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DFDS Seaways
by Nick
I went from Newcastle to IJmuiden (Amsterdam) on-board the King Seaways, we both had a really good crossing, which was helped by good weather.
Cabin: A standard Crossing is very small. Thankfully I have sailed on the King before so I knew beforehand how small the cabins really are, so I suggested to my partner that we booked ... separate cabins so that we both had more space which turned out to be a really good idea as she brought so much stuff that you could hardly move in her cabin. You can pay more money and have a commodore or de-luxe commodore cabin, but it is quite pricey.
Restaurants: Very expensive. In fact everything on board is expensive. I didn't eat on board, again having been on board before I was aware of this and we ate at the Brewers Fayre restaurant in North Shields before boarding. However on the return voyage my partner had a steak which cost over 30 Euro.
Bars: I have to say I enjoyed the entertainments. In the Columbus Club they had three singers and they sang extremely well, seeing as we sailed in September and the busy period had ended I was impressed with the amount they had on. In the Navigation Bar on Deck 8 which I call the Piano Bar, they have a Piano sitting there that never gets used anymore, and one man and his guitar, he plays well.. when he plays. I noticed he plays for about 30 minutes then disappeared for about 20 minutes for a break. Again very expensive, you wouldn't want many drinks onboard. One Coke cost 4 Euro!!
Amsterdam: I found this to be very well organised. If you do the 2 day minicruise you automatically get a sightseeing tour with your ticket. You get off board, go through Passport Control then straight onto a coach which takes you on a brilliant tour around Amsterdam. The tour takes around an hour and a half and drops you off outside the Victoria Hotel opposite Amsterdam Centraal station. You then have a few hours to explore the city.
A bit of advice
- If you don't want to eat onboard due to the prices, then just before you get to the North Shields Ferry Terminal you will see a Premier Inn hotel on your right, there is a restaurant next to it and they serve very good food, it will save you money for Amsterdam. There are also some good restaurants around Amsterdam as well.
- If you suffer claustrophobia and there isn't any more Commodore cabins left then book two separate cabins, it might cost a bit but trust me it really is worth it as you have more space.
- Do not take your own drinks or food into the bars or restaurants. 4 Euro might sound a lot for a coke but if they see you sneaking food or drink in they will confiscate it, so either eat in your cabins or pay the high price for a simple drink
- If you want to enjoy exploring the ship without people getting in the way, go out in the middle of the night, I have to say that exploring the ship during the night was one of my favourite memories of the crossing. You feel like you have the entire ship to yourself and it's great to explore.
- Take your own shower gel. The shower gel offered on the cruise is a horrible gel attached the wall by the sink, that my partner described as smelling like vomit. Bring your own and save any problems.
- Bring your own adapter. If you coming from the UK, do not forget to bring a continental power supply. They do not have any UK electric points on board the DFDS boats. So if you forget your continental power supply you either have to survive two days without charging anything or pay ridiculous amout of money in the ships shop for one.
- Sail out of season and last minute. The reason for this is you can keep an eye on the weather. There is nothing worse than being on a boat that is rocking and makes you ill. I always planned to do the sailing this year (2011) but wanted the conditions to be right. If you go out of season the boat is quieter and DFDS are desperate to sell more tickets so they end up selling tickets at cheaper prices to get people on board, I paid £80 for a standard cabin return, where in the summer you can pay £200 plus. I booked it the day before I sailed, and kept an eye on the weather prior to booking, you just need to check the shipping forecast and type in wind map on google and you will get an accurate report of what the wind and sea will be like over the coming days. It was a lifesaver for me and we had such a calm crossing. In fact the tour guide in Amsterdam said that the sea was the most calmest it had been in weeks, so a little research and last minute booking really can save you money and can save you being seasick. Even on a calm crossing like I experienced I found the King to still rock slightly and bump around a bit which made me feel a bit queezy on the outward journey until I got used to it. So imagine what a rough crossing would be like. If you do find yourself on a rough crossing there are sick bags located all over the ship, very off putting I must say
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Staten Island Ferry
by Misterlak
During our trip to the USA, we have also spent a few days in New York. There we also went to the Staten Island Ferry.
The Staten Island Ferry has nothing to do with the boat tours, but it's a ferry that connects the southern tip of Manhattan to the Staten Island. Staten Island is 22 kilometres long and 12 kilometres wide, the ... smallest district of New York. There are about 400 000 inhabitants, what sounds a lot, but for New York standards is just a small district. Because there are few sights the 'New Yorkers' sees the part as the 'Forgotten suburb'. There is a nearly 1.3-kilometer bridge between Brooklyn and Staten Island, but there is no bridge to Manhattan. And here comes the ferry into sight as the Staten Island Ferry replaces the non-existent bridge. At a distance of 5 miles, or about 8 kilometres it just makes sense to use a ferry than to build a bridge. Within 20 minutes you can take the ferry and it's absolutely free. Daily use about 60 000 passengers in the ferry, which are about 20 million passengers a year. The New Yorkers use the ferry to get to work, but also many tourists have now discovered that the ferry can be a free alternative to a tourist boat. Because of the ferry, you have a great view of the Manhattan skyline, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, located on the opposite Governor's Island Iceland and on the bridge that connects Staten Island with Brooklyn.
