. This tour goes to the Underground Vaults of Edinburgh, then after a city tour of Edinburgh and Royal Mile.

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Cruises visiting South Queensferry, United Kingdom

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CRUISE PORT GUIDES

South Queensferry cruise port

Cruise port South Queensferry

Cruise port South Queensferry is the gateway to Edinburgh. Unfortunately there is no berth large enough to facilitate cruise ships. Therefore cruise ships will have to up the Forth. Anchor in front of the Forth bridge and tender the cruise passengers to shore to a town called South Queensferry. From here you will have multiple option of how to go to Edinburgh.

Tender dock South Queensferry

Tenders will all arrive at a small pier in the Maid of the Forth port underneath the Forth bridge. At the cruise tender pier you will find some taxis, public transportation and shore excursions companies. On the opposite side of the road you will also find some restaurants, cafes and souvenir shops. The walk to South Queensferry city center takes about 10 minutes. Simply go right when you exit the dock.

Going from South Queensferry cruise pier to Edinburgh

You will 4 options to go to Edinburgh from the South Queensferry cruise pier. You can either take an organised shore excursion that you can book on board your ship.

The X99 bus from South Queensferry cruise pier to Edinburg

You can also take the semi public transportation bus called the “X99 Edinburgh” which is a double decker bus that will take you to Edinburghs city center. You will find this bus stop directly on the left hand side as you exit the pier. You buy a ticket at the bus and enjoy a simple ride into the city center. The bus returning to the ship is called X99 Hawes pier.

Take the train from South Queensferry to Edinburgh Waverly

Option number 3 is to take the train into Edinburgh Waverly. 1/2 a mile from the cruise dock you will find the train station called Dalmeny. Please know that it is a bit of a climb to get there as you will start walking at sea level and the train station is up at the start of the bridge. To get to the train station simply follow the signs in the port that point you to it. Which means that when exiting the cruise dock you take a left. The walk is about 10 minutes and from here you catch the train directly to the city center station in Edinburgh which is called Waverly. Trains to Edinburgh depart around twice an hour. Same goes for coming back.

Taxi from South Queensferry cruise dock to Edinburgh

Another option is taking a taxi from the cruise dock to Edinburgh. A one way ride with a taxi that can seat 5 or 6 passengers will cost you around 30 Sterling pound. You can catch the taxi directly at the cruise pier. Simple follow the signs at the exit of the pier. You will find the taxi rank directly to the right hand side, next tot the cruise dock.

Taxi prices at South Queensferry cruise dock to Edinburgh

Taxi prices are clearly displayed on the cruise dock. Please expect the following prices for destinations: South Queensferry cruise dock – Edinburgh Castle: 32 pound South Queensferry cruise dock – Edinburgh Charlotte square (city centre): 30 pound South Queensferry cruise dock – Edinburgh Holyrood Palace / Parliament: 35 pound South Queensferry cruise dock – Edinburgh Waverly station: 32 pound South Queensferry cruise dock – Edinburgh airport: 30 pound South Queensferry cruise dock – Edinburgh Dunfermline Abbey: 30 pound South Queensferry cruise dock – Rosslyn Chapel: 45 pound South Queensferry cruise dock – St. Andrews: 130 pound The prices is one way, per vehicle which can seat up to 5 or 6 passengers.

Please know that prices are subject to change and they are based on approximate metered fares. Which means that these are not fixed prices. They are an estimate according to “Central Taxis” which is Edinburgh’s largest taxi fleet. Taxis will take credit and debit card. Paying in cash is not a requirement.

FAQ about cruise port South Queensferry

What is the name of the cruise pier in South Queensferry? The cruise ships tender will bring cruise passengers to Hawes pier in the Maid of the Forth port, South Queensferry, Scotland. Are cruise ships docking or tendering at South Queensferry? Cruise ships tender passengers to shore in South Queensferry. Is there a hop on hop off bus in South Queensferry? No, there is not. Can I take a taxi from South Queensferry to Edinburgh? Yes, you can. It will cost around 30 – 35 pound one way. Where can I find the X99 bus from South Queensferry to Edinburgh? Directly to the left hand side when you exit the tender dock.

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South Queensferry (Edinburgh), Scotland, United Kingdom

History was made in this port, just across the Firth of Forth from Rosyth, when the future Queen Margaret of Scotland arrived around 1071. Her devout religious attitude established "Queen's Ferry" as the place for pilgrims from abroad to alight on their way to St. Andrews—Scotland's ecclesiastical capital in the Middle Ages. Margaret's legacy continues less than a dozen miles away at Edinburgh Castle. A key attraction up on the castle's rock is St. Margaret's Chapel, believed to be the oldest section of the fortifications and the place where she worshipped. There's more to Scotland's capital than the Castle, though. Edinburgh proudly displays multiple exhibits on national and international scientific achievement at the National Museum of Scotland, as well as some fantastic works of visual art at the National Galleries of Scotland. South Queensferry's moorings are also within easy striking distance of Scotland's largest metropolis: the city of Glasgow. Transformed in many ways since the post–WWII days when it had a reputation for grime and crime, the city is among the most vibrant in the U.K.: It is Scotland's de-facto capital of modern culture, with the hippest DJs and most accomplished conceptual artists.

