DFDS Newcastle to Amsterdam: Why The Ferry Is The Best Way To Get There

I’ll be honest – before I was invited to review a DFDS trip from Newcastke to Amsterdam, I wasn’t sure I could think of anything worse than being trapped on a ferry overnight.

I wasn’t expecting supreme comfort, top-notch food and a memorable night out, but that’s what I got.

My friend Shannon and I set off for a girly 24 hours in Amsterdam, which is one of my favourite European cities. We board the ferry at North Shields Port for the 5pm sailing with low expectations, and enjoyed an overnight trip full of surprises.

My review of the DFDS ferry trip from Newcastle to Amsterdam

My preconceived idea that the DFDS ferry trip to Amsterdam was a voyage only drunk teenagers enjoyed only made my fab experience all the more pleasant!

DFDS ferry review

The first thing that struck me upon boarding the ferry was how welcoming all of the staff are, and then I started to take in all of the amenities.

I was blown away by the facilities onboard the DFDS ferry to Amsterdam. There’s not only a cafe, kids’ play area, ‘sea shop’ with a pretty decent array of goods for sale and various restaurants – there’s even an onboard nightclub with live entertainment and a cinema!

I may have been on a ship, but this was a massive upgrade from the ferry I usually catch to Isle of Man (that’s ‘home’ for me, in case you didn’t know).

After chucking our bags in our cabin, we dashed around the ship like overexcited kids. We made a pitstop at a bar for a frozen strawberry daiquiri each then made our way to the Seven Seas Restaurant for a buffet dinner.

Now, I’m a bit snobby about buffets thanks to my year of inhaling gourmet food at Dubai’s various luxury brunches, but I was very impressed by the Seven Seas offering. We loaded our plates with seafood, roast meat and more, then finished with a cheese plate. Delicious!

Stomachs full, we headed towards the music and launched into holiday mode. Bottles of prosecco were ordered, lyrics were belted out and friends were made. We ended up in the nightclub until the early hours, and I pretty much forgot that I was on a boat. I think I also forgot my own name at one point that night…

Early next morning, a bus drove us from the port to Amsterdam, and we got to exploring – but more about that later. First, I’ll tell you about the journey back.

Are commodore cabins on DFDS ferries worth it?

For the DFDS sailing from Amsterdam back to North Shields we were lucky enough to bag ourselves a commodore cabin, and it wasn’t so different to a four-star hotel room.

With two portholes, a larger bathroom with plenty of toiletries and towels, we were living in luxury. Our cabin even had a fully stocked, free mini bar with sparkling wine, beer and soft drinks.

We may have indulged a bit too much in Amsterdam, but we were still on holiday so we booked a slap-up two-course dinner in the ship’s steak restaurant, Explorers. The food was absolutely beautiful, and again I almost forgot that I was on a boat in the middle of the North Sea.

Our night ended with a slightly more sensible cup of tea, then we fell into our big double bed for an early night, watching TV until we both passed out.

With the commodore cabins, you’re given the option to enjoy breakfast in bed, but we fancied a nosy at the buffet so we ventured out into the restaurant. The breakfast offering lived up to what had become high expectations, and we devoured our fry ups before disembarking.

I usually can’t wait to get off the boat when I take ferry trips but I didn’t even want to abandon ship when we docked.

For anyone who might be put off the DFDS sailing because they suffer from sea sickness, I’ll let you into a secret: I suffer too! Thankfully, we had an extremely smooth sailing.

I have another Amsterdam post if you’re interested in more things to do – check out my two day Amsterdam guide

Where to stay in Amsterdam

For luxury, try The Hoxton or The Pulitzer Hotel. If you’re on a budget, The Flying Pig Hostel is a great choice.

Search for all Amsterdam accommodation using the map below.

Booking.com

Planning your DFDS to Amsterdam trip

Book your DFDS sailing to Amsterdam on their website

See all tours and activities in Amsterdam

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If you’re able to get the time off and don’t mind spending some of that time at sea, I highly recommend the DFDS sailing from North Shields to Amsterdam. If you splash out on a commodore cabin, you’ll have a super comfortable night’s sleep and you can kick your holiday off onboard at the various restaurants, bar and nightclub. Yes, really!

Does the DFDS ferry trip to Amsterdam appeal to you? If you’re North East based and have considered it before, what’s stopped you? Has my review changed your mind? Leave any questions in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer them.

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This is a sponsored post but views are entirely my own. Trust me – I would have made it clear if I didn’t enjoy this trip!

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