Are you planning a trip to the Netherlands? One of your options is to take the ferry to Amsterdam. You can also book this crossing as a mini-cruise. But what's it like? We decided to find out and booked a mini-cruise between Amsterdam and Newcastle. Here's how it went!
To the terminal of the ferry
Even though we didn’t take the car on board, we can still give you a good idea of how things work when you arrive in IJmuiden by car. IJmuiden is a port city located near Amsterdam, approximately 24 miles away.
Assuming you can find your way (navigation: Felison Terminal, IJmuiden), you’ll also see signs in IJmuiden that quickly guide you to where you need to be. Convenient!
Are you leaving your car behind for a mini-cruise?
As shown in the photos above, you can park about 100 to 200 metres from the terminal—a short walk.
If you're travelling with a car, you’ll go through customs before joining the parking area queue to board.
If you're travelling without a car, you’ll board via the Felison terminal. This was our route.
On board the ferry
You can start boarding early (from 14:30 local time in Amsterdam and 14:30 local time in Newcastle) for this crossing, so if you arrive early, you can board ahead of time. Upon boarding, the DFDS team is ready to guide you to your cabin. You receive a boarding ticket at check-in, which also serves as your room key—so keep it safe!
Are you travelling with young children on the ferry?
It’s a good idea to ask for bed rails right away. Many beds are bunk beds, which will help prevent children from falling out. For the youngest ones, you can bring a travel tent, which can be set up on the bed or between the beds.
Once on board, you can head straight to your cabin, which is convenient for dropping off your luggage before exploring the ferry. In our case, the bed rails were delivered to the cabin, so we didn’t have to wait.
Heading to the deck
Going out on the deck is always fun, especially if you hope to spot whales, seals, dolphins, or whatever else you might see. Just remember to bring a warm jumper. It can get quite windy, and a warm jumper can be comfortable on deck with the ferry moving quickly.
ORCA, a wildlife organisation dedicated to marine life, offers an interactive workshop on board that provides insights into the underwater world.
On board: cabins, restaurants, entertainment, and more.
We had a standard 4-person cabin with a sea view, which we thought would help prevent seasickness. The cabin wasn’t what you'd call “spacious,” but it was definitely okay for us. It had a toilet, shower, and 4 bunk beds, which worked well for a group of four.
You don’t need much else, as the cabin is mostly just for sleeping. If you want something bigger, upgrades are available, but they come at a significantly higher price.
Despite the rough weather, we didn’t experience any seasickness, as the ferry was relatively stable.
You can make restaurant reservations in advance. There are two options: the Bistro, an à la carte restaurant, and the buffet restaurant (Explorers Kitchen). The North Sea Bistro is a bit more expensive and quieter—if you're travelling with children, we’d recommend the buffet restaurant, but it's up to you.
The buffet restaurant offers various choices, and the staff on board quickly help if you want to order drinks. You can pay by card on the spot. You'll need to reserve a time slot in advance for either the North Sea Bistro or the buffet restaurant.
As you can see in the photos above, the breakfast buffet is ready in the morning in Newcastle or Amsterdam. Once again, everything was spot on.
On board: entertainment for all ages
As you may have seen on the deck plan, there's plenty of entertainment on board besides the essentials. There are various bars where you can enjoy live music in the late hours, and there's even a cinema. There's an arcade and a Pirates Club with an entertainment team for the kids to have extra fun. You can also explore the ferry further and relax in the coffee bar on Deck 7 or the Skybar on the top deck. Additionally, duty-free shopping is available on board.
There’s plenty to do on board.
Disembarking in Newcastle or Amsterdam
Whether heading to Scotland or the Netherlands or taking a mini-cruise, you’ll arrive in Newcastle or Amsterdam the next day. Most travellers will disembark with their car or caravan and continue their journey. For those on the mini-cruise, a bus is ready to take you to Amsterdam or Newcastle, depending on your destination. It’s a 20-minute ride from the terminal to Central Station in either city. The concept of the mini-cruise is nearly identical in both directions.
Dutch time is observed on board the ferry, which also applies to the buses from the terminal to Amsterdam and vice versa. There's plenty to do in Amsterdam, and if you don’t have plans yet, you can quickly explore the city via the metro or a hop-on hop-off bus. Want some personalised tips? Let us know—we’ve lived in Amsterdam for years and would happily help!
Once back on board, you can head to the restaurant, one of the bars, or the Pirates Club 😉
The following day, you’ll—hopefully well-rested—arrive in Newcastle. After disembarking, you'll need to go through customs before heading home.
What else is good to know in advance about this crossing?
Everything on board is well organised—the prices are reasonable, there’s entertainment for the kids, and the food is well-catered. However, we want to share a few tips that may not be as widely mentioned. If there’s something specific you’d like to know that’s not covered here, feel free to ask in the comments, and we’ll be happy to help.
- Are you travelling with kids and need extra entertainment? Or do you enjoy watching a series? Be sure to download content to your phone in advance. You’ll quickly enter international waters, and data costs can become very expensive. The standard Wi-Fi packages on board aren’t sufficient for streaming, and if you want better access, you’ll have to pay quite a bit.
- You can pay by card on board, which is convenient for the arcade, entertainment, and more. However, cash is useful for tipping the staff, such as the entertainment team or servers. Bringing some money can be handy.
- The water in your cabin is drinkable, and towels and bedding are provided. Perhaps this is obvious, but it's good to know!
- A baby carrier can be handy for young children, especially if you're trying to get them to sleep.
- Don't forget your passports! An ID card or driving licence is not sufficient since Brexit.
- Dutch time is followed on board the ferry, even when you're in England.
You can book this crossing as a mini-cruise, a city trip to Amsterdam, or a standard crossing to the Netherlands / the continent.
Our experience on this crossing was very positive, and we recommend it, especially if you plan a road trip to the continent. It’s truly a comfortable way to travel. Your holiday begins when you drive on board and check into your cabin.
JW, one of the co-founders of FerryGoGo, has a passion for food, drink, and travel. He loves exploring data and the history of the many destinations featured on FerryGoGo, and he's always curious about the population of each place.
