Maid of the Forth Reviews Summary

Boat and Crew

Pros:

• "Two tier boat with open air top deck. Drinks, nibbles and toilets on board."
• "All staff were incredibly friendly, the tannoy commentary very interesting and the views incredible."
• "The staff was very nice and the boat was clean."
• "The most exceptionally helpful and friendly crew."
• "The staff could not have been more helpful."
• "The boat staff were excellent, really helpful and polite."
• "The crew friendly and helpful."

Cons:

• "There's also too little space on the boats and they need to accommodate more tourists."
• "Sadly on our trip the boat was far too busy. There was no social distancing."
• "They don't tell you that although 250 people fit on board you won't actually get a seat and you can't hear the information."
• "Went on the Scottish and Irish music boat trip which was disappointing as at the back of the boat we could not hear the music."
• "Not to any fault of theirs, if on the top deck, it is hard to hear the speaker."
• "Nice trip on the boar but no seals seen etc. Couldn't hear the commentary due to one father and his kids."
• "Sorry but won't recommend it." (Regarding the music boat trip)

Wildlife and Scenery

Pros:

• "We saw lots of seals on one of the smaller islands which was great."
• "Superb scenery wild life saw grey seals and puffins and other seabirds that nest there."
• "An unexpected bonus was the many seals spotted around the island that is a part of the cruise."
• "We saw tons of grey seals and even had puffins flying alongside the boat, just above the water, it was utterly breathtaking."
• "To make the trip more enjoyable we spotted seals at rest near inchcolm island.such a beautiful sight to see."
• "We saw plenty of sights, birds and even some seals."
• "Spot seals basking enroute, sea birds and if you’re lucky the puffins."

Cons:

• "Why on earth did the boat crew decide to stop and fixate on two tiny little puffins? They're not the most impressive creatures."
• "There were lots of nesting birds in May and June, who were understandably irritated with anyone who got too close to their nests."
• "Beware of the seagulls during nesting season as they are not big fans of humans wandering around."
• "We were not able to see any puffins while on the island sadly, but we did see seals in the water."
• "The only downfall was the swooping seagulls, during the months of April to September they are nesting and have chicks which they are extremely protective over so if you try to pass them or get close they swoop down."
• "Total waste of time and money!!!! All we did was sit on a boat and we saw nothing!!!!"
• "If you are looking to walk round the island at this time of year you will find it impossible due to aggressive nesting seagulls being absolutely everywhere."

Island and Abbey

Pros:

• "Ruins of old abbey worth to see it! Amazing place."
• "Great trip to Inchcolm Island, Inchcolm itself is an amazing experience."
• "Inchcolm island is like nothing we’d ever seen before. Stunning scenery, beaches, beautiful abbey and World War sites full of history."
• "The island itself is lovely, the abbey is stunning."
• "Incholm Island is great with its abbey and war fortifications and offers great views of Fife and Edinburgh."
• "Inchcolm Island is well worth visiting. The historic partly ruined abbey is good to explore and looks wonderful in its setting."
• "Inchcolm Island is lovely, and the abbey is worth exploring."

Cons:

• "Honestly, the staff is great. But I didn't quite enjoy the island... The beaches aren't pretty and you can't sit there."
• "Ripped off completely. Half the island is closed off and the place is absolutely covered in bird poo."
• "Don’t waste your time and money on this trip - it is 90 minutes of pretty drab and dreary scenery."
• "The island was cool although we could only view one half of the island due to construction around the Abbey."
• "It wouldn't be suitable for a wheelchair but that is stated when you book tickets."
• "Overall, a great day and well worth doing although wouldn't recommend for wheelchairs or prams due to accessing the boat but also the island is uphill, the abbey is old stonework and stairs with gravel paths."
• "No idea why people go on these trips if theyre not interested."