Read on to find out more about Invergordon Cruise Port and what makes it attractive to cruise ships.
There’s a bit more to it than you might think at first. ?
Short on time?
Here’s a quick summary
| Invergordon Port Depth | 13.5 metres |
| Tender Boats Needed? | No |
| Number of Ships at One Time | 3 |
| Maximum Size Ship | 4,000 guests |
| Distance to Town Centre | 0.3 miles |
| Distance to Inverness | 25 miles |
| Distance to Loch Ness | 39 miles |
Why Do Cruise Ships Stop at Invergordon?
Why Do Cruise Ships Stop at Invergordon?
Invergordon is the closest accessible port to Inverness, the gateway to the Highlands of Scotland. It’s got deep water enabling it to accommodate most sizes of cruise ships right alongside the pier, without the need for a tender boat
Why Do Cruise Ships Stop at Invergordon?
It’s The Largest Port In The Scottish Highlands
There are several ports around the coast of the Scottish Highlands. These include Oban, Fort William, Ullapool, Portree, and Scrabster.
These ports are mostly smaller than Invergordon, which means they can only take smaller ships or they are smaller ports that require tender boats to access them.
Tender boats can make getting on and off the boat slower and they can also be affected by weather. If it’s too rough or windy the tender boats can’t be used.
Why Do Cruise Ships Stop at Invergordon?
It’s the Closest Port to Inverness and Loch Ness
Invergordon is often advertised on ship’s itineraries as Invergordon (Inverness). This is because it’s the closest port to the city of Inverness, which is the capital of the Highlands. Whilst there is a port in Inverness it is mainly a freight port and not suitable for cruise ships.
Inverness is around 45 minutes away from Invergordon.
Invergordon is also the closest port to Loch Ness. This is a very popular place for cruise ship guests to visit, often with a variety of tours on offer including cruises and castle visits.
Loch Ness is the alleged home of the Loch Ness monster, which many people come to see if they can spot.
Why Do Cruise Ships Stop at Invergordon?
Invergordon is a Deep Water Port
Invergordon is 13.5 metres deep alongside the pier, with a deepwater channel running through the Cromarty Firth. Southampton is 16m, Falmouth is 34m. Aberdeen is 10.5m, Leith (Edinburgh) is 6.7m, Greenock is 12.6m.
This means that Invergordon can take all the largest cruise ships without having to use tender boats. The largest cruise ship calling in Invergordon in 2025 will have 4,000 passengers on board. When you add the crew it will have more people on the ship than live in Invergordon!
As mentioned above there is no need for tender boats at any of the piers in Invergordon. This makes getting on and off the ship much easier and quicker for guests.
It also means there is less risk of the port call being cancelled due to bad weather. Tender boats don’t operate when it’s windy or the seas are rough.
Invergordon does occasionally get extra calls when ships have been able to access other ports due to bad weather. This can be Lerwick but has also been Iceland in the past.
Why Do Cruise Ships Stop at Invergordon?
Invergordon Port Can Multiple Ships at the Same Time
Invergordon has a large pier in the Service Base where it can take two cruise ships. It can also take another cruise ship at the smaller Saltburn pier. There have been days when 3 cruise ships have been in at the same time!
Why Do Cruise Ships Stop at Invergordon?
There are Lots of Tours Available from Invergordon
There is a little bit of everything on offer for visitors coming on a cruise ship to Invergordon.
Of course, there are Loch Ness tour options – the most popular ones being a half-day cruise and a half-day castle visit.
Some tours head North including;
- Half-day scenic drive taking in Dornoch and the scenery of Ross-Shire and Sutherland
- Half-Day Dunrobin Castle
- Full-day Castle of Mey tour right up at the top of Scotland
Some tours head South including;
- Cawdor Castle
- Cawdor Castle and Urquhart Castle combined
- Cawdor Castle and Culloden
- Loch Ness Southside Tours
- Inverness On Your Own Transfers
There are also plenty of tours and options available from private operators. There is everything from tours on a large bus, to a small bus or even a private car.
Taxis also offer tours for guests who decide they want to do something on the day.
Why Do Cruise Ships Stop at Invergordon?
Invergordon Town is Within Easy Walking Distance
Invergordon High Street is just over 5 minutes walk away once you leave the ship. It’s quite a sight to look down from the High Street and see a cruise ship moored at the bottom of the road!
It?s got a lot to offer visitors including;
- A mural trail with 12 murals to explore around the town
- Gift shops
- Small convenience stores and a small supermarket
- Post Office
- Cafe, ice cream shop, and food takeaways
- 2 restaurants and 1 cafe
- Local churches one of which has a seafarers centre
- Shore walks, community woodlands, and small beaches
- Invergordon is also home to the world’s strongest brothers – Luke and Tom Stoltman. They have a shop in the High Street selling merchandise including some budgie smugglers!
Why Do Cruise Ships Stop at Invergordon? – Conclusion
- Invergordon has great tour options for visitors including the ever popular Loch Ness.
- The town is worth exploring with a lovely mural trail, some pleasant walks, and shops.
- There is no need for tender boats at Invergordon which makes for quicker disembarkation.
You Might Also Like
If you have found my article on ‘Why Do Cruise Ships Stop at Invergordon’ useful you might also like;
- Shore Excursions in Invergordon – all you need to know about the most popular ship excursions
- Things to Do In Invergordon – walks, visits and more
- Places to Eat in Invergordon – with recommendations from locals
You can find lots more information on my Invergordon Cruise Port page
Further Reading
- Getting to Invergordon from the Cruise Port in 2025
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