Two nights on board, a day in Amsterdam, and back in North Shields at 09:15 on day three. Here's how the DFDS mini cruise from Newcastle works, hour by hour, and what to check before you book.
DFDS's Amsterdam mini cruise is a two-night trip from Newcastle: you sail overnight to IJmuiden, take a coach into Amsterdam for the day, and sail back overnight. It's the only mini cruise on DFDS's UK mini cruise page.
Everything below comes from DFDS's own UK pages, the Port of Tyne and I amsterdam, and I checked it on 10 November 2026. Where DFDS's pages disagree with each other, I've said so.
The mini cruise timetable
Day 1, Newcastle
- 14:30 check-in opens
- 16:15 check-in closes
- 17:00 the ship leaves North Shields
Day 2, Amsterdam
- 09:45 arrive in IJmuiden
- From 10:15 the coach leaves for Amsterdam city centre
- 15:30 the coach leaves Amsterdam for the IJmuiden terminal
- 17:30 the ship leaves IJmuiden
Day 3, Newcastle
- 09:15 arrive back in North Shields
You sleep both ways, so the time you spend awake is mostly in Amsterdam or at the bar.
DFDS warns that the time you get ashore in Amsterdam can vary with local border control. Its route page also gives 14:00 as the check-in opening time in Newcastle, half an hour earlier than the mini cruise timetable, so go by your booking confirmation.
You sleep both ways, so the time you spend awake is mostly in Amsterdam or at the bar.
What's included
DFDS says the mini cruise includes:
- two nights on board in a private en suite cabin
- return coach transfers to Amsterdam
- free meals for children under three
The price DFDS showed on 10 November was from £90 per person, based on two people sharing a two-bed inside cabin, with a small supplement for other cabins. It's for new bookings only and can't be combined with other offers.
Check the coach before you pay. DFDS's bus page says Amsterdam transfers are included when you book a mini cruise, but the mini cruise page says you'll see your cabin price first and the bus transfer prices separately after that.
The coach into Amsterdam
The coaches are run by DFDS's partner Brouwers and marked "DFDS". The trip from the terminal into Amsterdam typically takes 30 minutes, and the coach drops you off and picks you up at De Ruijterkade 153, behind Central Station. DFDS's bus page lists return coaches at 15:30 and 16:00, taking 30 to 40 minutes depending on traffic, while the mini cruise timetable shows only the 15:30.
A day in Amsterdam
I amsterdam says the city's canal ring is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and has been since 2010. If you want the story behind it, the Museum of the Canals is at Herengracht 386.
Many of Amsterdam's best museums sit together on Museumplein, and the Anne Frank House, in the Jordaan, preserves the annexe where Anne Frank lived with her family for two years.
On board
DFDS sails the route with two ships, King Seaways and Princess Seaways. Both had a major refurbishment in early 2024, with renewed cabins and refreshed public areas.
- Food: two restaurants: North Sea Bistro, with a seasonal menu, and Explorer's Kitchen, an all-you-can-eat buffet. There's also the Coffee Crew café, serving Starbucks coffee.
- Entertainment: live music, cinema (King Seaways has two), play areas, slot machines and bars. There are wildlife activities too, but only in season, when the wildlife officer is on board.
- Shopping: a Duty Free shop, which DFDS says saves up to 50% versus the UK high street.
Cabins
Your fare includes a standard inside en suite cabin. You can pay more for:
- Commodore and Commodore De Luxe, the premium cabins. On King Seaways, Commodore De Luxe comes with access to an exclusive lounge.
- Double bed cabins, inside or with a sea view.
- Sea view cabins, which sleep up to five in bunk beds.
- Economy cabins, which sleep two to four in bunk beds.
- Pet friendly cabins, for up to four people and two medium-sized dogs.
Themed mini cruises
DFDS says it runs exclusive themed mini cruises between Newcastle and Amsterdam, with fancy dress, games and live entertainment on board. It names a Halloween cruise and a New Year's Eve mini cruise, but doesn't list dates, so ask DFDS what's coming up.
Getting to the Newcastle terminal
The terminal is the International Ferry Terminal, Royal Quays, North Shields, NE29 6EE. You can get there by car, bus or Metro. The nearest Metro stations are Percy Main and Meadowell.
DFDS runs a bus from Bewick Street, opposite Newcastle Central Station, at 14:30 and 15:30, from £7 per person.
If you drive, the Port of Tyne's car park is a few minutes' walk from the terminal and open from 7am to 8pm. Parking is free for the first four hours, then £18 per 24 hours, and you can't book or pay in advance. The port's own example for an Amsterdam mini cruise is £36 for 44 hours.
Before you go
- Passports: for the EU, DFDS says a British passport must have been issued within the last 10 years on the day you arrive, and be valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave. You'll be turned away at check-in without the right documents.
- Under-18s: anyone 17 or under travelling without an adult needs a parental consent letter on this route.
- Luggage: foot passengers must be able to carry their own luggage on board, and the bus page asks you to bring only what you can carry.
- Boarding: after the controls, you walk on through a passenger air bridge.
If you'd rather take the car and stay longer, the Newcastle to Amsterdam route page has the regular crossing, and the ferries to Holland page compares it with the other routes to the Netherlands.
