Royal Yacht Britannia
Message from Tripadvisor •
Closed until 23 Mar 2024

Royal Yacht Britannia

Royal Yacht Britannia
4.5
Temporarily closedClosed until Mar 23, 2024
About
Step aboard Queen Elizabeth II’s former floating palace and experience this iconic attraction for yourself. Rated Tripadvisor’s No.1 UK Attraction (AGAIN), Britannia is one of the most famous ships in the world…Royal Deck Tearoom. Only 15 minutes from Edinburgh City Centre. Lothian Bus services from Edinburgh city centre are - 10, 16, 34 and 35. Edinburgh trams run from Edinburgh Airport through the city centre and down to Leith. To visit Britannia get off the tram at stop Ocean Terminal
Duration: 2-3 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best?
This award is our highest recognition and is presented annually to those businesses that are the Best of the Best on Tripadvisor, those that earn excellent reviews from travellers and are ranked in the top 1% of properties worldwide.
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Top ways to experience Royal Yacht Britannia
The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Leith
Reach out directly
See what travellers are saying
  • Pamela W
    Liverpool, United Kingdom24 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lovely experience
    Had a thoroughly enjoyable day. It must’ve been delightful when it was a seagoing vessel. Very interesting and loved all the rooms, the items in each room and learning where Royals, guests and ship’s crew lived whilst at sea. Definitely recommend a visit
    Indeed, by stepping on board The Royal Yacht Britannia, visitors can immerse themselves in 44 years of Royal history, discovering how the Royal Family and crew of Royal Yachtsmen lived while travelling the globe by sea. It is kind of you to recommend a visit to Britannia to others.
    Written 30 March 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited March 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 27 March 2023
  • charlie668
    Fife, United Kingdom127 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth a visit
    Visited for the first time having been on our to do list for years. If you are into the Royal family or have watched The Crown, you will enjoy this. There is lots to see on each deck and good access to most areas. I would prefer to just read information and watch short videos as opposed to an audio tour but that's just me! Probably wouldn't return as I have seen it now, but glad we paid a visit. Felt quite sad for the Queen that Britainnia was decommissioned, you could see the love the family obviously had for it and the money it generated over the years for Britain in trade deals through its many voyages abroad.
    Thank you for visiting The Royal Yacht Britannia. We are delighted to read that you found your visit to be worthwhile. We are glad you enjoyed your tour, discovering interesting facts and stories about life on board the Royal Yacht, which travelled more than a million nautical miles across the globe.
    Written 7 April 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 5 April 2023
  • Denisedram
    Lincolnshire, United Kingdom54 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Splendid afternoon
    The tour of this ship was magnificent with clear guides throughout. Although the tea rooms were in a great location, the price was very high for anything to eat. Our scone was dry and heavy and also we had a 10% service charge added to the bill - this should be optional. I wish we hadn’t stopped at the tearooms - it marred our lovely day somewhat
    We are pleased to learn that you had a lovely afternoon touring The Royal Yacht Britannia. We are sorry to read that your visit to the Royal Deck Tea Room was not the five-star experience that we aim to give every visitor. We will pass this comment on to our Tea Room Manager, as they always look to improve guest experience wherever possible. Thank you for visiting.
    Written 7 April 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 5 April 2023
  • Erika W
    Blackpool, United Kingdom22 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Rule Britannia!
    Had a fantastic 3 hours+ on the Britannia. Well worth a visit. You can wander around at your leisure and audio phones are provided which were very informative whilst walking around. We had a Baileys hot chocolate and a scone in the restaurant which was very reasonably priced. The staff were all pleasant and helpful which made the experience memorable. Not to be missed when in Edinburgh!
    How lovely to read your five-star review about your experience on board The Royal Yacht Britannia. Indeed, visitors can explore Britannia’s five decks at their own pace with our complimentary audio guide. A visit to the Royal Deck Tea Room is a great addition to your visit to treat yourself to our delicious cakes and scones. It is kind of you to let others know that Britannia is a must-see attraction.
    Written 11 April 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited March 2023
    Written 6 April 2023
  • Amy
    25 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A wonderful glimpse into royal life
    We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Royal Yacht Britannia this morning. It was so wonderful to see the place that was so beloved by the Queen, and see not only the royal apartments but also learn about the working life of the yacht - in peacetime and as an evacuation ship. The audio guide was thorough and interesting, helping contextualise what we were looking at without cluttering the space with notice boards. We had a lovely scone and tea in the on-board tea room. Perhaps slightly expensive given the speed of service, but a lovely way to end our visit. We highly recommend this stunning yacht for any visit to Edinburgh. I can see why Her Majesty loved this yacht so much. We did, too.
