Hey bud, great video as always..... always interesting and insightful!! Back in the day when I was a lad, the ship we sailed to The Netherlands on was the Koningin Beatrix and that went from Harwich to the Hook of Holland. As far as mini cruises go, me and the Mrs used to do DFDS mini cruises from Harwich and we went to Germany, Denmark and Sweden and they were a great laugh. We met people from all over the place in the bars and had a fantastic time. Often marveling at the disco dancing skills of our European counterparts....😂😅
Well done Mark for including a description of your partner’s veggie meal. I get frustrated by vloggers not including this info, especially in situations like a ferry crossing, where it may be important.
Hiya Mark. Well I learned something from you today. I have been on most cruise ferrys as you know inc' that ship & the Val' de loire back in the 90's but never knew it was the same ship lol, thats drink for ya lol nice vid' pal.
Cheers Eric. I was still struggling a bit when this was made but if you listen to the narration I was really bunged up at the start but it does get better as you go along! Appreciate the support as always mate 😊
@LetsMakeaTrip You are most welcome. May the wind be set fair for all your sailings. Already looking forward to your next instalment. Stay safe and well.
Great video. Thanks. It’s the first one of yours I’ve seen so will definable be checking out more of your videos. Thanks for including in the video the historical DFDS ship models onboard. Loved seeing those
@@jpaulandcarla Cheers guys, many thanks for watching and leaving a comment. I tend to vary content quite a bit but will definitely have a few more ferry videos coming up in the next few months. 😊👍
Great video, unusual for bridge tours. Have been on the bridge of both the ex Spirit of Britain and the Pioneer, surprised at the amount of space and so little equipment, great looking down to the sea through the glass floor panel. Amsterdam has a lot going for it. Keep up the travelling
Thanks for another great video Mark. I trust you are back to full health now? I'm going to have to put a mini cruise on my bucket list, that trip looked amazing. 👍.
We are also back from our trip vom Amsterdam - Newcastle - Amsterdam on the Princess Seaways. Also had the buffet menu at the explorer`s kitchen on our route to Newcastle. But we also missed a cheap way to get a snack on board on our way home. A few years ago you could order some fries or burgers. Now it`s only possible to get your meals at the explorer`s kitchen or the north sea restaurant. So we did the same and had a meal in Newcastle before entering the ship.
We've done the posh restaurants on these ferries and they are pricey but actually quite decent quality, it IS WORTH PAYING FOR GOOD FOOD IN THE A LA CARTE IN MY OPINION!!! The time we did the mini cruise from Harwich to Esberg in Denmark, the North Sea was rough...... proper rough, rough enough that A) the crew looked a bit nervy and B) we were on deck 9 or something, one of the highest decks, and the water was spraying up on the window next to our table, which worried the Mrs. Loads of people were seasick, the restaurants were full of broken plates and the bar stopped serving pints. Despite all this....... I loved it!!
Thanks mark, Love this trip, we did it in September 2024, after running in the Great North Run. We did eat in the buffet and there’s limited veggie options, But we did mange to eat the price!! Although it hurt afterwards 😂. A trip we’ll be doing again in the future. Safe travels.
Hi Mark. Can I ask, slightly randomly, what was on the cabin walls early in the video? Couldn’t figure out if it was a design, stains/marks or a trick of the camera/lights? Any clarification welcome! Thanks.
Yes we noticed that when we went in. I think they’ve just painted over some rough patches but the paint doesn’t quite match(?). It did look worse on the vid tbh it wasn’t too bad.
Superb video! Been on Kings Seaways a couple of times. You were lucky to get a quiet cabin - sound proofing is non existent. I did the buffet going out and the a la carte restaurant coming back which I found was a quality dining experience. Hope you’re doing well. Cheers
Cheers Rich, yep I’d heard the cabins had thin walls though I was half-deaf at the time which probably helped! I’d probably do things a little bit different next time but overall, a really good experience 👍
Cheers mate, you could probably get your moneys worth in the buffet if you want to but it’s not my kind of thing tbh. I just don’t eat that much. No other choice but to bring your own which is what I’d do next time.
Btilliant video as always!! Very interesting seeing the bridge visit. Wish that dfds would bring back more of the long routes from Newcastle and Harwich to ports in Scandinavia. Totally agree with what you said about donner, bot everyone wants to eat a huge meal later on in the evening and if you only wanted a small plateful of something you are forced into oayihg rhe cost of rhe buffet, plus for that price they should reallt include some drinks. Hope all is well, take care of yourself
I've been thorough the locks at Liumend before on the largest cruise ship it has ever had thorough it ..was amazing to watch it even at 1201 am on March night
Hi Mark, thanks for the memories bud, I did that many years ago along with the mini cruise to Kristiansand in Norway, both truly amazing, the food has always been expensive, what they loose in revenue with cheap deals in cabins, they gain on food. Well done on getting to the bridge, respect bud 👍
Cheers mate, yep the food is a big earner I reckon they’ve obviously figured out this model works for them even with people stocking up in Amsterdam! The cabins are a bargain in comparison.
My husband travelled DFDS to Amsterdam on his way driving down to Germany. He had a sea view cabin and ate in the A la carte restaurant, which he said was infinitely more civilised and quiet. The Seaview cabin was, in his opinion, a better choice than an inside one, although he still felt it was a bit stuffy and hot, but as it was choppy he did have something to look at.
I agree, it is definitely more civilised, much quieter and the food is miles better in the A la carte restaurants on board these ships. Yes, you pay a lot more but, in my opinion, it's well worth it as the food is pretty good to be honest. When you take the Mrs out for dinner, you don't go to the local chippy do you?? If you do, you'll be single pretty quick!!!😅😂😅😂
Thanks for this great video. And the bridge visit was interesting - that was a nice gesture from the crew/DFDS. As for the models: The first one you showed from the terminal: Prince of Scandinavia (Ex Tor Britannia) - that is probably my absolute favourite. First travelled on her in 1980, when I was 7, going from Gothenburg to Felixstowe (Went back with the sister, the Princess of Scandinavia, Ex Tor Scandinavia). So beautiful, extremely powerful and sleek ships. I would give my arm for that model 😁 Cheers from DK.
The Tor Scandinavia was the ship used for the ill fated BBC soap opera Triangle (first series only, series 2 and 3 were the Dana Anglia). Last I heard both ships were still sailing down on the Med for Moby Lines.
