Royal Yacht Britannia
Royal Yacht Britannia
4.5
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
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
Suggested duration
2-3 hours
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Leith
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See what travellers are saying
  • Nicola B
    8 contributions
    Overpriced and disappointing
    Located right next to and accessed from a shopping centre. This somewhat distracts from the overall visitor experience and makes it impossible to get an overall view of the ship from the outside. As it is now a visitor attraction I cannot understand why some areas are not accessible including the staircase and why you have to look through glass to see inside some of the rooms and staff quarters. Really not worth the money. Obviously the ship is now very dated but amazing to think the royal family enjoyed such privilege including private holidays all at the tax payers expense. Now the taxpayer is expected to pay again to visit the ship in its retirement. It really does beggar belief! On the plus side the cafe was nice although again completely overpriced.
    Thank you for visiting The Royal Yacht Britannia. For those wishing to view the exterior of the Royal Yacht, a great view of Britannia can be found at the Viewing Terrace within Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre. Britannia is now owned and cared for by The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust and therefore as a charity all surplus funds from ticket sales, the Gift Shop and the Royal Deck Tea Room are reinvested in preserving the Royal Yacht for future generations. For the information of others, The Royal Yacht Britannia has again been named as the UK’s Best Visitor Attraction by readers of Which magazine, and has retained its Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Award, making us one of the Top 1% in the World.
    Written 21 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 17 March 2023
  • kaztin
    Codsall, United Kingdom218 contributions
    Disappointing!
    Such a disappointment! We were so looking forward to this visit. The approach to the Yacht is through a modern shopping complex which is strange. The yacht itself sits quayside by skips of rubbish which is not a very attractive environment for such an iconic boat! The commentary can be accessed on your smartphone or via a hand held console given to you. The tour leads you onto each deck and most areas are viewed through glass, which is disappointing. It was underwhelming and we were disappointed, we were going to try the onboard cafe but £9 for a sandwich was too much money! The toilets available whilst queuing to board were scruffy and not a good look! At £18.50 per adult we felt it wasn’t worth the money. I do think something should be done around the quayside where the yacht is moored as it wasn’t very nice at all!
    Thank you for visiting The Royal Yacht Britannia. Indeed, the entrance to Britannia is through our Visitor Centre, which is located on the second floor of Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre and has enabled us to become a highly accessible attraction for everyone irrespective of any mobility issues. We are sorry to read that your visit was not your 'cup of tea'. Whilst visitors are free to wander around Britannia at their leisure and enter all the largest rooms, six very small rooms are indeed viewed through windows as that enables everyone to see everything in the room. That said, we will ensure that your review is passed on to our Visitor Experience Manager as the toilets are usually immaculate and should not have appeared ‘scruffy’. For the information of others, The Royal Yacht Britannia has again been named as the UK’s Best Visitor Attraction by readers of Which magazine, and has retained its Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Award, making us one of the Top 1% in the World.
    Written 19 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 17 April 2023
  • Terese M
    7 contributions
    Skip
    Not worth the visit. Being in the US Navy seeing the ship was boring. I was looking forward to seeing how the other half lived and was just not impressed. Had lunch in the tea room. My chicken sandwich was nice but we ordered water, wine, whiskey and tea and nothing arrived. Food was delivered quick but we just kept seeing the waiter pass by with no inquiry to how we we were doing or if we needed anything. I finally asked for the check and shocker then the drink arrived. I told him to remove the drinks from the check and paid and left. Disappointing.
    Thank you for visiting 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. The Royal Yacht Britannia has again been named as the UK’s Best Visitor Attraction by readers of Which magazine, and has retained its Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Award, making us one of the Top 1% in the World.
    Written 5 May 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2023
    Written 30 April 2023
  • Aburel
    Bucharest, Romania2,488 contributions
    Overrated
    We were a bit disappointed by this visit. Either it has been toned down, or it is pretty basic. There is no glamour. The ship is used also for events and dinners. The visit allows views of the main deck plus the salon and dining. Later, some other facilities of the ship are displayed. Pretty touristic and neutral.
    Thank you for visiting The Royal Yacht Britannia. We are sorry to read that Britannia was not your ‘cup of tea’. For the information of others, 95% of the tour is original to Britannia and is kindly on loan from the Royal Collection Trust. The furnishings, though simple and elegant, are a reflection of the post-war period of austerity in which the Royal Yacht was built. The Royal Yacht Britannia has again been named Tripadvisor’s No.1 UK Attraction, and has retained its Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Award, making us one of the Top 1% in the World.
    Written 18 July 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 15 July 2023
  • ken b
    Glasgow, United Kingdom1 contribution
    Disappointing
    Not a good place to go if you have breathing problems and on oxygen. Was not clearly sign posted as to were you go. Staff not that helpful was looking forward to seeing Britannia but the experience left me disappointed. As you have to go up and down stairs, there was only two toilets and there was a queue Was not worth the money
    Thank you for visiting The Royal Yacht Britannia. For the information of others, Britannia is highly accessible with two lifts as well as stairs to each of the five decks. Toilets are located in our Visitor Centre and regularly throughout the tour route. The Royal Yacht Britannia has again been named as Tripadvisor’s No.1 UK Attraction, and has retained its Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Award, which is awarded to less than 1% of Tripadvisor’s 8 million listings.
    Written 10 August 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited August 2023
    Written 9 August 2023
  • Brassed O
    1 contribution
    Great ship, but unpleasant experience on arriving.
    The ship itself and the history and staff were brilliant....but the parking and approach to the ship are frankly awful. We followed signs in our vehicle and arrived at a dead end where there were no clear signs what to do or where to go. Couldn't see the ship and just a multi story car park in front of us with such a restricted height our vehicle couldn't get in. So what to do? While we waited thinking two other vehicles arrived with the same problem. Stuck with nothing to do but turn round, not even sure if we were in the right place. No open parking, no signs pointing to other parking. Eventually decided to try the car park, with 1/2 inch to spare, got in and parked in the dingiest dark place you could imagine. Then no signs saying "Britannia this way", just concrete walls. Then found the lifts - which didn't appear to be working. Finally found steps up to the right level - guess work, because there were no signs saying which level you were at. Finally arrived at the right place and the ship was great, but where they've put it and the experience to find it was awful, my partner quite upset. Not the kind of thing that should happen at one of the leading tourist/historical attractions. Needs improving.
    Thank you for visiting The Royal Yacht Britannia. We are pleased that you did enjoy learning about Britannia’s fascinating Royal history but are sorry to read about your experience in finding the car parking that is available within Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre. We will ensure that your comments are passed on to our Visitor Experience Manager. For the information of future guests, free car parking is available in the multi-storey car parks of Ocean Terminal, we suggest visitors park on level E, as this is the closest to our Visitor Centre. Our Visitor Centre and the start of the tour is located within the Shopping Centre itself, on the second floor.
    Written 27 October 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 25 October 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.5
23,343 reviews
Excellent
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Very good
4,980
Average
823
Poor
164
Terrible
73

