Edinburgh Tour Help/Advice

[Worldtraveler 4727]

We are two couples looking for a recommended SMALL tour company --or individual person--to show us Edinburgh and area.

We are interested in visiting Stirling Castle, possibly Loch Lomand, Trossachs Natl Park, and touring the highlights of the city of Edinburgh a bit. 

Is there any other particular places/areas that we should consider visiting in and around Edinburgh?

Is there a particular company or individual that someone can recommend for the four of us?

Thanks in advance!

[tartanexile81]

I cannot recommend any tours but often the best way to find recommendations is to read reviews. There are several on the Princess Cruises board as well as this one. I often use TripAdvisor for tour operators in the ports I'm visiting. Obviously I read lots of reviews, check they're authentic  and see if I can find what I am looking for, that is highly rated by a broad spread of people. 

 

How many days will you be in Edinburgh? Obviously this is more than a port of call. 

[Worldtraveler 4727]

9 minutes ago, tartanexile81 said:

I cannot recommend any tours but often the best way to find recommendations is to read reviews. There are several on the Princess Cruises board as well as this one. I often use TripAdvisor for tour operators in the ports I'm visiting. Obviously I read lots of reviews, check they're authentic  and see if I can find what I am looking for, that is highly rated by a broad spread of people. 

 

How many days will you be in Edinburgh? Obviously this is more than a port of call. 

I have been reading ENDLESS Trip Advisor reviews and CC trips reports of the British Isles. 

I am looking for recent firsthand experiences with a particular company or individual. I have emails out to two individuals and Timberbush and am waiting to hear back.

We will be in port one day 7am - 7pm

Edited January 12, 2019 by Worldtraveler 4727

[tartanexile81]

17 minutes ago, Worldtraveler 4727 said:

I have been reading ENDLESS Trip Advisor reviews and CC trips reports of the British Isles. 

I am looking for recent firsthand experiences with a particular company or individual. I have emails out to two individuals and Timberbush and am waiting to hear back.

We will be in port one day 7am - 7pm

 

Timberbush is one of the biggest tour companies so might not be quite what you need, although cruisers seem to like them, as well as a similar company, Rabbie's. 

 

Did you know Edinburgh has 4 ports? You will at best be able to have a quick drive round Edinburgh if you're docked at Newhaven or Leith, but it would be a no go if you were at Rosyth or South Queensferry. You can find out where you will be docking if you check here: www.cruiseforth.com. Travel in Scotland once you get away from the cities will not be on wide highways and in the tourist areas moving around can be quite slow at peak times so you may not achieve as much as you would hope. Loch Lomond is one area in particular that can be very congested. You'd definitely be better off in a car for just the 4 of you. 

 

Stirling, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs would be a lovely day out but it would be a pity not to spend time exploring  our beautiful city, Scotland's capital. Is Edinburgh your only Scottish port?

Edited January 12, 2019 by tartanexile81

[Worldtraveler 4727]

Princess has already stated we will dock in South Queensferry. 

We will have already seen Stirling and Loch Lomond when we visit Glasgow (we will travel to Edinburg for the Tattoo)

Other ports in Scotland are: Kirkwall and Invergordon.

I am hoping to find a reasonable priced private tour for 4 that would include the outlying area like Trossachs and also would like to walk the Royal Mile and be introduced to some great pubs for food and drink.

I am not sure if we are interested in Holyrood or Britannia. Would like a peak at St Andrews if it is near/on the way

[tartanexile81]

Princess is one of the few lines that actually identifies which port you will be docking at. Many people don't realise there is a choice in Edinburgh!!  A member of our volunteer group usually comes onboard in Invergordon and gives a talk after sailaway with lots of detail about getting around from South Queensferry.

 

I'm very sorry that I mis-understood where you hoped to visit. I thought you were  intending to visit Loch Lomond, the Trossachs and Stirling Castle from Edinburgh. Nevertheless, Edinburgh, St Andrews and the Trossachs are in different directions from South Queensferry. Also, as it is a tender port it can take some time to get to shore, depending on your loyalty status, how long it takes for border control to approve everything and for the crew to get the tenders to shore.

 

 Is there no possibility you could do The Trossachs and Loch Lomond  from Greenock as they are part of the same National Park?   St Andrews is 43 miles from Edinburgh and would probably take 75 minutes from SQ. It would then take at least 90 minutes to get to Edinburgh. It could even take more as it is during the Festival and as a local I don't use my car during August getting to and from the city, You would need to allow at lest an hour to get back safely before the last tender as you will be travelling during the rush hour when all the commuters head home.   Lots to think about. Just trying to give a local perspective but I will leave it now for others to comment  

Edited January 12, 2019 by tartanexile81

[Worldtraveler 4727]

Thank you for your thoughts. It really is a blessing to be able to discuss geography with a local!

 

In rechecking my notes, I see that we will be seeing Loch Lomand, the Trossachs and Stirling castle as we go from Glasgow to Edinburgh (to the Tattoo that evening) Not quite sure how much time we'll have in Edinburgh before the show--I am thinking just enough time for some dinner and then off to the show. 

