Family Friendly Ferry Travel

Family travel Travel Tips | No comments

To celebrate our nomination for the Best Family Ferry Operator with Family Traveller we wanted to share some of our tips for ferry travel for families as well as a family-friendly travel guide. Travelling by Ferry for families requires more time but offers maximum comfort and flexibility, getting to Holland can be as straight forward as packing up all the children’s luggage, including buggies, iPad, games and toys and other essentials without worrying about restrictions that you have when flying, drive to Harwich International port and embark with the car! If travelling on foot, the train station is a short walk to the ships. Find the best fares>

During a trip to the Hook of Holland, families and other of passengers have so much to look forward to onboard and in Holland, with half-term and Christmas around the corner here are a few to start with:

 

While Onboard

Once onboard, adults, teenagers and young children can explore the ships and discover facilities to help them relax and keep them entertained – Start your trip with a family meal there are great deals on pre-booked meals (so you don’t need to worry about organising food for the whole family while travelling), there are great deals for families like breakfast for a family of four for only €33! Learn more: Bars & Restaurants>

For a quick afternoon snooze or a night sailing you could save on paying hotel rates by booking a cabin, the cabins are equipped with TV, en suite bathroom, and multiple sized berths like the 4-berth cabin that sleeps up to 4 people. Cabins>

Avoid additional travel costs by sailing in the evening, booking a cabin and pre-booking to save on dinner and breakfast!

 

Keeping Everyone Entertained

Entertaining children can be challenging while travelling, onboard we offer great ways to make the journey a mini play-day for kids and the perfect opportunity for parents to relax a bit before disembarkation and travelling onward to your final Dutch or European destination. As well as being able to enjoy our new play area with colouring books, TV screens showing fun and educational programs and maritime style props and games, kids might also be lucky enough to catch our mascot Happy the porpoise.

Teenagers can enjoy their own entertainment like taking a trip to the onboard cinema and enjoy the latest blockbusters from Marvel films to the latest action film starring big movie hitters like The Rock. There’s films that even the little ones can enjoy from the Incredibles to Christopher Robin and you can save on tickets for the whole family with deals like family ticket for four for just €25. Cinema>

 

The Travel Guide

After all that fun and relaxation once in Holland the whole family will surely be in the mood for a nice break in Holland or to drive-on to more fantastic European destinations. If you’re not sure what to do with the family for a Dutch-break, why not book your sailing plus hotel or resort and save 20% off your sailing, book accommodation for fantastic family-fun locations like Center Parcs, kids can enjoy indoor pools and activities, need for a jam-packed holiday exploring and having fun. Hotel bookings + Sailing>

Here are a few more things the family could enjoy this autumn:

  • The cities are ideal for finding activities for a dynamic family, during autumn everyone can enjoy museums, great restaurants, museums a bit of nature with parks, windmills and canal tours. With the festive season fast approaching there are typical Dutch Christmas market like the Wilhelminastraat which runs from 10am to 10pm to visit, you’ll find great local delicacies and Sinterklaas. Holland is also famous for its ice-skating to really get you in the autumn or festive mood. There are candle and Christmas tree lighting ceremonies in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht where you can also visit castles and avoid massive crowds that you find in the more touristy towns. With the major cities you will never be short of great accommodation and great transport links, Holland is a great size for being able to visit countryside and waterways to touring stylish inner-cities.
  • Vlietland is perfect for families, it has a recreation area sometimes referred to as the “Riviera of the Randstad” and sits between Zoetermeer on the east and Voorschoten on the west. It includes two lakes, beaches, woods and tulip fields. There are so many exciting outdoor activities to try out from sailing, climbing, mountain biking, hiking, wind surfing, horseback riding and more!
  • For nature or sports lovers, camping is a great activity in Holland, camping in Duinrell in the south of Holland offers mobile homes for a modern twist and a more glamping style vacation. Enjoy marshmallows around a campfire, learning, exploring and games for the kids and time to relax and enjoy the scenes for all.
  • The great thing about arriving to Holland by ferry is that you can drive straight through and visit the surrounding European countries in the comfort of your car, Belgium is a short drive away, cross the border and enjoy Germany during the autumn-festive season where you’ll discover some of Europe’s best Christmas markets. France is also just a drive away!

Christmas Markets in the Netherlands