@@chinnyvision That is true - they are still with Moby. Rumour has it though that the Tor Britannia (Moby Drea) is not featured on the sailings for next year, and that she will most probably be scrapped - just as she turns 50 😢 I saw a couple of the episodes of Triangle on RUclips and, well, probably the ship was the main highlight - and not the script 😉 I wish there would be a route between Scandinavia and the UK again.
Thank you both for some great information here. I’m old enough to remember Triangle (just!). Yes it was rubbish but I may give it another go just for the ship highlights. They were fantastic those models on King Seaways. What I don’t remember is a Felixstowe - Gothenburg route. I wish they had that now!
@@LetsMakeaTrip In the series the ship was supposed to sail between Felixstowe, Gothenburg and Amsterdam. In reality the ship sailed between Harwich and Amsterdam. The Tor Scandinavia was used for series 1 but had an intense schedule which meant alot of troublesome recording with the ship underway. The series had to be made in winter as the ship had less passengers on board which led to all sorts of technical problems in heavy seas. The ship was changed for the Dana Anglia for series 2 and 3 as it had a less intense schedule and spent more time alongside reducing the need to record when underway. In series 1 they got some shots of Gothenburg using another ship and then just faked the quayside stuff in Amsterdam and Harwich. In series 2 and 3 the Gothenburg link was quietly dropped.
Great video, thank you. King and Princess Seaways are definitely the nicest ferries on the North Sea, from a passenger perspective. They will be a tough act to follow when DFDS does eventually replace them.
Without doubt my favourite way to cross the North Sea. I'm 50/50 between Rotterdam and Hull, so of course P&O's service between the two ports is the obvious choice. However, I've taken the North Shields / IJmuiden (pronounced; eye-mauw-den) a couple of times and both King and Princess Seaways are PROPER ships. I'm the son of a merchant seaman, and as a result I'm something of a shipping nerd. Whereas the P&O vessels serving the North Sea are stabilised to the point of ruining the ships' natural momentum, the two DFDS ships are proper, older vessels, and one does really tend to feel the sea. DFDS really have looked after these two vessels, they're arguably in better shape than P&O's Pride of Hull/Rotterdam...especially when you consider the Hull vessels nearly twenty years younger. Kudos to you for getting on the bridge. I've tried any number of times to get my son (well, me mainly) on the bridge of the P&O ships to no success.
Really good video, Mark! DFDS NCL-IJM is a fantastic crossing. King Seaways is a lovely ship, the transformation Brittany Ferries made to the bow, adding in the observation deck, really makes it a great experience, nearly as good as Bretagne in that regard. Feel your pain on the Tyne Tunnel, having been a victim of the new payment system.
Cheers mate, yes this has to rank as one of my favourite ships now - just so much to see and plenty of outdoor space to explore. I guess the Tyne Tunnel payment system eliminates toll booth queues but with my memory, yeh, very easy to forget!
@@LetsMakeaTrip queues used to be horrific, although I suspect the revenue from fines was a strong incentive to change. If you can stomach travelling with P&O you'll have to give Hull - Rotterdam a go. An excellent pair of ships in just about every way except for a chronic lack of deck space. 21st century cruiseferries really make you appreciate King Seaways/ Bretagne/ Stena Vision's deck space.
my dutch friends call it "i moowden" as it the mouth of the river Ij. i would have been off the bus and into Centraal station and grabbed a coffee and some food in the grand cafe. then wandered into the city. it seems a long journey for such a short time ashore. like you i would have visited AH and bought food for the return journey. the last time i was in ijmuiden was many years ago, they used run a hydrofoil from ijmuiden to Amsterdam in 20 mins. Hopefully it wasn't too cold for you on the trip.
The ship is almost 40 years old and built to the style of her day. More modern ferries are usually far more enclosed, especially if built for northern waters. There is an economic aspect to this, too. Inside they can expect you to pay for entertainment as opposed to just enjoying being at sea. I have heard that there’s also a H&S element, to prevent people falling off. There was a spate of such incidents towards the end of last century. Like on ‘low cost’ airlines (and airside at airports) ferries have captive audiences and can, within reason, charge what they like for food, entertainment etc. It’s hardly ever value for money. The bridge visit was fascinating. Could have done with more of that. I was once allowed on the bridge of Pride of Bilbao for departure from Spain. It was a brilliant experience. It was especially interesting noting that the kit on your ship was from a similar era. Excellent video, enhanced by being able to compare notes with your partner as you went along.
@@mikepowell2776 Shipped back from Bilbao to Rosslare on the Brittany Ferries Galicia last week as a foot passenger (€41 one-way, plus €12 (obligatory) for Reserved Seating). €10 for a decent bottle of Cahors red from the shop (extraordinarily pleasant cashier chap even uncorked it for me and told me it was essential to let it breath for half-hour) that was consumed up on the poop deck that afternoon under stunningly clear blue skies and glorious sunshine - so good was the wine that another one was purchased soon after. Following morning: egg & baked beans on toast plus large black coffee ... less than €5. Gotta ❤ Brittany Ferries.
Having seen your other mini cruise views it seems that this one stood out overall. Well done. I did travel on two cruises, one with Costa and the other one with MSC and on the fact about food on shipa in general is something I agree on. They keep their audience captive knowing well that there would be limited, if any, other options
Cheers Enrico, yes they must’ve done the maths and figured out the food options are more profitable than a ‘conventional’ self-service restaurant type thing. I don’t agree with it personally but the rest of the cruise is relatively cheap so ‘horses for courses’ isn’t it!
We did this exact mini trip. Absolutely worth the money, even driving down from Inverness, though we spent the opportunity to explore Northumberland on the way back up.
Cheers mate, I wonder whether a crossing over to mainland Europe from Scotland has ever been considered? I remember the Esjberg crossing from Newcastle and obvs Northlink go up to Shetland where you used to be able to connect with the Smyril Line ferry but that’s fallen by the wayside too.
@ there was a ferry from Rosyth over to Europe, but it got discontinued. However there is a lot of talk and media coverage about bringing it back. Wait and see..