Featured Shore Excursions

Starfish Travel

Bespoke Scotland Tours

Cruise ship excursions from South Queensferry/Newhaven

My last two blogs were providing some ideas on visiting St Andrews and/or Edinburgh.

Today’s blog will give you some other options, some of which would tie in with a visit either to Edinburgh or St Andrews.

If you are an Outlander fan you will spot a few filming locations, if you love modern Scotland there is something in it for you too.

If your cruise ship docks at Newhaven, you are about 35 mins away from the amazing Hopetoun Estate. If you are docked at Sout Queensferry you are only 10 mins away.

The Hope family, who own the estate for 300 years, opened a big part of Hopetoun House to the public as far back as 1970. They still have volunteers who started back then. That alone says something about this wonderful place. The house is situated in the most amazing grounds.

The house dates back to 1699 when Sir William Bruce created a comfortable country house, which was completed by 1707. Only 14 years later the house was renovated by William Adam who cleverly converted it into this Versailles-like palace. Its importance was highlighted in 1822 when King George IV visited.

Nowadays the house is often used as film or wedding location and international horse trials also take place on the grounds.

Next stop could be the nearby Midhope Castle , which was Lallybroch in Outlander (Hopetoun House was Sandringham). Midhope dates back to the 15th century and one could assume that it may have fallen into disrepair as the Hope family moved into Hopetoun House. In any case by 1923 it was a ruin.

Staying a little with the Outlander trail we will visit “the ship which never sailed” Blackness Castle. This one has little interior since it was used as a prison but sits in the most beautiful spot. If you have grown hungry by this time you may want to have a wee bite at the Lobster Pot.

Mary Queen of Scots resided often at Linlithgow Palace, which again nowadays is a ruin, but the Outlander film crew was here too:

From here we turn to a much more modern Scotland with the Kelpies. The entire area was heavily involved in caol mining with union canal being the main means of transportation. Horses were used to pull the boats and in 2013 Andy Scott created these gigantic horse sculptures in honour of all the horses serving here.

Not too far away the Scottish government invested in reconnecting the Union and Caledionian canal. Instead of utilising the old 13 locks (some of which were built over) the Falkirk Wheel was constructed.

From here we travel on to the other side of the Forth to view one of the oldest coal mining areas: Culross. Due to a flood caol mining came to a halt here and in the 1950ties the palace and surrounding houses were all pretty derelict. The National Trust renovated and amd today you are presented with the cutes old town.

From here we will head back to the cruis ship. There are quite number of other attractions in this area. Depending on your travel habbits you might opt to select only a few of these locations to delve in deeply or you might go totally the other way.

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• Private Shore Excursions in Scotland /
• 2024 South Queensferry Shore Excursions /

Experienced Tours frequently organise private day trips from South Queensferry Cruise terminal. Our bespoke shore excursions from South Queensferry are tailored to your interests and typically cover more attractions and distance than larger pre-orgnaised group tours.

South Queensferry is situated on the Firth of Forth (river forth estuary) approximately 14 miles west of Edinburgh city centre. Cruise ships anchor off the coast adjacent the Forth Railway bridge and guests are tendered in to the Hawes Pier. Typically a day tour from South Queensferry starts at 9am and finishes at 5pm, however that is influenced by the arrival and departure time of your ship.

From South Queensferry it is easily possible to explore Edinburgh, East Lothian, The Kingdom of Fife or Stirling and Loch Lomond. Each shore tour is unique so please let us know your dates and what you would like to see on your visit to Scotland.

PRIVATE SHORE EXCURSIONS FROM SOUTH QUEENSFERRY EDINBURGH

Each of our tours are bespoke, but here are a few suggestions of private day tours from South Queensferry

EDINBURGH DISCOVERY HALF DAY TOUR

A fantastic overview of some of the sites that makes the city so famous..

ROSSLYN CHAPEL HALF DAY TOUR

Venture the short distance to the mysterious rosslyn chapel. learn the story of the knights templar and the apprentice pillar..

EDINBURGH & WHISKY HALF DAY TOUR

Explore the medieval old city of edinburgh, outlying duddingston village and celebrated glenkinchie distillery.

FULL DAY EDINBURGH TOUR

The ideal duration to see edinburgh’s iconic big sites and hidden treasures only known about by the locals..

