NYE in Leith/Edinburgh

Hi all,

Booked on a cruise which will spend the night of 31st Dec in Leith (Edinburgh). Ship is offering an excursion to take pax to the celebrations in Edinburgh and bringing them back but at quite a high price. Has anyone experienced NYE in Edinburgh? Would there be an alternative to the ship excursion? I know it is a bit of a distance between Leith and Edinburgh centre but would taxis not be an option on that night?

Thanks

The event is so popular that these days you need a ticket £25 simply to get into the City Centre.

www. edinburghshogmanay.com.

There are also various concerts/gigs at horrendous prices

There is a Night Bus service which operates to and from Leith and I assume taxis will run too.

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Thanks for that. Quite helpful. Now need to find out what time will NYE dinner be on board Black Watch.

You will probably have to miss out on that if you want to join the City Centre Festivities

I appreciate this is quite an old thread, but as mentioned in the roll call section for this cruise, our team of volunteers will be in the terminal in Leith when Black Watch arrives on the 30th December.

For anyone wishing to go into Edinburgh for the celebrations on their own, please be aware that taxis will be in very short supply. As everyone has probably seen on the television over the years, Edinburgh is THE place to be at New Year. As well as the many visitors to the city who arrive especially for Hogmanay (New Year's Eve) .. most of the residents will be there too.

As mentioned above, some of the areas are ticket only. Paolo Nuttini is performing. Whilst it may seem expensive, a lot of the cost of Edinburgh's Hogmanay is absorbed by the cost of paying security, pyrotechnicians, vendors, drivers etc to work.

Lothian Buses are running a free service .. in the case of the cruise passengers - the number N22, which runs to / from Ocean Terminal (next to the cruise terminal) to the city centre after the bells. Outwith that, the cost of an adult bus ticket in Edinburgh is £1.60 per journey or £4 unlimited travel. Please note that the public buses do not give change.

The cruise terminal at Leith to the city centre is approximately 4 miles (uphill).

I believe the ship is having their own party to celebrate, but if anyone wishes any help going into the city (or anywhere else) at any point of Black Watch's stay, please let us know and we will be happy to help.

Thanks for that. You mentioned a 'team of volunteers' so would that be linked to Edinburgh Tourist Board or similar?

At the moment my mother seems quite keen to see it all from the ship's deck in order to avoid the crowds. Pity to be there and not be close to where it all happens but at her age, probably safer to avoid crowded areas.

Hi

This is a link to our website.

http://www.cruiseforth.com/

Our group of port volunteers work at the two ports (Leith and Rosyth) and the two anchorages (Newhaven Harbour and South Queensferry) with all the cruise ships visiting the Firth of Forth. We are an enthusiastic mix of tour guides, historians and cruise ship fanatics. We provide assistance to passengers and crew to ensure they can make the most of their time in our city. You will find us in the terminal at Leith during Black Watch's visit.

For any passengers not wishing to be with the crowds in the city centre, the Royal Yacht Britannia and the Ocean Terminal shopping centre are right next to Black Watch's berth, and a very short (flat) two minute walk away. Last tour of the Royal Yacht Britannia on Hogmanay is 3pm. The Port of Leith also has many restaurants and bars a short walk away, from well-known restaurant chains to Michelin starred, as well as a great choice of locally caught seafood.

The hop on / hop off tour bus also stops right outside the cruise liner terminal at Leith, and on the 30th / 31st runs every 20 minutes from 10am (approx with traffic) until the last tour around 5pm (again approx with traffic). Tour lasts just over one hour (£15/ (£14 concession)) and takes in the Royal Yacht Britannia, Palace of Holyroodhouse, Royal Mile, Edinburgh New Town and the Royal Botanic Gardens.

Thanks for that. Good to know so thanks for all the info.

I was in Leith last time around 2002, so before the Ocean Terminal I would think. It used to have a normal city bus which had a stop just outside Britannia and it would go then all the way into Edinburgh city centre.

I would assume the castle would also be opened on 31st Dec during the day. Just trying to think of options for visits on that morning.

Hi

The only two days Edinburgh Castle is shut is 25th/26th December. On the 31st, it seems they have their normal December/January opening hours of 9.30am - 4pm (last entry).

Palace of Holyroodhouse also open on the 31st - 9.30am - 2.45pm (last entry).

National Museum of Scotland (Chambers Street) open on 31st from 10am.

Royal Botanic Garden open on 31st from 10am - 4pm.

The "normal" buses are still available into the city from outside the Ocean Terminal shopping centre.

Nos 22 and 11 into Princes Street

No 35 for the Royal Mile

Please bear in mind that city centre road closures will be in place on the 31st, so some buses may have minimal diversions in place.

Thanks once again for all the info. Very helpful.

May take the hop on hop off. While Edinburgh prepares for the NYE event I may take a look around Leith as last time I was there, only had time to visit the Britannia and then back, but I have a vague memory of been taken for a business dinner in Leith as well.