Sailing out of the UK on passenger ferries (P&O North Sea Ferries)

Member Name: Mr. Davis

Product:	P&O North Sea Ferries
Date:	12/02/03 (546 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Until the low cost airlines came out, I'd have put "cheap"

Disadvantages: Unreliable, disorganised, noisy, not an experience I would associate with pleasure.

Added May 08.
I'm surprised people refer to things in their reviews like "well appointed cabin" and wonder what their own bedrooms or houses are like. People use a bad night's sleep as an excuse for not turning up at work so to pay for an almost guaranteed bad night's sleep seems strange to me.

Prison cells are probably larger than most ferry cabins though I can't speak for the newer P&O NSF ferry boats. What would induce me to pay to go on one of their boats? If they started sailing to Norway. The kind of destination where you feel you're "somewhere" and where you get to see the fjords from the coast instead of nothing because Holland and Belgium aren't exacly famous for their fjords or scenery. There might be a gap in the market there since DFDS killed off the sailings between Norway and the UK. If you haven't cruised there by September 1st., forget it.

Added April 08.

Search YouTube for

"For your amusement on board North Sea Ferries"

and get a taste of what the P&O Ferries web site claims is "fantastic onboard entertainment" It makes me wonder what kind of acts they hire for their P&O NSF staff parties if they think this is "fantastic".

I noticed recently some appalling behaviour videoed by some scallies on P&O NSF had been removed from YouTube. It's worth looking there if you want to see a video sample of any trip you might be planning.

I really wish the idea of a trip on a boat from my home town was more attractive. I actually enjoy being at sea but apart from the cruise down the Humber, though I love that part of the world, the fjords of Norway it ain't and there's not much to see.

I don't NEED to be in Rotterdam or Zebrugge but WOULD go there for fun, perhaps once at least, but not by boat because too much time is spent at sea on a boat consuming bad entertainment, being offered items available cheaper on ebay (or in Lidl ... see my other reviews) and generally feeling I'm not getting good value for money because I'm a captive customer who can't go elsewhere if I don't like what's on offer. If you're not enjoying the onboard experience, a ferry can quickly turn into a floating prison. Until ferry companies wake up and make the onboard experience something people want to consume regardless of the ships ultimate destination, the cheap airlines have go it made! P&O NSF pianoentertainers earn about 1/3 of those on other, more high end, ferries sailing from the UK. The Scandinavian ferries have top acts and theatres onboard to ATTRACT people to take trips for FUN! That's the case elsewhere in the world too. These are not cruises. They're ferries but if they can get you to go onboard because YOU think it's a cruise ....

If I go for a meal, it's because I want great food. The inclusive food I've had on P&O NSF was OK but not worth getting on a boat for. The entertainment, I've mentioned. Paying people to empty the bar is madness. Apart from a few special offers, most of what's for sale onboard can be bought elsewhere cheaper. What IS the point of getting onboard one of these things?

>Added Feb 15th. 08. I contacted P&O NSF early Feb 08 for information on their onboard events since I have to organise an "event" for a corporate group and thought a ship might be worth a punt. I got no reply to that email other than an automated email telling me my query would be attended to with x hours. I know I won't get an answer now and anyway, I've had to make other plans since I can't hang around forever waiting for P&O .... but I added this to the following OLD posting because I just got this junk email from P&O 15/02/08

"With the recent success of the England Rugby team reaching the World Cup Final there is now another opportunity to see England's finest compete in Paris. On Saturday 23rd February the England - France 6 Nations match takes place at the Stade de France.

Thinking about going? Whether you have tickets to the game or just want to soak up the incredible atmosphere in Paris, you can travel with us from £25! And with destination ports in Calais and Zeebrugge it's so convenient.

You'll be able to take your car and your mates and with our frequent crossings, travel on your own terms. Once onboard the ferry you'll be able to stretch out, relax, pick up some bargains or wine and dine in our restaurants and bars and get in the mood for the excitement that's about to come.

Go on give it a "try"!"

So, if you fancy crossing the North Sea with a bunch of potentially ticketless rugby fans paying £25 a head for their trip ...... you won't see me on board."

My ability to sleep in my own cabin on board NSF has been compramised by the behaviour of passengers in the corridors where the cabins are located and if you have a car with you and need to start on a long drive once you reach the continent, being kept awake all night may not be the preparation you need for the long haul ahead. You COULD try for a higher class of cabin but, in my humble experience, no part of even the largest boat is immune from the excesses of the booze cruisers taking advantage of cheap offers P&O email out leaving even more money in their pockets to get completely blasted away from the clutches of their local constabulary in the UK.

NSF are only likely to see me onboard if I'm paid to be there.
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I come from Hull and avoid travelling with NSF. My first trip on NSF I slept in a chair to avoid sharing my cabin with a drunk. On the way back the ship was two days late and docked in Middlesborough instead of Hull. The entertainment is poor compared to other ferries on which I regularly sail for business and pleasure and NSF ships have caught fire in recent years more often than I think is prudent. The scenery at either end of the trip is poor in reality a cruise through ships oil rigs between two industrial ports. The food is OK and reasonably priced and the stewards are cheerful and obliging. I haven't sampled the new ships but until I need to travel to the south of Europe with a vehicle, I can't see anything tempting me aboard them. I choose to travel on other ships sailing out of the north of England which offer better entertainment and more of a cultural experience / change. As a necessary mode of transport, it serves it purpose but apart from that I find it hard to see any reason for doing the trip for pleasure. I can imagine for those who don't travel much it would be a nice change and an experience but I'd suggest looking at alternatives before choosing NSF. Also, traffic congestion to the Hull docks early morning can be farcical especially if there's a high tide at about 0600hrs and the bridge over the River Hull carrying the traffic to the docks is up and down letting small ships in and out of the river.

Summary: Get a cheap flight instead and search YouTube for revealing onboard videos if you doubt my advice