    It is fantastic to learn that you enjoyed your visit to The Royal Yacht Britannia. Visitors can gain an insight into life on board for the Royal Family and crew of Royal Yachtsmen by touring the State Apartments, Engine Room, and Crew’s Quarters. How lovely of you to highly recommend a visit to Britannia to others visiting Edinburgh and to rate your tour five stars.
    Written 11 April 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 6 April 2023
  • Kellyzeros
    Newcastle-under-Lyme, United Kingdom26 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    February visit
    Though Ocean Terminal is completely underwhelming, the Royal Yacht was worth the visit. Even though it wasn't particularly busy on arrival, we'd booked in advance so no queue for us at all. The lady who greeted us was super friendly. The audio guide is really helpful. We took afternoon tea. Lovely.
    Thank you for your five-star review about your visit to The Royal Yacht Britannia. We are pleased you found our Visitor Assistants to be friendly, they aim to make every visitor feel welcome and have the most enjoyable experience. We do indeed recommend visitors prebook their visit.
    Written 11 April 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 6 April 2023
  • SolihullRichard
    Dorridge, United Kingdom928 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The way to travel
    Great audio tour going across all four desks give a real appreciation of what royal life was like on a floating palace. Currently best way to get there is the #11 bus from the centre, although at some stage soon the trams will extend to the Ocean Terminal. You do need to go through a new shopping mall to reach the yacht
    Our complimentary audio guide is the perfect way to explore The Royal Yacht Britannia’s five decks and learn the interesting history of the Yacht’s 44 years of service. Britannia is easily reached from Edinburgh’s city centre with local buses, 11, 16, 34 and 35, as well as the Majestic Tour Bus, travelling to Ocean Terminal, where the Royal Yacht is berthed. Thank you for your five-star review.
    Written 12 April 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2023
    Written 7 April 2023
  • Carolyn W
    Worcester, United Kingdom79 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Piped on board
    Really beautiful, well organised tours it is kept so well such a privilege to see it ,so sad that's it's still not used by the royal family. If you don't mind waiting g your turn you can have morning coffee on there or lunch. If you are planing to go take plenty of cash you will need it for the birth shop.
    Thank you for visiting The Royal Yacht Britannia. We are pleased that you found the tour route to be well organised and well maintained. Our Maintenance and Housekeeping teams work hard to keep Britannia looking ship-shape. Our Gift Shop provides visitors with the perfect opportunity to take home unique souvenirs to remember their visit by.
    Written 12 April 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 7 April 2023
  • LynK31
    Huddersfield, United Kingdom9 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great visit, worth the money
    We visited as a family of 4, 8 & 11 year old. Well worth the money. The audio tour is great. It never felt too busy & flowed at a natural pace. Really interesting & enjoyable visit. Used the ‘majestic’ tour bus to get there.
    A visit to The Royal Yacht Britannia is a great day out for families. It is fantastic to read that you enjoyed learning about the Yacht’s 44 years of Royal history. For the information of others, we have a child friendly version of our free audio guide so that visitors of all ages can enjoy learning and engaging with the interesting history of Britannia.
    Written 12 April 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 9 April 2023
  • Leslie S
    Chester, United Kingdom54 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The top plavce to visit in the area
    Probably one of the most interesting visits I have made, All well thought out with a commentary you can either hear through your phone or on one of the free hand sets. It combines history and things that you feel you are familar with. The seperate demarkation of quarters according to rank and the small amount of individual space for the crew contrast with the still small space for the royals but the larger spaces for entertaining and transacting business. John Major and Tony Bliar betwen them deserve ctiticism for not realising the commercial value of a Royal Yacht. The trust that has this has beutifully preserved it and it is well located next to a new shopping centre that will be good when all the shops are occuppied. It even has free parking although I suspect that may not last. Definately the top place to visit in Edinburgh and do not forget to take tea in the cafe.
    How fantastic that you had an fascinating visit to The Royal Yacht Britannia. As you mentioned, visitors can use their mobile phone to listen to our complimentary audio guide. It is kind of you to let others know that free parking is available at Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre, where our Visitor Centre is located on the second floor. Parking in the Blue Car Park on Level E will bring you out closest to our Visitor Centre. Many thanks for rating your tour five stars.
    Written 13 April 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2023
    Written 11 April 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles23,397 reviews
Excellent
17,349
Very good
4,989
Average
823
Poor
164
Terrible
72

