Top 10 British Cruise Ports

As a small island sitting just off of the European mainland, and with the history that the island has had, it is perhaps no surprise that Britain has such as long seafaring history and that has helped to develop plenty of ports all around its shores.
In the modern era, many of Britain’s greatest cities are built around ports and over the years, many have really developed their infrastructure for those visiting on cruise ships.
As a Brit myself, I have visited the majority of the locations of cruise ports around Britain and whilst it may not have been on a cruise for all of them, I still have an insight into what is on offer for those visiting cruise destinations in England, Scotland and Wales.
In this list, I take you through what I believe to be the best cruise ports in Britain based on the location of the cruise docks, the number of ships that visit there, the number of lines that visit there, what is on offer in the destination itself and what excursions are available.
Our Top 10 British Cruise Ports
Southampton, England
There can only be one cruise port that tops a list such as this one and that is the cruise port of Southampton, which is not only Britain’s leading cruise port, but it is one of the biggest and busiest cruise ports in the world.
That means there is a huge variety of cruise lines and ships to select from for those wanting to set sail from there and even more for those wanting to visit there as a port of call.
The city itself is pleasant to walk around, has a modern shopping centre and offers quite a few attractions for visitors with many of them based around its history including a maritime museum with a focus on the Titanic and the historic city walls that can be seen in the town centre.
There are lots of great places to head for on an excursion as well including the nearby New Forest, the Isle of Wight, Winchester and Stonehenge.
Edinburgh, Scotland
Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, is one of the world’s most popular city breaks destination and it is no surprise more.
The city is full of history, attractions and its royal mile acts as a real-world museum as every building and street has a story to tell and a phot to take, capped off by the iconic Edinburgh castle at its end.
With its gothic atmosphere, incredible scenery, dark past and its position as the political and cultural heart of Scotland, it is no surprise that it has inspired so many writers down the years including Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns and J.K. Rowling.
There are also plenty of options for those wanting to head out on excursions including the city of Stirling and St Andrews.
From a cruising point of view, there are three main places to dock in the city with smaller ships tending to use the coastal district of Leith or Rosyth, whilst bigger ship drop anchor near to the iconic Forth Bridge on the outskirts of the city.
No matter where you head into the city from, there are plenty of option when it comes to the lines, ships and itineraries for those wanting to visit Edinburgh, which in our opinion, is the perfect size for exploring on your own on a day ashore.
Liverpool, England
Liverpool is one of Britain’s most iconic cities and whilst much of that is down to the music industry, it was home to The Beetles after all, and for its football teams, the city’s seafaring past is also an important part of its history.
The city was a major starting point for those heading off to the ‘new world’ and it was also one of the stopping off ports of call for the ill-fated Titanic.
In the modern era, it was left behind in terms of the cruise industry but thanks to major investment in its facilities, the port is now a popular turnaround port for smaller to medium sized ship whilst been a popular port of call for most ships sailing around the British Isles.
Liverpool itself remains a popular tourist destination and offers a great day ashore but the best aspect is the city centre location of the new cruise dock, where you can simply stroll from your ship and explore all that is on offer.
Invergordon, Scotland
When it comes to visiting Scotland, there are plenty of things that come to mind including the history and culture of Edinburgh, the fabled Loch Ness and the idyllic natural beauty of the Scottish Highlands.
If the latter sounds of interest to you, the port of Invergordon is the place for you as the port sits just to the north of the Cairngorms National Park in the heart of the Scottish Highlands.
That makes for a stunning entrance into the narrow Cromarty Firth before you arrive at the small and historic town of Invergordon.
There is lots on offer for visitors including just having the chance to walk around the town and take in the relaxed setting or you can head south to the beautiful city of Inverness.
Greenock, Scotland
Greenock offer sone of the very best entrances of any cruise port in Britain, with an almost fjord like feel to it.
You start the entrance by sailing through the narrowest part of the Irish Sea and seemingly within touching distance of both Northern Ireland and Scotland.
You then sail past the beautiful Isle of Arran and up the Firth of Forth, past a number of Lochs before arriving into the historic town of Greenock.
The town itself is easy to walk on your won and is a great place to simply stroll around and see what you find but it also offers easy access to the nearby Loch Lomond and the bustling city of Glasgow.
Dover, England
There is something quite emotive for every Brit when they see the White Cliffs of Dover, but they are an impressive site for everybody else.
One of those cliffs is made even more impressive as it is topped off by the historic Dover Castle, somewhere well worth visiting.
For most people, they will think of Dover as a ferry port and whilst ferries remain its main role, over the past decade or so it has really developed as a cruise port.
With 2 terminals, numerous lines allow you to start or end your journey there whilst it is also a popular port of call for ships allowing cruisers to explore the southeast of England including the city of Canterbury, home to one of England’s most famous cathedrals.
Portsmouth, England
The historic naval city of Portsmouth, on the island of Portsea in the south of England is one of the first cities that comes to mind when you think of Britain’s seafaring past, but it remains one of the biggest naval ports in the world and has started to develop as a cruise port.
Not only for ships calling in there to allow passengers to see the incredible history and tourist attractions of Portsmouth but it has also developed as a turnaround port over the past decade or so.
Amongst the attractions on offer for those visiting the city is a chance to see the Mary Rose warship, visit Port Nelson, visit the birthplace of Charles Dickens, walkaround the historic dockyards of Portsmouth and head up the Spinnaker Tower for great views of the city, harbour, Hampshire and over to the Isle of Wight.
Newcastle, England
Newcastle is a bustling city in the northeast of England that often gets overlooked due to its somewhat remote location, but it is a city that once you visit, you will always have a good time.
The city has its own metro system making it easy to explore including from its cruise terminal on the River Tyne, something that flows through the city and separates it from its sister city of Gateshead.
Newcastle offers great shopping opportunities, lots of attractions and it is easy to explore the beautiful coast in the northeast.
For those wanting to head further afield, a visit to the historic Alnwick Castle, made famous in the Harry Potter films, is easily done.
Dundee, Scotland
The city of Dundee offers a great entrance as you sail down the River Tay before arriving at its city centre cruise dock.
That makes it easy to walk from your ship into the centre of the city and see all is on offer which includes a number of new and historic attractions headlined by the RRS Discovery sailing ship and the modern V&A Dundee museum.
Over the years, the city has developed as a tourist destination and as a cruise destination including offering turnaround facilities for smaller ships.
Aberdeen, Scotland
The port of Aberdeen is one of the biggest and busiest in Scotland and whilst much of that is down to the oil and fishing industries, it has started to develop a cruise port of call.
If you love golf, you will love Aberdeen as the city is surrounding by golf courses, in fact you are welcomed into the port by the Balnagask golf course.
The city is given the nickname of the ‘Granite City’ thanks to many of the town centre buildings been made of the rock and that gives Aberdeen a uniqueness to it.