Review: A Romantic P&O Ferries Mini Cruise to Amsterdam
This post is a paid partnership with P&O Ferries. However, all opinions are our own.
Have you ever taken an overnight ship from England to Amsterdam? Neither had we—until now! We decided it was time to change that and set sail on the P&O Ferries Mini Cruise from Hull to Amsterdam.
Here’s everything you need to know about our experience!
If you know us, you know that we are always up for trying something new and we love the idea of making the journey as important as the destination itself so this was the perfect adventure for us.
We packed our cases, hopped in the car, and set off on a new adventure, just in time for a romantic Valentine’s weekend.
A P&O Ferries Mini Cruise is the perfect getaway for couples looking to escape the routine and embrace a little adventure together (whilst only having to take one day off work – a huge bonus!)
The journey from Hull to Amsterdam leaves from, you guessed it, Hull. Otherwise known as Kingston upon Hull, in East Yorkshire. It then arrives around 11 and a half hours later in Rotterdam where you’ll be able to hop on a coach (supplied by P&O) to Amsterdam where you can spend the day exploring. There’s also the option to spend the day in Rotterdam instead of Amsterdam if you prefer.
Security and check-in were incredibly easy, helped by the fact that it was pretty quiet. After a quick passport check, we were ready to board. Boarding began at 4:30 p.m., even though the ship didn’t set sail until 8:30 p.m. leaving us lots of time to explore the ship before we set off for Amsterdam. We, of course, wanted to enjoy as much time on the ferry as possible, so were among the first to board.
Essential Details: P&O Ferries Mini Cruise from Hull to Amsterdam
- Tickets start from £65 per person
- Your journey will either be on the Pride of Rotterdam or the Pride of Hull. Both are very similar ships and surprisingly large
- The journey takes just over eleven hours each way
- You’ll enjoy around six hours in Amsterdam
- Parking is available at the ferry port, costing £20 for 48 hours (or you can take your car with you)
- There is a choice of cabins available, ranging in price, size and facilities
- You can opt to spend the day in Amsterdam or multiple nights here
Travel times
Outbound: Hull – Rotterdam
Travel time: 11h 15m
Depart: 20:30
Arrival: 08:45
Inbound: Rotterdam – Hull
Travel time: 11h 0m
Depart: 21:00
Arrival: 07:00
On Board P&O Ferries
Our journey took place on the Pride of Rotterdam, and as we mentioned, the ship is impressively well-equipped. Onboard, you’ll find two restaurants, Costa Coffee, a cinema (£8.50 per ticket, showing the latest films), a sun deck lobby, and a bar perfect for watching the sunrise and sunset. There’s also a show bar with evening entertainment, including a disco, quiz, and bingo, as well as the Sky Lounge Bar with live music, a video arcade, and a dedicated kids’ area.
When we say there is plenty to keep you entertained for your two nights on board, we mean there’s plenty! We took part in the interactive quiz (we sadly didn’t win – but, it was great fun nonetheless) and there was also Bingo in the evenings and a disco for those looking to enjoy some cheesy music and dancing.
The food on board
You’ll enjoy breakfast and dinner on the ship and there are two restaurants to choose between; The Brasserie and The Kitchen. We sampled both and can safely say the food was just as good (if not better) as you would have on land. You can also opt to grab a coffee and pastry from Costa if you prefer.
The Brassierie is an à la carte restaurant serving a variety of dishes and specials. We’re both vegetarian (and huge foodies) and whilst there was only one starter we could have – it was very tasty.
We opted for the carrot and butternut soup for starters. For our mains, we had the wild mushroom spelt & pearl barley risotto with squash and sage and the sweet potato cake with pea & green chilli. For dessert, we enjoyed the sticky toffee pudding and the salted caramel and chocolate ganache tart – all delicious.
On the second night, we sampled The Kitchen, a buffet-style restaurant. When we say we were surprised that’s an understatement. The food was incredible and there was such a variety available.
We stacked our plates full of dishes from around the world including Nasi Goreng with chilli sambal, a roast dinner, Moroccan couscous, roasted cauliflower and too many deserts than we care to admit – we’re a sucker for a Crème Brûlée.
Breakfast was also delicious, we enjoyed it in The Kitchen with a mix of cooked foods (they even cooked up veggie sausages specially for us), pastries, fruit and fresh smoothies.
The Sky Lounge Bar had to be our favourite spot to spend an evening. A glass of (large) red wine, a pianist and views of the vast ocean – Who would have thought a P&O Ferries mini cruise could be so romantic?
The Cabin on P&O Ferries Mini Cruise
A Valentine’s weekend away deserves a little treat, so we opted to stay in the Club Cabin.
Inside you’ll find a double bed, an en-suite bathroom, a complimentary fully stocked mini-bar (included in the price and re-stocked for our second night!) and The White Company toiletries – a nice little bonus. We were a little worried about being able to feel the ship moving, however, it was more like we were being gently rocked to sleep. We both slept so well and woke up to a pink sky as the sun rose over the sea the next morning ready to explore!
A day in Amsterdam
We arrived in Rotterdam to a beautiful sunrise and a buffet breakfast at The Kitchen (we could get used to this life) before leaving the ferry. By about 9 am we were on our way to Amsterdam on the coach. If you prefer, you can also take your car with you on the ferry. But, we were taking full advantage of being looked after for the weekend. The journey from the port to Amsterdam took about an hour and we were dropped off by the central station.
We had about six hours in Amsterdam in total so it was certainly a whistlestop tour, luckily we’ve been before so we knew exactly what we wanted to see and do.
Here are a few of our recommendations for things to do in Amsterdam:
Hire bikes from Donkey Republic
For a city that loves cycling, it was surprisingly hard to find somewhere to hire a bike for less than 24 hrs. Donkey Republic is a bit like Lime Bikes in the UK. Download their app and just pay for how long you use it. We hired them for two hours and it cost us €10 for both of us.
Visit Vondelpark
If the sun is shining don’t miss a trip to Vondelpark, it’s lush. This is where we cycled around and stopped off for a coffee in one of the many bars/ cafes scattered about in the park.
Vegan junk food bar or Vegan Temple Bar for lunch
We actually visited Vegan Junk Food Bar last time we were in Amsterdam but, it’s the perfect spot if you’re looking for an unhealthy, deep-fried meal. The blue cheese sauce (which is bright blue) is a highlight! This time we sampled Vegan Temple Bar – the avocado fires and classic Bitterballen were both ‘chefs kiss’.
Visit the flower market
One of the many benefits of getting the ferry across to Amsterdam is that you don’t need to worry about your luggage allowance so, fill your bags! The tulips are quintessential to The Netherlands.
Sample a stroopwaffle
We went for a Firma Stroop and dare we say it – didn’t love it. With a topping (pistachio and chocolate) it costs €9.50 and whilst it’s a right of passage when in Amsterdam, we don’t think it was the best one. Instead, we’ve heard the stroopwafels from Hans Egstorf are fresh and wonderful!
Final thoughts on our P&O Ferries mini cruise to Amsterdam
The ship has tons to keep you entertained and you certainly won’t be bored during your two nights on board. The cabins are spacious and comfortable and the trip was extremely easy and well organised. If it’s your first time in Amsterdam then we recommend spending a few nights in Amsterdam and then returning a few days later. However, if you’re more about the journey rather than the destination then this is the perfect trip for you! Whether it’s a Valentine’s surprise or a spontaneous couples’ escape, a mini cruise is a unique and memorable way to travel together.
