Amsterdam-Newcastle-Stavanger-Haugesund-Bergen

[Starbucks Queen]

Since I was one of the lucky ones to get one of the freebie-tickets of DFDS from Newcastle to Bergen I had of course to get somehow from Basel to Amsterdam and from there to Newcastle. A flight to London was not tempting, as well I had the luck of getting one for just 63 Euros return to Amsterdam.

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(Princesss of Norway - would have been a nicer pic if they only had the ramp in !)

While I went to Newcastle onboard the "Queen of Scandinavia" which is still a very nice, although rapidely aging ship, I had once again the luck with what I thought was the "King of Scandinavia" of DFDS.
I will spare you a report on this one, as this ship is already covered by Jim's travel-report and there's not much I can add to it.

The report here, well I just don't want to write one more full travel report of the "King" - since I think we had enough of these already - but I felt like comparing the ex. Brittany Ferries Floating Block of Flats with it's sistership Cool Blue "Princess of Norway".Cool Blue - I sort of called the ship like this, as dark blue seems to be the prominent color onboard and it does give the ship a certain cold and dark apperance from inside, while blue is actually my favourite color it is probably a bit overdone here.

Some have suspected the "Princess of Scandinavia" will be too late on the way back so I will miss the sailing of the "King of Scandinavia" and will be stuck at Newcastle.
Knowing me, and knowing that the "King" as well when it was "Val" seem always to be there, when you don't need them - or when you do not intend to travel on it, would be there, I sort of had a feeling that this time it will as well be in port. Just like it used to be, when I had much rather liked to be onboard the Bretagne but ended up on this one, accidentally.

So, arriving right on time the ferry was in port - and when boarding I saw that DFDS seems to enjoy to rub it in - that their ship is NOT a real DFDS one !! Greetings from the past - oh well... is it just careless attitude or is there more to it ?

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Going onboard I knew they had done some work on the ship and I was not sure what to expect. On previous trips I had found that the ship had improved very much, since it left the Brittany Ferries fleet thanks to good DFDS care and the crews who do really know what makes a good ferry-crossing.

So this beeing not my first time onboard by far, I had a feeling of what to expect - and that was a slightly renovated ship.

There it was, new carpets, all very clean, some more plants as well and they have managed to create a very nice and warm atmosphere onbaord. With "warm" I do not mean that the aircondition didn't work - but more in a sense of welcoming.

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Proceeding to the cabin, I was able to compare it to the one I had just a few hours onboard the "Princess of Norway" and I can say - the cabin was over all better than on the previous ship. All seemed to be in better condition and cleaner.

Off to the observation area on the bow and watch leaving Newcastle, I noticed that they have been washing the decks with something foamy - good to see DFDS know how to clean their ships.

It was time for going to the Buffet in the Seven Seas Restaurant. Having eaten buffet for the past 4 days, first on the "Queen", then on "Princess" this was a must just for comparison - knowing that the Queen's is always a bit special I was courious what I will get this time onboard the ex. Peter Pan's sistership.

The buffet was a few Euros more expensive than onboard the "Princess" but it had more choice and the waiters were more friendly as well.

After this, time for the show, and this one turned as well out to be a far improvement over the show seen onboard the "Princess". I would say it was better than many shows you get to see onboard ferries to and from Britain but reminded me more in what you could see often onboard Baltic ferries - a very well performed dance-show and the band knew how to play their songs, even the Country songs.

I had a cabin on Deck Nr. 5 onboard the "Princess", right on the same level as the cardeck and with a stench of fish on the corridor, as well alot of creaking and rattling noises from the cabin wall and ceiling, and engine-noises as well. No, not complaining - I regard such as normal, when going onboard a ship and the "Queen's" cabin was noisy as well.

They must have worked on the "King's" cabins - I had Nr. 969 on deck Nr. 9 and there was absolutely no creaking/rattling etc. despite the weather went for the worse over the night and the ship started to roll as well.

DFDS always manage to wake their passengers up the best possible way - with an announcement that the breakfast is ready !!! No horrible music that won't stop, no announcements every 15 minutes that they are about to arrive, just this and then nothing for the next hour.

Breakfast next morning was the same good experience as the buffet the evening before - more choice on the "Princess" as well. Noticed that a pilot boat came along, pilot onboard as well 2 tugs. Wasn't sure whether they have a new master onboard, or whether this was due to the incident 2 days ago.

Going off the ship, I have noticed that it's exterior is to a contrast to the interior, looking pretty dented and the funnel does look as if it is not finished yet and especially the paint peels off the funnel already.

To sum it up - the "King" is the better ship in comparison to the "Queen" and "Princess". I am not sure whether the "Princess" will be upgraded or something, but there is alot onboard what needs to spent money on, which was very obvious just when I was able to compare both ships in such a short period of time.


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(note the damage on the port side)

Here some more pics, taken onboard the "Princess of Norway"

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bit of bad weather, view from my cabin

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bridge-visit

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[Neil]

Thanks for the ship's tour, and those photos of the ferries which always look so nice on the inside, especially compared to ours.

Have you ridden any large European ferries which looked dirty and poorly maintained on the inside?

And also, I've always wondered about the commercial drivers' lounges that many European ferries have. Are they trying to keep the 'grubby truckers' away from the tourists, or is it to actually serve the needs of the truckers?

[Northern Exploration]

Those interiors are nice. They seem quite similar though to the QoftN after her last refit with the improved buffet, lounges, and cafeteria. Would you agree Starbucks Queen? Or are they still nicer.

[Starbucks Queen]

hornbyguy said:

Thanks for the ship's tour, and those photos of the ferries which always look so nice on the inside, especially compared to ours.

Have you ridden any large European ferries which looked dirty and poorly maintained on the inside?

And also, I've always wondered about the commercial drivers' lounges that many European ferries have. Are they trying to keep the 'grubby truckers' away from the tourists, or is it to actually serve the needs of the truckers?

To answer your questions, yes some of our ferries are not clean at all inside - given that they mostly do have carpets, and that there are alot of passengers, and some also party onboard - this is what happens. The companies do look after them but there is just a point when age does show and when there is need for interior.
The ships are for sure not as easy to keep clean as the Coho or WSF - ships which do not have carpets or other glitzy stuff that just needs extra-care.

The truckdrivers - no way to keep them away from the general public, they aren't any horrible people who need to be kept away !!
But the companies want their drivers to stay at a place where they can relax, and do what they are supposed to do - take a rest. No loud party-goers, screaming kids and such.
The meals for them are usually included, and so they do have separate restaurants, too.

- pnwtraveller: Sorry can't compare with the "Queen of the North" - since I have never travelled onboard this one. Although I would say our ferries are of course better - they are newer, after all

[Northern Exploration]

Ahhh the Ferry is always nicer and better run on the other side of the pond. Well I have never been on a European Ferry yet. So we are even. Someday I will know first hand too.

[Starbucks Queen]

Well, I do not dare to say nicer... they are different indeed !! Not nicer, or not worse. A completely different ferry-world - this is the fascinating about the ferries, the diversity of ferry-travel, even here in Europe it is much different, whether you travel in the North of Europe or in the South - or to the Red Sea.