Welcome to the Kirkwall Cruise Port Guide. Kirkwall is a small town with about 9000 inhabitants. It is the administration centre of the Orkney islands. At first sight it might look like the town has little to offer, but this is to the contrary. This is a charming old town that is easy to explore by foot. Kirkwall is the heart of the Orkney islands just off the coast of Scotland. The Orkney islands are a unique archipelago that counts 70 islands. Only 30 of them are actually inhabited. All together there are about 20.000 people that live on the Orkney islands. The vikings already left their language, buildings and genes on the island, but its history goes further back than that. They say the Orkney islands contain the densest concentration of archeological sites in Great Britain. These islands have been inhabited for thousands of years. The neolithic people started to leave their traces about 5000 years ago. Of all the archeological sites the 4 most well known are commonly referred to as the “Neolithic heart of Orkney”. They are listed on the UNESCO world heritage list because of their extreme beauty and educational value. ‘ The archeological sites, distillery, castles and old town is what makes Kirkwall a great cruise destination. Find out where your ship will dock or drop anchor underneath and what there is to see and do on the island.
Travel information United Kingdom
Official currency – Pound Sterling
Accepts Us dollars – are usually not accepted
Creditcards – are widely accepted
Drives on the – left
Timezone – UTC
About Scotland
Inhabitants – 5,3 million
Official language – English
Capital city – Edinburgh
Scotland
Government – Devolved parliamentary legislature within constitutional monarchy
Cruise Port Guide Kirkwall – Scotland
Your ship will either dock or drop anchor at Kirkwall. If you dock, you will dock at the Hatston pier. Check what the plan is for your ship on: http://www.orkneyharbours.com
This Hatston dock is about 2,5 km / 1,5 mile from the city centre. In most cases the port will provide a shuttle service into town. This information will also be available on: http://www.orkneyharbours.com. These busses are wheelchair accessible. They often go to the tourist information centre in town. At the dock you will find a representative of the tourist information and taxis.
If your ship is planned to drop anchor in the bay and tender you to shore with the lifeboats you will arrive right in the centre of town. At the tender pier you will find a representative of the tourist information, taxis and public transportation close by.
Tourist information in town
Their is a tourist information centre in town that offers excellent facilities. They have souvenirs, brochures and lots of information on transportation options. See the map above for the exact location of the visitors centre.
Public Transportation in Kirkwall
The city bus T11 is a great bus service to visit some of the sites out of town. There are only 1 or 2 departures a day and therefore with a cruise ship in town it can be quite crowded. Keep in mind: first come, first serve. Pay 8 pound to the driver. The bus leaves at the tourist information centre in town at about 10 am and 2 pm. The total round takes about 3,5 hours.
Taxis in Kirkwall
There is a limited amount of taxis available at the pier in Kirkwall. Negotiate a price before you get in. Expect you will pay approximately 35 pound per hour to hire a taxi.
Car Rental
Exploring Orkney by car is an excellent way. Therefore renting a car is not a bad idea at all. There are however a very limited amount of cars for rent in Kirkwall. Therefore we highly recommend to book a car sooner rather than later. Try JD Peace and Co or WR Tullock and Sons.
Wi-fi
There is wi-fi available at the Kirkwall hotel and other restaurants/cafes in town.
Shopping
The best place to go for souvenirs and shopping would be Albert Str. Find your yarn, handicrafts and lovely boutiques here.
Distance from the tender pier (add 1,5 mile if your ship will dock at the Hatston pier)
St. Magnus Cathedral – 0,5 mile from the pier
Earl’s bishop’s palace – 0,5 mile from the pier
Ring of Brodgar = 11,5 mile west
Standing Stones of Stenness = 10,5 mile west
Skara Brae = 17 mile west
Skaill House = 17 mile west
Scapa Flow = 16 mile south, including ferry ride
Also visit our cruise port guides for:
