Royal Yacht Britannia

Royal Yacht Britannia showing boating, interior views and heritage elements
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Glimpse the life of royalty in the elegant rooms of what was once the Queen of England's personal cruise liner and Britain's ambassadorial ship overseas.

The magnificent Royal Yacht Britannia, docked at Ocean Terminal, provides fascinating insight into the wealth and opulence enjoyed by Britain's head of state. The craft, which served the Windsors for over 44 years, is 412 feet (126 meters) long and classy from bow to stern. Follow in the footsteps of Britain's monarchs and explore the sumptuous bedrooms and gilded staircases.

The Britannia first launched in 1953 and served the Royal Family as a floating residence and for transportation to visit other nations. The yacht was used as both a venue for entertaining guests from around the world and a floating home for Queen Elizabeth II.

Start in the Visitor Centre in Ocean Terminal before boarding. Photos from the ship's history shed light on the legacy of the craft.

Visit five decks, which contain fancy dining rooms, servants’ quarters and Her Majesty's bed chamber. Imagine being the Queen's engineer in the shiny Engine Room and inspect the various dials and pistons. Other rooms below the decks include the Sick Bay and Galley.

The luxurious State Apartments offer even more clues about the life of a traveling monarch. See the Rolls-Royce that the Queen would have been chauffeured in around foreign nations and the dining room where other dignitaries and heads of state were entertained.

Use one of the audio guides, included in the ticket price and available in multiple languages, to learn about the gigantic vessel. Visiting families can choose tours with child-friendly narration.

Stop for an afternoon drink or a light lunch in the on-deck tearoom, which was once the dining room of royalty. Enjoy a cup of tea served in fine china, with views over the water to accompany your refreshments.

To get here, take a bus to Ocean Terminal, which is a 2-minute walk from the yacht. Free parking is available for drivers. Your ticket to the Royal Yacht Britannia, which is open every day of the year except Christmas and New Year's Day, entitles you to apply for a free annual pass that means you can visit again and again.

Reviews of Royal Yacht Britannia

4.6
Top destination
5 - Excellent
231
" "5 - Excellent 67.54385964912281%
4 - Good
80
" "4 - Good 23.391812865497077%
3 - Okay
26
" "3 - Okay 7.60233918128655%
2 - Disappointing
5
" "2 - Disappointing 1.4619883040935673%
1 - Terrible
0
" "1 - Terrible 0%

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
17 Dec 2019

Note that you can convert your ticket to an annual one at no cost. Cafe very good (and a bit pricy) but does get busy although the (limited) range of food is excellent. Staff superb.

5/5 - Excellent

Ishbel
12 Aug 2019

Parking in multi-storey car park alongside Britannia is easy to reach and free.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
9 Aug 2019

Excellent place to visit, All staff very friendly and professional

5/5 - Excellent

Dave
4 Aug 2019

This is a bit out of central Edinburgh so you'll need to get the bus if you're near the centre. You have to go through a shopping centre to get to the ticket office.

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller
18 May 2019

Hotel staff v helpful, told me which bus to catch, and gave me a 10% discount card

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
11 May 2019

Great to see. Well worth it.Easy bus route and shops near by

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