A First Time Mini Cruise

January 26, 2015

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I’m a girl who usually catches a flight to my destination but now I’ve been completely converted to sailing after my recent trip to Amsterdam with DFDS Seaways.

I’ve done the odd Channel crossing with my family as a child, but a mini cruise is a first for me. The one thing that stood out instantly was that our holiday started as soon as we stepped onboard the ship. And it doesn’t take very long to get to that point either; you can park your car in a matter of minutes and be on the ship another 10 minutes after that! This is a world away from my usual park and ride, followed by a two-hour wait in an airport with a cramped flight to follow.

Once on the ship we were directed to our cabin, which we found easily.  I would highly recommend a Commodore cabin – they are a home away from home, with a double bed, dressing area, TV and complimentary mini bar – it’s a great way to travel. After we left our luggage & had a freshen-up in our en suite bathroom, we looked at what our evening had to offer while enjoying some sparkling wine from the complimentary mini bar.

The first thing to remember at this point is to book one of the on board restaurants before you embark on the evenings entertainment so you get a good table!

Following a review of the ship’s facilities, and a chat with the very glamorous Entertainment Manager, Adele, we opted for a drink watching the troubadour, Carian, in the Compass Bar. It was a great way to unwind before a delicious dinner in the 7 Seas Restaurant, followed by the Columbus Club for cocktails and live music entertainment. It wasn’t easy to decide on how we’d spend our evening, as there’s such a variety of bars, restaurants and areas to suit all tastes. But anything we’d missed, we’d be sure to fit it in on the way home.

The first part of our night was spent listing to the unbelievably talented Troubadour, Carian, who blew me away with his rendition of ‘All My Loving’ by the Beatles – his favourite song of all time. I agree, it’s a good choice!

We wanted to carry on watching but had our dinner booked in the 7 Seas Restaurant, which blew my mind! I have never eaten buffet food that even comes close to the standard – such variety for tastes all round! The seafood was second to none and it was great to try delicacies such as curried herring (delicious, by the way), that I would have never picked off a menu. A big tip to mention is to leave space for the desserts and cheese – an absolute must!

Once full, we made our way to the Columbus Club for delicious cocktails (my favourite was the Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri) while watching the ships new Bulgarian band, The Masters, who played some absolute classics!

Following our jam-packed night we retreated to our ‘home from home’ cabin and enjoyed a great night sleep followed by a wonderful breakfast in the Blue Riband restaurant – setting us up for a great day ahead exploring Amsterdam!

I am completely converted and have decided that this is the only way to travel!

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