Cruises Ferry Travel around Europe

We at Cruise Ferry Travel long ago gave up on the myriad of probelms associated with flight travel and decided to focus on cruise ferries for the majority of our travel.

It seems that we are not alone in our thoughts on this. Despite the double-barrelled effects of rising fuel prices and the (tedium ahoy) credit crunch, the UK cruise ferries sector is set to expand over the next few years, with the major operators increasing capacity and expanding routes to keep pace with this rise in demand.

There is now a large group of travellers who enjoy european city breaks, mini-cruise breaks, spa breaks and caravan holidays via ferry travel.

As consumers who are being squeezed tight financially, value for money has become paramount - this is where cruise travel has a distinct advantage over flight - ferries provide a far more relaxing overall experience.

Many cruise boats now have well appointed cabins, restaurants & cafés, onboard entertainment, bars, lounges and a variety of shops. Improved ferry experiences have attracted many families and the over 55s age group, keen to avoid the pressures of travelling from an airport.

All this is good news for us - there should be plenty of ferry news to report on in the coming months.

As we have made patently clear, cruises are the way we like to travel. This isnt just a decision that we have come top quickly or easily, there is a sound reasoning behind our thoughts, built on years of travel experience. Here are five prinicipal factors as to why cruise travel knocks the others into a cocked hat!

1) Crusies give you a sense of journey - In all seriousness there is something preferable to travelling by ferry. Perhaps its the expanse of the sea, cruise trvel provides a greater sense of escape than every other mode of transport. Its seems to be better for the soul!

2) Cruise ferry facilities are excellent - The major ferry operators ships all have great facilities, with restaurants, shops, bars and lounges. There is literally something for everyone on these cruise boats.

3) Travelling by road can be tedious - Roadworks everywhere make any journey over 20 miles practically impossible and travelling to continental europe is so stop start it becomes unbearable..

4) Train travel is too expensive and complicated - especially when travelling to the continent. Most trains from the UK to the continent go through London, which for most of us means changing numerous times. Also, the trains in this country are still unreliable, you are never quite sure if and when they are going to appear. Couple this with double inflation rises in ticket prices in early 2009 and train travel becomes increasingly unattractive.

5) Air travel is alot of hassle - Airports are so restrictive these days that getting through them can be an exhausting experience. We are fed up with lost luggage and long queues for no reason. Maybe its time we stepped off the plane, and got on the boat!

* Amsterdam, Holland - Amsterdam, one of Europe's most atractive cities and is often referred to as the 'Venice of the North' due to its similarnetwork of canals and bridges. For a city with a relatively small population (750,000), Amsterdam provides an extremely rich visitor experience.

If you are on a cruise to Amsterdam, then here are five things you must do while your'e there!

1. The Van Gogh Museum.
There is such a wide range of choice when it comes to museums in Amsterdam that the choice for can be daunting. However, the Van Gogh Museum is a must-see. This museum hosts the largest collection of the dutch masters work. A upgrading has improved the Van-Gogh visitor experience immensley.

2. Cruise along Amsterdam's Canals
Travelling on Amsterdam canals is the only way to get a truly experience the unique urban design of the city. You can easily get on one of the canal boats or hire a canal bike and pedal round yourselves. Night-time or sunset is probabaly the best time to take a cruise.

3. Go for a walk
Amsterdam is a great option for a visit, even if you are on a budget. Simply pick up a streetmap at one of the Amsterdam Tourist Offices and go for a wander!.

4. The Rijksmuseum
The Rijksmuseum is The Netherlands largest national museum, and offers a comprehensive collection of 17th-century Dutchmasterpices from the likes of Rembrandt, Vermeer and Hals.

5. Visit The Anne Frank House
Anne Frank wrote her now legendary diaries from this house. A sobering experience and well worth a visit.

DFDS offer a ferry to amsterdam daily from Newcastle in the UK.

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* Esbjerg, Denmark - With 83.000 inhabitants and is the fifth biggest city in Denmark. Esbjerg offers lovely beaches, great outdoors experiences, amusement parks and medieval villages. Denmark's oldest town Ribe is only 30km from Esbjerg. The port is the cradle of the city and is also the home of the Danish offshore oil and gas industry.

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* Irish Sea Destinations - Belfast and Dublin are wonderful, vibrant cities and we don't hesitate recommending them as destinations. Both these cities offfer a wonderful combination of exciting urban life (pubs and restaurants) and a great sense of history. Visit northlink for routes.

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* Scotland - An extremely beautiful country with many superb ferry routes, particularly in the Highlands and Islands. Our favourites amongst many are the ferry to Mull and the Orkney crossing. Caledonian Macbrayne have some excellent routes in Scotland.

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* France - Northern France is an extremely beautiful region and is only a short crossing from the UK.

These are just a few of our favourite destinations to travel to by ferry - if you have any particular gems you wish to share, please don't hesitate to let us know.