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Sneak Peek Inside The Royal Yacht Britannia Edinburgh & Tour Review

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Catch a glimpse of Queen Elizabeth’s preferred room, see the honeymoon bed requested by Charles, and find out why a wombat takes pride of place in a roof fan during this self-guided tour of the Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh. After 44 years of royal service, HMY Britannia is berthed at Ocean Terminal in Leith and open to visitors who want to learn more about how the royals live.

However, a tour of Britannia is much more than just pulling back the curtains on an episode of The Crown, the tour goes deep into life at sea logistics, touches upon UK history and discusses the engineering of this floating palace.

You’ll get a sneak peek at the bowels of the Britannia as well as its bow. So let’s dive into the Royal Yacht Britannia tour review and photography.

Visit The Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh

Setting and location.

While there is no shortage of royal attractions in the Old Town, the Royal Yacht Britannia is actually located in the lesser-known, very hip and adored Edinburgh neighbourhood, Leith .

You can get to Leith via public bus, taxi or the hop on/hop off bus tour using the Majestic Tour line .

If you have a car, the Royal Yacht Britannia is one of the very few Edinburgh attractions that you can park at for free.

Parking is available at the Ocean Terminal shopping centre/mall where you will find the entrance of the yacht reception area.

Once you go through reception you will see a number of storyboards and artefacts as you move through to collect your audio guide.

Guest restrooms are located in this area and on the yacht.

Royal Yacht Britannia Audio Guide

The audio guide is narrated by the dreamy BAFTA award winner Mark Bonnar who you may recognise from the outstanding UK TV show, Line of Duty and the Scottish TV series, Shetland.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mark Bonnar (@mark_bonnar)

Visitors can choose between the sanitised audio device which is held up to the ear or using their own headphones and phone.

At each station, you type in a number to access the corresponding facts and stories about the exhibit.

The audio tour comes in 30 languages and there is a children’s version.

British and American Sign Language tablets are also available.

There are five decks to explore which take around 1.5 hours to walk through.

To access each deck you use the stairs or elevator in Ocean Terminal then walk over a bridge to get to the deck.

You do this each time you move between the decks, starting at the top and working your way down.

You can enjoy coffee and/or lunch at The Royal Deck Tea Room, which is only open to those who have paid to visit HMY Britannia.

Look how lovely and light the tea room is!

Afternoon teas are available, dahlin’.

Five Deck Tour

The tour kicks off among the tempting buttons, teasing dials and shiny plaques of the top deck Bridge.

This is where much of the control took place which was the responsibility of the Britannia’s Admiral or Commodore.

There is only one seat in this room that overlooks the yacht bow reserved for the man in charge.

Next, the tour takes you outside to the bow which is probably one of the most recognisable areas since this is where the royals would wave from when arriving at their destination.

A wooden lip was added to the bow to keep the wind from lifting up a royal skirt!

One of my favourite spots was the two-inch teak Verandah Deck which acted as a games deck, muse for art, hosted private engagements and doubled up as a swimming pool area for the kids!

The deck was cleaned daily before 8am and all work was conducted in silence so as to not disturb the royals as they slept.

The deck is also where the family photos were taken and acted as the pre-reception area for Zara and Mike Tindall’s wedding.

The tour then takes you inside the yacht, through the Queen’s favourite room, the Sun Lounge, which has floor to ceiling windows viewing the Verandah Deck.

Next up is a nosey into the State Apartments which include the separate bedrooms of Queen Elizabeth (first image) and Prince Phillip (second image) and the honeymoon suite (third image) which has a double bed, at Prince Charles request.

Did you know that you can stay in a castle in Scotland?

The tour also has access to The State Drawing Room with its country home feel, piano and games.

This room was used for relaxing and entertaining.

Live music was an important part of HMY Britannia’s life and the Royal Marines Band could switch between a ceilidh and classical song with no hesitation.

They could also play every national anthem of the countries the royal yacht docked at, which is a reminder that this vessel has sailed over one million miles.

The lower you go down the decks, the greater insight you get into the workings of HMY Britannia.

