DFDS Mini Cruise Newcastle to Amsterdam Review
DFDS Mini Cruise
Newcastle to Amsterdam
Reviewed by Ella Richardon
When I first found out I was going on a cruise I was so excited, I have never been on a cruise before and always imagined it as being very expensive and only for those who felt at home in a tuxedo or ball gown. I am neither rich or own a ball gown but I couldn’t believe the prices when I saw them on the website from £79 per person, which for a two night trip I thought was pretty cheap and completely doable on our small budget and I managed to solve the wardrobe issue with a couple of black dresses from the back of the cupboard.
So the day came to set off, we had a 3 hour drive to Newcastle, which was pretty straightforward and signposted really well and once we got to the car park there was plenty of spaces to choose from. We also got there a bit early so sampled the food in the ports café, which was limited with only a selection of two sandwiches but lucky for us there were the two we liked and would have picked any way. The staff were really friendly and chatty which made for a nice wait for checking in to begin.
So to start the journey we had to check in, as you do with any trip but usually this is the bit I dread the most as it’s always so stressful with big queues but for the DFDS mini cruise, it took no longer than two minutes and we were asked to sit down to wait to board, then a quick go through the security checks by out of ordinary friendly staff. We were met on the ship at each stair case to help guide us to our cabin, which was good because the ship was bigger than anything I have ever seen and I was very worried I would spend the first day wandering around the ship not being able to find my way, I had no need to worry there was always a friendly face to ask if we got, which actually we never did and the lay out was pretty simple to work out.
We arrived to our room and it was pretty much as I imagined as I had looked on the website. We were in a two bed room with sea view and we were right at the front of the ship, I felt like Kate Winslet in Titanic, we had such a lovely view. The room was basic it had two single beds, a table, a mirror and a shower over the toilet which my husband was most impressed at. If you are looking for somewhere to just sleep like us the room is perfect, though if you are planning on spending day time in the room I would probably invest in one of the bigger Commodore rooms but if I am totally honest with the schedule there isn’t much time for spending time in the room, there is constantly something going on. The beds were unbelievably comfortable I could of slept forever, though did make it hard to get up, my only note about the rooms is if you are planning a romantic trip away it might be worth booking a Commodore room as I said we had single beds but for the price the room was perfectly adequate and did everything that we needed it before. We had towels and bedding provided, though a slight tip you might want to take your own toilet roll as it wasn’t the softest. We also made great use of the radio in the room and there were a few stations to pick from.
We had pre-booked dinner for later that evening so we could get settled in, so headed up about 8.30 to the 7 Seas restaurant. We didn’t really know what we were to expect as all we had seen was it was an all you can eat buffet. But was pleasantly surprised by the array of different foods, from Chinese, meat and two veg, breads & cheeses, the list goes on. I decided to start with a plate of salad which I actually have to say was the best plate of salad I have had in a long time, it was so simple but dressed beautifully and so delicate and this was accompanied by their very own freshly made bread that was so lovely. I then went for a main course of the Chinese buffet and there was a lovely beef dish, the beef was cooked to perfection and went really well with the vegetable noodles. I also sampled some of the cheeses which some I had never heard of and really enjoyed the new tastes and textures. The variety was vast and slightly overwhelming but it was all absolutely delicious. For dessert I ended up with a coffee mousse, which was beautiful and really delicate, it melted in the mouth and if I had room I would of eaten another but I decided the last bit of space was saved for a kids ice cream cone with sprinkles, I just couldn’t help myself as I piled the cone up high and I noticed every adult around me had done the same, for a moment I felt like a child again, sometimes the simplest of ideas just work really well. The night was topped off really well with half a bottle of wine, though this wasn’t pre-ordered and if we were to go next time we would certainly pre-order the dinner wine. I thought the price of the food was really reasonable, the dinner buffet if bought on board was €34.50 but if you booked in advance which we did you get 24% off and kids eat half price. The restaurant was brilliant and the staff were amazing jumping to your every need, I even got to taste the wine before they served it very professionally and I felt like I was in a very swanky restaurant, but the meal prices in no way felt that way.
After dinner we headed to the Compass bar, where there was a fabulous singer who was strumming a long with the aid of a guitar, we actually weren’t going to go and watch the entertainment as we were really tired but he sounded so good we decided just to pop in for one drink and have a listen. He played all the classics and had everyone singing along. The room was absolutely packed and within that room was a bunch of men on a stag party, which by this point had, had far too much to drink and were interfering with his set, the men started to make me feel a bit anxious but I do have to say they were dealt with very quickly and without fuss and everyone was left to enjoy their evening. We went to our cabin shortly after ready for an early start seeing Amsterdam and even more exciting our all you can eat buffet breakfast.
