Day 6 Itinerary - Royal Yacht Brittania??
This morning I found a youtube video by Tom Rubeck of his Tauck Week in Scotland from Oct 2022. On it the video shows that on Day 6 they were taken to the Royal Yacht Britannia for a tour and it looked like possibly lunch. This is not what the Day 6 itinerary lists for this day so I'm curious if it's another Tauck add that just isn't advertised. I did do a head count of their group picture at the end of the video and there's 38 so not a Small Group tour. We had planned to see the Britannia on our own so if it's included that's great. Anyone else have this experience on the tour?
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The Britannia was included on our July 2022 tour only because we couldn’t go to St. Andrews on Day 6 due to The Open being played. As far as I know, it’s not regularly included. I didn’t get to go since I was stuck in the hotel room with COVID. Sorry I missed it.
We did a tour of Britannia on our own during a Windstar cruise on the Wind Surf. We found it to be very interesting, and it was apparent why the Queen was upset when they took her yacht away. You see every nook and cranny of the ship using hand held audio devices that explain everything.
Perhaps you will eat lunch here.
Tauck has also been been known to substitute the Britainia for Holyrood House when the monarch or their emissary is in residence.
We did Britannia with Tauck while on the Scottish Isles cruise (2019). It was not included in our itinerary for A Week In Scotland (2016).
Will be interesting to see what actually happens on our tour in June. I checked the website for the Britannia and you can cancel booked tickets 48 hrs or more prior so we could book ours for one of the post tour days but cancel once the tour starts and I can ask the TD about it.
They told us that they do serve ‘group’ arranged dinners on the Britannia. I have no idea what the cost might be. Lunch would seem to be a problem with the ship open to anyone who wants to buy a ticket. We did not buy tickets in advance. We just went there and paid the fee and went aboard. It was not at all crowded.
The video I watched showed a set up for a group meal but not the group dining - just touring the ship. The website does mention a cafe and a menu - soup, sandwiches, drinks, etc. Sounded good.
There is a small mall called Ocean Terminal on shore where the Britannia is moored that has several restaurants. We arrived in Edinburgh for E,S,W late morning and couldn't get into our rooms so left our bags with the bell captain and caught a bus to Leith, the harbor area to see the Britannia. No trouble getting tickets upon arrival. We grabbed lunch in the mall.
We did a Week in Scotland in 2019, and Britannia was not part of the tour. It was August, and we did go to the Tattoo.
Wife and I went there on our own a few years ago. Highly recommend going if it's not on the tour agenda. It's easy to buy tickets when you get there. There is a bus that runs right to the front of the shopping center as AlanS mentions..about a 30 minute ride from downtown if I remember correctly. I always find taking public transport in cities I visit to be more immersive than sitting in the back of a taxi.
We visited the yacht just a few years ago independently. The website states the following
Important information: please read before booking.
· Before booking a ticket to Britannia, please visit our FAQ page for the latest information.
· We strongly advise that you pre-book your tickets.
· Select a time to arrive. You can then stay on board as long as you wish within our opening hours.
· Refunds are available up to 48 hours before your visit. To request a refund, e-mail enquiries@tryb.co.uk.
· Bookings can be moved free of charge.
· On average, a tour takes 1.5-2 hours with additional time should you wish to visit the Royal Deck Tea Room.
· Tours are self-guided, available on your mobile or an audio handset and are included in the price of admission.
· Special offers or discounts are available when purchasing online (except Armed Forces or Student tickets*). Simply enter the reference number at the checkout stage.
*Armed Forces or Student tickets are only available at the ticket desk. They cannot be pre-booked, but Armed Forces will be able to buy tickets and visit on the day.
· If you have any further questions, see our FAQ page (www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk/visit/faq/) or please call +44 (0)131 555 5566 (Mon – Fri, 09:00- 17:00hrs).
We look forward to welcoming you aboard!
It would be a shame to go there and find you can’t get in! Remember, the yacht is moored in Leith, not Edinburgh.
The Royal Botanical Gardens are about halfway back into the city and are also worth visiting if you have time.
Yes, as British says, probably a great idea to pre-buy tickets for this. Covid may limit the amount the sell for a given time slot as well!
I just saw it added on to the itinerary for the 9/6/2023 sailing. Check the website.
Cuttersam, not sure where you're seeing this but the original question I asked referred to the Week in Scotland land tour.