Royal Yacht Britannia
Highlights of the Royal Yacht Britannia tour
The Royal Yacht Britannia has a total of 5 magnificent decks and the highlights of the tour are many due to the large number of varied things of interest on the ship.
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The Ship Bridge
The Britannia tour starts on the bridge, the first level of your visit and the command point where the Commodore led the Royal Yacht on her voyages.
The top deck is fascinating to discover with its masts, lifeboats and of particular interest the place where the Queen would salute and greet the public from. This area of the bridge is sheltered on both sides in order to prevent the wind from blowing up the Royal dress.
The Sun Lounge and Royal Bedrooms
On the second level of the Royal Yacht Britannia there's the Sun Lounge, one of the Queen's favourite places on the Britannia. The blinds let only part of the light through which makes it particularly cosy.
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh would not have shared a Royal Bedroom. The sleeping quarters are made up of two suites with an interconnected door.
Many of the items on display in the bedrooms are originals and feature gifts given to the Queen from around the world. These rooms on the Royal Yacht Britannia are protected by glass.
You can also see the rest of the bedrooms where other members of the Royal Family, including Prince Charles and Princess Diana, spent their honeymoon.
The Binnacle
One of the highlights of the Royal Yacht Britannia is the binnacle on the veranda just outside the Sun Lounge that holds the ship's compass. The binnacle is quite big, nearly as tall as a man. A bell is placed above it with the name Britannia engraved on it.
The Drawing Room
The drawing room on the Britannia is probably the yacht's most elegant room, with its fireplace, Persian rugs and deep armchairs. This is where intimate gatherings or other official functions would take place.
The State Dining Room
The Dining Room is the grandest and largest room on the Royal Yacht Britannia where some of the most powerful men in the world were entertained by Her Majesty, the Queen. The State Dining Room is presented today as if its ready to welcome its guests.
The Chief Petty Officers' Mess
This elegant room is where the most senior Yachtsmen on the Britannia would have their meals. They also had their own separate sleeping quarters.
The Sick Bay, Laundry, Kitchens
These rooms represented the working heart of the Royal Yacht Britannia. The yacht doubled up as a hospital ship in wartime and is the only ship in the Royal Navy to have a laundry permanently manned by her own crew.
Today, this part of the yacht retains its original feel and you can almost imagine the bustling activity on this deck. There is also the excellent Britannia Sweet Shop which sells fudge that you can indulge in mid-way through your tour.
The Royal Barge
This boat was used by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh to travel ashore when the Royal Yacht Britannia was anchored.
The Engine Room
The Engine Room on the Britannia is a marvel of engineering that has barely changed from the time the ship was launched in 1953. Protected by glass, the engine room features the beating heart of the Royal Yacht that helped it carry it over one million miles.
>> Back to Royal Yacht Britannia guide index
All Royal Yacht Britannia articles:
Britannia Visitor Centre Overview of the Royal Yacht Britannia visitor centre at Ocean Terminal.
Highlights of a Britannia Tour Information on the most interesting things to see on the Royal Yacht.
Leith Waterfront & Docks Visitor information about the revived Edinburgh waterfront at Leith.
Photos of the Royal Yacht Britannia Picture gallery of and from the Royal Yacht.
Attraction Details - Royal Yacht Britannia Royal Yacht Britannia tourist information including opening times, admission and contact details.
Royal Yacht Britannia on the web Links to other web pages related to the most famous yacht in the world.
Also see:
Holyrood Palace Tourist information and pictures of the Queen's Royal residence in Edinburgh.
Edinburgh attractions and sightseeing All of the best attractions in Edinburgh plus pictures and sightseeing tips.
