Tour Guide

There is a Skye resident who often posts on this forum called Jacqui, Skyegirl. If you can find a post from her, you might send her a personal message with your question.

Also be aware that at Portree you land by tender, rather than berthing alongside. So your time ashore will be even more limited as you are not in control of the time you leave the ship. It will depend on the ship as to how they organise it, but often it is ship's excursions first, and then either by ticket (you stand in line to get a ticket) or maybe tiers of loyalty then by deck or something like that, then time for tenders afterwards back to the ship- clearly everyone can't be last. Thus your shore time could be significantly less than expected.
If the weather is heavy, and swells too high (unlikely, but not impossible in August) the call could be cancelled at little or no notice.
All factors to consider, which your cruise line may have conveniently forgotten to mention.
The only ships which berth are 63 metres or less long, and 4 metres or less of draft.
If you end up as a 'pier runnner' then you become a pier swimmer!
I have known people lose privately booked tours or pre-booked car hire due to such tendering delays- and there is no financial recourse.
I have seen another post this morning with 'put downs' about we would rather get a glimpse of lots of places than not see them. At sea at a tender port that is a very dangerous philosophy. Skye has a relatively limited road network. If a road gets blocked for any reason, then no matter how good the guide or driver you could end up stuck. Your best hope then is that a ship excursion is stuck behind you- as the ship will wait for them. It will not wait for you- your passport and belongings sail off without you.

Thanks for that very sound advise.

Hi, Roy,

Just out of curiosity, where is your next port of call after Portree? And how many would be on this private tour? You mention $650 for up to eight people. Will there be eight of you taking this tour?

The most scenic parts of Skye are a good distance from Portree itself. You may have time to get to the Kilt Rock, or even a drive around the Trotternish Peninsula, with a brief stop at the Fairy Glen. Realistically, you'd be looking at more like four hours for a tour once you've made your way to shore and found your driver, then making your way back to Portree Harbour from wherever you've travelled.

However, you'd certainly have time for a good walk around Portree, and definitely time for some fish and chips down at the harbour. You could hike up Am Meall ("The Lump", as it's known locally) for a great view of the surrounding area.

Don't let anyone discourage you from enjoying Skye. Check with your tour operator to find out the exact number of hours that they say you will be onshore, and what they recommend if you should encounter a situation such as isn31c has described. You can always "call away the daighsoe" if you miss the last tender!

Have a wonderful cruise!

Mike (Auchterless)

Don't let anyone discourage you from enjoying Skye

No-one is doing that. You are being given specialist cruise advice here, not land touring advice. This is a port where to maximise your time ashore a ship's excursion is strongly advised. It may cost you a bit more, but for peace of mind it is worth it IMHO.
What I say to people is that, depending on what time they get ashore, the service bus the 57A/57C around the top of the island can be worth it, which takes about 2 and a bit hours, is the great way to go. But to decide on the day if determined to be independent.
A bus most folk will tell you doesn't exist.
Going anticlockwise the next port is usually Greenock for Glasgow or sometimes Belfast; clockwise it is Kirkwall or Lerwick. The itineraries for the major lines are pretty standard.
The last couple of people I have known to go to Portree on a cruise I have given a whole A4 sheet of paper to, bespoked, to get them out of trouble if the worst happened while ashore independently.
Kirkwall is a port you have to check carefully- some ships berth at Hatston Ferry Terminal (out of town), and some tender straight into town. Lerwick is normally tenders into the centre of town- a few berth at Holmsgarth. Lerwick is a very pretty anchorage in the lee of Bressay.

I'm sorry that I can't offer any better advice than that which you've already received. I do know of a couple of tour companies (Skye Jeep Tours is one such) but they can only take a max of 4 people in two jeeps, so not suitable for your group. My strong advice would be to take advantage of any excursions offered by your ship. Most of the local taxi and bus companies will have already been booked by the cruise company.