2008 Timetables

Check in
All vehicle and foot passengers should note the following:

Aberdeen - Kirkwall - Lerwick
Check in commences 2 hours before departure. Car drivers are recommended to check in at least one hour prior to departure. Final check in is 30 minutes before departure.

Kirkwall (Hatston) departures and arrivals
Foot passengers should note that the new Kirkwall (Hatston) ferry terminal is situated some 2 miles out of town. Additionally please note arrival and departure times for Kirkwall may be subject to change. Please call 0845 6000 449 for our latest sailing information.

Scrabster - Stromness
Check in for the 0630 sailing will open 60 minutes priot to departure. During mid and peak season, passengers who have reserved an overnight cabin may check in and board for the 0630 sailing from Stromness between 2130-2300 the previous evening.

For all other sailings check in will open 90 minutes prior to departure. Final check in is 30 minutes prior to departure.

Foot passengers are requested to check in at the new Scrabster Ferry Terminal. A shuttle bus operates between terminal buildings.

Further details of our passenger terminals, their location and the facilities offered can be found on our About Terminals pages.

Children
Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult when travelling. Unaccompanied children will not be allowed to board vessels. Infants cannot be booked into shared cabins and we would request that passengers wishing to book young children into shared cabins have appropriate consideration for fellow cabin passengers.

Luggage
Passengers are advised to take only hand luggage required for their crossing onto the ship – bearing in mind that this may include an overnight journey. Other luggage should be left in the car or, if travelling on foot, should be checked-in to the luggage trolleys on arrival at the passenger terminal. The trolleys will be carried on the main vehicle deck and will be made available on arrival at the destination terminal for retrieval. Please remember that access to the car deck during travel is restricted and therefore it is worth planning beforehand what will be required during the crossing.

NorthLink’s Conditions of Carriage allows, a maximum baggage weight of 30kg per passenger only. Bulky or overweight baggage will be carried only at the discretion of the local service manager in consultation with ship staff and may be subject to charge.

Parking
NorthLink does not offer secured long-term parking. In Orkney and Shetland parking associated with the ferry terminals are operated by the local harbour authority. In Aberdeen, there is an NCP car park near by the terminal (01224 594 257). At the time of print, daily charges can be as little as £3.50 per day for NorthLink passengers.

The long stay parking area at Scrabster is situated around 800 metres from the passenger terminal on the pier. Customers wishing to leave their car and travel as foot passengers should bear in mind the time required to move between the car park and the terminal. We would recommend that drivers drop off car passengers and any luggage to be taken on board at the terminal on the pier before parking up and making their way back down the pier.

Connecting transport
Passengers should be aware that onward transport connections are limited and can vary from season to season. More information can be found on our Travel Connections page.

Behaviour on board
Passengers should note that all travel is governed by our Conditions of Carriage, copies of which are available at on this website, at our terminals, on board the ships or on request from our offices. Within our Conditions of Carriage there is an implicit expectation as to the standard of behaviour expected of passengers once on board. Passengers appearing under the influence of alcohol or drugs at check-in cannot expect to be allowed to board the vessel. Similarly, while our bars and restaurants do serve alcohol during sailings, our staff are authorised to refuse to serve alcohol to any passenger whose behaviour may cause offence to other passengers or who may be deemed to be putting themselves, staff or fellow passengers at risk.

Christmas and New Year period
Additional calls into Kirkwall may occur during the Christmas and New Year period. For further information please call 0845 6000 449.