HISTORIC EDINBURGH & ROSSLYN CHAPEL TOUR

The ideal duration to see edinburgh’s iconic big sites and a visit to rosslyn chapel, shrouded in mystery and intrigue.

OUTLANDER LOCATIONS TOUR

Follow in the footsteps of claire and jamie and learn about the jacobites as we explore some of the filming locations of outlander. .

KINGDOM OF FIFE & ST ANDREWS TOUR

Picturesque fishing villages make way to the world-famous home of golf and university town of st andrews.

STIRLING CASTLE & LOCH LOMOND TOUR

Venture west and experience the birthplace of mary queen of scots, the historic royal seat and capital city of scotland and the natural beauty of loch lomond.

THE SCOTTISH BORDERS TOUR

The borders host many interesting places including the home of sir walter scott and rosslyn chapel.

EAST LOTHIAN TOUR

Follow the dramatic volcanic coastline to north berwick visiting castles, distilleries and the golf coast.

ON THE TRAIL OF MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS TOUR

The most famous and interesting scottish monarch, she became queen of scotland at only a week old. her reign was marred by troubled marriages, betrayal, rebellion and murder..

THE SCOTCH WHISKY TRAIL TOUR

Learn how the ‘water of life’ is created and understand what gives each whisky region its own unique character. slàinte  .

ALNWICK CASTLE & VIKING COAST  TOUR

Hop across the english border and discover northumberland’s varied history on this full-day private tour from edinburgh.

GLASGOW TOUR FROM EDINBURGH

Venture west to scotland’s largest city, the victorian metropolis of glasgow. learn about its varied history and why ‘people make glasgow’..

CATHEDRALS, CASTLES & HIGHLANDS TOUR

Travel north to picturesque perthshire, experience two medieval cathedrals, the gardens at drummond castle and the hermitage forrest walk and folly..

LOCH NESS, GLENCOE & THE HIGHLANDS

A long-day tour to the highlands, visiting some of the most famous locations in scotland., perfect for those with little time.

HIGHLANDS, WHISKY AND CASTLES

Venture through rugged scenery with highland peaks and stunning lochs, see over 3000 years of scenery, history and whisky.

Queensferry & District Community Council

Cruise ship visits 2023 – traffic management.

Thurs 27th April will see the first of 34 (subject to change) cruise ship visits to South Queensferry this season.

As many are aware, the blocking out of the promenade car park all day has long been an issue for residents, visitors and as a result many local businesses.

Over the last few years QDCC has negotiated hard for a call down system which reduces the need for the car park closure on liner days. Gradual phased handbacks of space through some days have been tried but the answer has always been a call down system where coaches stack away from the promenade and are called down on a just in time basis for pick ups and drop offs. This was briefly trialled during Ferry Fair week last year, through necessity rather than design.

Delighted to announce that with adjustments made to that trial, a call down system has now been agreed with all stakeholders and will be employed this year, which means the car park is fully open to the public from 10:30am. The sheer volume of coaches early morning makes it difficult and counter productive prior to 10:30am. Lothian buses (43) can operate as normal with no diversions with this system, not the case if we extended the stack system to early mornings.

• 5:30am-10:30am – Car park partially closed (same level as previously, i.e. west end of car park still available to public). Coaches operate from east area of car park. Bankhead Rd fully open as normal.
• 10:30am-1pm – Hawes Car park fully open to public, coaches stack on Bankhead Rd in a call down system, half day excursion coaches drop off/ pick up at Hawes Pier and away. Lothian Buses operate fully as normal, both directions. Section of Bankhead Rd closed to all other traffic which will be diverted accordingly (see map). Access to Rosshill Terr/Station Rd from Hawes Brae along north section of Bankhead Rd will be maintained open for all traffic.
• 1pm onwards – Bankhead Rd and Hawes car park fully open as normal. Coaches drop off at Hawes Promenade and away.

Whilst this is not the full day call off system we would all like, it has the agreement of all parties, namely Lothian Buses, both excursion coach operators, shipping agents and CEC. Lothian Buses have said a Bankhead Rd closure of more than 3 hours would require them to divert and excursion operators would need to be furnished with portaloos, etc.

The designated areas for parking around the pier are also shown below in the map.

There will inevitably be teething issues, but these will be tackled from the start, please bear with us until the system settles.

We appreciate this causes a slight diversion for drivers going to/from Dalmeny and Hawes promenade area or Station Rd but the wholistic benefits far outweigh that. Unlike the trial last year, the 43 bus service stays fully intact as does access to/from Dalmeny on the south side via Standingstane Rd and Milton Farm Rd.

Note that coach operators are being encouraged to enter/exit Queensferry from the east (B924) using the Burnshot Flyover where necessary. This will reduce the need to use Station Rd.

