Cruise Ships

As a gateway for almost 140,000 passengers annually, Lerwick Harbour makes a major contribution to Shetland's important tourism industry.

It has long been a port-of-call for cruise ships which have arrived in record numbers in recent years. With over 50 ships and 30,000 cruise passengers in a single season, Lerwick is one of Scotland's top destinations, ideally located midway between Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Norway and the Scottish mainland and Europe.

Cruise ships up to 205 metres in length berth alongside, while larger ships anchor with passengers just a few minutes away by tender from a modern landing stage and welcome ashore pavilion located in the heart of Lerwick's town centre. The small 1.7 metre tidal range facilitates ease of transfer.

Local flavour is provided by a warm and personal onboard and onshore 'Meet and Greet' welcome service to cruise passengers and crew, complemented by traditional Shetland music on the quayside. For passengers on ships berthed outside the immediate town centre area, a shuttle bus service to and from the town centre is also available. 

The main shopping areas in Lerwick are close to hand and provide relaxing and pleasant shopping excursions for cruise passengers and crews.

The islands’ many attractions for visitors include the fantastic Shetland Museum and Archives, located at a restored historic dock on the Lerwick waterfront.

Lerwick Port Authority is a member of Cruise Scotland and Cruise Europe.  More information on the Authority's involvement with the cruise industry and its future plans can be found on our Bulletins page.   

To view cruise ships scheduled to visit Lerwick in 2012, please download below.

• Cruise Ships scheduled to visit Lerwick during 2012 [PDF format: 73kb]

To view cruise ships which visited Lerwick in previous years, please download from list below.

• Cruise Ships visiting Lerwick during 2007 [PDF format:75.4kb]
• Cruise Ships visiting Lerwick during 2008 [PDF format:73.3kb]
• Cruise Ships visiting Lerwick during 2009 [PDF format:73.2kb]
• Cruise Ships visiting Lerwick during 2010 [PDF format:90.6kb]
• Cruise Ships visiting Lerwick during 2011 [PDF format:96kb] 

Lerwick Harbour - 'The Seaway to the Shetland Islands'

View our short film on cruising (2.46 minutes).