Do you think your cruise ship is docking in “Inverness/Loch Ness”? Don’t be fooled

One of the most regular queries we receive here at WOW Scotland HQ is –

“We dock in Inverness, not Invergordon – can you offer us a tour from Inverness?”

We can understand why some cruisers believe they will be docking in Inverness; the cruise ship’s itineraries often state the destination port as “Inverness/Loch Ness”, which is pretty confusing we have to admit! To top it off, when you phone up to ask for clarification, you are often given the wrong answer also (Royal Caribbean appear to be the worst offender for this).

However, cruise ships do not dock in Inverness (or in Loch Ness for that matter – we would certainly not want to endanger our dear friend Nessie!). You’ll find out below some reasons why the don’t dock in Invergordon and more proof should you need it!

1.We are local and we know!

Ok, so we’ve been running tours from the cruise ships since 2010 and have taken tens of thousands of people on tours over the years. That said, you might have just chanced upon our website so how do you know we are telling the truth? Don’t worry, keep reading and I’m sure you’ll believe us!

2.Only small ships can dock in Inverness

Inverness only has a small harbour and as such only small vessels dock here. It can accommodate ships with a maximum length of 100 metres / 328 foot. To put this into comparison, a ship like Royal Caribbean’s Jewel of the Seas (which claims it is docking in Inverness in 2024), is 295 metres / 965 feet long! It is also much too wide at 32.2 metres / 105.6 feet, where as the maximum width of ship able to dock in Inverness is just 17.2 metres / 56.4 feet. Don’t just take our for it though, check out the Port of Inverness website for clarification! In 2024, the only ship scheduled to dock in Inverness is the Lord of the Glens, see Cruise Mapper for details.

3.Can your ship get underneath the Kessock Bridge?!

To get into Inverness harbour you would need to go underneath the Kessock Bridge. Only ships with a a height above sea level of less than 29 metres are able to sail underneath it. A ship like the Jewel of the Seas sits over 52 metres / 170 feet above the sea, which is in fact 7 metres / 23 feet higher than the pylons that hold the bridge up!

4.The Port of Invergordon is pretty sure you are docking there!

The Port of Invergordon is the main cruise port in the Highlands, and one of the busiest cruise terminals in Scotland. On their website they list all the cruise ships expected there each year, although they often don’t update the information until the start of the year. You’ll also find listings of cruise ships docking at Invergordon on Cruise Timetables and Crew Center.

5.To Dock in Loch Ness it would need to sail up the Caledonian Canal

Thankfully our good friend Nessie is safe for now. If a rogue cruise ship did manage to get under the Kessock Bridge they would still need to make their up through the Caledonian Canal. Whilst the luxury Lord of the Glens does cruise up the canal, anything bigger doesn’t stand a chance as the maximum length of vessel permitted is just 45 metres / 147 feet.

In Conclusion….

Unless you are arriving on a boutique cruise ship such as the Lord of the Glens, you are definitely docking in Invergordon and not Inverness!

If you wish to visit Inverness and/or Loch Ness from the Port of Invergordon you have a few options. We would of love you to take tour with us – we travel the backroads and take you to the places such as Cawdor Castle, Inverness, Loch Ness, Clava Cairns and Culloden Battlefield. Alternatively, you could read our blog for information about how to get to Inverness by public transportation.

Happy cruising!