When I did this tour a couple of years ago, we went out yacht Britannia. We took a cab from the hotel, but returned by bus. I believe it was the number 11 bus but the hotel can tell you which one. The bus stopped right at the mall which is next to the yacht so it was easy to locate. It was fascinating to see, and we even ate lunch in the cafe on the ship. I would recommend it.
Definitely worth the trip. We took the Hop On - Hop Off bus, which stops there. City bus is cheaper, but you also get a tour of the city (with recorded audio) on the HOHO bus (you want the "Majestic" bus tour, that's the one that goes to the Brittania). It also stops right in front of the entrance, whereas with the city bus you have to walk a little. You can pick the Majestic bus up near Waverley Train Station. One thing to be aware of - if Hollyrood House is closed to the public (as it was when we went), Tauck substitutes the Britannia. So we ended up seeing the Brittania twice. Hollyrood is the royal residence in Edinburgh, so if the Queen or her emissary are in residence they close it. After two trips to Edinburgh, I have yet to see the inside of Hollyrood, so be sure to check on that before going to the Brittania.
By the way, the entrance to the Brittania is from a shopping mall built on the dock. There are some decent restaurants available there, if you want to have lunch.
Search for Majestic Bus Edinburgh for more information on the bus.
We arrived in Edinburgh a day early and got to the Sheraton before we could access our rooms, so we took the bus to the Britannia. I had already scoped out the local Lothian bus schedules so knew which ones to take. The next day, before the welcome dinner, we took a bus to Craigmillar Castle, a well-preserved ruin and one-time hunting castle of Mary. We first learned about it watching the Amazing Race. The two of us plus 4 locals were the only people there! It is located across the street from the Royal Infirmary (teaching hospital) at the edge of town. From there we took a bus to Rosslyn Chapel, 30 min. further out in the nearby suburb of Roslin. Dan Brown included it in his book/movie, The Davinci Code. After touring, we rode the bus back to town.
You probably have enough time to visit Craigmillar Castle, the Brittania, maybe both, but not Rosslyn Chapel, before the welcome dinner. Remember, you'll be pretty tired after a "red-eye" flight from the US.
We arrive early the first day of the tour and are considering a trip to Leith to tour The Brittania. Any suggestions?
I went last August and took the bus right outside the hotel to and from. One of my best memories is taking public transportation with the locals. If you don't know what to do they are very helpful. I ordered online once I arrived in Scotland and was glad. There was a long line and I picked up my tickets at a desk before entering with no line. I was with someone that ordered online and was mailed the tickets.
We had lunch there in what used to be the deck the royals used and is now enclosed for a tearoom. It was a very good audio tour.
We will be arriving in Edinburgh May 21 prior to joining the May 22 tour and had planned on visiting the Brittania during our free time prior to the welcome dinner. However, in looking at the Palace of Holyroodhouse web site, I see that the following dates for 2016 are listed under "Closures": May 17-28, Jun 21, and Jul 10-27. I checked with Tauck today, and Ken from Vegas is correct. Britannia is substituted for Holyroodhouse when the Palace is closed.
Comments
By the way, the entrance to the Brittania is from a shopping mall built on the dock. There are some decent restaurants available there, if you want to have lunch.
Search for Majestic Bus Edinburgh for more information on the bus.
You probably have enough time to visit Craigmillar Castle, the Brittania, maybe both, but not Rosslyn Chapel, before the welcome dinner. Remember, you'll be pretty tired after a "red-eye" flight from the US.
We had lunch there in what used to be the deck the royals used and is now enclosed for a tearoom. It was a very good audio tour.