The Royal Yacht Britannia: Worth a Visit?
Is the Royal Yacht Britannia worth a visit? Step aboard! The Late Queen’s former floating palace and experience this iconic 5 star attraction for yourself. Rated Scotland’s Best Attraction for 12 years running and in TripAdvisor’s UK Top 10 for the last 5 years, Britannia is one of the most famous ships in the world. Sailing a million miles on a thousand official visits, during 40 years in service, the Royal Yacht played host to glittering state banquets and official receptions, but was also home to the Royal Family and crew of 220 Royal Yachtsmen.
What Guides Don’t Tell You About the Royal Yacht Britannia
Britannia consistently wins “Scotland’s Best Attraction” awards, and for good reason. But the experience varies wildly depending on when you go and how you approach it. Here’s what the brochure won’t mention.
- Go on a weekday morning in the off-season for the real experience. In summer, Britannia gets over 2,000 visitors a day. In November or February, you might have entire decks to yourself. The intimacy of standing alone in the Queen’s bedroom is worth timing your visit for.
- The Royal Deck Tea Room is the best-kept secret at Ocean Terminal. Most visitors rush through after the tour. The tea room on the upper deck serves afternoon tea with views across the Forth. Book it when you buy your ticket — it sells out before lunch.
- Don’t skip the engine room. Many visitors turn around after the State Apartments. The engine room below decks shows how 240 Royal Yachtsmen lived and worked — it’s a completely different world from the polished rooms above and far more interesting.
- Combine with a walk along Leith waterfront. After Britannia, walk 10 minutes along the Shore in Leith for some of Edinburgh’s best restaurants. The Kitchin and Timberyard are there, along with dozens of excellent pubs the tourist crowds never find.
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But is she worth a visit?
History buffs will be interested to know that Britannia was built in 1953, just in time for The Queen’s coronation. She cost £6.2 million to build (the equivalent of £120 million today) and was decommissioned in 1997 after 44 years of active service.
During her time as a royal vessel, she played host to numerous dignitaries including Sir Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Greta Garbo, Marilyn Monroe and The Beatles.
The Queen and Prince Philip spent every Christmas on board Britannia along with their children and grandchildren – often sailing to warmer climes such as Gibraltar for the Christmas period.
In 1982, The Prince & Princess of Wales brought their newborn baby Prince William home from hospital to meet his grandparents on board Britannia.
Nowadays, she operates as a five-star visitor attraction and restaurant docked permanently in Edinburgh‘s historic Leith harbour.
Visitors can explore all five decks as well as enjoy afternoon tea or lunch served in one of Britannia’s former State rooms whilst enjoying magnificent views across Edinburgh’s skyline and Firth of Forth.
So is Britannia worth a visit?
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We think so! She may not be sailing the seas anymore but she still has plenty of stories to tell – not to mention the best views in Edinburgh!
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A Traveller’s Perspective
The Royal Yacht Britannia is one of those attractions that sounds like it might be a bit dull on paper but turns out to be genuinely fascinating. I went in expecting polished brass and roped-off corridors, and what I got was a surprisingly intimate look at how the Royal Family actually lived at sea. The crew quarters are just as interesting as the State rooms — possibly more so.
Book your visit for first thing in the morning, ideally on a weekday. The audio guide is included and worth using — it is well-paced and does not drone on. Allow about two hours. Afterwards, walk through the Ocean Terminal shopping centre to the Royal Deck Tea Room on board for a scone and a cup of tea. If you are visiting Edinburgh with older relatives or anyone with limited mobility, Britannia is an excellent choice — it is fully accessible and indoors.
Standing on the bridge deck looking out over the Firth of Forth, you get a real sense of scale. The teak decks still smell of wood oil, the engine room still carries the faint tang of machine grease, and the whole ship has a quiet solidity to it. It is not flashy or overdone — it feels like stepping into a working vessel that happened to carry a queen.
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