Our full collection of travel blog posts. Our Departure Board is where we (Andrew and Damon) provide useful travel advice and reviews on hotels, experiences, theme parks, food, transportation and more.

A Visitors Guide to The Royal Yacht Britannia

Launched in 1953, The Royal Yacht Britannia served the Royal Family for nearly 50 years, until it’s decommissioning in 1997. Aside from the Royal Family, the yacht also welcomed a number of high profile politicians and celebrities, including Frank Sinatra, Liz Taylor, Nelson Mandela and Sir Winston Churchill.

Being based near Edinburgh, I was amazed when I discovered that Damon had never visited. I hadn’t been in nearly 10 years so one rainy weekend we decided to take the full tour and enjoy the tea room.

Our Departure Board - Royal Yacht Britannia

  • Location and Getting There

Opening Times

Ticket types and prices, royal deck tea room, location and getting there.

The Britannia is permanently berthed at Ocean Terminal, Leith just north of Edinburgh city centre.

Parking At Royal Yacht Britannia

Parking is free at Ocean Terminal if you’re taking a car. The blue car park, level E, is closest to the Visitor Centre.

You can find the Visitor Centre on the 2nd floor of the shopping centre, towards the Debenhams end.

The easiest way of getting there is by using Google Maps . Alternatively, use the postcode EH6 6JJ or follow signs for Leith, then the brown Royal Yacht Britannia signs.

The 11, 22 or 35 Lothian Bus services will take you to the Britannia from the city centre of Edinburgh. Tickets can be purchased with correct change on the bus (no contactless payment option), online , from the Lothian Buses m-tickets app or from a preloaded citysmart card.

UberX, UberXL and Exec are available in and around Edinburgh. Prices vary but use our Uber code: andrewy2730ue or sign up here to get a free ride.

The Britannia

The Britannia is open all year round, with the exception of the 25th of December and the 1st of January.

Admission Times are also dependent on the season:

Our Departure Board - Royal Yacht Britannia Opening Times

*Last admission is 2:30pm on December 24th and 3pm on December 31st.

For updated opening times, check out this page on the official website.

The Royal Deck Tea Room

Our Departure Board - Royal Yacht Britannia - Royal Deck Tea Room Opening Times

**The Royal Yacht Britannia is closed on December 25th and January 1st. Last admission to the Royal Deck Tea Room is 2:45pm on December 24th and 3pm on December 31st.

Ticket prices remain the same all year round. We’d recommend booking through Viator .

There are a range of ticket types available, including discounts for senior citizens (60+), children (5-17), students and members of the armed forces (with identification).

Our Departure Board - Royal Yacht Britannia Admission Prices

Your ticket will grant you access to the visitor centre, the yacht itself (self guided tour with included audio guide) and the Royal Deck Tea Room.

Groups of 15 or more get access to special rates which you can find more information about here .

Once you’ve purchased your ticket, you can apply for a free annual pass (just ask at the till), allowing you to visit during the following 12 months. The Annual Pass will also entitle you to a 15% discount at the tea room and the gift shop.

The Annual Pass is a great idea, especially if you’re considering a return visit to the tea room. We’ll talk in more detail about the Tea Room later on but for now I’ll just say a return visit might be likely.

Audio Guide

After purchasing your ticket at the till, you’ll first take a walk through the Britannia Visitor centre where a short exhibition will tell you about the history of the ship.

After that, you’ll get given your audio guide , which is available in 30 languages:

English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Russian, Czech, Polish, Hungarian, Korean, Japanese, Urdu, Mandarin, Hindi, Arabic, Thai, Turkish, Cantonese, Punjabi, Portuguese-Brazilian, Welsh, Romanian and Gaelic.

There are also English audio guides available for children, visually impaired visitors and for those with learning disabilities. For those with hearing difficulties, a British Sign Language tablet or printed script can be provided.

The tour of the ship itself lasts approximately one hour.

You will get to see the full five decks of the ship.

Near the top of the ship, towards the stern you can find the teak-lined sun lounge. This was a private family room where The Queen would enjoy afternoon tea.