Corinna R
Essex, UK14 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Couples
Wonderful experience. Very informative and nostalgic. Was a privilege to be allowed to see so much of the yacht and have some insight into the private lives of the royals.
We had a sandwich and a glass of fizz to round off the visit, both of which were top class
Written 15 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Adele G
Donegal Town, Ireland64 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Couples
1000% worth the visit. After all the attractions we planned, this was by far the best. Excellently set up to guide you around and gives you a real feel for the life in the yatch. Out of all activities over the weekend this is the one my husband and I enjoyed the most and would recommend to everyone
Written 11 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
How fantastic to know that you consider The Royal Yacht Britannia the best attraction in Edinburgh! We are pleased that you enjoyed gaining an insight into what it was like to spend time on this former floating palace as you toured all five decks. It is kind of you to recommend the Yacht to others and rate Britannia five stars.
Written 14 March 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Brian C
9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Couples
On board the royal yacht brittania back in time 😊history of journey that the royal family on tour using the facilities on board with the staff, also crew and sailors
Written 10 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
By coming aboard The Royal Yacht Britannia, visitors are able to discover the unique history of the Yacht and how the Royal Family and crew of Royal Yachtsmen lived, worked and relaxed while at sea. Thank you for rating Britannia five stars.
Written 14 March 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Izzy
London, UK22 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Solo
*My visit was in October but owing to family illness I am only just getting around to reviewing my trip to Edinburgh now*

The information displays are all very informative and the entrance display as you walk in is a lovely touch. It was great that they provided information on the military personnel who worked aboard the ship and not just the royals.

The food in the tea room was very tasty and the staff friendly. I found the entry to be a reasonable price. The yacht has been well maintained over the years. I would’ve liked to have seen a few more fashion pieces worn by the royals though.
Written 7 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your five-star review of your visit to The Royal Yacht Britannia. We are glad that you enjoyed listening to the informative audio commentary on our complimentary audio guide, learning about life on the Yacht for not only the Royal Family, but the crew of Royal Yachtsmen too. It is great to know that you enjoyed the tasty food in our Royal Deck Tearoom and found our team to be friendly. It is kind of you to point out the hard work of our dedicated Maintenance and Housekeeping teams who keep the Yacht in shipshape condition.
Written 14 March 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Office D
Cork, Ireland4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Friends
Well worth a visit and I didn't think I would be overly interested in the Royal Yacht. For me one of the highlights of my weekend visit. It was fab to see all the various levels on board. Also the framed pictures around the yacht really showed intimate happy memories that they had on the Britannia. There was a lovely feeling on board and you couldn't help but smile.
Written 7 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are delighted that you did choose to come aboard The Royal Yacht Britannia and that it was a highlight of your visit to Edinburgh. How lovely to know that you had such a wonderful experience. It is great that you noticed the many photographs throughout the tour route which capture the Royal Family and crew of Royal Yachtsmen enjoying their time on board Britannia.
Written 14 March 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Lesleydunning
30 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Friends
Spent several hours aboard the Royal Yacht . Firstly the staff are so helpful and friendly, the audio guide handsets are easy to use and full of information. We visited first thing on a Wednesday morning and it wasn’t crowded , very pleasant and took our time looking at all the rooms , was really interesting seeing the different ranks of sleeping quarters- don’t know how the lower ranks managed to sleep in those beds ! Stopped at the restaurant halfway round the tour and had the most delicious fruit scone with clotted cream and jam with a pot of tea and a cappuccino, with a sea view to top it off . The scone had been freshly baked onboard and the best I have ever tasted . Again the staff in the restaurant were friendly, sociable and professional. The engine room was quite magnificent. A really enjoyable tour and well worth a visit .
Written 6 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
How wonderful to learn that you had a great tour of The Royal Yacht Britannia. It is fantastic that you enjoyed using our complimentary audio guide handset to learn more about the Yacht's interesting Royal history. Our team takes great pride in providing a helpful and friendly experience to all our visitors; they will be delighted to know that you found them to be so. It is indeed fascinating to see the different sleeping quarters and imagine life on the Yacht for the crew of Royal Yachtsmen. Whenever the former Royal Yachtsmen return for their annual Yotties’ Week, they do speak so fondly of their time on board. A visit to the stunning Royal Deck Tearoom during your tour to delight in our delicious food and drinks while admiring the views over the Firth of Forth is a great way to re-energize while on board. Our mouthwatering fruit scones are indeed most delicious! Our Galley team will be thrilled to read your compliments. Thank you for your five-star rating and for letting others know that a visit to Britannia is worthwhile.
Written 8 March 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

