Celebrating their 30th anniversary, the Forth’s sightseeing cruises are back for 2023 as award-winning visitor attraction, Maid of the Forth, sets sail from South Queensferry once more.
A new seasonal programme of family-friendly and dog-friendly cruises and sunset tours launches 1 April.
Maid of the Forth which is a family-run business, is now in its 30th year of offering its acclaimed sightseeing cruises. Tourists and locals alike can blow away the cobwebs, enjoy the great Scottish outdoors and take in the iconic sights of Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife on board the popular 90-minute sightseeing cruises or 3-hour Inchcolm Island trip. Maid of the Forth’s musical Folk Cruise sunset cruise, which sells out every year, is also back.
Departing from Hawes Pier South in South Queensferry, the 90-minute daytime sightseeing cruise sails under all three Forth Bridges and past both Inchgarvie Island, Haystack Rock and Inchcolm Island. The Maid of the Forth top deck is ideal for spotting the abundance of marine life to be seen such as grey seals, porpoises, dolphins and even the occasional Minke whale. Refreshments are available on board with a fully stocked bar situated in the lower deck.
A 90-minute cruise (no Inchcolm landing), which departs up to four times per day, costs: £17 adults, £10 child (5-15), under 5s free. A family ticket costs £49.50 (two adults and two children) or £54.50 (two adults and three children).
There is also Maid of the Forth’s famed 3-hour Inchcolm Island Landing trip, which includes a 90-minute trip on Inchcolm Island. Here, visitors can ramble around the monastic abbey, explore the trails, relax on the beach with a picnic and spot the seabirds. Trips are available up to three times a day and tickets cost: £27 adults, £15 child (5-15), under 5s free, family ticket 72.50 (two adults and two children).
Sunset musical cruises are also back for 2023. There’s the hugely popular Jazz Cruises on 16 June, 22 July and 25 Aug, featuring live music as the sun sets across the Edinburgh, Lothians and Fife. There is also the Folk Cruise: 19 May; 2, and 23 June; 7 July and 14 July; 4 August; 8 22 September. Passengers can enjoy live music from Scottish folk band, Pure Malt, from traditional and contemporary Scottish and Irish folk music on the 3-hour cruise.
Tickets, sailing days and departures for the Maid of the Forth cruises can be booked online at www.maidoftheforth.co.uk or by calling 0131 331 5000.
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