Scrabster

[ericosmith]

My cruise itinerary has been changed to replace a full day in both the Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands with an additional half day in Edinburgh and a half day in Scrabster.  Looking for wisdom on whether I should dump this cruise in favor of something with the original itinerary or stick with the revision.  I don't find much info about Scrabster as a cruise port.

[Cotswold Eagle]

That certainly changes the character of your cruise, unfortunately. I’d certainly think hard about changing itineraries, if the islands were something that interested you. 
 

Did you find Scrabster harbour’s cruise directory of attractions and things to do? A half day is pretty limiting, though. Another page on that site states there are courtesy buses to Thurso - you could walk one (or both) ways along the coast. 

Edited August 16, 2023 by Cotswold Eagle

[TouchstoneFeste]

Having just returned from Orkney, I would recommend not missing even a half-day excursion there. Amazing neolithic and Viking monuments, and the town center in Kirkwall is charming and much less touristy than most of the places we visited.

A half day seems a little crushed, but I would do it. Scrabster (aside from having an all-time great name) seems less interesting.

[John Bull]

We've not visited the Shetlands or Orkneys.

 

 As you'll know, Scrabster is on the north coast of the mainland.

We dropped in there during a road-trip, it's pleasant but very very small and essentially a ferryport and oil terminal.

Thurso is about 2 miles - much bigger but I'm not aware of anything outstanding there.

You just might find a worthwhile trip by googling - the nearby coast is rugged & attractive, but Brims Castle is a small ruin and Dunnett Head just might frustrate you - the Orkneys can clearly be seen from there

 

For the other day, Edinburgh would be a great alternative - but a half-day is pretty limiting.

 

Yes, very disappointing - if you can cancel without a big penalty, yes I think you should hunt for something closer to your original itinerary.

 

JB 🙂

 

 

 

[Cotswold Eagle]

4 hours ago, TouchstoneFeste said:

Having just returned from Orkney, I would recommend not missing even a half-day excursion there.

Are you suggesting it's possible to see Orkney in the half day the OP has in Scrabster? Even if the ferry times worked, which I doubt, the return journey would take a half day in itself. 

[MeHeartCruising]

4 hours ago, TouchstoneFeste said:

Having just returned from Orkney, I would recommend not missing even a half-day excursion there. Amazing neolithic and Viking monuments, and the town center in Kirkwall is charming and much less touristy than most of the places we visited.

A half day seems a little crushed, but I would do it. Scrabster (aside from having an all-time great name) seems less interesting.

My interpretation of the OPs post is that they will now NOT be visiting the Orkney or Shetland Islands at all.  Instead those stops have been replaced with an ADDITIONAL half day in Edinburgh (which probably means they now have 1.5 days in Edinburgh) and 1/2 day in Scrabster.

 

 

[ericosmith]

3 hours ago, MeHeartCruising said:

My interpretation of the OPs post is that they will now NOT be visiting the Orkney or Shetland Islands at all.  Instead those stops have been replaced with an ADDITIONAL half day in Edinburgh (which probably means they now have 1.5 days in Edinburgh) and 1/2 day in Scrabster.

That is exactly correct.  

[TouchstoneFeste]

5 hours ago, Cotswold Eagle said:

Are you suggesting it's possible to see Orkney in the half day the OP has in Scrabster? Even if the ferry times worked, which I doubt, the return journey would take a half day in itself. 

You may be right ... I assumed the OP's original itinerary dropped them and picked them up at Stromness or something. In any case, I'm no expert in this part of the world - just greatly enjoyed my time in Orkney and wanted to convey that - so forgive my ignorance.

[fruitmachine]

You probably have an extra 18 hours (minus sleeping time) in Edinburgh, letting you do something in the late afternoon and evening.  If you're here in August, then the ship will likely have changed in order to let passengers go to the Tattoo but, with the world's largest performance arts festival happening at that time, there are - quite literally - hundreds of shows that you could go to instead.

 

If small remote islands and neolithic sites are of more interest, then switch to an itinerary that keeps Orkney and Shetland.  Scrabster is no substitute for either of these.

Edited August 16, 2023 by fruitmachine