Quick look
What To See
Eating Out
Sleepover
Getting There

It’s better to travel than to arrive, so the (often overly) optimistic saying goes. Combining a winning destination with a pleasant journey is clearly the perfect way to do it, so that travel time become an enjoyable part of your break rather than a stressful take up of precious relaxation time.

DFDS Seaways are working hard to ensure this happens. Their mini cruises from Newcastle to Amsterdam offer fine dining, great accommodation and a variety of entertainment as they gently propelled passengers towards the beautiful Dutch capital. Once there, they offer free sight seeing tours and a day’s wandering, or canal cruising  before the cruise back home allows you to enjoy all the experiences you couldn’t fit in on the journey there. It’s a culturally compact trip leaving you feeling that you’ve done something a little bit special with the weekend.  

What To See : Back to top

Talk of what to see is as much about taking tour of the ship as it is about strolling round Holland’s biggest city, as more time is actually spent on the boat than on the land. If you opt for the two day mini cruise that sets sail from north Tyneside docks, Newcastle, at 5pm (on Friday as we travelled, although ship sail throughout the week), the ship docks at 9am the following morning in time for a day’s sightseeing in Amsterdam. The ship sets sail again at 5pm that evening, depositing you back on English soil at 9am the following day, Sunday, providing a brief but thoroughly pleasant taste of another city.

Arriving in Newcastle we took the direct bus from the train station and soon found ourselves were warmly welcomed aboard the 166 meter long King of Scandinavia by polite and helpful staff who showed us to our CommodAore Deluxe cabin.  These top notch rooms are at the top of the ship providing views of the sea, and no hint of the car fumes detectable in accommodation in the bowels of the ship. 

Armed a few moments later with a glass of wine from the exclusive Commodore Deluxe lounge we stepped into the sunshine as rousing British band music marched out from speakers across the deck  and the Newcastle dockland drifted away.

The King of Scandinavia was originally built  in 1987 and was since renovated in 2006. It boasts a range of watering holes, shops, eateries and entertainment including two cinemas, a casino, cafes and a disco. As the sun slipped down we decided to stroll around to discover what was in store.

As we did the traditional naval music soon gave way to pumping party tunes as the sun drenched decks were bustling with groups  of young people coaxing colourful cocktails or large beer bottles in hand. Boisterous hen and stag parties were interspersed with a few families with children and organised tours of pensioners.

Having briefly explored most of the ship’s nooks and crannies we soon retired once again to the comfort and calm of the Commodore Deluxe lounge. Glass fronted and situated at the very front of the boat and providing complimentary drinks and snacks, it was the perfect way to unwind and watch the ships progress before dinner.

On arrival in Amsterdam passengers are offered the choice of two coaches taking you into the city. One takes twenty minutes longer but provides a guided tour with information about the history of Netherland’s financial and cultural capital. Equipped with a map and information helpfully provided by the on board information desk, we set of on a walking tour away from the city’s touristy centre and the generic shopping stores.

Strolling alongside the 17th century canals into the arty eastern area of the city was a wonderfully tranquil way to avoid the crowds and offered  numerous café options for iced coffees, salads and a few Dutch beers.

We came across the Waterlooplien flea market, one of the city’s oldest, with over 300 stalls selling everything from antique telescopes, clothes and food. It is open from  10 am to 5pm on  Saturday and highly recommended for those with a keen eye for a bargain.

We were firmly focussed on leisurely soaking up the city’s atmosphere but there are plenty of museums for the more culturally minded. The house where Anne Frank and her Jewish family hid from the Nazis during World War II is open to the public and shows where she spent time writing her since published diaries. Situated fairly centrally is a doable option for those with only one day in Amsterdam although the long queue outside might deter those with more many activities on the list.

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Eating Out : Back to top

The King of Scandinavia has two main restaurants so there is a different eating option each might.   The 7 Seas offers a fantastically extensive buffet that was a delight to me as a fish lover (although vegetarians most certainly would have more hungry). An array of appetisers and canapés included and assortment of shellfish, seafood, fish and other pates, and cold meats. There were salad options and a variety of slice-your-own freshly baked bread from the on board bakery. Main course options included meat and fish cuts in sauce (although  I couldn’t resist returning to the vast first course fishy assortments) and there were various chocolate, sweet, fruit and cheese options for pudding if you manage to save any room.

 There was also an impressive separate children’s buffet which, whilst including chicken nuggets and fish bites, also had simple salad items to encourage healthy eating. The whole trip in fact was well geared up to cater for children with soft ball play areas and a nature watching hour each morning and evening.

The 7 Seas restaurant also offers great buffet breakfast options, although for the more lazy Commodore Deluxe passengers breakfast can be arranged to be delivered by room service as the perfect alarm call the following morning. Even then, what we thought would be a simple option turned out to be a large offering of bread, cheese, ham, egg, coffee pots and juice.

We ate in the Blue Riband a la carte restaurant on our return, which offered more limited but inventively titled dishes including a symphony of fish and other tempting options such as veal, pork roulade and coq au vin. In the end we both ate steak from the Explorers Steak House menu which we were kindly offered from the ship’s sister restaurant.  A little less value for money than the buffet this was still a throughly enjoyable meal, with great service and pleasant atmosphere.

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Sleepover : Back to top

With the glitter-flecked ensuite bathroom, complete with spacious power shower, with the flat screen television, the comfortable beds, sea view and complementary mini bar, the Commodore Deluxe Class really is the way to travel to Amsterdam, and worth every extra penny.

Being able to let yourself into a separate area, away from the noisy crowds, allowed you to forget about the world for a while. The service was impeccable, the sleeping was comfortable and the waking was peaceful as we woke up refreshed, (if a little heavy headed) ready to get the most out of the day in Amsterdam. All in all really quite a special weekend.

Getting There : Back to top

Great North Eastern Railway (GNER) operate high-speed express train services on the East Coast Main Line from London to Newcastle.  First Class provides extra comfort with larger, more comfortable reclining seats, each with its own table and impeccable service throughout the journey.

Complimentary WiFi is available throughout the train should you wish to continue to work and check messages while on board as well as mobile phone/personal computer plug sockets at all our First Class seats.

Complimentary tea, coffee, water and orange juice will be served at your seat, as will a range of hot of cold food the on board restaurant

A First Class advance purchase return fare between Newcastle and London deals can be found online at www.nationalexpresseastcoast.com.