Lerwick Cruise Port
Lerwick, United Kingdom · Northern Europe
Cruise ships anchor offshore in Lerwick — tenders ferry passengers to the port.
Shetland's capital — small ships berth at Victoria Pier; larger ships tender into Lerwick town centre.
At a glance
Port summary
Lerwick Port Authority runs several cruise berths. Small and mid-size ships berth at Victoria Pier or Albert Pier in the town centre; larger cruise ships anchor in Bressay Sound and tender to Victoria Pier, or berth at Holmsgarth or Mair's Pier about 2 km north of the centre. The town itself is tiny and walkable; Scalloway and the south mainland (Jarlshof, Sumburgh Head) need a car or coach.
Cruise docks
Victoria - tender Pier
The in-town cruise berth — small and mid-size ships dock here directly, and larger ships tender to the same pier. Commercial Street is a one-minute walk.
Latitude: 60.154327, Longitude: -1.141662
See dock on port map →Holmsgarth / Mair's Pier
Deep-water berths used by larger cruise ships. About 2 km north of Lerwick town centre — shuttle or taxi is needed to reach the centre.
Latitude: 60.161103, Longitude: -1.154569
See dock on port map →Getting to Lerwick
From the cruise terminal to the city centre
Map & things to do
Money & payments
Cards work for nearly everything; carry a small amount of cash for honesty boxes and small stalls
Build your perfect day in Lerwick
Tell us your cruise line, ship and departure date and we'll give you a complete set of full port information and playbooks of how to spend your day.
Inside the British Isles collection
Here's a peek at everything waiting for your Lerwick cruise day.
Typical weather
Emergency & contacts
Excursions compared
3 comparedJarlshof prehistoric settlement and Sumburgh Head scenic drive
≈ 4.5 h · sold by 7 cruise lines
Cruise line
€165$185
Do it yourself
€38$43
Save ≈ €127Save ≈ $143 (77% off)
Ships dock at Mair's Pier or Holmsgarth (1-1.2 miles from town) with a free port shuttle to Harrison Square; tendered ships land at Victoria Pier in the town centre. From Harrison Square walk 5 min to the Viking Bus Station for the No. 6 South Mainland bus to Sumburgh (40 min, single fare capped at £2 / ~€2.50 under the 2025-26 Scottish Government pilot). The bus stops at Sumburgh Hotel - Jarlshof is a 5 min walk down and Sumburgh Head visitor centre is a 25-30 min walk up the hill. Jarlshof entry £6 (~€7), Sumburgh Head ~£6 (~€7). Check the No. 6 return timetable carefully - it runs roughly every 1-2 hours.
See the DIY plan →
Scalloway Castle, Shetland Bus museum and old capital
≈ 3.5 h · sold by 5 cruise lines
Cruise line
€110$124
Do it yourself
€31$35
Save ≈ €79Save ≈ $89 (72% off)
From Harrison Square in Lerwick the No. 4 bus runs to Scalloway in about 25 min, £2 single (~€2.50). Scalloway Castle exterior is free public access; the interior has been closed for masonry conservation since 2023 and stays inaccessible in 2026. Scalloway Museum is right next door - entry £4 (~€5) - and runs the Shetland Bus permanent exhibit. Back in Lerwick, the Shetland Museum at Hay's Dock is free, a 10 min walk from Harrison Square, and is the best wet-weather backstop. Pony farms are not easily reachable by public bus - skip if that was the draw.
See the DIY plan →
Ready-made port days
9 plansLerwick on Foot, For Free
Flagstone Commercial Street, a cannon-topped fort, a 2,000-year-old broch and a five-star island museum — a full Shetland morning without spending a penny.
Jarlshof & Sumburgh Head by Bus
The port's headline 'must-see' loop — 4,000 years of ruins and a puffin-thronged lighthouse at Shetland's southern tip — done independently on the £2 bus.
Scalloway: Castle, the Shetland Bus & the Old Capital
A 25-minute bus to Shetland's former capital for a photogenic castle, the moving WWII 'Shetland Bus' story and a working fishing harbour.
The Noss Seabird Boat
A small-boat wildlife trip straight from the town pier to Britain's most spectacular gannet cliffs — puffins, seals and 25,000 seabirds, no coach needed.
Frequently asked questions
- Where does my cruise ship dock in Lerwick?
- Lerwick is a tender port: your ship anchors offshore and passengers transfer to shore by small boat.
- Can I walk from the cruise port into Lerwick?
- Yes. Lerwick is walkable from the cruise port — many cruisers reach the city centre on foot.
- How do I get from the cruise port to Lerwick centre?
- Typical options include On foot, Shuttle bus, Taxi, Hop-on Hop-off, Local bus, Car rental. Durations and costs are listed in the transport section above.
- How much time do I need in Lerwick?
- Plan for at least 4 hours ashore to see Lerwick independently and return to the ship with a safe buffer.
- What currency is used in Lerwick and are cards accepted?
- Lerwick uses the Pound Sterling. Carry some cash for markets, taxis, and smaller vendors — cards aren't accepted everywhere.
- Is there Wi-Fi at the cruise port?
- Free Wi-Fi is available at the Lerwick cruise terminal.
- When should I be back at the ship?
- Cruise lines usually require all passengers on board about 30 minutes before scheduled departure. Confirm the exact all-aboard time on your daily programme.
Have something to share about Lerwick Cruise Port?
Share a photo, suggest a thing to do, drop a map link, or tell us what you did in port.
Add a contributionAdmin reviews every contribution before it goes live.