From the pecking order living arrangements, including segregated pubs, to the bedroom dorms, it is evident that life at sea onboard Britannia was not an easy one for workers and sailors.

However, they appeared to create a good balance between work and fun creating games including one with a stuffed wombat, I won’t spoil the surprise!

During the tour, you will learn more than just facts about the royal family but also stories about the seamen, superstition, tradition and logistics.

Along with the original room content, there is lots of artwork and photography that compliment the audio guide.

If you are planning a trip from the States, check out this article on things every North American should know before visiting Scotland .

Essential Information

• Address: Ocean Dr, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6JJ
• Self-guided audio tour: 1-2 hour s
• Kids enjoy the corgi treasure hunt
• Elevator and ramps throughout
• On-site restaurant

Cancellations

With GetYourGuide, tours have a 24-hour cancellation guarantee so if you can’t make it, you don’t lose your money.

Frequently Asked Questions About HMY Britannia

HMY Britannia was used for royal service from 1954 to 1997.

It was announced on 23 June 1994 that HMY Britannia would not be refitted due to cost.

Yes, over 300,000 people visit the royal yacht each year.

The Royal Yacht Britannia is looked after by the Royal Yacht Britannia Trust.

Other Things To Do Near The Royal Yacht Britannia

The Royal Yacht Britannia is located in Ocean Terminal which is home to a number of restaurants, a cinema and the cool Leith Collective should which is a great store for local souvenirs.

A five-minute walk from Ocean Terminal is Leith Shore and the independent bars and restaurants that surround it.

Enjoy fine dining at The Kitchen, seafood at The Ship On The Shore, brunch at The Kings Wharf or Nobles, lunch at The Hideout Cafe, afternoon tea at Mimi’s Bakehouse, cocktails at the Roseleaf or a cold pint at Teuchters Landing.

Our Leith Guides

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From Leith you can walk up Leith Walk to Princes Street or along the Water of Leith Walkway to Stockbridge where you will find a Sunday market, cafes galore and a path to the historic Dean Village.

Find out more about Stockbridge here .

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Disclaimer: This guide was written in partnership with GetYourGuide. I, Gemma, have been working alongside GetYourGuide since 2017. Opinions are my own.

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I visited the Royal Yacht Britannia, the royal family's luxurious private cruise ship known as a 'floating palace.' Take a look inside.

• The Royal Yacht Britannia was the royal family's private yacht from 1953 to 1997.
• The ship is now a museum open to the public in Edinburgh, Scotland.
• The tour shows the Queen's bedroom, state rooms used for entertaining, and crew bunks.

The Royal Yacht Britannia was the royal family's private yacht from 1953 to 1997.

With its many royal family vacations and official tours, the yacht logged over 1 million miles , the equivalent of one trip around the world for each of its 44 years at sea.

The Queen once said that "Britannia is the one place where I can truly relax."

The Labour government decommissioned the ship in 1997 due to its high operation cost of £11 million each year, Reuters reported . That's equivalent to about $23 million today.

At the decommissioning ceremony, the Queen  shed a rare public tear .

The ship has made several appearances in Netflix's "The Crown," including season five .

The yacht is now a museum open to the public in Edinburgh, Scotland.

On a recent trip to Scotland , I booked a ticket for the Royal Yacht Britannia museum, which costs £18.50 ($23) for adults.

The entrance is located inside the Ocean Terminal shopping center in Edinburgh.

Before boarding the yacht, visitors walk through a museum detailing the boat's history and connection to the royal family.

The five-story ship was a royal residence as well as a Royal Navy ship, with a full-time staff of more than 240 royal yachtsmen and officers.

The museum displays photos of the royal family's life aboard the ship, as well as items like crew uniforms.

Then, a walkway with more photos leads to the deck of the boat.

The ship is docked on the water just outside the shopping center.

I listened to the audio tour of the ship on my phone by scanning a QR code.

There were also separate listening devices available.

Each room of the ship had a number that you could type in and press "play" to hear about your surroundings in an array of languages.

The first stop was the bridge, the main control point of the yacht.

In this small space, officers navigated the seas and recorded data in the ship's logbooks.

