England Mini Cruise
Mini Cruise: Amsterdam - Newcastle
Overnight to Newcastle, a full day in the city, and overnight back, all in one DFDS package, whichever direction you start from.
- 3 days, 2 nights on board
- A full day in Newcastle
- Coach transfer to the centre included
Mini Cruise Itinerary
How the Mini Cruise Works
Table of Contents
Two nights on board, a full day ashore and the North Sea as the way there: as a mini cruise with DFDS between IJmuiden, near Amsterdam, and Newcastle, the trip lasts three days in either direction. The cabin is included, and if you book as a foot passenger, so is the coach transfer to the city centre. What the trip costs is shown in the route's booking window.
Day 1: Departure from IJmuiden
Your mini cruise begins at the DFDS terminal on Sluisplein in IJmuiden, around 20 kilometres west of Amsterdam. The DFDS transfer coach brings you from central Amsterdam to the port, and boarding starts in the early afternoon. At 17:30 the King Seaways or Princess Seaways casts off for England. On board you'll find restaurants, bars with live music, a cinema, a casino and a duty-free shop. For dinner you can choose between the buffet restaurant Explorer's Kitchen and the à la carte North Sea Bistro. Afterwards you settle into your cabin and spend the first night at sea.
Day 2: A Day in Newcastle
The next morning you arrive at the International Ferry Terminal in North Shields, north east of Newcastle. The coach transfer takes you into the centre, with your booking confirmation serving as your ticket. Then the day belongs to Newcastle: the Quayside along the River Tyne with its bridges, the Baltic art gallery on the opposite bank, Victorian Grainger Town for a wander, or a short trip out to the nearby coast. Your luggage stays in your cabin. In the late afternoon the coach brings you back to the terminal, and at 17:00 the ship departs on the return crossing.
Day 3: Back to Amsterdam
After a second night on board with the evening programme and the on-board shop, you arrive back at IJmuiden the following morning. The transfer coach takes foot passengers back into central Amsterdam. If you're doing the mini cruise with your own car, you drive on and off at both ports yourself and aren't tied to the coach transfer.
What's Included
The package covers both crossings and the cabin with its own bathroom; if you book as a foot passenger, it also includes the coach transfer between the terminal and the city centre in both directions. Because the cabin is yours for the whole trip, your luggage can stay on board during the day ashore. Catering is booked separately, as you prefer: on board there are buffet and à la carte restaurants as well as cafes. Cabin categories range from inside cabins through sea view to Commodore cabins with lounge access. Travelling with a dog, pet-friendly cabins can be booked; what paperwork you need for England is summarised in the guide Pets & Dogs.
Other Mini Cruise Options
DFDS sells the same route in the other direction too: from Newcastle, you sail overnight to Amsterdam, spend a full day in the city on the canals, and sail back on the second night. Full details and booking are on the route page Amsterdam - Newcastle.
P&O Ferries offers a comparable short-break package on the Rotterdam - Hull route: two nights on board the Pride of Rotterdam or Pride of Hull and a day in Hull or York, with cabin and coach transfer included. Which mini cruise suits you better depends on where you want to go: Newcastle opens up the north east of England and Scotland, Hull the north and Yorkshire.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ - Amsterdam - Newcastle Mini Cruise
The key questions about the mini cruise between Amsterdam and Newcastle, answered briefly.
How long does the mini cruise to Newcastle take? +
The mini cruise lasts three days with two nights on board: you depart from IJmuiden near Amsterdam on the first evening, spend the middle day in Newcastle, and arrive back in Amsterdam on the morning of the third day, or the same pattern in reverse if you start from Newcastle. Between departure and arrival, that's two nights in your cabin and a full day ashore.
Is a cabin compulsory, and is it already included? +
Yes. Because it's an overnight crossing, the cabin is a fixed part of the package and already included. You can choose from inside, sea view and Commodore cabins, plus family, accessible and pet-friendly cabins, all with their own bathroom. The cabin stays yours for the whole trip, so your luggage can stay on board while you're ashore for the day.
Is the coach transfer to Newcastle included? +
Yes. If you book the mini cruise as a foot passenger, the coach transfer between the terminal in North Shields and Newcastle city centre is included in the package, both ways. Your booking confirmation doubles as your bus ticket.
Can I do the mini cruise starting from Newcastle instead? +
Yes. DFDS sells the same route in the other direction too: from Newcastle you sail overnight to Amsterdam, spend a full day there, and sail back overnight. You'll find details and booking on the route page Amsterdam - Newcastle, and the exact sailing times in the timetable.
Do I need an ETA for the day ashore? +
Yes, if you're travelling from the EU, EEA or Switzerland. Since 25 February 2026, an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) has been required for Great Britain, even for a day visit on the mini cruise. It's checked at check-in. How to apply for one is explained on the page Entering England.