belinda kambua
Mtito Andei, Kenya20 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Couples
Amazing experience,great tourist attraction.this was fun during our honeymoon.very well organised.highly recommend
Written 5 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
What a pleasure to welcome you aboard The Royal Yacht Britannia during your honeymoon. We are delighted that you thought the tour route was well organised. Visitors are guided through all five decks with ease through our free audio guide. It is kind of you to recommend Britannia to others.
Written 7 March 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

silje H
43 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Solo
The tour was great. I was offered an audio guide in my own language (Norwegian), which was very easy to operate. A really informative tour. The shop was also nice and open. My only complaint is that there was a large group in front of me which made the first part of the tour quite crowded and irritating. The children also had be told not to touch things. Other than that I really recommend this visit
Written 29 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Many thanks for choosing to tour The Royal Yacht Britannia. We are glad that you enjoyed listening to the Yacht’s 44 years of Royal history on our free audio guide handset, which is available in over 30 languages, including Norwegian. This allows visitors to take their time and explore Britannia at their leisure.
Written 7 March 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Traveler10818378890
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Family
Had a great day out with my parents here. My Mum is in a wheelchair and Britannia was very accessible. It was easy to get to from Ocean terminal carpark and then to get around between floors etc. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Lunch in the cafe was lovely and well worth a visit!
Written 28 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for sharing your experience of visiting The Royal Yacht Britannia with your parents. We are delighted to read that you all had a great day out! Thank you for letting others know that Britannia is a highly accessible attraction, with lifts and ramps to all levels. Our team of friendly Visitor Assistants will be delighted to receive a special mention in your review, they do take great pride in providing each visitor with a memorable visit. Many thanks for your five-star rating.
Written 7 March 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

MinxiMC
Epsom, UK501 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Couples
We visited on a Wednesday afternoon in February.
The staff were welcoming & we enjoyed the tour with our headsets. It was lovely to be transported to a bygone age. We loved seeing the detail of the ships& it was even sunny for us which is unusual in Scotland.
We totally recommend a visit , it’s an amazing experience!
Written 25 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It is fantastic that you had a five-star experience following in the footsteps of Royalty aboard The Royal Yacht Britannia. We are glad that you enjoyed the lovely sunshine as you explored all five decks at your own pace while listening to the unique history of Britannia on our complimentary audio guide. It is kind of you to recommend others visit Britannia too.
Written 29 February 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

…
Showing results 1-10 of 20,687
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

ROYAL YACHT BRITANNIA: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about Royal Yacht Britannia

According to Tripadvisor travellers, these are the best ways to experience Royal Yacht Britannia: