Visiting Orkney by Cruise: Kirkwall Stopover Guide

A cruise to Orkney drops you at the edge of one of the oldest inhabited landscapes in Europe. Kirkwall is compact, walkable and layered with Norse and Neolithic history — and its reputation as a port call is well earned: Orkney welcomed more than 170,000 cruise passengers in 2025 and holds the distinction of being the busiest transit cruise port in the United Kingdom. The clock begins the moment you step off the gangway, and the difference between a memorable day and a rushed one is almost always preparation. This guide tells you which pier you will dock at, how to reach the town centre, and exactly what you can see in the hours available to you.

Which pier you'll dock at and how to reach the town

Cruise vessels call at one of three locations: Hatston Pier (the main terminal), Kirkwall Pier, or they anchor in Kirkwall Bay with a tender service to Kirkwall Harbour.

Hatston Pier handles the majority of cruise calls. It sits 4km (2.5 miles) north-west of Kirkwall town centre, along an industrial road with no footpath — the walk is not safe or practical. Orkney Islands Council runs a complimentary shuttle bus to the Kirkwall Travel Centre, with services beginning at 08:30 (or from your ship's arrival time if you dock later). The journey takes approximately seven minutes. The last return shuttle departs 60 minutes before your ship sails, capped at 18:00 if departure is after 19:00. No ticket is required; buses rotate continuously based on passenger demand.

Kirkwall Pier puts you directly in the town centre, a short walk from the cathedral, the shops and the museum. Smaller vessels, including some luxury yacht-scale ships, tend to use this berth.

Tender service deposits passengers at Kirkwall Harbour, equally central to the town. Your ship's daily programme will confirm whether a tender is in operation.

At every arrival point, volunteers and staff offer a meet-and-greet service. Free welcome maps are available in six languages: English, French, German, Italian, Dutch and Spanish. Free wi-fi is available at Hatston Pier and at the Travel Centre.

How to use your time ashore: itineraries by port duration

Port times in Kirkwall typically run from around 08:00 or 09:00 to between 17:00 and 20:00, giving most passengers eight to twelve hours ashore. What you can cover depends almost entirely on how quickly you organise transport after arrival. The table below gives realistic options at each port-duration bracket, assuming you are off the shuttle within 30 minutes of docking.

For a full turn-by-turn route with precise driving times and pre-booking advice for Skara Brae, our Orkney day-trip itinerary covers the complete route from Kirkwall to the Neolithic sites and back.

The best things to see in Kirkwall and across the Mainland

Orkney's appeal to cruise passengers is the density of outstanding attractions within a compact area. From the cathedral in the town centre to the great Neolithic monuments 20 minutes west, almost everything on the list below is reachable with a hire car or the T11 bus.

St Magnus Cathedral is the natural first stop for anyone arriving in Kirkwall. Built in red Orcadian sandstone from 1137, it is one of the finest surviving medieval buildings in Scotland and entry is entirely free. Allow 30 to 45 minutes, including a look at the carved Norman piers and the collection of medieval grave slabs in the nave. The cathedral is a five-minute walk from the Travel Centre shuttle stop.

Bishop's and Earl's Palaces stand directly opposite the cathedral and are managed by Historic Environment Scotland. The Earl's Palace, built in the early 1600s for Robert Stewart, is considered one of the finest Renaissance structures in Scotland. Tickets can be bought on arrival but online booking is advisable at peak times. The palaces close from October to March — passengers on late-season cruises should check availability in advance.

Ring of Brodgar and Stones of Stenness lie 19km (12 miles) west of Kirkwall on the B9055, about 25 minutes by car. Both sites are free and open at all hours. Brodgar is a ring of 27 surviving standing stones from an estimated original 60, arranged in a circle 104 metres in diameter and erected between 2500 and 2000 BC. The four remaining monoliths at Stenness are older still, dating from approximately 3100 BC. For a full account of the archaeology, our guide to Orkney's UNESCO Neolithic World Heritage sites covers Brodgar, Stenness, Maeshowe and Skara Brae in detail.

Skara Brae is 8km north of Brodgar — the single most-visited site in Orkney. A Neolithic village of ten stone-built houses occupied around 3100 to 2500 BC, it was preserved under sand until a storm exposed it in 1850. The stone furniture, beds, dressers and hearths remain in place. Pre-book your timed entry ticket at historicenvironment.scot before you board your ship. On heavy cruise days, available slots sell out well before the vessel docks. Adult admission is £14 online (£16 walk-up, when available).

The Italian Chapel on Lamb Holm, 15 minutes south of Kirkwall via the Churchill Barriers, was built by Italian prisoners of war from two Nissen huts. Interior murals by artist Domenico Chiocchetti create a convincing illusion of a stone church. Admission is £4 per adult (free for under 12s). The drive from Kirkwall takes around 15 minutes.

Highland Park Distillery sits one mile from Kirkwall's town centre. The standard tour costs £6; the Connoisseur tour with tastings of 12, 15, 18 and 25-year expressions is £35. Pre-booking is advised for the longer experiences.

Organised shore tours versus going independently

Many cruise lines sell their own shore excursions for Orkney, typically coach tours to the main Neolithic sites and the cathedral. These are the most reliable option for passengers who need to guarantee an all-aboard return, as tour operators have a contractual relationship with the ship. The trade-off is group size: the larger ship-sponsored tours can run to 50 passengers, which at Skara Brae means a shorter window at each site.

Independent alternatives include:

• GoOrkney Highlights Tours — small-group tours with multilingual guides in English, German and French. Specifically set up for cruise passengers on tight port schedules.
• Adventure Orkney — independent shore excursions in small groups, including Skara Brae, Ring of Brodgar and the Yesnaby cliffs.
• Orkney Odyssey — cruise-specific tours combining the UNESCO sites and coastal landscapes.
• TourOrkney — private guided days for couples and families wanting a more flexible itinerary.

For independent travel, a hire car offers the most flexibility. Orkney is easy to navigate; roads are well signposted and traffic is light outside the town centre. The T11 Discover Orkney bus operates a hop-on, hop-off service from the Kirkwall Travel Centre to the main Neolithic sites, at £26 for a day pass. This is the most economical choice for solo passengers or small groups who prefer not to drive. Orkney is almost entirely cashless in 2026 — contactless and Apple Pay are accepted everywhere.

Cruise lines that pair Orkney with Shetland

Orkney and Shetland sit about 145km (90 miles) apart and are increasingly combined in Scottish Isles itineraries, particularly on UK departure cruises. Fred Olsen Cruise Lines offers the most consistent coverage of both island groups, with Scottish Isles voyages typically calling at Lerwick in Shetland, then Kirkwall in Orkney, before continuing to Portree on the Isle of Skye and Stornoway on Lewis. Most sailings run eight to ten nights from Southampton.

Other lines that include Kirkwall in British Isles itineraries include Princess Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, P&O Cruises, MSC Cruises, Royal Caribbean and Oceania Cruises. The Viking fleet, which includes the Vela — the first cruise caller of Orkney's 2025 season — is also a regular visitor. Expedition vessels from Hurtigruten and Ponant occasionally call at both Stromness and Kirkwall on the same voyage.

Coach and tour packages marketed as "coach holidays to Orkney" travel north to Thurso or John O'Groats, cross by ferry to Stromness or St Margaret's Hope, spend two to three nights on the Mainland and return the same way. The ferry crossing is included in the package, and accommodation is typically in Kirkwall's central hotels and guest houses. To plan a longer stay after your cruise, our guide to Orkney accommodation covers all options across the islands.

Cruise visit essentials at a glance

Frequently asked questions

Is Kirkwall a good cruise port?

Kirkwall is one of the best cruise port calls in the British Isles. Orkney consistently ranks as the UK's busiest transit cruise destination, and the combination of a walkable town centre, free admission to the cathedral and the standing stones, and proximity to Skara Brae makes it exceptional value for a one-day visit.

How long does a cruise ship stay in Kirkwall?

Most vessels spend between eight and twelve hours in port, though this varies by itinerary. Check your ship's daily programme for the confirmed all-aboard time. The free shuttle from Hatston Pier stops running 60 minutes before your ship's departure.

Is the shuttle bus from Hatston Pier free?

Yes. Orkney Islands Council provides a complimentary shuttle between Hatston Pier and the Kirkwall Travel Centre. Services run continuously from 08:30 and no ticket or booking is required. The last shuttle departs the town 60 minutes before your ship sails (capped at 18:00 if departure is after 19:00).

Do I need to pre-book anything for a Kirkwall cruise stop?

Skara Brae requires a pre-booked timed entry ticket — buy it at historicenvironment.scot before your voyage. On heavy cruise days, slots sell out before the ship arrives in port. If you are taking the Highland Park Distillery Connoisseur or Viking tour, advance booking is also advisable. Everything else — the cathedral, Ring of Brodgar, Stones of Stenness — is free and walk-up. The Italian Chapel charges £4 per adult (free under 12) but no advance booking is needed.

Can I visit the Ring of Brodgar on a cruise stopover?

Yes. The Ring of Brodgar is 19km (12 miles) from Kirkwall — around 20 minutes by car. With six or more hours ashore you can comfortably combine it with Stones of Stenness and still have time for the cathedral. The T11 Discover Orkney bus (£26 day pass) connects the main Neolithic sites from Kirkwall Travel Centre.

What is the best cruise to see both Orkney and Shetland?

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines offers the most consistent itineraries combining both island groups, with vessels calling at Lerwick in Shetland and Kirkwall in Orkney on the same voyage. Most sailings run eight to ten nights from Southampton and also include Portree and Stornoway. P&O, Viking and other lines include Kirkwall in broader British Isles itineraries that sometimes incorporate Lerwick.