Pick-up and drop-off included6 h
6 hCruise Ship Orkney Day Tour
★ 5.0 · 15 reviews
- Six hours, Pick-up and drop-off included
- Fully electric vehicle
- Likely to sell out
- Free cancellation
$249$41.50 / hour
Check availability→ Shore day on the islands
Orkney tours from cruise ship calls: four that fit a port day
Four Orkney tours from cruise ship passengers can book on this site say so in their own listings: one private day with pick-up and drop-off in the price, one with collection from your ship, one that drops you at the cruise port, and one private guide for up to three. Here is where each meets you, how long it runs and what you pay, from $157 per person.
Quick answer
The short answer. For the one listing written for ship passengers, book the $249 private day: six hours, pick-up and drop-off included, rated 5.0 by 15 reviewers. For the lowest fare, the $157 West Mainland day, rated 4.9 across 275 reviews, which can drop you at the cruise port at the end. For a shared van of up to seven that can collect you from the ship, the $225 beaches and cliffs day.
Orkney tours from cruise ship days at a glance
- Tours that name ships or the port
- 4 of 11on this site
- Price
- From $157per person
- Length
- 5 to 6 hoursby the listings
- Pick-up in the price
- 2 private toursone names Kirkwall
- Collection from the ship
- 1 shared tourup to 7 people
- Drop-off at the cruise port
- 1 shared tour«if required»
- Largest group
- 14 guestsWest Mainland day
- Reviews
- 361across these four
- Not for ship passengers
- The ferry daystarts 15 miles from the cruise port
- Cancellation
- Free cancellationreserve now, pay later
Who these tours are for
Four listings that talk about your ship
Four of eleven listings name ships or the port. The rest start on the mainland or at the ferry.
Eleven tours on this site cover the islands, but most start at a bus stop in Inverness, a square in Edinburgh or the ferry terminal in Stromness. Only four of the Orkney tours from cruise ship passengers would look at mention ships, the port or shore excursions in their own words, and those four are on this page.
The private day at $249 calls itself «perfect for cruise passengers» and includes pick-up and drop-off. The $225 beaches and cliffs day says «I can collect you directly from your cruise ship on arrival». The $157 West Mainland day starts at the Kirkwall Travel Centre and ends there «or get dropped off at the cruise port if required». The $1,316 private odyssey lists «cruise shore excursions» among the people it is made for.
Tour by tour
What each port-day tour gives you
Lengths, group sizes and stops as each listing gives them. All four of these Orkney tours from cruise ship calls are guided in English.
- Private cruise day, $249 per person, 6 hours
A guided day through 5,000 years of history, from Neolithic monuments and Viking heritage to the wartime past, in a fully electric vehicle. Private to your group and wheelchair accessible. The listing publishes no route, so you shape the stops with the guide.
- West Mainland day, $157 per person, 6 hours
Up to 14 guests. A guided 85 minutes at Skara Brae, 40 minutes at the Ring of Brodgar, a photo stop at the Stones of Stenness, the Yesnaby cliffs, the Earl’s Palace at Birsay and a farm museum. Starts at Stand 5, Kirkwall Travel Centre.
- Beaches and cliffs, $225 per person, 6 hours
Up to 7 in a shared van. Scapa Beach, Waukmill Bay, Stromness, the Yesnaby cliffs and the Bay of Skaill, then the Ring of Brodgar and the Stones of Stenness as optional stops. The listing says it suits people with mobility issues.
- Private odyssey, $1,316 per group of up to 3, 5 hours
Pick-up in Kirkwall and a guide who moves at your pace. A guided hour at Skara Brae, 45 minutes at the Ring of Brodgar, 20 at the Stones of Stenness, plus Unstan cairn, Yesnaby and Scapa. The Italian Chapel is optional, at an extra fee.