I have taken the mini cruise once before and taken the Ferry one way back from Amsterdam 5 years ago. Each time I ate in the a la-cart restaurant (paid in advance)which I enjoyed as it included ribeye streak. I think the trouble with the buffet option (this also goes for P&O) that the quality of the food has dropped over the last 20 years which means you are paying for sub standard food. You will pay around £20 in an all you can east place in Manchester for similar quality so the mark is not dreadful but looks a lot compared to the price of the ticket. I did have breakfast 5 years ago and I felt that was good value for money. Great to see on the Bridge which is something I have not seen in a vid. You can also walk to the nearest Metro at Percy Main for cheaper travel but it a good 30 mins so most will just pay the shuttle fare.
Nice video! Next friday I will be doing the trip the other way around: a minicruise Newcastle, so this is quite informative. Do you keep the same cabin on the return journey?
I did take this journey from Ijmuiden to North Shields back in 2018, same ferry. An old ship, but still large and I was never bored on the journey. I would be happy doing it again. The sister ship (Princess Seaways) used to sail Bergen-Newcastle for a short while. Sadly that route closed down in 2008. I did travel with Color Line’s «Color Viking» (later renamed «Jupiter») between Bergen and Newcastle back in the 90s. A 24 hours journey, one way. I miss that time. Anyway, another great video😊 Cheers from Norway!
Cheers mate. I’m glad I was on this one as the Princess Seaways doesn’t look quite as good (though I’m sure it’s still great). I’m starting to think the older the ship, the more interesting it is tbh!
Nice to see you back Mark, hope you are over the worst - I have done the DFDS mini cruise several times over the years, including in the opposite direction for a day in Newcastle when I was living in the Netherlands. The buffet is actually very good value if you book online in advance but you can get simpler hot meals such as fish and chips or burger and chips in the Coffee Crew area, or at least you could last time I sailed a couple of years ago....they also sell freshly baked pastries there which are great for a cheaper breakfast option. They have also spent a fair bit of money updating all of the cabins recently, actually look brighter and slightly more modern than they used to I have to say. I must do this trip again as soon as I can.
Cheers Andy, the pastries in the Coffee shop were excellent - croissants both mornings. Didn’t see much else choice food-wise unfortunately. Overall I think it’s excellent value and the ship really didn’t look its age at all. Definitely do it again 👍
@@LetsMakeaTrip Hi Mark - I took a mini-cruise at short notice just before Christmas....the food option in the Coffee Shop has indeed gone....just pastries, cakes and croissants etc. now.
Superb value for £90, I'm guessing they intend you should increase their profit with the onboard spend. My only experience of DFDS was in 1976 as part of a student field trip from Immingham to Ijmiuden when we ran aground in the North Sea canal!
Cheers Kevin, agree it’s great value overall (2 people as well). We didn’t run aground or hit anything 5is time I’m pleased to say though it is quite tight in Ijmuiden for a big ship like this.
Hope you are feeling better! Definitely worth getting the slight discount on meals using their website through the Booking section We took the car on DFDS sister ferry on the route ‘Princess Seaways’ back in September. Always a pleasure to travel with them. I think the cabins got refurbished during last winter’s maintenance dry dock. Always find their Duty Free whisky up end prices very amusing
Another enjoyable video, Mark! And how cool to snag a tour of the bridge! As far as food goes, it sounds like choices are somewhat limited to buffet (as you chose) vs a la carte. The latter doesn’t seem like a good value from your description. As for the buffet, I guess it depends. I’m a big eater, so I’d likely get my money,s worth (though what you showed looked pretty meh). However, I can see the average person not quite getting good value from the buffet. And Jo did not seem to get much for your trouble either. So yes, a lot to consider as far as dining options go on this ship. Hope you’re feeling better!
Cheers mate, I’m getting there Heath-wise. Agree with you on the food - it will be decent value for some but it’s a choice thing yes and I guess the overriding thing for most is how much you’re going to eat in 1.5 hours. Great ship mind! 👍
Thank you Mark, that was great. I’ve been using ferries for nigh on 70 years, so they have been a big part of my life. Never been on the bridge though, how good was that?
Finally an honest review of the buffet! As a family of 4 we have travelled quite a few times on this route and find the cost of the food pretty exorbitant for what it is. The cost for the buffet & breakfast for a return journey for our family comes to over £300. The quality of the food in my opinon is pretty low grade buffet grub and after spending £300 we do not feel we get value for money. We had also asked for tap water, but were met with a very negative acknowledgement from the waiter and the water took over 10mins to arrive. On our most recent trip in December on this ferry we instead went for a fantastic late afternoon meal in North Shields prior to checking in. Similarly, on our return we stopped off at great restaurant in Ijmuiden. For breakfast we just had some Bagel's (our own) on the boat on both legs. The cost of food thus £130 and saving of £170!
I appreciate the comment. Apart from the food, the trip is great. I guess this is where they want to make the money, on the ‘captive and hungry audience’. Good advice about eating before both legs of the trip. Tbh, if I’m going to spend the money onboard (which I don’t mind doing if it’s good), I’d go for the a-La-carte restaurant instead. Like you said, the buffet food was average at best really.
20 yrs ago and single, the a-la-carte was really great. Family of four of us and the cost seems very expensive for what you get. Excellent job getting up to the bridge of the ship.
This is a great video. I'm thinking about taking my family to Amsterdam and originally I was planning to take the car across, however at twelve quid a day for parking, I might just leave the car in Newcastle. I suspect Amsterdam isn't all that car friendly and that the family bus might be more of a hinderance than a help.
Love travelling by Ferry the Longer the Better have done most of them over the years from the UK still think Stena are the Premier Operators where Available, Fab Channel 👍
Can anyone jog my memory about the names of the DFDS Seaways ships that went from Harwich, back in 1999 and 2000, to Hamburg, Esbjerg and Gothemberg?? I've even tried Googling them but this type of ships have changed hands and names so many times that I've given up........ If not, I'll have to try and dig out the tickets from somewhere..... aaaagggghhhhh😬😬
Great video - hope you have recovered. The buffet on the DFDS ferry from Oslo to Copenhagen was very good quality (same price) but this one wasn't so great? Went on the Viking Line from Stockholm to Helsinki. Their buffet was certainly worse. Restaurant more crowded than a student canteen (seating with strangers on long tables) and food not much better, price over 40 Euros each.
