In collaboration with P&O Ferries.
My first ever experience on a P&O Ferry was in the Spring of 1999. I’d only a few days beforehand landed in Glasgow, via Iceland, with an Army Surplus rucksack on my back containing all my worldly possessions and just shy of £200 in traveller’s cheques in my pocket.
I hadn’t booked my ferry to Shetland from Aberdeen in advance; I’m not even sure there was online booking in those days. I merely showed up on the pier, boarded the first P&O Ferry I could find and asked if I could catch a lift that night to the islands. This was on the freight service, St. Rognvald, which sailed to Shetland via the Orkney Islands. This was my first time on board an overnight ferry and I, in all honesty, couldn’t spend any longer than 10 seconds standing without the world tilting and swirling about me. I spent the whole journey laying down for fear of the most dreadful seasickness.
Fortunately, 18 years of living on a remote North Sea island have forced me to develop sea legs, and I now find sailing a rather enjoyable experience.
P&O Ferries is a well known household name here in the UK, operating a fleet of more than 20 ships with over 30,000 sailings every year through the English Channel, Irish Sea and North Sea. Each year they carry more than 10 million passengers, 1.6 mllion cars and 2.2 million freight units. When it comes to transport, they certainly know their stuff.
Recently, myself and my family were invited on board the P&O Ferry Pride of Hull for a trip to Belgium and a most delicious weekend Belgium Chocolate Experience.
HISTORY & SPECIFICATIONS
The MF Pride of Hull is a Bahamas registered passenger and cargo ship with a roll-on/roll-off service launched on the 11 April 2001 to provide a transport link between Hull, on the west coast of England and Europoort in the Netherlands.
When she entered service she was, along with her sister ship the Pride of Rotterdam (servicing the Hull – Zeebrugge route) the joint title holder of world’s largest cruiseferry, a ship which is both a passenger ferry and a roll on cargo ship.
Measuring over 215 metres long and 12 decks high she is certainly the largest ship I have ever set foot on.
ACCOMMODATION
Check in was very quick and pleasant on both the outbound and inbound journies with staff being very friendly, welcoming and accommodating, especially as we were travelling with rather energetic young children.
530 cabins sleeping 1,360 passengers are spread out across Deck 10 (with some on Deck 9) including 6 suites, 9 deluxe, 5 family and 6 disabled cabins. Navigating through Deck 10, I have to confess, reminded me of a garden maze with its green patterned carpet and green tinted walls. I did actually find myself lost on more than one occasion. Thankfully there are regular maps on the walls to set you right!
On the outbound journey the five of us were divided between two rooms – a four bed outer berth with a fantastic sea view and a two bed standard inner berth across the hall, both with an en suite toilet and shower facilities.
I noted that neither of these rooms had tea and coffee facilities (I am a caffeine junkie – I need to know where my morning coffee fix is coming from!). The cabins were very basic, but clean and comfortable accomodation. We had a very peaceful sleep that night with my husband and I sharing the four berth with the two younger children and The Teenager was happy to have a room completely to himself.
On the return journey we were treated to a Club Class family room sleeping all five of us. This was an incredibly spacious room again with fantastic sea views. Features included a flatscreen TV (we might have watched the last of the Germany/Italy Euro2016 football semi-finals on this!), a telephone, a stocked mini fridge, tea and coffee making facilities, continental plug points, a trouser press, clothes hooks and hangers, air conditioning, reading lights, bedding and towels and some really rather lovely toiletries from The White Company. Oh, and we can’t forget the soft and cosy bath robes! A complimentary box of Belgium chocolates and a voucher for a glass of champagne for my husband and I was a really nice added touch.
There was an incredibly cosy double bed, just like a hotel bed, as well a single bed that converted into a couch for comfortable seating in addition to the two armchairs. We were rather impressed that two extra single beds were conveniently stored in the ceiling (see above photo, right) making the best use of the space available.
FOOD & DRINK
The Pride of Hull features two restaurants, The Kitchen and The Brasserie, as well as a coffee shop serving Starbucks coffee, and a number of bar areas serving a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
During our outbound journey we dined in The Kitchen, a buffet style restaurant boasting a wide range of family favourites from around the world. There was something for all of us at this restaurant, and despite the rather long queue to get in (a great opportunity to chat with your fellow passengers!), it was affordable eating, and you could keep going back for more if you wanted.
I was impressed when the waitress brought colouring activity books and coloured pencils over for the children to keep them entertained.
We had breakfast in The Kitchen the following morning and again, there was a long queue but a wide and varied breakfast menu from toast and cereal to a full English breakfast.
On the return journey we prebooked our evening meal and breakfast in The Brasserie, a very comfortable and quiet restaurant with no queues. Table service was attentive and of the highest standard, and our meals were brought to us fairly quickly.