The schedule for ships can be viewed here, please check regularly for alterations: https://www.cruiseforth.com/content/ship/

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Queensferry Shore Excursion

© Go Scotland Tours

South Queensferry Pier

Small Group Tour of Edinburgh from Queensferry Cruise Port and Newhaven

Go Scotland Tours will be offering an exclusive small group tour for cruise ship passengers arriving to South Queensferry and Newhaven in Edinburgh. This is a fully guided tour of Edinburgh with a Qualified Blue Badge Guide. Visit the mysterious Ross

Go Scotland Tours  will be offering an  exclusive small group tour for cruise ship passengers arriving to South Queensferry and Newhaven in Edinburgh. This is a  fully guided tour of Edinburgh with a Qualified Blue Badge Guide . Visit the mysterious Rosslyn Chapel, then enjoy a panoramic tour of Edinburgh's Old and New towns, a  private walking tour of Edinburgh Castle  followed by an optional walking tour of historic Edinburgh.

When arriving off the tender look for your Edinburgh Tourist Guide holding a  Go Scotland Tours sign . Take a moment to taken the amazing engineering of the  Forth Bridges , including the rail bridge which is a UNESCO sight. From Queensferry we take a 45min drive outside the city to  Rosslyn Chapel . This is an amazing piece of stone architecture from the Renaissance times that is full of mystery, myth and Templar Knights stories. It has become most famous for being included in the Dan Brown novel, the  Da Vinci Code .

After we visit Rosslyn Chapel and hear the history talk we will make our way into  Edinburgh . We then take a drive through Edinburgh's Royal Park,  Holyrood Park . Here you can see views from the city's tallest hill,  Arthur's Seat  (*Please note this is not guaranteed as the High Road is sometimes closed). If time permits we will make a short photo stop at  Holyrood Palace  (*note this is not an interior visit). This was home to  Mary Queen of Scots who lead quite a dramatic life. The current Royal Family stay here whenever in town and the Queen holds her garden party here every summer.

Then we make our way up the historic Royal Mile to  Edinburgh Castle . Here you will enjoy a  personal guided walking  tour of the castle. Hear the stories of how the castle has been built throughout the centuries. From the esplanade we head up through original iron (yett) gate to see the  one o'clock gun . Then up  St Margaret's Chapel  and the famous medieval cannon called  Mons Megg . Ending in the Crown Square where you will have free time to check out the  Crown Jewels  and  Stone of Destiny .

In the afternoon you will have the option to continue your walking tour through some of  Edinburgh's famous closes . We will then explore  Greyfriar's Kirkyard , a fascinating Victorian Cemetery with many stories like the famous Hero Dog  Bobby , the Poltergeist Mackenzie and many connections to  Harry Potter . Alternatively you can skip the  walking tour  for more time to shop on the  Royal Mile .

Before heading back to the ship we will take a short tour through the  New Town . A panoramic tour through the Georgian streets built up during the  Scottish Enlightenment . 

Join us on an Exclusive Small Group Tour from Queensferry!

Day by Day Itinerary:

08.45am board minibus

9am departure

9.45-10.45am Rosslyn Chapel

10.45-12.00pm Panoramic Tour; Arthur’s Seat, Holyrood, Royal Mile

12.00-1.00pm Edinburgh Castle

1.00-2pm free time

2-3.30pm Royal Mile Walking Tour

3.30-4pm New Town panoramic Tour

5pm latest return to the port

From £95 per adult

Departure days.

• W Wednesday

May — October

Contact details

• +44 (0750) 4661828
• View tour details
• [email protected]

Tour information

• South Queensferry
• Architecture

Tour prices

From £95 Per Adult

Prices are subject to change depending on season

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Tour gallery

Tour company information

Go scotland tours.

Welcome to Go Scotland Tours , your online one stop shop for tours in Scotland. Go Scotland Tours offers various tours from the most recommended tour guides in Scotland. Sightseeing Scotland Tours from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness and selected cruise ship ports. Go Scotland Tours also arranges private driver guided tours and customized itineraries. Let us be your personal tour guide, tailor-make your own bespoke Scotland tour or choose from our selection of regular Scotland tours.

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Opening times

9am to 8pm Monday to Sunday **WE'RE GOOD TO GO**

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Regal Princess

Tendering to south queensferry on may 17, 2023, travellers' faq.

Where can I change money?

Money exchange is available in the post office section of the local store.

Where can I find wifi?

Is there an easy way to get to St Andrews?

If you have not booked an excursion on board you can either take a taxi – which might make sense if there are a few passengers travelling together – or train to the nearby station of Leuchars, from where you need to take a taxi or one of the local bus shuttles. Find out more about getting around »

Where can I go for a walk?

South Queensferry you can walk directly into the historic village, or along the coast into the Dalmeny estate. Some guided walks are also available. Find out more about walks in the area »

Do the taxis take credit cards?

Most of the taxis will take bank cards. Check with the driver before boarding.

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