Cheers Andrew, I’m getting there but was struggling a bit with the narration on his one as you can probably tell! Reading your comment made me wonder whether the buffet-style thing is just the way it’s done with the Scandinavian ferrys? I definitely want to try a few more in the Baltics so I guess we’ll find out. Quality-wise, it didn’t blow me away tbh but it certainly wasn’t the worst food I’ve ever had either.
@@LetsMakeaTrip I am fairly sure there was another option with some enticing looking Danish open-top prawn sandwiches, but I don't think there was a cafeteria with moderately priced hot meals.
Surely it was Silja Line or Viking Line since Colorline does the Oslo Kiel ferry. :-) I did the Stockholm Helsinki mini cruise on Silja Symphony this May and it was a wonderful cruise. Though I would say that the buffet was subpar compared to the DFDS Oslo Copenhagen ferries.
@@anderslarsen6009 Ah yes, apologies, it was Viking. Corrected my mistake. Maybe confused them because both have a red hull? The ship was very full but the actual fare was very good value, at 60 Euros including the cabin, so I can't really complain. Lovely scenery leaving Stockholm, it's really a beautiful and friendly country.
With regards to the meals on board. I once in a while take a couple of sandwiches and a coke on board. They have no objections. But booking in advance it's cheaper and don't forget you have starters, main courses, deserts and cheese selection and as often as you like. You'd pay more in the UK. I go every couple of months, abd I usually get a 50% off deal from Autumn to end of spring. I buy my cigars there and the price pays for the trip, cigars abd a few hundred over compared to rip off UK. The ship, ground staff and ships company are second to none. I must ask to see the bridge one time though. Cheers
Hi Mark....Liverpool Kev here...Thank you so much for another ferry video....Nice to see you with your nice lady....When I worked on cruise ships ten years ago...I loved it but sometimes felt a bit lonely so nice to see you with your partner...Loved the nod to the onboard entertainers...My world ...speaker not musical haha...Take care Mark...love your videos.....Liverpool Kev
Cheers Kev, yes I’ve been in bands for over 30 years and I know what it’s like on ships and playing residencies abroad etc. it can be hard going and it’s not all ‘rock and roll’ is it! Great memories though, I wouldn’t change that but I don’t miss it these days tbh.
Hey bud, great video as always..... always interesting and insightful!!
Back in the day when I was a lad, the ship we sailed to The Netherlands on was the Koningin Beatrix and that went from Harwich to the Hook of Holland.
As far as mini cruises go, me and the Mrs used to do DFDS mini cruises from Harwich and we went to Germany, Denmark and Sweden and they were a great laugh. We met people from all over the place in the bars and had a fantastic time. Often marveling at the disco dancing skills of our European counterparts....😂😅
Nice one Mark, and definitely doing supermarket shopping was a sensible idea !
Good to see your health improving Mark. And a great video, truly enjoyed it! ^^😉😊
Mark never disappoints great video well worth the wait
Cheer Paul, glad you enjoyed it 😊👍
Great Vid Mark! I recently came across/subscribed to your channel and am loving your content.
Brilliant, cheers Wes. Always appreciate a sub and thanks for the support mate 😊👍
Well done Mark for including a description of your partner’s veggie meal. I get frustrated by vloggers not including this info, especially in situations like a ferry crossing, where it may be important.
Great video. We're doing this trip in June next year. Looking forward to it
Excellent video as usual Mark the bridge visit was excellent think stocking up on food before boarding is a good idea
As always an informative and entertaining video Mark!!!! Keep up the good work!!!!!
Cheers Brian, appreciate that mate 😊👍
Great to see you back out on the road (and the sea), Mark😊. A comprehensive review, as always👍
Thanks Sheila, bit of sea air helped I think!
Hiya Mark. Well I learned something from you today. I have been on most cruise ferrys as you know inc' that ship & the Val' de loire back in the 90's but never knew it was the same ship lol, thats drink for ya lol nice vid' pal.
Great video Mark! Must say nothing beats the fo'c'sle on the Bretagne, best panoramic views on a ferry!
The Bretagne will be sadly missed! Cheers mate 😊👍
Great video and the bonus of the bridge tour is great. Hope you’re feeling much better now.
Hi both, still suffering a bit tbh but I’m off to Cork this weekend anyway. Will see how it goes!
Sailed on this one when Brittany Ferries had it in late 1993 for a school exchange trip to France. Remember it having loads of outside space.
Super video Mark;
thank you ever so much for posting it.
Great to see your health has recovered
- you're looking much better now,
thank goodness.
Cheers Eric. I was still struggling a bit when this was made but if you listen to the narration I was really bunged up at the start but it does get better as you go along! Appreciate the support as always mate 😊
@LetsMakeaTrip
You are most welcome.
May the wind be set fair for all your sailings.
Already looking forward to your next instalment.
Stay safe and well.
Great video Mark, as always. That really is quite good value for money, I'd be tempted to go on one.
Cheers Stephen, yes I’d definitely recommend it 😊👍
Great video. Thanks. It’s the first one of yours I’ve seen so will definable be checking out more of your videos. Thanks for including in the video the historical DFDS ship models onboard. Loved seeing those
@@jpaulandcarla Cheers guys, many thanks for watching and leaving a comment. I tend to vary content quite a bit but will definitely have a few more ferry videos coming up in the next few months. 😊👍
Great video, unusual for bridge tours. Have been on the bridge of both the ex Spirit of Britain and the Pioneer, surprised at the amount of space and so little equipment, great looking down to the sea through the glass floor panel. Amsterdam has a lot going for it. Keep up the travelling
@@alanchandler254 thanks Alan, really made the trip that bridge experience. Fantastic!
great to see you so happy Mark! nice vlog as ever, thanks! the 2nd pronunciation of IJmuiden was pretty good!
Cheers mate, I tried to cover all bases with the pronunciation tbh - probably failed! 😂
Thanks for another great video Mark. I trust you are back to full health now? I'm going to have to put a mini cruise on my bucket list, that trip looked amazing. 👍.
I’m getting there Steve, few weeks to go yet though I reckon. Definitely recommend this crossing though - one of my favourite trips! 😊👍
We are also back from our trip vom Amsterdam - Newcastle - Amsterdam on the Princess Seaways. Also had the buffet menu at the explorer`s kitchen on our route to Newcastle. But we also missed a cheap way to get a snack on board on our way home. A few years ago you could order some fries or burgers. Now it`s only possible to get your meals at the explorer`s kitchen or the north sea restaurant. So we did the same and had a meal in Newcastle before entering the ship.