Outside, the flag deck is the highest point on the ship.

Britannia had three masts, and different flags were used to communicate with other ships on the water.

The admiral's cabin and suite is the most spacious on the ship, aside from the royal apartments.

The admiral's accommodations featured a day room, bedroom, bathroom, and pantry. The sofa and armchairs in the dayroom are over 100 years old and came from the previous royal yacht, Victoria and Albert III.

The royal family often sunbathed, played deck hockey, or swam in a collapsible swimming pool on the Veranda Deck.

Part of the yacht's royal quarters, the deck was also used for receptions and group photos.

Prince Philip occasionally set up his easel on the deck to paint.

Overlooking the Veranda Deck, the Sun Lounge was one of the Queen's favorite rooms on the ship.

Queen Elizabeth would often take her breakfast and afternoon tea in the Sun Lounge.

The Queen's bedroom on the Royal Yacht Britannia featured bed linens that once belonged to Queen Victoria.

The embroidered silk panel above the Queen's bed, commissioned in 1953, cost £450 ($560, or $6,250 in today's money).

Her sheets were embossed with "HM The Queen."

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip had separate bedrooms connected by an adjoining door.

Each room had its own bathroom.

Philip's bedroom featured red linens, and he requested pillowcases without lace trim.

A button next to each of their beds would summon a royal steward.

Across the hall, the Honeymoon Suite was the only room onboard with a double bed.

The double bed was requested by then-Prince Charles when he honeymooned with Princess Diana in 1981.

The room was also used as a nursery when the royal children were young.

The Anteroom served as a recreational space for the officers, off-limits to the rest of the crew.

Officers would spend their time here listening to the radio and playing board games.

The royal family occasionally dined in the adjoining Wardroom.

Britannia's 19 officers ate meals here, accompanied by the Royal Marines Band.

Britannia has three galleys, which are still working kitchens today.

The galleys prepare food for the Royal Deck Tea Room and events hosted on the ship.

The Royal Deck Tea Room offers an extensive menu of soups, sandwiches, scones, and other treats for visitors to the museum.

The royal family once used the space to entertain guests and play deck games.

The state dining room is the largest room on the Royal Yacht Britannia.

Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, Nelson Mandela, and many other world leaders dined here with the royal family.

The placement of each utensil was measured with a ruler.

Just off the state dining room, the Queen's sitting room served as her office.

Here, the Queen would meet with her press secretaries and prepare for royal visits.

On the opposite side of the hall, the Duke of Edinburgh had his own sitting room.

Both Philip and Charles used the room as a study. Philip kept a model of his first naval command, the HMS Magpie, above his desk.

The telephones connecting the sitting rooms to each other and their private secretaries' offices are identical to the phones used in Buckingham Palace.

The large Drawing Room and connecting Anteroom could accommodate up to 250 guests.

The Drawing Room featured an electric fireplace and cozy floral furniture. When it wasn't being used as a reception space during formal events, the royal family used it to relax and play games on the card tables.

Petty officers and Royal Marine sergeants kicked back in their living quarters, also known as the mess.

Petty officers would occasionally entertain the Queen and other royal family members here.

The crew bunks weren't as glamorous as the royal apartments.

Each bunk folded up into a seat, and crew members stored their possessions in lockers.

Britannia's NAAFI (Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes) shop sold souvenirs and sweets, as well as essentials like toothpaste.

Diana once bought Prince William a Britannia souvenir shirt from the shop. Today, it sells homemade fudge to museum guests.

The ship's sick bay and operating theater still feature the original furnishings from the 1950s.

The ship's doctor attended to crew members, while the Queen's royal surgeon traveled with her on voyages.

Britannia's laundry room could reach temperatures of 120 degrees Fahrenheit as it washed up to 600 shirts in one day.

The royal family's laundry was done on different days than the crew's laundry.

All of the clocks onboard the Royal Yacht Britannia are stopped at 3:01 p.m.

The clocks are frozen at the  time the Queen stepped off the ship for the last time  during its decommissioning ceremony in December 1997.

The tour concludes in a gift shop full of royal souvenirs.

