Ferry from Amsterdam to Newcastle

Posted by hbbell01 on 07/09/23 01:24 AM

HI Again,

I search under above route for Ferry in March 2024 and it says alternative route. Do they not operate in March to Newcastle? Need to know as booking accommodation heading in that direction. thank you

OK SO TOLD 'No one books this far out". Coming from NZ they do- to get best accomodation rates. Anyway will head that direction and hope for the best. Airline fares had nearly all gone for that period by the way to Europe. Appreciate website info though and this site remains so valuable for travelling.

Posted by isn31c

Lake District, England

07/09/23 04:43 AM

7830 posts

I don't know where you have looked but on the DFDS website itself (the operators) bookings are not open beyond 29 December 2023.
That is entirely normal and reasonable.
Two ships operate on alternate days so if one ship was in dry dock for routine maintenance (a legal and practical requirement which has to happen each year) then service level would drop down to alternate days.
They don't close the route down entirely seasonally.

But you need to e-mail DFDS for correct information. However to be honest this is only July. Chances are they don't have dry docking dates yet themselves, so all they can tell you is the same as above that there will be service, but not necessarily every day.
Thus they just won't have a confirmed timetable yet.

People simply do not book this far in advance.

I cannot imagine that hotels in Newcastle sell out this far in advance.

I think your self imposed deadline of "need" is unrealistically far out.

Posted by isn31c

Lake District, England

07/09/23 08:48 AM

7830 posts

KLM fly over from Amsterdam to Newcastle several times a day. Tyne and Wear metro trains have an airport station which takes you into the city centre with very frequent service.

By the time you've got the DFDS bus from Central Station out to the ship berthed at Ijmuiden (the other end of the Nord See Kanal) you can be in Newcastle almost before the ship has left its berth. The ferry does not leave from Amsterdam itself.

It's a 14 hour night crossing in open sea so you won't see much except gas rigs. Much as I like my ferries and encourage people to use surface transport if at all possible (for environmental reasons), I don't see much benefit to you from the ferry, especially if you need certainty now.

Posted by mpaulynsettle

Missouri, USA and Essex, UK.

07/09/23 05:27 PM

1043 posts

The North Sea can be pretty rough in March. It is a long way to Newcastle on a ferry and I don't think it is worth it if you are just a foot passenger. I once had a nightmare of a journey in early Spring from Belgium to Felixstowe which is a much shorter distance. I would think about flying if you have no other reason than to get from point A to B.