Cruise under the Forth Bridges on this award winning 1.5-hour sightseeing cruise. The cruise was recently voted one of the best things to do in Edinburgh, and will display many highlights of the region to you.

About this activity

Free cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance to receive a full refund
Covid-19 precautions: Special health and safety measures apply. Learn more
Reserve now & pay later: Keep your travel plans flexible—book your spot and pay nothing today. Learn more
Duration 1.5 hours: Check availability to see starting times.
Host or greeter: English

Highlights

Spot the abundance of seals, puffins, and other seabirds and wildlife
Enjoy breathtaking views as you cruise under the Forth Bridges
Listen to the full commentary detailing the rich history and wildlife on the Forth

Full description

Your tour will begin as you visit the booking office and gift shop to collect your boarding pass. From there, you will make your way onto Hawes Pier to board the boat and embark on your sightseeing cruise. Once the boat has departed Hawes Pier, there will be a brief safety message played to all passengers before the audio commentary begins. The journey then starts with the boat heading under the Red Forth Rail Bridge before continuing past the historic Inchgarvie Island towards Inchcolm Island. You can listen as the skipper points out seals, puffins, and other wildlife that can be found throughout the cruise. Once around Inchcolm Island, you can watch carefully for sunbathing seals on the Haystack before the cruise continues back under the Red Rail Bridge towards the Forth Road Bridge and the recently opened Queensferry Crossing. Once under these majestic bridges, the boat will cruise back to Hawes Pier where you will be free to disembark.

Includes

The price is for the 1.5-hour sightseeing cruise only
Commentary translations, available from the booking office

Food and drinks
Binocular rental (please request from staff)

Not suitable for

Wheelchair users

Covid-19 precautions

Safety measures in place

All areas that customers touch are frequently cleaned
The number of visitors is limited to reduce crowds

Meeting point

Please make your way to the brick building at the top of Hawes Pier to collect your boarding passes, these must be collected before departure. Failure to do so may result in missing the cruise.

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Important information

What to bring

Warm clothing

Not allowed

Unaccompanied minors

Know before you go

There is a short ramp from the pier to the boat, followed by 2 shallow steps into the boat
There is a threshold step of 30 centimeters from the back to the front of the boat
The boat has a bar serving hot/cold/alcoholic drinks
There are both male/female toilets onboard
Please note, this trip is non refundable within 24 hours of travel. All booking changes made within 24 hours will be subject to a £5 administration charge

Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.8 /5

based on 292 reviews

Review summary

Guide
4.8/5
Transportation
4.8/5
Value for money
4.8/5
Safety
4.7/5

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A brilliant trip with amazing scenery and a close up look at some of the wildlife. My 3yr and 1yr old children loved every minute of the trip (their first time on a boat!) The only down side is the parking. Not a lot of parking available, and could end up with a lengthy walk. Apart from that, the trip itself was a great experience.

June 21, 2022

A good trip and very informative, it would have been good to have been given the option to get off at Incholme Island as wasn’t aware this was an option but would have wanted more information as to what there is to do on the Island. Enjoyed seeing all 3 bridges and the seals

June 18, 2022

A really fun trip. Bridges spectacular. You can also land on Inishcolm Island for a couple of hours. (Recommended) Very easy to access Hawes pier. The 43 bus from St Andrews house or Princes st in Edinburgh to Bankhead cottages Just after Dalmany village. 8 minute walk down the road to pier. Very straightforward Buggy friendly. Alternative route down from rail station through woods is narrow in parts and has lots of steps.

June 5, 2022

Queensferry: 1.5-Hour Maid of the Forth Sightseeing Cruise

Queensferry: 1.5-Hour Maid of the Forth Sightseeing Cruise

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