I was pleasantly surprised by the Pride of Rotterdam. From the outside, the vessel looks like any other ferry but on the inside, it is reminiscent, in parts, to a small cruise ship.
Both outbound and return sailings were comfortable, and the seas were pleasantly calm for March.
A variety of passengers travelled with me to Amsterdam, from teens through to pensioners. The overwhelming majority were in the younger adult age range (around 18 to 25). Even so, it was evident that Amsterdam is an ideal mini cruise destination for anyone young or old.
Amsterdam is a lovely city and a must-see destination. It has a reputation for certain things (decriminalised drug taking and legalised prostitution, for example) and while it's true that some shops explicitly offer drugs for sale, and there's an entire red light district devoted to prostitution, Amsterdam offers far more besides.
While some tourists visit Amsterdam for a "good time", others visit to experience the culture, the architecture, the history and the beauty. It is an expansive city with plenty to do and see.
A hop-on-hop-off bus tour is a great way to see Amsterdam, and a canal cruise offers a different perspective on this fantastic metropolis.
An Amsterdam mini cruise is a perfect way to get a taste of everything Amsterdam has to offer, but it will leave you wanting more. You will need to book several Amsterdam mini cruises (or a mini cruise and stay break) to truly see everything Amsterdam has to offer.
Incidentally, when I checked-in at Hull, the agent told me that a surprising number of people book another sailing to Amsterdam as soon as they disembark because they loved it so much. Immediate repeat custom has to be the best measure of how captivating Amsterdam is.
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Ferry comfort
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Ferry entertainment
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Ferry food and drink
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Transfers
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Amsterdam
Summary
A two-night sailing to Amsterdam was always going to be a brief encounter. Pre-plan before you go and you will be able to cram in plenty to see and do during your time on land. Pride of Rotterdam is not the prettiest vessel from the outside but inside it is very comfortable indeed.
Read more in this series
- Getting to the Port of Hull
- Pride of Rotterdam Review
- Pride of Rotterdam Cabins
- Food & Drink on Pride of Rotterdam
- Entertainment on Pride of Rotterdam
- Guide to Europoort, Rotterdam
- Can You Really Explore Amsterdam in a Day?
- Amsterdam Mini Cruise Review on P&O Ferries' Pride of Rotterdam (you are here)
Just wanted to say this whole review was amazingly helpful! And I'm looking forward to my trip even more after reding! Good work! A brilliant read!
Thanks!!!
Thanks for your very kind comments.
Thanks for the useful information about access and parking at Hull. It far surpasses any available on the so-called official sites.
We travel in May, and apart from your comments, have seen quite a lot of negative publicity on the ferry journey.
We'll just have to suck it and see.
Thank you for your kind comments. I put the guides together as I felt there was a lack of detailed information available. As for the sailing, I enjoyed it. My cabin was basic but roomy and the journey was comfortable. It was nice to get away and there was enough on the ferry to keep me busy during the sailing. I'd love to know how you get on - drop me a line when you get back.
Thank you for taking the time to write such an interesting article. Me and my husband are going on our first mini-cruise tomorrow (Tues14th July) and reading this has really helped as I am a little nervous!
Thank you for your very kind comments.
Great blog going this weekend you have covered everything many thanks Pete
Thank you so much for taking the time to write this! It's answered all my questions, really looking forward to the trip now. Thanks once again.
I am glad I could help. Enjoy your trip!
Everything I needed to know. This was so insightful. I could relate to a first person style of this site rather than the bland corporate speak on many official websites.Really excited about my trip booked for August 2016.
Hello. Do you have lockers into the P&O Ferries at Rotterdam? Thank you. Congratulations.
According to P&O Ferries, there is a locker room to store luggage if you are travelling on a mini cruise and have been allocated different cabins on the outbound and return journey. If you've got the same cabin out and back, you can leave luggage in your cabin should you wish.