The Staten Island Ferry has two ports. One in Manhattan and on Staten Iceland. The pier is located in Manhattan in Battery Park, this is named after the gun range, was defended in the earlier hours of the port. Here lay off the more ships sailing to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The pier for the Staten Island Ferry is located in the south of the Battery Park Ferry Terminal, which is in turn at the end of Whitehall Street. The metro line 1, you can go directly to the ferry terminal by getting off at the South Ferry terminus. If you want to go a few minutes' walk, you can also take the line R to Whitehall Street. From there you are at the terminal within 10 minutes. The ferry terminal has a large waiting room, in which there are also public toilets. As the ferries run regularly but, never have to wait long. The second pier is on Staten Island and specifically at the St. George station. There, too, there is a waiting hall. Several buses leave from the dock into the interior of Staten Island.
The ferry runs every day around the clock. From 6 to 1:30 clock it runs every 30 minutes. During rush hour, so during the week, when the commuters traveling to work or on the way home, she travels occasionally even in the 20 - or 15-minute intervals. At night she runs only hourly. Overall, one can say that the ferry has very good departure times. In that at peak times several boats are in use, you must never wait long.
The Staten Island Ferry is a typical ferry boat. It's completely orange and is not necessarily pretty, but it does not have to be, because any way you look at the skyline and the Statue of Liberty but not to the boat.
After our ferry has arrived once poured out a lot of people, we were allowed to board the ship. This is a larger ferry with several decks. In the lower deck you can sit on wooden benches in the warm and even drink a coffee or something else for there are opportunities to buy snacks and drinks, which we have not done so I can say nothing about the prices. Even toilets are there if you go during the journey.
Most of the passengers crowded to the open deck, because only here you have great views. We are placed in the back of the ship. So we went back and could see Manhattan is slowly reduced. If you are in front, you see Staten Island coming towards you but the view of Manhattan is already rewarding. Of course you can also place the side, what we did on the way back.
Once the ferry has passed, you get to see something directly. It has a really nice view of Manhattan and it is also relatively close past the Statue of Liberty. We decided to see the Statue of Liberty from a distance, just from the ferry. The ride lasts even 20 to 25 minutes.
After our arrival, we wanted to stay on the ferry and head straight back, but you have to get out and stand in line again. Since not much was going on - it was a Wednesday afternoon - we came in the same boat back in and could go back without waiting. The trip was very nice. If the weather still been a bit clearer and the sky is not so gray and overcast, they would certainly be able to have better vision, but even with the cloudy weather, you get plenty to see.
The Staten Island Ferry is a free and excellent alternative to tourist boat tours. Whom it is enough to see the Statue of Liberty. The crossing from 20 to 25 minutes each way is fun, because you have a great view of Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island as the whole and costs nothing, saves you also have a lot of money. For me there is nothing negative and therefore there is a perfect score and a recommendation for the Staten Island Ferry.
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P&O North Sea Ferries
by Spotswood
I have travelled on North Sea Ferries on many ocassions, and I have to say that I have allways enjoyed the experience. It is mainly the older ships to Zeebrugge that I have sailed on, and the layout of these quality ships is great. From the moment that you step on board you feel the stress of life lifting from you as you go to your cabin ... and settle in, then off to have a quick look around and relax with a nice coffee or a beer. The four seasons buffet restaurant is very good and has a very wide selection of quality foods available, the waiter will show you to your table and ask if any drinks are required then it's a case of dig in and eat what you wish. I find the atmosphere in the restaurant to be excellent, and the same applies to the hearty breakfast the following morning. Some people complain about the prices on board but to be honest the prices for drinks at the bar are much like you would pay in a typical British pub, and certainly far cheaper than on the continent.
Some people complain about the standard of entertainment in the sunset show lounge, but I like the Moonlight lounge much better as it is quieter and there are fewer children running around, and it is nice to listen to the fantastic pianist. My Tips are as follows:- Do not waste money upgrading to a cabin with a window, as the ship sails at night and there is nothing to see, the glass in the window may as well be painted black. I would also reccomend booking all the onboard meals at the time that you pay for your tickets, as this is cheaper than paying on board. The best deals on board for buying wine and beer tend to be if you buy a box of 6 bottles of wine (JP Chenet, V Nice) and Old Speckled Hen (Real Ale, V Nice). A word of warning if planning to use the cinema, if the sea is only slightly rough you will unconsciously feel sick as you are in a room with no windows, this happened to me so beware I do realise that we are all different.
If you ever feel a bit ill on board then go on deck for fresh air.
The staff are allways very helpful and seem to be happy in their work.
All of the ships do have ships police on board and if required they have the ability to lock people away for the safety of the passengers and crew, so if you are thinking about getting drunk and causing mayhem then think again.
The ships to Zeebrugge are now 24 years old but they still look good, and are well looked after, infact every other year they have millions spent on then to do them up.
Don't forget to keep an eye out for the 2 for 1 offers.
I have just booked to travel on a Bruges minicruise on the 14th December 2011 and ther are 4 adults in an inside cabin with all meals included and also the coach trip from Zeebrugge to Bruges and return for £303, any way you look at it it is a bargain.
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