The evening menu was varied with something for each of our tastes – my husband had slow cooked roast poussin infused with lemon, garlic and herbs, while The Teenager enjoyed an all British steak burger served in a brioche bun with oozing Red Leicester cheese, crispy onion rings and chips. Our younger two children had macaroni cheese and cheese pizza from the separate children’s menu.
I opted for the seafood option – papillote of sea bream – a fillet of sea bream cooked with prawn, greenlip mussels & clams baked in parchment. Utterly delicious, especially when washed down with a complimentary glass of champagne. As an aside, I noted that the menu included wine pairings for each of the dishes, something someone like me who doesn’t really know much about wine, appreciates.
After our main meal we were served a delicious citrus sorbet, an intermezzo meant to cleanse the palate between courses.
For dessert we enjoyed a clotted cream cheesecake topped with strawberries, sticky toffee pudding served with a creamy custard and an indulgent chocolate soufflé served with a clotted cream ice cream. The younger children had ice cream from the children’s menu. All in all it was a thoroughly enjoyable meal. I apologised to our waiter after a particularly rambunctious burst of laughter was emitted from our group, and he smiled and replied, “No worries at all. It’s very nice to hear a family enjoying themselves!”
The breakfast menu was much more limited than the menu in The Kitchen, but it was worth it for the view, the comfortable seating, the quiet and the fact that there were no queues.
Top tip – when you get on board the ship make your way to the Brasserie restaurant and prebook your meals early as tables can fill up very quickly.
ENTERTAINMENT
There is plenty to see and do on board to keep yourself, and the children, entertained during the voyage. Once we arrived on board we had a quick look around and, after a long and exhausting journey to get to the Hull ferry from Shetland, we treated ourselves to some drinks. I had my first ever Pina Colada (how has it taken me so long to have one of these?!) while the children had their first taste of virgin mocktails. They loved the mini umbrellas!
The Pride of Hull boasts two cinema screens, each playing three current films throughout the evening, while the Show Lounge, spread across two decks, features a wide variety of entertainment from cabaret singers, live bands and, if it’s the right time of year, football matches on the big screen!
On the top deck you’ll find a bar and the onboard pianist who croons to a rapt audience throughout the night with classic tunes that make you want to get up a dance a quickstep or rhumba!
There is a children’s play area if you’ve got small children with you (for under 7’s only), and a games arcade for those who are a bit older. We might have spent a lot of time (and £1 coins) in the arcade!
As far as shopping goes the Pride of Hull has you covered with offers of up to 40% off high street prices for fragrances, cosmetics, skin care, fashion, alcohol, sweets and souvenirs. Our daughter was most impressed with the jewellery, selecting a few pieces as a souvenirs for herself and a school chum, while our youngest son spent a considerable amount of time sniffing all the perfume samples with great delight (who knew he was such a perfume fan!).
Then there’s the Sundeck – a fantastic outdoor deck with tables, chairs and a bar with the most gorgeous sea views. The perfect place to watch the sun set while sipping on a cocktail (but also very stressful for a fretting mother whose children won’t stop climbing the railings to have a better look over the sides!).
TRAVELLING ABROAD WITH CHILDREN WITH A DIFFERENT SURNAME
Oh, an important note for those of you with children from a previous marriage! If both parents still hold parental responsiblity you need a letter of permission from the absent parent to take a child out of the country. This applies until the child is 18, and if you don’t have this letter and try and remove a child from the country it’s considered child abduction! We completely forgot about this legal requirement as it’s been 13 years since I last took my eldest out of the country (and I’m not sure I needed a letter of permission then) and we were very nearly denied entry into the Netherlands! Fortunately, the border control officer deemed my 16 year old of an age to speak for himself, and went with his response that yes, indeed, his father knew he was on this trip with us and it was all ok. It was a close call though!
OBSERVATIONS & THOUGHTS
Our journey to and from Europoort, and onwards via bus and train to Brussels for our weekend Belgium Chocolate Experience was a thoroughly enjoyable one. We hardly felt that we were on board a ship for both journeys (with regards to seasickness and the ships movements) and we were well rested for our onward travel.
There is only 30 minutes of free wifi included in the ticket price – you can purchase vouchers for more at the Reception desk, but I can’t vouch for how good it is as I never used it. It was really nice just to go offline for awhile!
Standard cabins are included in the ticket price, which starts from £169 each way (at the time of writing). You can upgrade to Premier or Premier Plus (the Club Cabin we stayed in) which include meals at either The Kitchen or The Brasserie, depending on ticket type.
All in all, the voyage on board the Pride of Hull was a memorable one and it was our first taste of what a cruise ship can offer. I’m seriously contemplating going on a full cruise abroad one day!