Myopinion5601
Vancouver34 contributions
Jan 2023 • Solo
Great bit of history here. So happy I took the time to visit this ship as you can just imagine Queen Elizabeth and her family enjoying her
Written 1 December 2023
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.

Alan304
Cranford, NJ1,487 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
The rich history and opulence are unparalleled. The tour includes many different areas and allows you to see the areas that visitors did not see (such as the laundry room).
Written 30 November 2023
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.

Roam702541
39 contributions
Nov 2023 • Friends
My friends and I visited this on a whim. What a great choice. The ship was quiet and we were able to really take our time to appreciate and explore. The former Royal Yacht is truly unique. It is interesting to contrast the state rooms and royal accommodation with that provided for Royal Navy personnel. I don’t think I could cope with the cramped living space provided for the seamen. The self-contained nature of ship-board life became obvious when post office, ‘pubs’, laundry and hospital (including an operating theatre) were explored. Well worth visiting.
Written 30 November 2023
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.

Abi F
Wokingham, UK29 contributions
Nov 2023 • Family
Highly recommend visiting. The tour provided a great insight into the royal duties undertaken on the Royal Yacht Britannia and the daily life of the 'Yotties' on board. Lots of personal items and photos of the Royal Family before the yacht was decommissioned. The staff were always on hand to answer questions and were very helpful and polite. If you're visiting in winter, wrap up as parts of the tour are on the decks.
Written 27 November 2023
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.