We woke nice and early and headed back to the 7 Seas restaurant ready for breakfast. We were met by the fresh faced waiter from the night before (I’m not sure they sleep!) with the choice of a jug of tea and/or coffee and all different kinds of juices. Even though I was still really full from the night before, I couldn’t resist the array of beautiful breakfast food, going from continental, full English, fruit and pastries. It was delicious, I ended up devouring a Full English, which is fabulous for setting you up for a day’s sightseeing, even chips were on the menu. Then I finished with a custard pastry which I really shouldn’t of had but they looked so amazing I couldn’t say no. Which leads me to the point, there is no way you can diet on this trip as it’s all too fabulous and worth every mouthful. We were able to sit and eat breakfast while we were waiting for the ship to dock, which was good as everything was slightly delayed and there wasn’t lots of hanging around, we could sip coffee and wait for the announcement and at a really good price of €14.90 and again if you book in advance you get 20% off the price, well worth it when it’s eat all you like and you have a husband that can eat all he likes.
Customs was quick and easy as before and waiting when we got off were two coaches ready for taking us to Amsterdam. The coaches were pretty small and space limiting so if you have long legs like my husband you might want to think about other options but for him the short 45 min trip was fine and was free with the package so well worth just trying to bear with the lack of space for the small trip. We arrived in Amsterdam at about 11am and as we had already been given a map with our boarding cards we had mapped out exactly what we wanted to do with our 5 hours. I would definitely recommend doing this as we found the 5 hours went really quickly. We decided we would within our trip to Amsterdam visit Madame Tussauds and I highly recommend this as something to do as it only takes a couple of hours and is so much fun, the wax figures are so realistic and the staff very friendly. Though my only point I would make is if you plan to go to Madame Tussauds try and book online before you go as it is considerably cheaper, we paid €44 for the both of us on the day, on the door. We spent the rest of the time enjoying the beautiful sights of Amsterdam and taking in the busy and bustling atmosphere, as a city it is very characteristic and well worth a visit. We even stopped to watch some street entertainment.
Our 5 hours went really quickly and soon enough we were heading back to the ship by the free bus and as quickly we were off, we were back on again at about 5.15pm, so time for a lovely snooze before dinner at 8pm (well while you have no kids with you why not?). We woke at 7.30 to a very choppy sea and feeling a bit ill, luckily I had brought some sea sickness tablets with me but unfortunately they take two hours to kick in so although we attempted dinner, we really couldn’t stomach anything other than a piece of bread. While we were there though all the staff continued as normal and were very helpful of people who found it difficult to stand upright whilst carrying their dinners over. The restaurant was very quiet that night but it was totally down to the rockiness of the boat, so I would recommend taking the sea sickness tablets anyway on the off chance as those few hours weren’t very nice and could of been preventable if we had of taken them earlier, I was gutted I missed dinner as it looked amazing again and I can’t recommend it enough, from the food and the staff there was nothing bad at all I can say about the restaurant or the staff in general, everyone always had a smile and if you needed help or your drink topping up they were there within seconds.
We slept right through from 9pm until breakfast at 8am as the sea was very rough but this didn’t take away from the experience as we still managed the beautiful breakfast in the morning and able to watch us dock at Newcastle whilst scoffing pastries again and remising on the fabulous weekend we had had. The only downside that I can even pick fault at was that the drinks were pretty expensive and even for a can of beer it was €4.50, so this hindered how much we were able to stay out but there was a shop that you could purchase drinks from and the wine was actually pretty reasonable but you aren’t allowed to drink this anywhere other than your room, I was expecting drinks to be slightly cheaper as it was an affordable cruise but if that is my only point to make, it’s a very small down point to what was otherwise a fabulous and exciting weekend and It was certainly what we needed and a lovely time to spend as a couple, though I might add the ship was very child friendly and even a kid zone, we saw lots of children enjoying the experience as much as the adults. I would highly recommend the DFDS cruise to anyone as the budget is affordable and flexible and you can get everything added on that you need for a cheap price and I certainly will be returning and maybe with the kids in tow.
Rating: 4/5
DFDS Seaways
DFDS Seaways sails up to twice a day between Newcastle and Amsterdam. Prices for mini cruise packages start from as little as £79 per person.
Sailing overnight, the break starts as soon as you board one of DFDS Seaways’ cruise ferries. With plenty to do onboard, including a children’s play area, casino, cinema and in-room films on demand, as well as a variety of bars and live entertainment, passengers have the space to relax and spend time with their loved ones and plan the details of their short break. Guests can also enjoy a delicious meal in one of the three onboard restaurants and then take a refreshing stroll on deck to admire the great views before heading off to their en suite cabin for a peaceful night’s sleep. Next morning, passengers will wake up refreshed for their time ashore.
To find out more information and to see the latest special offers, visit www.dfds.co.uk or telephone 0871 574 8235.
Amsterdam Tourist Information
For further information about visiting Amsterdam, log onto www.iamsterdam.com for more details.