Good to see you back doing your blogs 😊
Thanks Myra 😊👍
We've done the posh restaurants on these ferries and they are pricey but actually quite decent quality, it IS WORTH PAYING FOR GOOD FOOD IN THE A LA CARTE IN MY OPINION!!! The time we did the mini cruise from Harwich to Esberg in Denmark, the North Sea was rough...... proper rough, rough enough that A) the crew looked a bit nervy and B) we were on deck 9 or something, one of the highest decks, and the water was spraying up on the window next to our table, which worried the Mrs. Loads of people were seasick, the restaurants were full of broken plates and the bar stopped serving pints. Despite all this....... I loved it!!
Great video Mark. What a privilege to be allowed onto the bridge. Made for an unforgettable trip. 👍
It certainly was a privilege and made for a great memory. Cheers Simon.
Great vid Mark, especially the bridge tour
@@willmiller6226 cheers Will
Hi brilliant video as all yours are, i enjoy all your tips on how to make holidays a better experience
Cheers Mark and thanks for leaving a comment mate, I really appreciate the support. 😊👍
Thanks mark, Love this trip, we did it in September 2024, after running in the Great North Run. We did eat in the buffet and there’s limited veggie options, But we did mange to eat the price!! Although it hurt afterwards 😂. A trip we’ll be doing again in the future. Safe travels.
Hi Mark. Can I ask, slightly randomly, what was on the cabin walls early in the video? Couldn’t figure out if it was a design, stains/marks or a trick of the camera/lights? Any clarification welcome! Thanks.
Yes we noticed that when we went in. I think they’ve just painted over some rough patches but the paint doesn’t quite match(?). It did look worse on the vid tbh it wasn’t too bad.
@@LetsMakeaTripFair enough - thanks!
Thank You Excellent Video Sail tomorrow first time for New Year. All the best to you 🙏
@@charliejames8363 cheers Charlie, enjoy the trip!
Thanks for a very enjoyable video. Hope that you are feeling better and looking forward to the next video.
Cheers Nigel, I’m getting there but was struggling a bit narrating the video you can probably tell the second-half is much clearer than the first!
Superb video! Been on Kings Seaways a couple of times. You were lucky to get a quiet cabin - sound proofing is non existent. I did the buffet going out and the a la carte restaurant coming back which I found was a quality dining experience. Hope you’re doing well. Cheers
Cheers Rich, yep I’d heard the cabins had thin walls though I was half-deaf at the time which probably helped! I’d probably do things a little bit different next time but overall, a really good experience 👍
Great value for £90, the food seemed expensive for what you could have, what a great experience seeing the bridge, thanks for the video Mark
Cheers mate, you could probably get your moneys worth in the buffet if you want to but it’s not my kind of thing tbh. I just don’t eat that much. No other choice but to bring your own which is what I’d do next time.
So glad that you and your partner managed to go on a trip as I think we've all missed your videos stay safe and well to you both
Cheers mate and thanks for the support - much appreciated 😊👍
Btilliant video as always!! Very interesting seeing the bridge visit. Wish that dfds would bring back more of the long routes from Newcastle and Harwich to ports in Scandinavia. Totally agree with what you said about donner, bot everyone wants to eat a huge meal later on in the evening and if you only wanted a small plateful of something you are forced into oayihg rhe cost of rhe buffet, plus for that price they should reallt include some drinks.
Hope all is well, take care of yourself
thank for the video good to see you both back big guy
Cheers Terry, hope you enjoyed it 😊👍
Love the ferry trips Thanks for the upload
Cheers Greg, thanks for the comment mate 😊👍
Great vid, Mark. This ship is in very good condition for her age!
Thanks Mark that was a very enjoyable video 👍
Thanks for watching James, cheers 😊👍
I've been thorough the locks at Liumend before on the largest cruise ship it has ever had thorough it ..was amazing to watch it even at 1201 am on March night
Sounds amazing!
Great video very informative love the ferry trips
Cheers Colin 😊👍
Hi Mark, thanks for the memories bud, I did that many years ago along with the mini cruise to Kristiansand in Norway, both truly amazing, the food has always been expensive, what they loose in revenue with cheap deals in cabins, they gain on food. Well done on getting to the bridge, respect bud 👍
Cheers mate, yep the food is a big earner I reckon they’ve obviously figured out this model works for them even with people stocking up in Amsterdam! The cabins are a bargain in comparison.
My husband travelled DFDS to Amsterdam on his way driving down to Germany. He had a sea view cabin and ate in the A la carte restaurant, which he said was infinitely more civilised and quiet. The Seaview cabin was, in his opinion, a better choice than an inside one, although he still felt it was a bit stuffy and hot, but as it was choppy he did have something to look at.
I agree, it is definitely more civilised, much quieter and the food is miles better in the A la carte restaurants on board these ships. Yes, you pay a lot more but, in my opinion, it's well worth it as the food is pretty good to be honest.
When you take the Mrs out for dinner, you don't go to the local chippy do you?? If you do, you'll be single pretty quick!!!😅😂😅😂
Great seeing you enjoying yourselves.
Cheers Jason, it was a great trip. Definitely recommend 😊👍
Thanks for this great video. And the bridge visit was interesting - that was a nice gesture from the crew/DFDS. As for the models: The first one you showed from the terminal: Prince of Scandinavia (Ex Tor Britannia) - that is probably my absolute favourite. First travelled on her in 1980, when I was 7, going from Gothenburg to Felixstowe (Went back with the sister, the Princess of Scandinavia, Ex Tor Scandinavia). So beautiful, extremely powerful and sleek ships. I would give my arm for that model 😁 Cheers from DK.
The Tor Scandinavia was the ship used for the ill fated BBC soap opera Triangle (first series only, series 2 and 3 were the Dana Anglia). Last I heard both ships were still sailing down on the Med for Moby Lines.
@@chinnyvision That is true - they are still with Moby. Rumour has it though that the Tor Britannia (Moby Drea) is not featured on the sailings for next year, and that she will most probably be scrapped - just as she turns 50 😢 I saw a couple of the episodes of Triangle on RUclips and, well, probably the ship was the main highlight - and not the script 😉 I wish there would be a route between Scandinavia and the UK again.
