Dreaming of spotting Nessie during your trip to Scotland… or perhaps just of enjoying some scenic views of castle ruins and of one of the most iconic lochs in the country? If so, a Loch Ness cruise might be right for you!
We knew when we were planning our trip to Scotland that we wanted to experience the beauty of Loch Ness from the water, but we weren’t sure if a Loch Ness boat tour would be so hopelessly touristy that it would end up being too cheesy to enjoy.
We’ll get into much more detail below, but in a sentence: we booked this Loch Ness cruise, had a fantastic time, and consider it one of the highlights of our time in Inverness.
Here’s everything you need to know before booking a Loch Ness cruise for yourself!
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What’s it Like to Cruise on Loch Ness?
When I think about our time cruising on Loch Ness, I think about the mesmerizing views of Urquhart Castle.
Jeremy and I have been lucky enough to visit hundreds castles, palaces, manors, and ruins over the last decade, but something about the combination of the ruins of Urquhart Castle, the beautiful hill rising behind it (complete with a picturesque white home), and the churn of the lake underneath us just screamed “oh wow, we’re definitely in Scotland” in a way that is difficult to put into words.
Without a doubt, admiring the castle from many angles was the highlight of our time cruising Loch Ness, and the part that sticks out in our memories the most!
And beyond the castle, our boat tour ran very smoothly and was incredibly relaxed and peaceful.
Boarding was a breeze, with ticket agents doing a quick pass of everyone’s tickets (or, realisitically speaking, phone screens).
The narration was well-done, and we all picked up a few new facts and tidbits about Loch Ness, its legends, and the Highlands in general (we particularly enjoyed learning about the reintroduction of native tree species that is going on around the lake).
At times, it was difficult to hear the narration on the top deck, but the trade-off of getting to enjoy the higher, open-air views (as opposed to the enclosed lower deck) was worth it!
The only part of the cruise that we weren’t terribly impressed with was the sonar to “hunt for Nessie”, which was displayed on screens on the lower deck. This was a problem of our expectations more than anything, but we were hoping for a glass-bottom boat situation or an underwater camera to check out the fish, rather than just the sonar. It’s a cute idea for a gimmick, though.
The Exact Loch Ness Cruise We Booked
We booked this one-hour sightseeing cruise for our trip to Loch Ness and thought it was the perfect short but sweet timeline!
Views of Urquhart Castle were heavily featured, which were a priority for us, and the one-hour cruise was well-balanced. We walked away feeling like it was the perfect length of time!
While you can book longer cruises, we wanted to balance our desire to enjoy a Loch Ness boat tour with our desire to sample as many activities in and around Inverness as we could during our trip.
For us, the timing worked out perfectly, and we were able to spend our morning on a Loch Ness cruise, and our afternoon doing some additional sightseeing in the area (including a Highland coo themed afternoon tea).
9 Helpful Tips for Taking a Loch Ness Boat Tour
Consider booking your Loch Ness cruise for the early(ish) morning.
We decided on a 10:00 AM cruise, and based on the crowds for the 11:00 AM cruise leaving after us and the 2:00 PM cruise that we happened to drive by later that day, I’m very glad we went earlier!
Our boat had plenty of space and wasn’t quite half full, but the later cruises looked significantly more crowded.
… and be sure to book in advance!
Loch Ness cruises do sell out, especially during peak season!
We booked a few days in advance in October, and I’m glad we did.
Weather forecast terrible? You might want to skip it.
When it comes to traveling in Scotland, clear weather is never guaranteed. If the weather looks a bit iffy on your cruise date, well… it’s not a trip to Scotland without enjoying at least one activity while getting rained on!
We had a decent chance of rain during our cruise, but luckily only got drizzled on.
If it’s a true wash-out of a day, though, with lots of fog and no visibility, it’s safe to say that your cruise won’t be as enjoyable as it could be.
Travel aggregates like Get Your Guide and Viator, where we booked our cruise, generally allow you to cancel up to 24 hours before the event, but be sure to double-check the policy when you book!
Be prepared to bundle up on board!
Frigid wind and possibly some rainfall are definitely things to be prepared for when deciding to cruise on Loch Ness!
Definitely be sure to bring plenty of layers, including a hat and scarf. Personally, I regretted not bringing smartphone-compatible gloves along (my fingers were frozen from snapping photos).
If the forecast looks like rain, you might want to consider bringing a raincoat, too (umbrellas will be useless in the wind).
My raincoat has been discontinued but is similar to this one, and Jeremy has been using this one for years.
There are toilets available on the boat.
They’re nothing to write home about, but they were reasonably clean and a welcome sight.
… and a small snack stand, too.
Think coffee, soda, and a few pre-packaged snacks: nothing too memorable, but nice to have on hand in a pinch!
For the best views, head to the top deck.
The boat we were on, like most sightseeing boats around the world, was split into an enclosed lower deck and an open-air upper deck.
By far and away, the upper deck has the best views! The lower deck was more or less deserted for the bulk of our cruise, though I assume it gets more crowded if the weather isn’t cooperating that day.
Some Highland day trips include a Loch Ness cruise.
Planning to take an organized day trip from Inverness (or sometimes even from Edinburgh) that includes several stops in the area?
If so, be sure to read the inclusions carefully before booking a Loch Ness cruise separately!
Several day tours, like this popular one, include a one-hour Loch Ness cruise as part of the experience, and others offer it as an additional add-on.
Keep in mind that parking can be competitive.
Parking for the Loch Ness boat tour we booked, as well as some others, is available at The Clansman Hotel, which is just across the street from the Clansman Harbour where the cruise departs… but it can be quite competitive!
We got the last parking space available at the main lot before our tour.
Overflow parking is available about a 15-minute walk away. I recommend arriving early to both up your odds of scoring parking and to allow time to walk from the overflow lot if necessary.
On the plus side, parking at both lots is free!
Don’t forget to stop and take a photo with Nessie on your way out!
In addition to parking, a sprawling gift shop, and an on-site cafe, The Clansman Hotel is also home to a large statue of the Loch Ness monster!
Our toddler was very impressed, and we all enjoyed snapping a couple of photos before leaving.
Other Cool Things to Do Near Loch Ness
While taking a cruise on Loch Ness is definitely one of the best things to do near Inverness, it’s far from the only attraction in the immediate area!
Within a 20-minute drive of the Clansman Harbour, you’ll find all of the following attractions in and around the village of Drumnadroicht:
- Urquhart Castle: A gorgeous set of castle ruins that you’ll see from your Loch Ness cruise. Be sure to book tickets in advance if you’re not taking a tour that includes it!
- Quila Cridhe Tearoom: Have afternoon tea with a side of meeting (and feeding snacks to) Highland coos! We loved our time here, and talk a lot more about it in our guide to the best things to do in Inverness.
- Loch Ness Center: Curious about the history and mystery of the Loch Ness monster? This is the place for you. (Honestly, it looked too cheesy for us, and we have a pretty high tolerance for cheese. We skipped it, but it’s a popular spot.)
- Divach Falls: A relaxed and easy hike to a forested waterfall.
Final Verdict: Was Taking a Loch Ness Cruise Worth It?
For us, booking a Loch Ness boat tour was absolutely worth it!
The relatively short time commitment paired with the incredible views made the experience a slam-dunk success during our trip to Scotland, and we’re thrilled we made the time for it.
About Kate Storm