kyamin
Bluffton, SC74 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
We found the tour slightly interesting, it was something to see while in Edinburgh. The tour tells you about all the luggage and all the people and bottles of special water for the Queen that had to be loaded on every time they sailed anywhere. I know that the yacht traveled to many ports for meetings, but otherwise it sailed just for their pleasure, and it seemed it was a little over top since so much was paid for by taxpayers. Did they really need to travel with a Marine Band and every servant, and two hundred crew members?
I remember how the Royals wanted the government, which is a true democracy to pay for the rehab of the ship, of course, the government said “no”, and the yacht was abandoned. It just shows how out of touch these people are from a normal life, that can be fun and interesting even if every whim is not catered too.
I was very curious to to see this ship, but came away a bit annoyed. In fact we left the boat before we finished.
Written 26 November 2023
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 touring The Royal Yacht Britannia. We are sorry to read that the tour was not your ‘cup of tea’.
Written 29 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Unexpected63
MANCHESTER32 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
I love the Royal Family so this was a real treat for me. The yacht is beautifully preserved and it’s so interesting to see how the Royal Family lived aboard I was amazed at the lack of luxury particularly in the Queen’s bedroom. Well worth a visit.
Written 25 November 2023
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 know that you had a worthwhile visit aboard The Royal Yacht Britannia, discovering what it was like to travel the globe by sea for the Royal Family and crew of Royal Yachtsmen. Our dedicated Maintenance and Housekeeping teams do work very hard to keep the Yacht looking shipshape. They will be pleased that you highlighted this in your review.
Written 29 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Noreen Greenacre
Coulsdon, UK3 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
Absolutely unmissable for anyone with a love of our British Royal family.
All the staff were - without exception - polite, helpful and friendly at this amazing ex-royal floating home that was so loved by our Queen Elizabeth ll and her family. The audio tour was 1st class and the food in the coffee shop on board was fit for a Queen.
Just one warning - if you are a royalist, prepare to possibly feel emotional as you see our wonderful Queen's office, bedroom and other private rooms.
Can 100% recommend this tourist attraction.
Written 24 November 2023
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 unmissable experience at The Royal Yacht Britannia with others. We are thrilled that you enjoyed meeting our team of friendly Visitor Assistants, they aim to provide every visitor with a memorable experience and will be delighted to receive a special mention in your review. Indeed, visitors do get to follow in the footsteps of Royalty as they explore the spaces used for work and leisure by the Royal Family and crew of Royal Yachtsmen. We are delighted to read that you enjoyed being treated like Royalty in our Royal Deck Tearoom and tasted the delicious food and drinks, made in our onboard Royal Galley. Thank you for your recommendation and five-star rating.
Written 29 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Xavier R
London, UK232 contributions
Sep 2023 • Solo
I visited the Royal Yacht Britannia on a sunny day in early September. I was lucky enough to see this graceful ship actually sailing in the Solent when I was young. It was now nice to actually be on board this wonderful looking ship. The layout is very impressive starting from the Bridge on the top deck and ending up in the engine room. The interior has a mixture of styles, some of the rooms felt very 1950's, while others were more 1970's. As you decend the ship, you get to see various dining rooms, crews quarters, laundry rooms, medical and various bars. The Britannia felt bigger than it actually is. A very enjoyable couple of hours, would definitely go again.
Written 23 November 2023
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 delightful experience touring The Royal Yacht Britannia. It is fantastic that you enjoyed exploring our five decks from the Bridge to the State Apartments, to the Engine Room. Britannia was built in the 1950s in a time of post war austerity, which visitors can see by the simple yet elegant furnishings on board that create the intended feeling of a country home afloat. We do hope that you will apply for an Annual Pass for 12 months free admission so you can follow in the footsteps of Royalty again!
Written 24 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

claire s
Liverpool, UK9 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
So much more than what we expected.
Really interesting and informative.
Loved the history of it all.
Even my husband who isn't a Royalist loved it for the history.
Well worth a visit.
Written 22 November 2023
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 read that your visit to The Royal Yacht Britannia exceeded your expectations. We are pleased that you and your husband enjoyed learning about the interesting Royal history of the Yacht. Thank you for your five-star review and for letting others know a visit to Britannia is worthwhile.
Written 23 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

mstephens7
Traverse City, MI100 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
This was a brilliant time touring the yacht. Exhibits, photos, everything tells an amazing story. Stope for tea or lunch after!
Written 21 November 2023
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 that you had a brilliant time discovering the story of Royal life aboard The Royal Yacht Britannia. Our Royal Deck Tearoom is indeed the perfect place to stop for a delicious lunch after your tour.
Written 24 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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ROYAL YACHT BRITANNIA: Tickets, Tours & Things to Know (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about Royal Yacht Britannia

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