Thank you both for some great information here. I’m old enough to remember Triangle (just!). Yes it was rubbish but I may give it another go just for the ship highlights. They were fantastic those models on King Seaways. What I don’t remember is a Felixstowe - Gothenburg route. I wish they had that now!
@@LetsMakeaTrip In the series the ship was supposed to sail between Felixstowe, Gothenburg and Amsterdam.
In reality the ship sailed between Harwich and Amsterdam. The Tor Scandinavia was used for series 1 but had an intense schedule which meant alot of troublesome recording with the ship underway. The series had to be made in winter as the ship had less passengers on board which led to all sorts of technical problems in heavy seas.
The ship was changed for the Dana Anglia for series 2 and 3 as it had a less intense schedule and spent more time alongside reducing the need to record when underway.
In series 1 they got some shots of Gothenburg using another ship and then just faked the quayside stuff in Amsterdam and Harwich. In series 2 and 3 the Gothenburg link was quietly dropped.
Great video, thank you. King and Princess Seaways are definitely the nicest ferries on the North Sea, from a passenger perspective. They will be a tough act to follow when DFDS does eventually replace them.
Without doubt my favourite way to cross the North Sea. I'm 50/50 between Rotterdam and Hull, so of course P&O's service between the two ports is the obvious choice. However, I've taken the North Shields / IJmuiden (pronounced; eye-mauw-den) a couple of times and both King and Princess Seaways are PROPER ships. I'm the son of a merchant seaman, and as a result I'm something of a shipping nerd. Whereas the P&O vessels serving the North Sea are stabilised to the point of ruining the ships' natural momentum, the two DFDS ships are proper, older vessels, and one does really tend to feel the sea. DFDS really have looked after these two vessels, they're arguably in better shape than P&O's Pride of Hull/Rotterdam...especially when you consider the Hull vessels nearly twenty years younger.
Kudos to you for getting on the bridge. I've tried any number of times to get my son (well, me mainly) on the bridge of the P&O ships to no success.
Just back from the dfds Copenhagen to Oslo mini cruise. I can highly recommend it. Great value for money.
Thanks Jane, I need to try a few more out in that part of the world! 😊👍
Really good video, Mark! DFDS NCL-IJM is a fantastic crossing. King Seaways is a lovely ship, the transformation Brittany Ferries made to the bow, adding in the observation deck, really makes it a great experience, nearly as good as Bretagne in that regard. Feel your pain on the Tyne Tunnel, having been a victim of the new payment system.
Cheers mate, yes this has to rank as one of my favourite ships now - just so much to see and plenty of outdoor space to explore. I guess the Tyne Tunnel payment system eliminates toll booth queues but with my memory, yeh, very easy to forget!
@@LetsMakeaTrip queues used to be horrific, although I suspect the revenue from fines was a strong incentive to change. If you can stomach travelling with P&O you'll have to give Hull - Rotterdam a go. An excellent pair of ships in just about every way except for a chronic lack of deck space. 21st century cruiseferries really make you appreciate King Seaways/ Bretagne/ Stena Vision's deck space.
my dutch friends call it "i moowden" as it the mouth of the river Ij. i would have been off the bus and into Centraal station and grabbed a coffee and some food in the grand cafe. then wandered into the city. it seems a long journey for such a short time ashore. like you i would have visited AH and bought food for the return journey. the last time i was in ijmuiden was many years ago, they used run a hydrofoil from ijmuiden to Amsterdam in 20 mins. Hopefully it wasn't too cold for you on the trip.
Not too bad weather-wise. All-in-all it was a good trip, definitely do it again and may try that coffee next time 👍
The ship is almost 40 years old and built to the style of her day. More modern ferries are usually far more enclosed, especially if built for northern waters. There is an economic aspect to this, too. Inside they can expect you to pay for entertainment as opposed to just enjoying being at sea. I have heard that there’s also a H&S element, to prevent people falling off. There was a spate of such incidents towards the end of last century.
Like on ‘low cost’ airlines (and airside at airports) ferries have captive audiences and can, within reason, charge what they like for food, entertainment etc. It’s hardly ever value for money.
The bridge visit was fascinating. Could have done with more of that. I was once allowed on the bridge of Pride of Bilbao for departure from Spain. It was a brilliant experience. It was especially interesting noting that the kit on your ship was from a similar era. Excellent video, enhanced by being able to compare notes with your partner as you went along.
@@mikepowell2776
Shipped back from Bilbao to Rosslare on the Brittany Ferries Galicia last week as a foot passenger (€41 one-way, plus €12 (obligatory) for Reserved Seating).
€10 for a decent bottle of Cahors red from the shop (extraordinarily pleasant cashier chap even uncorked it for me and told me it was essential to let it breath for half-hour) that was consumed up on the poop deck that afternoon under stunningly clear blue skies and glorious sunshine - so good was the wine that another one was purchased soon after.
Following morning: egg & baked beans on toast plus large black coffee ... less than €5.
Gotta ❤ Brittany Ferries.
Having seen your other mini cruise views it seems that this one stood out overall. Well done.
I did travel on two cruises, one with Costa and the other one with MSC and on the fact about food on shipa in general is something I agree on. They keep their audience captive knowing well that there would be limited, if any, other options
Cheers Enrico, yes they must’ve done the maths and figured out the food options are more profitable than a ‘conventional’ self-service restaurant type thing. I don’t agree with it personally but the rest of the cruise is relatively cheap so ‘horses for courses’ isn’t it!
The bridge was interesting 😮. Enjoyable vlog
@@clareclark6535 Thanks Clare 😊
I do find the ferry ones interesting as I use ferries❤
Next time go enjoy Utrecht. There is a lego store there. Any thoughts about fun things to do in North & south shields or Newcastle?
We did this exact mini trip. Absolutely worth the money, even driving down from Inverness, though we spent the opportunity to explore Northumberland on the way back up.
Cheers mate, I wonder whether a crossing over to mainland Europe from Scotland has ever been considered? I remember the Esjberg crossing from Newcastle and obvs Northlink go up to Shetland where you used to be able to connect with the Smyril Line ferry but that’s fallen by the wayside too.
