DFDS Amsterdam to Newcastle

[jonty14]

I was looking on the Internet for a ferry to the UK for Christmas to be with my sister in Durham. The ferry from Amsterdam to Newcastle price for one person and a car is 1300euros. The ferry prices are ridiculous these days. In the end I booked Dunkirk to Dover for 197euros. It will be a longer drive but I can live with that.

 

[skyhigh]

The ferry from Amsterdam to Newcastle price for one person and a car is 1300euros.

Several things come to mind here -
There are only 2 ferry routes from the UK to Netherlands, so comparatively less capacity for passengers compared to French routes of which there is a massive capacity and competition with the tunnel.
Amsterdam to Newcastle requires a compulsory cabin booking as they are overnight journeys. Strip out the cabin and out on the 23rd back on the 26th is £400 for one passenger and a car. Given the longer distance that compares reasonably favourably to Dunkirk-Dover. But don't forget essentially it is the same price for 4 people in a car as one person - which makes it much better value per person if you are taking a full car.

But the main one - you're booking relatively late in the year for a Christmas sailing. Most trips will have been open for booking for over a year now - Christmas 2024 is already on sale. The cheap fares have already sold.
Christmas 2024 you can book a return sailing including sea view cabin for £320.

 

[jonty14]

Thanks for the tip. I will book earlier next time.

 

[skyhigh]

On the initial booking page it won't let you pick a date over 12 months away - but if you choose any date and then change it on the next step where it asks you to select your cabins you have a longer window to select from.

 

[jonty14]

On the initial booking page it won't let you pick a date over 12 months away - but if you choose any date and then change it on the next step where it asks you to select your cabins you have a longer window to select from.

Thank you

 

[ainsworth74]

Definitely worth considering for next year though. I did it (as a foot passenger) back in 2018 or maybe 2019 and it was a very pleasant journey even with a bus transfer at both ends (the Dutch put on a coach, the British just a normal city bus ), food from the buffet was reasonable (though there is a proper restaurant I believe), cabin was comfy (I also got a sea view, can't recall how much it was now but something like £120/140 for one way) and there was a bar with some guitarist providing live music but not obnoxiously loud so it was perfectly possible to while away the evening with a few drinks and reading a book. Very pleasant.

Though not worth it at €1,300 I quite agree!

 

[Trainbike46]

Several things come to mind here -
There are only 2 ferry routes from the UK to Netherlands, so comparatively less capacity for passengers compared to French routes of which there is a massive capacity and competition with the tunnel.
Amsterdam to Newcastle requires a compulsory cabin booking as they are overnight journeys. Strip out the cabin and out on the 23rd back on the 26th is £400 for one passenger and a car. Given the longer distance that compares reasonably favourably to Dunkirk-Dover. But don't forget essentially it is the same price for 4 people in a car as one person - which makes it much better value per person if you are taking a full car.

But the main one - you're booking relatively late in the year for a Christmas sailing. Most trips will have been open for booking for over a year now - Christmas 2024 is already on sale. The cheap fares have already sold.
Christmas 2024 you can book a return sailing including sea view cabin for £320.

There's 3 routes for Netherlands-UK
-Hook of Holland-Harwich (Stena)
-Rotterdam-Hull (P&O)
-IJmuiden (near Amsterdam)-Newcastle (DFDS)

There's also a few freight-only routes in case you were considering taking a lorry....

In all seriousness, I hope OP has a good crossing and drive up to Durham via Dover

Makes me wonder though, why do some routes have compulsory cabin bookings on overnight crossings?

 

[scragend]

Makes me wonder though, why do some routes have compulsory cabin bookings on overnight crossings?

Probably because they don't have reclining seat lounges (like Brittany Ferries do) and they don't want loads of people dossing in sleeping bags in the public areas.

 

[jonty14]

It was a long drive from the Black Forest. The crossing was quite rough but I had the premium lounge to myself