Amid the Britannia-themed mugs, pens, and aprons, the gift shop also sold replicas of royal jewelry.

There's even a photo-op at the end of the tour where you can practice your royal wave.

The tour was full of surprising facts about royal life and travels, and I couldn't believe that we actually got to see inside Queen Elizabeth's bedroom on the ship. It's definitely worth a visit.

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The Royal Yacht Britannia

Review Highlights

“ What you can see is: the sleeping rooms of the royal family ; those for the staff and the guests. ” in 26 reviews

“ They also offer audio guide at the entrance so we could have better understanding of what is what. ” in 13 reviews

“ The entrance in the Ocean Terminal is great, the audio tour is excellent and the boat is laid out perfectly. ” in 14 reviews

Location & Hours

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Ocean Terminal

Edinburgh EH6 6JJ

United Kingdom

Amenities and More

About the business.

Experience the UK's No. 1 Visitor Attraction (Best UK Attraction Which? Magazine). The Royal Yacht Britannia proudly served the Royal Family for over 40 years, sailing over one million miles around the world. Now berthed in Edinburgh, you can follow in the footsteps of Royalty and world leaders with a fascinating complimentary audio tour of her magnificent five decks, available in 27 languages. Tablets are available with the British tour in British and American Sign Language. There is an audio handset tour in 'Basic English' for visitors with learning disabilities. From the Royal Apartments to the Crew's Quarters and Engine Room, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Treat yourself in the Royal Deck Tea Room with delicious menus made on board in the Royal Galley, stunning waterfront views and waiter service that will make you feel like Royalty. Complete your tour with a browse round the fabulous Gift Shop in Ocean Terminal. The Royal Yacht Britannia is also an exclusive private events venue. …

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Overall rating

This was far more entertaining and enjoyable than I was ready to give it credit. Worth the time.

We visited as part of the Edinburgh Royal Ticket (Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace, and the hop on hop off bus). I would not have visited if not part of the deal. But I am glad I visited because I learned neat stuff and had afternoon tea and scone on board (they have a restaurant on board). The blue hop on hop off bus takes you there. But I recommend an early departure because we were not told when the last bus comes, around 5pm, and we got off at 3pm. About 1.5 hours is needed to tour the ship, but we stopped for tea, so we ended up more than 2 hours. We barely made the bus and it was the last one. When you get off the bus, go left for the escalators or go right to enter the mall for the lift. It is handicapped friendly with lifts and places to sit. Plenty of restrooms. If you go here without the package deal, you can still get discounts from the hop on hop off bus. And they give military discounts.

With such elegance it seemed strange to step on board this beautiful lady via the entrance of Debenhams. It costs £14 an adult and takes about 1 1/2 hours with the use on an audio handset to explore the five decks. The audio headset is very well done with just enough information and pace to enjoy and follow in the footsteps of Sir Winston Churchill, Gandhi and the Royals. The last time I saw her was in 2011 when she was moored in London before her decommission. I put it on my bucket list to go see her in Leith and take full advantage of going aboard this wonderful yacht, that served as a floating residence for 44 years for the Royal family. I loved the State Drawing Room used as a place of relaxation, a favourite of Princess Diana. The style is elegance and grace with a country fill not ostentatious or overly regal. If I remember correctly the first double bed to be placed aboard the yacht was for Charles and Diana's honeymoon. The Sun lounge favoured by the Queen was informal and the Royal family enjoyed breakfast and afternoon tea here. Relaxed atmosphere with a fully stocked cabinet of drinks it was my personal favourite on the yacht, stunning vista. in the Royal Deck Team Room we enjoyed a delicious afternoon tea. The royal family enjoyed drinks receptions, sumptuous buffets or played deck games here previously. Chocolate Fudge cake and toffee cake was our order along with an iced Britannia coffee and green tea served in a sterling silver tea pot. The setting was immaculate with a grand piano and back ground music, delightful. Christened and launched by the Queen on 16 April 1953 smashing a bottle of Empire wine and declared " I name this ship Britannia... I wish success to her and all who sail in her". What a treat to be able to walk in the Royal footsteps. xoxo

