A slow and sustainable Mini Cruise to Amsterdam with P&O Ferries

This post is in paid partnership with P&O Ferries. All opinions are my own, unedited and unaltered as always.

I was sceptical about ferry travel. We had the option to travel by ferry when we went to France in July but we opted for rail instead.

I was worried I might feel sick or the journey would take too long and I might get bored. When P&O Ferries asked me to try a two night mini-cruise to Amsterdam from Hull in the name of slow and sustainable travel it felt like an experiment I couldn’t say no to. We packed our cases, hoped in the car and set off on a new adventure with open minds.

I hadn’t been on a ferry for years and I’ve never stayed on a ferry overnight so I had no idea what to expect. We were looking forward to getting away and spending some quality time together. When you work from home it can hard to fully put the breaks on. We were also looking forward to a slow paced trip without the rush and stress of airports. I’m trying to be greener where I can so I also took comfort in knowing the carbon footprint of ferry travel is much lower than flying.

Our drive to Hull port was an easy one from Derbyshire and parking the car was more straight forward than any airport. Everything is signposted clearly and there’s a multi-story car park right next to the passenger lounge where you check in. The cost for parking was £8 per 24 hours. For someone who’s used to air travel it almost felt too simplistic, like I was missing something.

Check-in was a breeze and I kept wondering where everyone was as there were no queues. We kept repeating ‘oh, this is easy’ to each other. We’d got there early so we could get on the ferry as soon as possible and get settled in. Boarding began at 4pm even though we didn’t set sail until 8:30pm. We wanted to enjoy as much time on the ferry as possible so we were one of the first to board. 

On board

‘This is fancy’ were my first words as I passed my boarding pass to the crew and stepped aboard. I had no idea ferries were as big or as plush. I clearly didn’t have high expectations, but The Pride of Rotterdam surpassed them immediately. 

We were advised to book for dinner so we went straight to The Brasserie and booked a table by the window. Once we knew our stomachs were taken care of we set off to find our cabin. Again I was pleasantly surprised. There was a shower in our bathroom, a port hole with a view, open wardrobe, dressing table and it was spotlessly clean. Unpacking is a travel ritual of mine no matter how short the trip. I love to unpack so I know where all my things are and I feel more at home. 

Our next challenge would be dinner. We’ve both switched to a plant based diet recently and nothing says difficult to please traveller like a vegan abroad. Again, my expectations were surpassed when I saw vegan pizza and Cambodian curry on the menu. I was impressed.

There was lots of choice available on board. A lot more than I expected. As well as The Brasserie there was a buffet restaurant and a coffee shop serving Starbucks coffee (as well as vegan mince pies!). There was a large bar and show lounge with a themed 80s night going on but being the quiet socially awkward introverts we are, we decided to go to the cinema. I knew there’d be a cinema on board but I didn’t expect the latest films and I didn’t expect to only pay £5.50 per ticket. We’re used to at least double that at home. We watched Last Christmas and left feeling extra festive.

After the credits rolled it was time for bed. The captain had announced we should expect some ‘rolling’ throughout the night but there was nothing to worry about. The ferry had stabilisers on and it felt more like I was being rocked to sleep. If you do suffer with travel sickness it’s always best to take tablets with you. They were for sale in the duty free shop if you’d forgotten them.

We arrived in Rotterdam bright and early with enough time for breakfast at The Brasserie before we got off the ferry. By 9:30am we were on our way to Amsterdam on the coach. We could have taken our car with us on the ferry and driven but we wanted one less thing to worry about while we were away. The journey took about an hour and we were dropped off right in the centre by the station.

Amsterdam

We had just over six hours to spend in Amsterdam so it was quite the whistle-stop tour. I still managed to tick a few Amsterdam must dos off my list and I’ve got a handful of recommendations to share if you’re planning a trip of your own. I love how small Amsterdam is because it means you can pretty much walk everywhere. Its flatness makes it ideal for cycling too. 

Bikes – We headed straight for bike hire so we weren’t walking around too much. These bike hire shops are dotted all around the city. I typed bike hire into my maps app and went to the nearest one. It turned out to be Frederic’sand I’d highly recommend. We hired two bikes for 3 hours and paid 18 euros total. Remember to take a credit card or driving licence for your deposit.

Suka lifestyle store – Set down a beautiful street this is an interior inspiration haven. It’s jam packed with beautiful things to browse and it’s one of those places that leaves you calmer than when you walked in. A feast for the senses.

Vegan junk food bar – We went for the most delicious burgers either of us have ever eaten at Vegan Junk Food bar. We had to queue for a table (always a good sign) but the wait wasn’t long. It’s worth keeping in mind to avoid any hanger situations. The menu was something vegans dream about.

Floating flower market – Given it was December, this place was still impressive. The flower market is a perfect example of working with the quirks of the landscape. Though there were lots of bulbs available. I imagine in the spring and summer it’s on a whole other level.

The rain came down after this and didn’t stop until we left. Amsterdam is beautiful in the rain. We found the nearest cosy cafe and spent the rest of our time there doing what we love most – people watching.

At 5pm we got back on board the coach and headed back to Rotterdam port. We were tired after a full day exploring so we had a quick bite to eat in The Brasserie again before heading back to our cabin for a cosy night in. The crossing back was super smooth. We set sail at 8:30pm and we were back in Hull by 8am. Again, we even had time for breakfast before we had to leave.

I can’t thank P&O Ferries enough for putting ferry travel at the top of my mode of transport. Ferry travel made the journey part of the trip in a way I’ve ever experienced and it was an ideal way to travel slow. I’d love to go to the south of France next and take the car so we can drive around the little villages down there.

If you fancy giving ferry travel a go for yourself you can find out more about their services across the Irish Sea, English Channel and North Sea on the P&O Ferries website.