Every port-day tour, current fare
Orkney tours from cruise ship days, priced side by side
The four tours that name ships or the port, plus the ferry day that does not suit ship passengers. No listing here says entry fees or meals are in the price, except where shown.
| Tour | Price | Price is for | Length | What the price covers | Where it meets you | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private cruise day | $249 | per person | 6 h | Private guide, electric vehicle, pick-up and drop-off. No route published | Pick-up included; place not stated | 5.0 · 15 |
| West Mainland day | $157 | per person | 6 h | Guide, up to 14 guests, 85 minutes at Skara Brae, Brodgar, Stenness, Yesnaby | Stand 5, Kirkwall Travel Centre; cruise port drop-off if required | 4.9 · 275 |
| Beaches and cliffs | $225 | per person | 6 h | Guide, up to 7, beaches, Yesnaby, Bay of Skaill, optional stones | Can collect you from your cruise ship | 4.8 · 21 |
| Private odyssey | $1,316 | per group, up to 3 people | 5 h | Private guide, Skara Brae hour, Brodgar, Stenness, Unstan. Chapel at extra fee | Pick-up in Kirkwall | 5.0 · 50 |
| Ferry day, not for ship passengers | $157 | per person | 5.5 h | Skara Brae and Skaill House entry fee included. Ferry fares not included | Stromness Ferry Terminal, 15 miles from the cruise port | 4.8 · 223 |
Meeting the ship
Where each tour meets you, and how you get back
Two include pick-up, one can collect you from the ship, one drops you at the port.
Start with how you get from the gangway to the guide, because that is where Orkney tours from cruise ship arrivals differ most. The $249 private day and the $1,316 odyssey have pick-up in the price. The odyssey names Kirkwall; the private cruise day does not say where, so the listing asks you to check availability for details.
The $225 beaches and cliffs day starts at Hatston in Kirkwall, and its guide writes that he can collect you directly from your ship on arrival. The listing does not call that collection included, so confirm it when you book. Steven from Germany: «He picked us up and dropped us back at the … ship, which gave us more time to explore (possible due to both groups being on the ship).»
The $157 West Mainland day is different again: you make your own way to Stand 5 at the Kirkwall Travel Centre, and at the end you can be dropped at the cruise port if required. Jayne from the United Kingdom, who came as part of a cruise: «The right amount of history, facts and commentary as he drove between the sites.»
On the day
What a port day out on the islands looks like
Three stops the tours on this page make, as the cameras saw them.
Stones on the grass
Three tall, thin stones stand on short green grass, with two walkers and a low fence far behind them under white clouds.
A beach stop
Small waves roll onto pale sand, and long dark ledges of rock break the surf a little way out.
Layered cliffs
Flat layers of brown sandstone step down to the water, and white surf churns at the foot of the cliff.
Your time ashore
Fitting a tour into the hours your ship is in port
Five or six hours on the tour. Check them against your all-aboard time.
No listing on this site gives a return time tied to a sailing, so the honest guide is the length of each tour. The private odyssey runs five hours; the private cruise day, the West Mainland day and the beaches and cliffs day run six. Compare that with your all-aboard time before you pick one of the Orkney tours from cruise ship days here.
Private tours give you the most say over the clock. The cruise day is described as «exclusively yours and tailored to your interests», and the odyssey as moving «at your pace, entirely customized to your interests and physical abilities». Ann from the United States on the odyssey: «If you are looking to see all Orkney has to offer and have limited time, this is the tour for you.»
On the two shared days, the route is fixed. The beaches and cliffs listing allows about ten minutes at each stop, and the West Mainland day gives Skara Brae its longest stop, 85 minutes.
Before you book
Five things to check before you pay
A few minutes on the listing makes your port day smoother. These apply to all four Orkney tours from cruise ship passengers book here.
- Where you are met
The private cruise day does not name its pick-up point; ask for it after booking. The beaches day can collect you from the ship; confirm it.
- Who the price is for
Three prices are per person. The odyssey is $1,316 for the whole group of up to three.
- Entry fees
None of these four says Skara Brae entry is in the price. Budget for it, or ask the guide.
