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A harbour and dolphin cruise from Aberdeen
Aberdeen

Aberdeen – a Harbour and Dolphin Cruise, Then the Beach

A few hours.

Directions

The route

Aberdeen Harbour Tours takes a dozen people at a time out through the working port on a small catamaran, past the giant oil supply ships, and into Aberdeen Bay, where bottlenose dolphins feed at the harbour mouth.

The skipper, a local mariner, talks you through the harbour's past and present on the way. Lunch afterwards is a few minutes' drive up the coast at Cafe Ahoy, by the beach.

Before you go

  1. Book accommodation nearby

    If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.

    North Lodge and River Cabin22 miles awayNorth Lodge and River CabinSleeps 6CuttieshillockStrachanCuttieshillockSleeps 6Gamekeeper’s CottageStrachanGamekeeper’s CottageSleeps 6No 2 Steading Cottage at GlendyeStrachanNo 2 Steading Cottage at GlendyeSleeps 4

  2. Book Aberdeen Harbour Tours

    Book Aberdeen Harbour Tours' harbour and dolphin cruise by phone or text on 07807 031018 and bring cash: in 2026 it sailed at weekends from mid-April to June and in September, and every day from early July to mid-August; ring for the 2027 times.

The day

Aberdeen

An hour among the working ships of the harbour and out into the bay for the dolphins, then brunch or lunch by the beach.

About three hours

  1. Aberdeen Harbour Tours

    Aberdeen Harbour Tours

    Aberdeen Harbour Tours meets passengers on Commercial Quay West, across from the Union Square car park, a paid car park. There's no office, so ring or text 07807 031018 when you arrive, and a crew member will walk you along the safe route to the boat; be there 15 minutes before it sails. The hour-long cruise starts with the crew's talk on the port's history and its working life today, close beside the big oil supply vessels. Then it heads out into Aberdeen Bay to look for the bottlenose dolphins that feed there, with eider ducks, seals and porpoises too. It's £40 an adult and £20 a child at the time of writing, booked by phone or text and paid on board in cash only. In 2026 it sailed at 11am, 12.30pm and 2pm at weekends from mid-April to June and every day from early July to mid-August, then at 12.30pm at weekends to the end of September. The 2027 times aren't out yet, so ring, and every trip depends on the weather.

  2. 4 min by car

    Cafe Ahoy

    Cafe Ahoy

    Lunch

    Lunch is 4 minutes' drive north at Cafe Ahoy in the Inspire Building on Beach Boulevard, where the retail park's car park is free for up to four hours. It's a dog-friendly café with a sunny terrace, serving pancakes, eggs on avocado toast, sandwiches and milkshakes, open Wednesday to Sunday from 8.30am to 3.30pm. Its sister café, the Pier on the esplanade, serves breakfast and lunch seven days a week, so try it on a Monday or Tuesday.

    More about Cafe Ahoy

If it rains

The cruise depends on the weather on the day; Cafe Ahoy is indoors, and the Pier café on the esplanade too.

Photograph by Dave Esson via Google