Our Departure Board - Royal Yacht Britannia - Sun Room

The state dining room, the largest room on board, hosted royalty, prime ministers and presidents. Sir Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher were all entertained in this venue.

The room is still actively used as an events space and can accommodate up to 196 dinner guests.

Our Departure Board - Royal Yacht Britannia - State Dining Room

One of the surprises on the tour was the freshly made fudge, which you could sample for free on one of the lower decks.

Our Departure Board - Royal Yacht Britannia - Fudge

When Damon and I thought about going to tour the Britannia, we read that there was a tea room on board. We didn’t, in all honesty, expect much, based on our experience with most museum cafés. But this completely surprised us.

The Royal Deck Team Room sits in a beautiful glass box on Britannia’s top deck, with stunning views over the Forth and the bridges in the distance.

Our Departure Board - Royal Yacht Britannia - Royal Deck Tea Room External Glass Box

The menu offers a range of soups, sandwiches and cakes. You can also choose from a selection of teas, coffees, alcoholic (wine, champagne, whisky, cocktails etc.) and non-alcoholic soft drinks.

Damon and I both opted for the Britannia Special (a soup and sandwich platter). Everything on the plate was delicious, from the Cullen Skink soup to the chicken sandwich and the smoked paprika potato wedges.

Our Departure Board - Royal Yacht Britannia - Royal Deck Tea Room Soup and Sandwich

The whole experience, from the view to the food and the silverware really surpassed our expectations.

Is Afternoon Tea Served On The Royal Yacht Britannia?

No traditional afternoon tea is served in the Royal Deck Tea Room aboard the Britannia. Instead, it is served aboard the Fingal (see below). There are instead 3 specials options in the tea room:

Moët Cream Tea Special For Two: Bottle of Moët Imperial NV plus a sandwich (from their list) and a scone or slice of cake. Loose-leaf tea or coffee is included - £57.50

Cream Tea Special For One: Pot of loose-leaf tea or coffee, plus a sandwich (from their list), a scone or slice of cake and a glass of sparkling Rosé - £26 (£28 for Moët Imperial NV option)

Britannia Special: Soup and a sandwich. Served with paprika potato wedges and garlic mayonnaise - £15.95

Cost Of Afternoon Tea On The Fingal

Afternoon tea is served on board the Fingal (Britannia’s sister ship also docked in Port Leith - 10 mins walk from the Britannia).

The afternoon tea costs £40 per head and includes a selection of sweet and savoury delicacies.

accessibility

A central lift makes the Britannia accessible on all levels and accommodates wheelchair users or those with specific access needs.

Ocean Terminal, where you gain entry to the Britannia, has disabled Parking on every level and lifts connect each floor.

Recognised assistance dogs are welcome on board.

For further information, check out this page on the official Royal Yacht Britannia website.

Take The Tour In The Morning

A morning tour will likely be quieter than an afternoon tour. Naturally, the ship has some close quarters so the less people the better.

Buy Tickets online To Skip The Queue

If you purchase your ticket online, you won’t have to wait at the till. On peak days, especially during summer, this can save you a lot of time. Tickets are priced exactly the same.

Don’t Miss It If your Cruise is Berthed Nearby

Cruise ships regularly dock in Leith. The Britannia Visitor Centre is likely only a 5 minutes walk from your cruise ship.

Take Advantage Of Free Parking At Ocean Terminal

You wouldn’t normally see ‘Edinburgh’ and ‘Free Parking’ in the same sentence so take full advantage if it’s the easiest way to get there for you. Ocean Terminal, Blue Car Park, Level E.

Take Advantage of The Free Annual Pass

We only discovered this was an option after our visit. When we ate in the tea room, we thought we’d like to go back but we didn’t want to have to pay full admission again for the privilege. This, for 12 months at least, solves that problem.

The Royal Yacht Britannia is consistently rated one of the top tourist attractions in Scotland and, after my return visit and Damon’s 1st visit, we could see why. Have you visited the Royal Yacht Britannia? Or do you have any questions before your trip? Let us know in the comments down below.

Edinburgh Trams: A Comprehensive Guide and FAQs

In this complete and comprehensive guide to the Edinburgh Tram network, we’ll be answering a list of FAQs and sharing our experience on board the service.

