Accessible Newcastle - Amsterdam Ferry
Accessibility :
Wheelchair Accessible Ferry,
Accessible Cabins Available,
Accessible Taxi Transfers,
Overnight Sailings
More....
For details of wheelchair accessible hotels, wheelchair-friendly eating and drinking options and wheelchair accessible attractions in central Amsterdam, see the Accessible Amsterdam Guide
Making a Wheelchair Accessible Booking For The Newcastle to Amsterdam Ferry
To book your wheelchair accessible cabin on the Newcastle to Amsterdam ferry, you must call the DFDS Contact Centre (UK: 0344 848 6090).
This will allow you to specify any particular needs that you may have. And you should do this as soon as possible (for safety reasons, only 5 wheelchairs are allowed on the ship at any one time – so don’t hang about).
In any case, all requests for special assistance must be made at least two days in advance of your sailing.
During your call, and if you require one, also request that DFDS arrange your free wheelchair accessible taxi between Ijmuiden and your hotel in the centre of Amsterdam.
Wheelchair Accessible Transfers (Newcastle)
The Newcastle to Amsterdam ferry actually leaves from the Port of Tyne International Passenger Terminal, in North Shields (some 9 miles from Newcastle Train Station).
DFDS run a wheelchair accessible bus transfer between Newcastle Train Station and the ferry terminal though, costing £6 return per passenger (buy this as an extra during your initial wheelchair accessible cabin booking).
The bus departs from the end of the short stay car park, and the journey takes no more than 30 minutes.
Wheelchair accessible taxis are also available from the taxi rank at Newcastle Train Station. The fare to the DFDS ferry terminal in North Shields should be around £15 (so £30 for the journey in both directions – as opposed to just £6 if you take the DFDS bus).
Accessible Parking in Newcastle (North Shields)
The Port of Tyne International Passenger Terminal, in North Shields, where the Newcastle-Amsterdam ferry departs from, has 13 accessible parking spaces.
These spaces cannot be reserved in advance though, but are simply allocated on a “first come, first served” basis.
Parking rates: Parking is free for the first 4 hours, then is charged at £12 for every subsequent 24 hour period.
Taking your own vehicle on the Newcastle to Amsterdam Ferry
When you arrive at the check in booth with your own vehicle, you will be given a window sticker or window hanger, which shows the loading team to locate your vehicle as close to the lift as possible, with space at the rear or side for your wheelchair.
Wheelchair Accessible Lifts on the Newcastle to Amsterdam Ferry
Lifts will take you from the boarding deck to your wheelchair accessible cabin, and to all other decks except the following:
King Seaways: There are two main wheelchair accessible lifts on the King Seaways (measuring 107 cm x 143 cm – the lift entrance door width is 90 cm).
In addition, there are also two lifts which take you between Decks 6 & 7 (measuring 108 cm x 144 cm – the lift entrance door width is 87 cm).
There is no lift access to Deck 5. Access to open-air decks for wheelchairs is on Deck 10. The Sky Bar on Deck 12 is only accessible via an outside staircase;
Princess Seaways: There are also two main wheelchair accessible lifts on the Princess Seaways (measuring 107 cm x 143 cm – the lift entrance door width is 85 cm).
In addition, there are also two lifts which take you between Decks 5 & 6 (again measuring 108 cm x 144 cm – the lift entrance door width is 87 cm).
There is no lift access to Deck 4.
Overnight Sailings on the Newcastle to Amsterdam Ferry
This is perhaps THE biggest advantage of taking the accessible Newcastle-Amsterdam ferry.
The Newcastle-Amsterdam ferry departs from North Shields at 5pm, sails overnight (the 275 mile crossing takes around 16 hrs 45 mins). So including the +1 hr time difference, the time to disembark the ferry at Ijmuiden, and the time it then takes the taxi to get into central Amsterdam – it will be around noon when you finally drop your bags at your central Amsterdam hotel – fully-refreshed after a good night’s sleep and a hearty breakfast – and you’ll be ready to start exploring Amsterdam straight away.
When booking your wheelchair accessible hotel in central Amsterdam, I definitely recommend staying in a hotel near Amsterdam Centraal Station – as Amsterdam Centraal is THE public transport hub in the centre of Amsterdam.
More importantly though, Amsterdam Centraal Station is also the starting point for the wheelchair accessible Amsterdam Centraal DIY Walking Tour (which I most-definitely recommend following on your first day, as it’s a nice easy, and short, walk).
Which will allow you to gently ease yourself into your accessible Amsterdam break.
Accessible Cabins on the Newcastle to Amsterdam Ferry
Wheelchair accessible cabins on the Newcastle-Amsterdam ferry (with accessible ensuite bathrooms) have two single beds, with a large gap between the beds for easy wheelchair access.
Wheelchair accessible cabins are larger than the regular cabins on the ferry allowing them to easily accommodate wheelchairs.
The wheelchair accessible cabins have tiled floors in both the wheelchair accessible bedrooms and the ensuite wheelchair accessible bathrooms to ease wheeling.
The wheelchair accessible bathrooms are equipped with pull-down shower seats, grab bars and pull-down grab rails by the toilet, and are also equipped with sinks which have wheelchair clearance below.
All wheelchair accessible cabins, on both DFDS ships servicing the Newcastle-Amsterdam ferry route, are located near the Guest Service Centre.
Accessible Public Toilets on the Newcastle to Amsterdam ferry
The availability of wheelchair accessible toilets varies depending on which of the two boats you will be sailing on (DFDS operate two ships on the Newcastle to Amsterdam ferry route – the “King Seaways” and the “Princess Seaways”).
King Seaways: As well as the wheelchair accessible bathrooms in the wheelchair accessible cabins, the King Seaways also has an accessible public toilet on Deck 9 (the entrance door width is 100 cm);
Princess Seaways: Wheelchair accessible bathrooms are only available in the wheelchair accessible cabins.
Accessible Cafe/Restaurant on the Newcastle to Amsterdam Ferry
There are three different eating & drinking options on the Newcastle-Amsterdam ferry, and all three bars and resturants are accessible via wheelchair accessible lifts:
Head to the Coffee Crew Café for Starbucks® coffee, tea, bottled drinks and freshly baked sweet treats;
As well as serving an all-you-can-eat buffet dinner, which includes everything from burgers to BBQ, the Explorer’s Kitchen is also your destination for an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet (both Continental and cooked);
And for something more intimate and classy, book a table in the North Sea Bistro.
FREE Wheelchair Accessible Taxi Transfers (Amsterdam)
On the Amsterdam side, the coach that is used for transfers between Ijmuiden (where the Newcastle-Amsterdam ferry docks) and Amsterdam Centraal Station, is NOT wheelchair accessible.
However, as accessibility is very important to DFDS, DFDS will arrange a FREE accessible taxi to transfer you between the ferry terminal in Ijmuiden and your hotel in the centre of Amsterdam instead (when you have reserved an accessible cabin). Simply email DFDS, at travel.sales@dfds.com or call 0344 848 6090, to have them arrange this (if you did not already do so when you first booked your accessible cabin on the Newcastle-Amsterdam ferry).
More....
For details of accessible visitor attractions, accessible events, and accessible eating and drinking options in Amsterdam, see the Accessible Amsterdam Guide
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Thank you – and enjoy your accessible visit to Amsterdam!
DFDS Newcastle to Amsterdam News
Get the latest accessibility news from DFDS (the Newcastle to Amsterdam ferry operators), on their Facebook, Twitter and YouTube social media channels.
All photographs courtesy of DFDS UK