 

Considering we have that part of Scotland taken care of, what would you suggest we see? I'm not quite sure yet if we or the other couple is super interested in Edinburgh castle, Holyrood or Britannia. 

 

I definitely would like to see the Royal Mile and perhaps take a walking tour of Edinburgh to find some great pubs/food. Do you have any suggestions for these? 

Thank you for your time and thoughts!

[Cindy]

We used G&S Tours in Invergordon and Edinburgh...they were outstanding!

https://gandstours.co.uk/

 

 

 

 

[Host Bonjour]

On 1/12/2019 at 2:44 PM, Worldtraveler 4727 said:

Thank you for your thoughts. It really is a blessing to be able to discuss geography with a local!

 

In rechecking my notes, I see that we will be seeing Loch Lomand, the Trossachs and Stirling castle as we go from Glasgow to Edinburgh (to the Tattoo that evening) Not quite sure how much time we'll have in Edinburgh before the show--I am thinking just enough time for some dinner and then off to the show. 

 

Considering we have that part of Scotland taken care of, what would you suggest we see? I'm not quite sure yet if we or the other couple is super interested in Edinburgh castle, Holyrood or Britannia. 

 

I definitely would like to see the Royal Mile and perhaps take a walking tour of Edinburgh to find some great pubs/food. Do you have any suggestions for these? 

Thank you for your time and thoughts!

 

Edinburgh Castle is fascinating and wonderful to walk through, you can have a guide take you through or use the audio on your own. So much incredible history and the structure itself is magnificent as is the position it has overlooking the city, both the “new” and “old” views. Heading up there would also grant you a wander up along the Royal Mile...in itself quite abother great experience - when I saw all these little, well tiny things called a “close” that ran off the mile and read the signs and learned about the old town living....you just need to see. . 

 

Also, Edinburgh....so very different from Glasgow. You’re young to want to have that experience, without a doubt. Don’t miss the opportunity. 

 

As for Holyrood, yes you can probably skip that if there isn’t time (versus the castle) and you really do NOT need a tour to do Edinburgh city on your own...very compact and doable on your own. Do pop into St Giles Cathdrral if you’ve got a little time. Head down over to Princes Street too by St Stephens (or you can maybe just see it from the Castle promontory) for a stroll. 

 

Enjoy your visit and experiences whatever you decide 🙂 

[PAsailors2]

On 1/12/2019 at 2:44 PM, Worldtraveler 4727 said:

In rechecking my notes, I see that we will be seeing Loch Lomand, the Trossachs and Stirling castle as we go from Glasgow to Edinburgh (to the Tattoo that evening)

We are planning for the Tattoo 2020 onboard Regal Princess.  It sounds like you purchased your tickets privately rather than through your ship.  The prices for the excursion through the ship seem very high.  What tour company did you book to get to see all these places along the way? Also, how did you procure your tickets for the Tattoo?

Thanks much

[Worldtraveler 4727]

I RARELY book any excursions through the ship. 

A woman on our roll call has booked a bus through Clyde Coast Tourism. The bus will hold 34 people and will take us from Glasgow, the port, to the places mentioned above, and then back to the ship after the Tattoo at a cost of 60 GBP per person**. In addition, a lovely woman by the name of Catriona Stevenson answers all inquiries very quickly at Clyde Coast Tourism, and as an added service of theirs, purchased the Tattoo tickets for us when they became available. Catriona is a dream to work with. We paid for the bus and then the Tattoo tickets directly with Catriona. If you would like to contact her, you can tell her that you would like to hear about the same tour that "Virginia's group" booked for this year's stop in Glasgow (Greenock), which is the port from which we will travel to see the sites and then attend the Tattoo in Edinburgh on August 10, 2019.

**The cost of the bus does not include the Tattoo tickets nor entrance fee to Stirling castle.

I hope that answers your questions?

[PAsailors2]

On 2/9/2019 at 4:40 PM, Worldtraveler 4727 said:

I RARELY book any excursions through the ship. 

A woman on our roll call has booked a bus through Clyde Coast Tourism. The bus will hold 34 people and will take us from Glasgow, the port, to the places mentioned above, and then back to the ship after the Tattoo at a cost of 60 GBP per person**. In addition, a lovely woman by the name of Catriona Stevenson answers all inquiries very quickly at Clyde Coast Tourism, and as an added service of theirs, purchased the Tattoo tickets for us when they became available. Catriona is a dream to work with. We paid for the bus and then the Tattoo tickets directly with Catriona. If you would like to contact her, you can tell her that you would like to hear about the same tour that "Virginia's group" booked for this year's stop in Glasgow (Greenock), which is the port from which we will travel to see the sites and then attend the Tattoo in Edinburgh on August 10, 2019.

**The cost of the bus does not include the Tattoo tickets nor entrance fee to Stirling castle.

I hope that answers your questions?

Yes! Thank you so much for your detailed information.  Hope you have a wonderful time. 

Anne