@ there was a ferry from Rosyth over to Europe, but it got discontinued. However there is a lot of talk and media coverage about bringing it back. Wait and see..
Great video 👍
Good one Mark. Don't know if you made it before or after your health problem - but either way well worth a watch.
Cheers John, I was struggling a bit tbh but we’ll-worth the trip and a bit of sea air helped for sure!
I know Brexit has caused some issues but the return of duty free is one thing I've definitely enjoyed in our ports!
I have taken the mini cruise once before and taken the Ferry one way back from Amsterdam 5 years ago. Each time I ate in the a la-cart restaurant (paid in advance)which I enjoyed as it included ribeye streak. I think the trouble with the buffet option (this also goes for P&O) that the quality of the food has dropped over the last 20 years which means you are paying for sub standard food. You will pay around £20 in an all you can east place in Manchester for similar quality so the mark is not dreadful but looks a lot compared to the price of the ticket. I did have breakfast 5 years ago and I felt that was good value for money. Great to see on the Bridge which is something I have not seen in a vid. You can also walk to the nearest Metro at Percy Main for cheaper travel but it a good 30 mins so most will just pay the shuttle fare.
Excellent Mark excellent work..
Thanks Michael 😊👍
Did you try any topless sunbathing like Kate O'Mara did on a DFDS North Sea ship in Triangle? Same time of year that scene was shot!
I remember that! Showing my age now!
Nice video! Next friday I will be doing the trip the other way around: a minicruise Newcastle, so this is quite informative.
Do you keep the same cabin on the return journey?
Yes. They put a post-it note on your door 👍
I travelled to Holland last June on King Seaways and spent most of my time in the Wildlife centre. Really quite in there even when the ship was busy
It’s a great spot to (dare I say it) eat your supermarket food!
Bring it on Mark
Hi steve good to see you again
I did take this journey from Ijmuiden to North Shields back in 2018, same ferry. An old ship, but still large and I was never bored on the journey. I would be happy doing it again. The sister ship (Princess Seaways) used to sail Bergen-Newcastle for a short while. Sadly that route closed down in 2008. I did travel with Color Line’s «Color Viking» (later renamed «Jupiter») between Bergen and Newcastle back in the 90s. A 24 hours journey, one way. I miss that time. Anyway, another great video😊 Cheers from Norway!
Cheers mate. I’m glad I was on this one as the Princess Seaways doesn’t look quite as good (though I’m sure it’s still great). I’m starting to think the older the ship, the more interesting it is tbh!
@ I agree
Class video mark
Cheers Jack, thanks mate 😊👍
Nice to see you back Mark, hope you are over the worst - I have done the DFDS mini cruise several times over the years, including in the opposite direction for a day in Newcastle when I was living in the Netherlands. The buffet is actually very good value if you book online in advance but you can get simpler hot meals such as fish and chips or burger and chips in the Coffee Crew area, or at least you could last time I sailed a couple of years ago....they also sell freshly baked pastries there which are great for a cheaper breakfast option. They have also spent a fair bit of money updating all of the cabins recently, actually look brighter and slightly more modern than they used to I have to say. I must do this trip again as soon as I can.
Cheers Andy, the pastries in the Coffee shop were excellent - croissants both mornings. Didn’t see much else choice food-wise unfortunately. Overall I think it’s excellent value and the ship really didn’t look its age at all. Definitely do it again 👍
@@LetsMakeaTrip Hi Mark - I took a mini-cruise at short notice just before Christmas....the food option in the Coffee Shop has indeed gone....just pastries, cakes and croissants etc. now.
Very calm unusualy calm sea
Superb value for £90, I'm guessing they intend you should increase their profit with the onboard spend.
My only experience of DFDS was in 1976 as part of a student field trip from Immingham to Ijmiuden when we ran aground in the North Sea canal!
Cheers Kevin, agree it’s great value overall (2 people as well). We didn’t run aground or hit anything 5is time I’m pleased to say though it is quite tight in Ijmuiden for a big ship like this.
Hope you are feeling better!
Definitely worth getting the slight discount on meals using their website through the Booking section
We took the car on DFDS sister ferry on the route ‘Princess Seaways’ back in September.
Always a pleasure to travel with them.
I think the cabins got refurbished during last winter’s maintenance dry dock.
Always find their Duty Free whisky up end prices very amusing
Another enjoyable video, Mark! And how cool to snag a tour of the bridge! As far as food goes, it sounds like choices are somewhat limited to buffet (as you chose) vs a la carte. The latter doesn’t seem like a good value from your description. As for the buffet, I guess it depends. I’m a big eater, so I’d likely get my money,s worth (though what you showed looked pretty meh). However, I can see the average person not quite getting good value from the buffet. And Jo did not seem to get much for your trouble either. So yes, a lot to consider as far as dining options go on this ship.
Hope you’re feeling better!
Cheers mate, I’m getting there Heath-wise. Agree with you on the food - it will be decent value for some but it’s a choice thing yes and I guess the overriding thing for most is how much you’re going to eat in 1.5 hours. Great ship mind! 👍
Thank you Mark, that was great. I’ve been using ferries for nigh on 70 years, so they have been a big part of my life. Never been on the bridge though, how good was that?
Cheers Bob, yes the bridge visit was fantastic. It’s definitely worth an ask next time you’re on one. They can only say no 😊👍
Wow thats interesting one!
Enjoyed ⛴️⛴️⛴️⛴️⛴️🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾
Thanks mate 😊😊😊🇳🇱🇳🇱🇳🇱🇳🇱⛴️⛴️⛴️⛴️
Finally an honest review of the buffet!
As a family of 4 we have travelled quite a few times on this route and find the cost of the food pretty exorbitant for what it is. The cost for the buffet & breakfast for a return journey for our family comes to over £300.
The quality of the food in my opinon is pretty low grade buffet grub and after spending £300 we do not feel we get value for money. We had also asked for tap water, but were met with a very negative acknowledgement from the waiter and the water took over 10mins to arrive.
On our most recent trip in December on this ferry we instead went for a fantastic late afternoon meal in North Shields prior to checking in. Similarly, on our return we stopped off at great restaurant in Ijmuiden. For breakfast we just had some Bagel's (our own) on the boat on both legs. The cost of food thus £130 and saving of £170!
