Travel & Tourism

You can take a mini cruise to Amsterdam for just £65

And using just one day off

Daisy Jackson - 5th December 2024

Did you know you can fall asleep in the UK and wake up in the Netherlands, with tickets that are cheaper than a train to London?

There are mini cruises to Amsterdam and Rotterdam running year-round, with tickets from just £65 a head.

These bargain mini breaks give you a chance to experience a holiday on the high seas and a brilliant city break in one.

And the best part is that you can have a two-night adventure using only one day of annual leave.

We went along on a P&O Ferries mini cruise to see what it’s all about.

Your holiday begins just outside Hull, swiftly boarding your ferry by 7pm (a MUCH quicker process than boarding a plane).

Each passenger is greeted by P&O staff who’ll show you to your cabin.

You can take a mini cruise to Amsterdam to eat Stroopwaffels. Credit: The Manc Group

The view from a canal boat tour in Amsterdam on a mini cruise — You can take a mini cruise to Amsterdam to eat Stroopwaffels. Credit: The Manc Group

There are various sizes of cabin available – ours were the Premier Cabins, with a modern interior, two single beds and an en suite bathroom.

Although the P&O ferry that runs to the Netherlands is a little smaller than the huge passenger vessels sailing around the Caribbean, there’s still a surprising amount of entertainment on board, from interactive quizzes to a casino to live acoustic musicians in the sky lounge to a full show in the showlounge.

There are also a few restaurants and bars, including a Costa, an Irish pub and a decent cocktail bar, alongside the main buffet restaurant.

Once you’ve tired yourself out on board and hit the hay, you’ll be ready to wake up in the land of tulips and canals and bicycles.

The Pride of Hull, which runs mini cruises to Amsterdam

The ferry docks in Rotterdam, where you can spend the day, or there are coaches ready to whisk you off to Amsterdam.

It’s surprising how much you can pack into a day in this vibrant city – start with a wander down some of the canals, grab a portion of Dutch fries loaded with parmesan and sauces, visit one of Amsterdam’s many museums, spend an hour on a canal boat tour seeing the city from the waterways, and grab a cocktail before embarking on your return journey.

The coach drops you within walking distance of the city centre and all of the must-visit attractions of Amsterdam, whether you’re after stroopwaffels or coffee shops or a visit to Anne Frank’s house.

After another night on the ferry, and a whole new buffet, you’ll dock back on home turf first thing in the morning, and can comfortably be back at your desk before the work day even begins.

You can find out more about P&O mini cruises to Amsterdam HERE.

Featured image: The Manc Group