Leith-Edinburgh (Newhaven-Rosyth-Queensferry, Scotland)

Edinburgh's principal cruise port is Port Leith, but some ships may alternatively stop at Newhaven (tender cruise port). Both seaports are located on Firth of Forth's southern shore. Firth of Forth (mainland Scotland) is River Forth's estuary. Aberdeen Harbour is approx 100 mi (160 km) away. Edinburgh is Scotland's capital city. By population (around 0,5 million, metro 1,35 million) it is ranked country's 2nd largest - after Glasgow. Edinburgh is also UNESCO World Heritage Site, attracting international and UK tourist with its historic sights, castles, numerous entertainment and activities options, the annual Edinburgh Festival.

Forth Ports (Edinburgh's cruise port operator company) manages a total of 7 UK seaport terminals and anchorages - Leith, Dundee, London-Tilbury, plus the anchorages Rosyth, South Queensferry and Newhaven (England). In 2018, Edinburgh received 114 cruise ship calls with 150,000+ tourists (passengers and crew). In 2019, the number grew to 155,000.

Port Leith (Edinburgh)

Port Leith (locode GBLEI) is to the northeast of Edinburgh City and is within the city's council area. Leith is one of Edinburgh's most profitable enterprises, with annual cargo shipping capacity 1.5+ million tons.

Leith Docks became Edinburgh's port in early-19th-century, when there were built numerous facilities serving the shipbuilding and ship repair industries. During 19th-century, Leith also became a major port serving Scotland's herring export trade.

Currently, Port Leith is Scotland's biggest enclosed (harbor) deepwater port, with capability to handle vessels up to 50,000 DWT (deadweight tons). Port Leith provides easy access to major roads in Scotland, including A1 highway, Edinburgh by-pass, M8 and M9. It offers road and rail connections and is perfectly located for North Sea shipping operations of any kind. Port's busy cruising season is March through October, with roundtrip itineraries offered mainly by large liners operated by Cunard, Princess, MSC, Costa.

In January 2023, the cruiseferry Tallink Victoria I (permanently berthed at Imperial Dock and being chartered by the Scottish government to house Ukrainian refugees) became Port Leith's first vessel to receive shore-power. The technology allows berthed vessels to switch off their diesel engines/electricity generators and instead use electricity from the city grid for their onboard hotel services. In this case, the ship was provided with electricity generated from non-fossil fuels (wind turbines).

In January 2023 was also completed the Port's electrical network extension (connection to the Harbour Berth) that now allows shore-power supply to offshore construction vessels homeported in Leith.

Port Rosyth (Edinburgh)

An alternative cruise port for Edinburgh is Port Rosyth (locode GBROY), but it is rarely used. Large-sized liners usually anchor near South Queensferry (opposite to Rosyth), from where their passengers are tendered ashore. Port Rosyth is located across Forth Railway Bridge, approx 35-min drive distance from Edinburgh's downtown. Rosyth is a ferry port used by Blue Star Ferries.

Next photo shows South Queensferry's cruise ship anchorage area.

South Queensferry (aka "The Ferry") is a small port town located approx 10 mi (16 km) to the northwest of Edinburgh downtown. The town is between Forth Railway Bridge and Forth Road Bridge. The prefix "South" is used to distinguish it from the town "North Queensferry". Both towns are named for the established by Queen Margaret (aka Margaret of Wessex, 1045-1093) ferry service between them. The service was discontinued in 1964, when the Forth Road Bridge was inaugurated.

Rosyth Dockyard is a naval dockyard owned and operated by Babcock Marine Ltd (2007-founded subsidiary of Babcock International Group / multinational corporation). Before the company's privatization in 1987, the large shipyard complex was named "Royal Naval Dockyard Rosyth" and was operated as British Government-owned and contractor-managed facility. In 1997, Babcock International purchased the shipyard. Currently, this is the shipbuilding yard for the UK's newest and largest aircraft carriers of the Queen Elizabeth-class.

In 2017, the Fred Olsen-owned ship Black Watch offered a total of 8 roundtrips from Rosyth (August 14 through October 14th). The itineraries included 7-night Norwegian Fjords, 10-night Northern European cities, 16-night Canary Islands and Madeira. Also roundtrip from Rosyth, in 2017, the company offered (for the first time ever) 2 river cruises (itineraries were themed "French Rivers" and "German Waterways").

According to statistical data provided by Peter Wilson (cruiseforth.com), for season 2019, from all the 110 scheduled to visit Edinburgh cruise liners, 34 were booked at Newhaven, 29 at Rosyth, 25 at Leith and 22 at Queensferry.

In October 2022 was announced the "Forth Green Freeport" project to transform Rosyth into a modern port, an advanced shipbuilding and manufacturing center as well as a major logistics hub. The project (budgeted ~GBP 1 billion/~EUR 1,14B) included the construction of a new cargo terminal, a new rail freight connection, manufacturing facilities for the marine renewable energy industry (offshore wind farms) and green power generation.

• Forth Green Freeport covers an area of ~150 hectares/~370 acres (sites within Rosyth and Burntisland) owned by the companies Babcock International Group plc, Forth Ports Ltd and Scarborough Muir Group Ltd.
• Forth Green Freeport's employment at Rosyth and Burntisland included ~7000 newly created local jobs in addition to ~50,000 new jobs across Scotland.

In July 2022, DFDS Seaways (Danish ferry company) signed with Ptarmigan Shipping an agreement for a new freight ferry route connecting Rosyth with Zeebrugge-Bruges Belgium (2023-opened)

In 2025-Q4 starts the DFDS service connecting Rosyth with Dunkirk France. The route is operated with 3x weekly return trips, each with a travel time of 20 hours.

Leith-Edinburgh cruise terminal

Leith-Edinburgh tours, shore excursions, hotels

City Tours and Shore Excursions

• Edinburgh castle: the castle is the most popular landmark in the city. It is two kilometres from Edinburgh cruise port. It is located on a volcanic rock’s top. The view from the highest point offers a panorama of the Firth of Forth and Fife. Inside you can see the Great Hall, the St Margaret’s Chapel and the Stone of Destiny.
• The Royal Mile: the one-mile long road connects the Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, both Royal Residences.
• Royal Botanic Garden: the second oldest (after Oxford’s) British botanic garden. It dates from 1670 and was originally medicinal plants garden. It is located in the north of the city and is amazing, especially in the spring time.
• Edinburgh Fringe Festival: the world’s largest art festival is held for three weeks every August.
• National Museum of Scotland: located on Chambers Street. It was reopened in July 2011 after a renovation for £47 million. It houses 16 galleries and displays more than 8,000 different objects.
• Camera Obscura: spend a really fun time! Located in Victorian rooftop chamber near the Edinburgh Castle’ entrance.