The Royal Yacht Britannia, hailed as "Scotland's best visitor attraction"... but heck, they all say that, right? It's definitely not the best attraction and to be honest, I'd be at a lose end to pick just one, especially in Edinburgh when there are so many great attractions to go see. I guess, if you're into ships then this is perfect and it's something a little bit different to the usual museum. It is one of the most famous ships in the world after all. I visited the Royal Yacht Britannia with a friend a few weeks ago, we'd just been on a tour bus and got a few squid off with our tour bus tickets. Located in Leith you get a gorgeous view and the ship itself is a beauty. You can find lots of interesting facts about the journeys of Royal Yacht Britannia and I was amazed to find out that it has taken the Queen on Royal Family on 968 official voyages! For me, it was just a boat and I'm not really bothered if the Queen of Sheba had been on it, to be frank, it just didn't really float my boat. (I couldn't resist.) I am aware that it is a very popular tourist attraction, a five star one in fact and I think it's deserving of four stars.

The Royal Yacht is a great place for most ages -- except perhaps the very young or the very old. We visited a few weeks back on a sunny March Saturday as a family. The audio tour for children is a must if you have any with you younger than 13 or so. I was concerned that Dad & I would want to tour at a slower pace than our daughters (12 & 6) but for the most part there was plenty to keep them occupied as we examined photos, documents, artifacts, etc. My favourite part of the tour is the many photos of the family. As an American, I don't have strongly held emotional ties for or against the monarchy, but simply enjoyed the mementos of family. The staff is outstanding -- friendly, knowledgeable without interfering in the enjoyment of the tour. If you have time, The Royal Yacht Britannia is a great addition to your Edinburgh itinerary.

Very nice place, superb view on the harbour. Service royal. My father had a champagne and my mother a white wine a Sauvignon if I remember well ... they really enjoyed their drink. I don't drink so I had a pot of tea with a piece of Carrot cake... very generous and delicious. Oh yeah before I forget... my tea have been served in a sterling silver tea set...I felt like a princess! You have to try the experience even if it is expensive ... 27£ for the three of us! The service was more than excellent. Staff are very helpful and look happy to work there!! I could be too!

carrot cake and a tea for 8£

I'm not that keen on the royal family, but my wife loves them. I had mixed feelings going to this exhibit. My concerns were allayed very quickly. This is an excellent attraction. Full of interest and superbly presented. We easily filled two hours here wandering through the various areas of the yacht. Not only was the ship and the way it was presented superb, the tea rooms were excellent too. Had a great coffee and wonderful scone with jam and cream. The staff are excellent throughout at this exhibit. Friendly, organised and most friendly. Recommended

Rule Britannia! Britannia rule the waves! This yacht has a lot of history, and if you're looking for a historical tour of Edinburgh then this is a must! It is anchored (permanently) down at Leith, and so is part of the Ocean Terminal complex. I would be complaining about how far out it is, but it is really easy to get to with all the tourist busses driving past and a regular public bus going here every ten minutes or so. And it's easy to drive to, with free parking! Personally, this sort of thing doesn't usually float my boat (HAHA get it?) but I did quite enjoy my recent trip here with my grandparents. Although I did burst my lip with the walky-talky things you get as part of the tour. My grandparents loved it and took hours to get around the ship. Furthermore, as it is part of Ocean Terminal you are spoilt for choice with all the food-courts and shops available. It's a nice place to spend the day, but as I said it is very far out of the way.

My visit to the Royal Yacht Britannia is one that I shall treasure. Primarily because I visited it with my gran, on her only visit to Edinburgh to see me before she passed away a couple of years ago. Whilst I'm not into boats, I was intrigued to see the Yacht, especially considering its connections with the Royal Family. The Yacht is handily moored right next to Ocean Terminal in Leith, meaning that you can access it directly from the shopping centre. This also provides ample parking, and plenty of shops to keep you occupied for a full day out. Entering the boat, you will be given a thing that looks like a really oversized telephone. This provides the information about the boat, and you simply key in the code of the area you are, and it will give you all of the relevant information. The tour itself is very informative. It was interesting seeing all of the different rooms, and what they were for. There are also a large amount of artefacts that the Queen or other members of the family were given as presents on their travels. We must have spent at least an hour and a half there. I don't think I was bored at any point. It's not a place that I would go back to repeatedly, but I would happily recommend it to people visiting Edinburgh. I can see why it is so popular.