I appreciate the comment. Apart from the food, the trip is great. I guess this is where they want to make the money, on the ‘captive and hungry audience’. Good advice about eating before both legs of the trip. Tbh, if I’m going to spend the money onboard (which I don’t mind doing if it’s good), I’d go for the a-La-carte restaurant instead. Like you said, the buffet food was average at best really.
20 yrs ago and single, the a-la-carte was really great. Family of four of us and the cost seems very expensive for what you get.
Excellent job getting up to the bridge of the ship.
Great Video Mark
Cheers Paul and thanks for your support mate 😊👍
Looking forward to this one Mark 👍
This is a great video. I'm thinking about taking my family to Amsterdam and originally I was planning to take the car across, however at twelve quid a day for parking, I might just leave the car in Newcastle. I suspect Amsterdam isn't all that car friendly and that the family bus might be more of a hinderance than a help.
Great trip! Have you considered doing any content of your Lego hobby also?
I haven’t but I may think about it. There’s some great Lego vids out there too 👍
great trip canned Guinness mmm!!!!!
Cheers Kevin, yep not quite the real deal with the Guinness unfortunately 😂
@@LetsMakeaTripYou can get some interesting local craft beers in Amsterdam. (Not Amstel or Heineken).
hopingyou do some more open top bus rounds in the uk next year, an some isle of wight/man related ones
Yes I’m sure there will be more to come mate 😊👍
Great video hope your well
Cheers Mark, getting a bit better 👍
@ your very welcome hope family are well too mate
Love travelling by Ferry the Longer the Better have done most of them over the years from the UK still think Stena are the Premier Operators where Available, Fab Channel 👍
Cheers mate and I’m due to travel on my next Stena in a couple of weeks time. That vid will be out January 👍
Ms Trip Reports is back
When it was Val de Loire deck 1 had a swimming pool.
Yes I heard that. I’d love to know if any of it’s still there!
Glad you're better Mark from Alan in Lowestoft buddy 👍 😊
Getting there Alan, cheers mate 😊👍
@LetsMakeaTrip your welcome mark
The way you pronounce 'Ijmuiden' is hilarious !
Haha, I knew you’d be on here saying that 😂
Can anyone jog my memory about the names of the DFDS Seaways ships that went from Harwich, back in 1999 and 2000, to Hamburg, Esbjerg and Gothemberg?? I've even tried Googling them but this type of ships have changed hands and names so many times that I've given up........ If not, I'll have to try and dig out the tickets from somewhere..... aaaagggghhhhh😬😬
Never been on a ferry but that looked ok journey thanks for taking us with you 😊
It was one of the best I’ve taken. Definitely recommend 😊👍
The mini cruise was excellant value for money. Take your point about the limited choice for food.
Cheers Richard, it was decent value even if you pay for the buffet. It would be nice to have more food options though in terms of price (imo).
Great video - hope you have recovered. The buffet on the DFDS ferry from Oslo to Copenhagen was very good quality (same price) but this one wasn't so great?
Went on the Viking Line from Stockholm to Helsinki. Their buffet was certainly worse. Restaurant more crowded than a student canteen (seating with strangers on long tables) and food not much better, price over 40 Euros each.
Cheers Andrew, I’m getting there but was struggling a bit with the narration on his one as you can probably tell! Reading your comment made me wonder whether the buffet-style thing is just the way it’s done with the Scandinavian ferrys? I definitely want to try a few more in the Baltics so I guess we’ll find out. Quality-wise, it didn’t blow me away tbh but it certainly wasn’t the worst food I’ve ever had either.
@@LetsMakeaTrip I am fairly sure there was another option with some enticing looking Danish open-top prawn sandwiches, but I don't think there was a cafeteria with moderately priced hot meals.
Surely it was Silja Line or Viking Line since Colorline does the Oslo Kiel ferry. :-)
I did the Stockholm Helsinki mini cruise on Silja Symphony this May and it was a wonderful cruise.
Though I would say that the buffet was subpar compared to the DFDS Oslo Copenhagen ferries.
@@anderslarsen6009 Ah yes, apologies, it was Viking. Corrected my mistake. Maybe confused them because both have a red hull? The ship was very full but the actual fare was very good value, at 60 Euros including the cabin, so I can't really complain. Lovely scenery leaving Stockholm, it's really a beautiful and friendly country.
With regards to the meals on board. I once in a while take a couple of sandwiches and a coke on board. They have no objections. But booking in advance it's cheaper and don't forget you have starters, main courses, deserts and cheese selection and as often as you like. You'd pay more in the UK. I go every couple of months, abd I usually get a 50% off deal from Autumn to end of spring. I buy my cigars there and the price pays for the trip, cigars abd a few hundred over compared to rip off UK. The ship, ground staff and ships company are second to none. I must ask to see the bridge one time though. Cheers
Hi Mark....Liverpool Kev here...Thank you so much for another ferry video....Nice to see you with your nice lady....When I worked on cruise ships ten years ago...I loved it but sometimes felt a bit lonely so nice to see you with your partner...Loved the nod to the onboard entertainers...My world ...speaker not musical haha...Take care Mark...love your videos.....Liverpool Kev
Cheers Kev, yes I’ve been in bands for over 30 years and I know what it’s like on ships and playing residencies abroad etc. it can be hard going and it’s not all ‘rock and roll’ is it! Great memories though, I wouldn’t change that but I don’t miss it these days tbh.
Looks like fun. I'd like to do a mini cruise. Price looks like a bargain even with food costs.
Yes I still think it’s decent value even inc meals it would just be better to have more choice in terms of meal options and prices.
02:32 , cracking hair doo😄
Heinkiken fraught 500ml for 5.95 isn’t too bad?
I'm surprised the bridge was nice and refurbished. I haven't seen that on other older vessels
It was well looked after Tom. The whole ship was tbf, a real credit to the crew.
Hoi, Mark, let me say well done. Was on NCL/Newcastle-AMS/Amsterdam, but by plane!. Greetings, Markus
Hi Markus, cheers mate. The KLM bird no doubt 😊👍
I enjoyed that, maybe more folk will do this trip, but avoid onboard meals, and enjoy dining out in Amsterdam,
Until the next adventure, by,
Thanks mate and cheers for giving it a watch - much appreciated 😊👍
oh what an amazing video Mike so glad to see you out again hoe your're feeling better take care mate