Scottish Seabird Centre Reviews Summary

Visitor Experience

Pros:

• "An excellent day out."
• "Fantastic experience for my family."
• "We spent about an hour walking around the Experience and kids loved the various engaging activities."
• "Great little experience with live cameras on the local protected nesting site for the seabirds you can move and zoom."
• "Loads of activities to do and learn from as part of the experience as well as live feeds on islands close by to see the current birds."
• "Interesting hands-on learning opportunities for kids and big kids alike."
• "The exhibits were interactive, incredibly kid friendly and informative and the atmosphere was amazing!"

Cons:

• "It is really boring and there is nothing to do."
• "Some of the exhibits were out of order (including cameras) on the day that we visited."
• "The whole visit was no more than 20-30 minutes. Overpriced."
• "Very tired exhibits that haven't changed in a decade except to fall apart and not be replaced."
• "The displays could do with being more up to date and more interactive."
• "Not set up very well for disabled visitors chairs or scooters as the displays do not have enough space to move around."
• "Bit underwhelmed with the centre, expected more info and activities."

Staff and Service

Pros:

• "Staff were excellent and very informative."
• "The guides were extremely helpful and knowledgeable."
• "Helpful staff and covid prepared."
• "Pleasant helpful staff throughout."
• "Staff are incredibly friendly and knowledgeable and the whole centre appears very well run."
• "The staff here were very knowledgeable, helpful and enthusiastic."
• "The staff are extremely friendly and will take the extra step to share the knowledge and interesting facts about the wildlife."

Cons:

• "Appalling service..we traveled a considerable distance to book our trip but was told all spaces for that day were allocated but we could make the 2.30 pm trip the following day, this was not a problem."
• "After returning the salad the waiter just vanished, didn't say a word and offered no apology or refund."
• "The attitude of some of my fellow passengers was a disappointment."
• "I feel very let down by this, and the subsequent lack of any redress."
• "Didn't visit the exhibition but had food and got a moldy lemon on top of the salad, clearly visible."
• "The service was great a young man welcomed us in and asked what table we would like to sit at."
• "Staff cannot be faulted though, very polite and friendly."

Facilities and Accessibility

Pros:

• "Our family used the excellent toilets."
• "The facility is wheel chair accessible and dog friendly."
• "There's wheelchair accessible entrance."
• "Most areas accessible to wheelchair users."
• "Free parking and very good disabled access."
• "Clean, friendly staff, dog friendly, amazing views, and a shop with a 7ft high Puffin."
• "Very dog-friendly, both sitting outside and inside too."

Cons:

• "If in a wheelchair then you cannot use the viewing area properly as there are no telescopes at wheelchair height and the wall is too high to see over."
• "Main disadvantage is, this place does not have dedicated parking space but parking spaces are available at 5 mins walk distance."
• "Sadly the cheap or free parking nearby or in town is not available in large numbers."
• "Toilets are clean and well kept."

Food and Cafe

Pros:

• "Nice Caffè inside with smiling service."
• "Good choice of simple food with a couple of specials."
• "Lovely place 2 scones and jam 2 Lattes."
• "I thought the ambience was really cosy; the menu, although some may say limited, well priced and excellent food."
• "Delicious coffee and walnut cake and friendly staff made this a really lovely visit."
• "The café was great, with quite a decent range of things."
• "Seabird centre Cafe - good coffee & sitting on terrace in the sun."

Cons:

• "Looks tired and dated these days....the seabird centre is not...the food in the cafe is poor especially the cooked food."
• "Cafe has been recently renovated and looks nice but still relies on very underwhelming coffee from a push button machine."
• "But the coffee was terrible watery with no taste."
• "We Had lunch there today, ordered mac and cheese, it was hot, garlic bread was lovely, BUT....The macaroni cheese was tasteless...don't think cheese was added during the making of the sauce."
• "Coffee could be better as it's just an automatic machine."
• "The food is fine but it's pretty expensive for what it is, canteen food at restaurant prices."
• "Very limited for vegans."

Value and Pricing

Pros:

• "The centre itself has a little cafe and shop so if you forgot a hat or scarf etc. and are planning on a boat trip you can pick one up there; I thought they were fairly priced."
• "The food is reasonably priced and generally of a good quality."
• "Coming to the Seabird Centre gives you that view for free."

Cons:

• "This is very nice place for visit with family although the ticket price is just far too much as this place very old and need necessary update !"
• "I think a bit pricey for what there is to see and do but we really enjoyed seeing the birds and mammals on the live cameras."
• "Hugely overpriced for a day out with young children."
• "Quite expensive if you are over 3 years old."
• "£7.95 per adult to watch a few bird cameras, a viewing deck where you can see the birds from several kilometers away."
• "A visit now represents very poor value for money."

Overall Facility

Pros:

• "The Centre itself, though small, is packed with fascinating items."
• "The seabird centre itself is a nice and important source of information about the birds."
• "Loved the centre, you can see the wild life from the islands (Craighleith, Bass Rock, Isle of May) in the cameras inside the centre."
• "This is great place to visit very informative about all the sea life that surrounds the centre with a great little cafe that's not too expensive."
• "Also a 3d cinema with great educational videos about the wildlife and conservation."
• "Centre very interesting with interactive main exhibition."
• "This is an amazing location. Interesting harbour historic town great views of Bass Rock and the sea bird colony and the Sea Bird Centre has been finished to a high standard with excellent information clearly defined about the area."

Cons:

• "The experience could do with an update and some modernisation."
• "This is your standard British visitor centre. The surroundings are very pleasant. Most of the wild live centre is turned over to a shop and mostly to the café."
• "Looks tired and dated these days....the seabird centre is not...the food in the cafe is poor especially the cooked food."
• "Shop was a little limited & expensive."
• "Without paying there is nothing more than a shop and a cafe."
• "All they have is a TV with some boring movie playing."
• "Very disappointed. States open on website. Not signed anywhere, even their own car park. Closed for renovations."