- Food
No listing on this page includes a meal. Eat on board before you go ashore, or bring a snack.
- Cancellation
All four offer free cancellation. Read the deadline on the booking page before you pay.
Our verdict
Our verdict for ship passengers
Book the private cruise day at $249 if you want the one listing written for ship passengers: pick-up and drop-off in the price, six hours, 5.0 from 15 reviews. On a budget, the $157 West Mainland day, rated 4.9 across 275 reviews, is the best-proven of the Orkney tours from cruise ship calls, with a port drop-off. For three travelling together, the $1,316 odyssey works out at $438.67 each.
Book direct
Orkney tours from cruise ship calls: four to book
The private cruise day, the West Mainland day, the beaches and cliffs day and the private odyssey. The odyssey is priced per group of up to three.
Rated 4.9275 reviews
6 hOrkney: West Mainland Group Day Tour
★ 4.9 · 275 reviews
- Six hours, Skara Brae guided tour, 85 minutes
- Limited to 14 guests
- Cheapest here
- Free cancellation
$157$26.17 / hour
Check availability→ 
Yesnaby Cliffs and Bay of Skaill6 h
6 hOrkney Beaches and Cliffs with Neolithic Stones
★ 4.8 · 21 reviews
- Six hours, Limited to 7 participants
- Yesnaby Cliffs and Bay of Skaill
- Cruise ship collection possible
- Free cancellation
$225$37.50 / hour
Check availability→ 
Rated 5.050 reviews
5 hHistoric Orkney Private Odyssey by a Native Islander 5h
★ 5.0 · 50 reviews
- Five hours, Private group, up to 3 people
- Pickup in Kirkwall
- Skara Brae guided tour, 1 hour
- Free cancellation
$1,316per group, up to 3 people
Check availability→ Common questions
Orkney tours from cruise ship calls: questions, answered
Is there a shore excursion that picks up at the port?
Yes. The $249 private cruise day includes pick-up and drop-off, and the $1,316 odyssey picks up in Kirkwall. The $225 beaches and cliffs guide can collect you from your ship, and the West Mainland day can drop you at the cruise port.
Can you see the Ring of Brodgar and Skara Brae in one day from the ship?
Yes. The West Mainland day visits both, with 85 minutes at Skara Brae and 40 at Brodgar. The private odyssey gives an hour at Skara Brae and 45 minutes at Brodgar.
How long do you spend at Skara Brae on Orkney tours from cruise ship days?
On the West Mainland day, a guided 85 minutes. On the private odyssey, a guided hour. The private cruise day publishes no stops, and the beaches and cliffs day does not list Skara Brae.
Are Skara Brae tickets included in the tour?
Only on the ferry day from Stromness, which does not suit ship passengers. The four tours on this page do not say the entry fee is in the price.
How big are the groups?
Up to 14 guests on the West Mainland day and up to 7 on the beaches and cliffs day. The private cruise day and the odyssey are private, the odyssey for up to three.
Can I cancel if my ship changes its plans?
All four tours on this page offer free cancellation. The deadline is on each listing, so check it before you pay.
Your options
If Orkney is more than a port call
Two warnings to finish. The $157 ferry day is not one of the Orkney tours from cruise ship passengers should book: its own listing says the cruise port is 15 miles from where it starts. And if the islands are a stop on a longer Scotland trip rather than a port call, our top pick is the three-day trip from Inverness at $654, with two nights in Kirkwall. Karen Knight from Canada, on the private odyssey: «We had a fantastic day! So much better than a big bus tour!!!»
Go deeper
More guides to Orkney
Day tours
Day tours
The one-day tours on the islands, compared by start, hours and stops.
Private toursPrivate tours
Private tours with island guides: hours, sites and price for your group.
Skara BraeSkara Brae
The stone village by the bay, and which tours give you time inside.
From the ferryFrom the ferry
The day tour that meets the ferry from Scrabster at Stromness.