Hilton Edinburgh Carlton - A Comprehensive Review

A comprehensive guide and review to the Hilton Edinburgh Carlton. Covering a stay in a King Junior Suite, the dining options and use of the Executive Lounge.

How To Travel From Edinburgh Airport To The City

How to get from Edinburgh Airport to Edinburgh City Centre. We’ll be covering the cheap, the fast and the hassle free options.

Our Departure Board

Andrew and Damon: Our Departure Board Travel Blog

Hi there, we’re Andrew and Damon, married Disney aficionados, Hilton Diamond members and founders of Our Departure Board.

We have the ambitious goal of providing you with the most honest, fair and comprehensive travel guides and reviews on the internet.

Support Our Work

If you obtain value from our blog, please consider booking or buying with one of our affiliate partners at no extra cost to you.

Hilton OurDepartureBoard Affiliate

  • Netherlands

This site uses affiliate links. We only link to products or services we have used or experienced ourselves.

We are also a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com .

is the royal yacht britannia open all year

Get In Touch: [email protected]

Disclaimer Page and Policies

Capital Matters | Deal Frontier | World Tip Calculator

© 2019-2024 Our Departure Board

IMAGES

  1. Royal Yacht Britannia

    is the royal yacht britannia open all year

  2. Where is Royal Yacht Britannia now?

    is the royal yacht britannia open all year

  3. The Royal Yacht Britannia Official Website

    is the royal yacht britannia open all year

  4. Her Majesty's Yacht Britannia, also known as the Royal Yacht Britannia

    is the royal yacht britannia open all year

  5. All About the Royal Yacht Britannia Featured on The Crown Season 5

    is the royal yacht britannia open all year

  6. The Royal Yacht Britannia: A History of Queen Elizabeth II’s Favorite

    is the royal yacht britannia open all year

VIDEO

  1. A TOUR OF THE ROYAL YACHT BRITANNIA

  2. Great British Royal Ships: Royal Yacht Britannia

  3. Get an inside look at Queen Elizabeth II’s Royal Yacht Britannia

  4. Royal Yacht Britannia: Aboard the Floating Palace (2023)

  5. A tour of Queen Elizabeth II's Royal Yacht Britannia

  6. Royal Yacht Britannia Launched by Elizabeth II, Twin Towers Open and more

COMMENTS

  1. A Visitors Guide to The Royal Yacht Britannia

    The Royal Yacht Britannia is scheduled to be closed 4, 5 & 6 November for planned building works beyond our control. Open Today. 10am - 3:30pm. Buy tickets. Find Us: Plan Your Visit. Ticket information, opening times and more. Read More. Buy Tickets. Pre-book your tickets to …

  2. FAQ's

    The Royal Yacht Britannia is scheduled to be closed 4, 5 & 6 November for planned building works beyond our control. Ocean Terminal is currently undergoing redevelopment, adding new …

  3. Best UK Attraction

    Opening Times. *The Royal Yacht Britannia is scheduled to be closed 9 & 10 October and 4, 5 & 6 November for planned building works beyond our control. The last admission to the Royal Yacht on 24 December is 2:30pm. The Royal …

  4. FAQs / Help

    The Royal Yacht Britannia is scheduled to be closed 4, 5 and 6 November for planned building works beyond our control. The last admission to the Royal Yacht on 24 December is 2:30pm. …

  5. Royal Yacht Britannia Facts Everyone Should …

    How to Visit the Royal Britania. You can visit the Britannia any day of the year on Edinburgh’s waterfront. Hours vary by season, and you can find them listed and purchase tickets on the yacht’s website.

  6. Royal Yacht Britannia

    Royal Yacht Britannia. 23,774 reviews. #1 of 596 things to do in Edinburgh. Speciality MuseumsShips. Closed now. 10:00 AM - 3:30 PM. Write a review. About. Step aboard Queen Elizabeth II’s former floating palace and experience …

  7. Royal Yacht Britannia

    Royal Yacht Britannia opening times. During the peak months of April to October, Royal Yacht Britannia opens at 9.30 am, and the last entry is at 4.30 pm. The rest of the year, the Royal Yacht opens at 10 am, and the last …