My flatmates and I suddenly realised as we were approaching graduation that, even though we've lived here for 4 years, we've seen surprisingly little of the city's attractions. So we decided to set about rectifying this, and started with a visit to the Royal Yacht Britannia. Whatever you feel about the Monarchy, this is definitely worth a visit. Although you are all led round in one big group, they give you those handheld audio loop things so that you can listen to the information at your own pace, rather than there only being one guide and all the keen nerds push to the front meaning that the majority of people don't hear anything. One word of advice though: don't spend ages trying to find the entrance to it like we did. It's on the top floor of the Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre!

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The Royal Yacht Britannia and its collection

A Royal residence for over 40 years, The Royal Yacht Britannia sailed over 1,000,000 nautical miles on 968 state visits with the Royal Family. Now a five-star visitor attraction in Edinburgh, you can tour five decks of the last Royal Yacht and discover stories of life at sea for both the Royal Family and the 220 Royal Yachtsmen who served on board. Now it’s time to step aboard and make your own memories aboard this iconic ship with a fun day out for all ages!

Science & Technology   Science & Technology History & Anthropology   History & Anthropology Maritime

#17 Science & Technology in Scotland #83 History & Anthropology in Scotland #3 Science & Technology in Edinburgh #13 History & Anthropology in Edinburgh

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Opening hours.

January* - March -10:00 - 15:00 April - August - 9:30 - 16:00 September- 10:00 - 16:00 October - 10:00 - 15:30 November - December - 10:00 - 15:00 Due to upcoming construction work at Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre, Britannia will be closed 25-28 June 2024. The Royal Yacht Britannia is closed on 1 January and 25 December. The last admission to the Royal Yacht on 24 December is 2:30pm.

Armed Forces are only available at the Britannia ticket desk on the second floor of Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre with ID (Staff ID or payslip). Please be reassured, even though it is not possible to book these discounted tickets in advance, you can still buy your tickets at the ticket desk. Student tickets can only be purchased from the ticket desk with a valid student ID.

Location & Map

Ocean Drive, Edinburgh

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The Royal Yacht Britannia, Ocean Drive, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6JJ

Tel: 0131 555 5566 Email us: [email protected]

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Tripadvisor’s No.1 UK Attraction 2023 - 2024

Please pre-book your tickets to guarantee admission..

Start your tour at our entrance on the Ground Floor of Ocean Terminal.

A great day out for all the family, explore each of the five decks at this top attraction in Edinburgh and discover what life was like on board Queen Elizabeth II's former floating palace. 

9:30am - 4pm

(Last Admission 6pm)

Ticket information, opening times and more.

Buy Tickets

Pre-book your tickets to visit The Royal Yacht Britannia, top attraction in Leith.

Find souvenirs and gifts from Britannia's online Gift Shop.

Homemade soups, sandwiches and cakes, along with speciality teas and coffees.

Apply for 12 months' free admission after your first visit.

Stay at our luxury floating hotel, Fingal, Tripadvisor's No1. UK Luxury Hotel, AA Hotel of the Year Scotland.

Visiting Britannia

TRIPADVISOR'S NO.1 UK ATTRACTION 2023 - 2024

The Royal Yacht Britannia is scheduled to be closed 7 – 10 October for planned building works out with our control.

Click on the Visit page  for more information before you visit.

Step aboard to enjoy a great day out!

Fingal Hotel

Get away from the everyday aboard Britannia’s sister ship, Fingal.  Extend your visit with a stay in one of Fingal’s luxurious cabins, your own oasis by the sea. 

TRIPADVISOR'S NO.1 UK LUXURY HOTEL TRIPADVISOR'S NO.1 UK SMALL & BOUTIQUE HOTEL AA Hotel of the Year Scotland, AA five-star hotel and 2 AA Rosettes

Learn more: fingal.co.uk