MORE READING
P&O Ferries – The Hull to Rotterdam Route
Things to Do in Brussels
A Belgium Chocolate Experience – our weekend chocolate adventure in Belgium
Boulets a la Liègeoise – a traditional Belgium meatball recipe
Permission to take a child abroad – legal information about travelling with children
Make Your Break a SuperBreak – accomodation provider offering low cost hotels abroad
We were guests on board the Pride of Hull although all thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are our own. With thanks to SuperBreak who provided our accomodation while in Brussels, and a huge thank you to P&O Ferries for the opportunity to travel through the Netherlands and to Brussels.
Daydream adventurer. Expat Canadian. Foodie. Calls Shetland home, for now. One eye is always on the horizon.
Paul Stevenson says
I knew that this was going to be dodgy when I read that Hull is on the west coast of England. The ships that serve Rotterdam are not sisters of those that serve Zeebrugge. The latter are smaller (they can traverse the ‘lock’ at Hull) and are significantly older (and it shows). ‘They’ sent you to Rotterdam since ‘they’ knew the Rotterdam ferries are better and ‘they’ were paying.
Sue Hall says
That looks amazing, almost a pity it only takes one night to get there!!
I love the look of the large cabin with all the facilities, and it sounds as though there was lots to do to keep you all entertained sometimes not so easy to find with a teenager AND younger children.
Brilliant and very helpful review, thanks. 🙂
Christine says
How long was the trip?
Elizabeth says
Overnight. The ferry departs around 8pm and arrives around 8am the following morning.
tracy cottingham says
very good point at the end about taking children from previous marriage! thank you for sharing! i wouldnt have known that if i hadnt read this!
Bram Provost says
Nice report but woudlnt it make more sense to use the ferry to Zeebrugge, instead of the one to Rotterdam, if you go to Belgium??
Elizabeth says
It would, but that’s the ferry they sent us on. I should expect both ferries are fairly similar since they are sister ships.
Alison says
I have only been on P&P ferries to Belfast which is a short trip. Interesting to see the overnight facilities as well. Looks like you had a great trip
Kira C says
I’m actually moving to Hull in September and have been looking at possible trips to go on so a post like this is so helpful for me so thank you! Sounds amazing!
Louise says
I’ve never been on a cruise but I have been looking into one on P&O Ferries, just a short brief one will do me just fine for the first time. Judging by this post, P&O Ferries sounds like a good shout. Looks like you had a lot of fun and that sunset looks stunning, what a beautiful opportunity to watch it from the deck of the boat! x
Anosa says
What a lovely experience, I am yet to board a ferry but booking one for this october and quite looking forward to it.
What a lovely tip for you to share about parents with kids from previous marriages.
MELANIE EDJOURIAN says
Bit of a one track mind here but their food looks good lol 😉
Anca says
The room looks fab! I’ve been on a ferry only once, when I moved here, in UK. I would love to travel again by ferry, it’s something different than I’m used to.
Natalia says
It looks really nice, similar to a hotel! I also didn’t expect that comfort for a ferry! xx
Kristina says
Aw this looked so fun! Such an amazing and memorable experience with your family 🙂
Emily Leary says
Wow this is NOT how I expected a ferry to look! Really impressed and rather keen to try out our own trip soon.
Hannah says
Wow how impressive! Any kind of large boat terrifies me hahah x
Hannah says
Sounds like you had a great time and the food looks amazing!!
kate @veggie desserts says
I had no idea that the ferries would be so great! It seems like there is a lot to do and I didn’t realise the cabins would be so nice! You’ve got me rethinking a ferry trip for sure.
The London Mum says
What a great way to travel to Belgium- especially with children. It’s something I would love to do with my son… but alas we have different surnames so I’ll have to make sure I have that letter with me!
ps the chocolate trip sounds right up my street so looking specifically at that right now 😉
Sam | North East Family Fun says
Wow what a fantastic review – I’ve travelled on a similar trip with a different company and I have to say I am VERY impressed by the look of the 5 berth cabins on the P&O ship – they look just like a hotel and the facilities are beyond my expectation.
I love the look of the food too! YUM
Amy Deverson says
Wow this looks amazing! Looks like you had a lovely time. A ferry like this makes travelling so much more fun!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
The cabins look lovely – like real hotel rooms, not like the tiny cabins I remember staying in on ferries as a kid! I’d love to go on a huge ship like this one day.
Liz Mays says
It’s nice that they have so much for people to do while on the ferry. The meals definitely sound good too!
melissa zia says
I’ve never been on a ferry before but they do look amazing 🙂
yvonne says
Looks like a fun trip. We take the Amsterdam – Newcastle ferry a lot (we live in Germany) and find it one of the easiest ways to travel x
Harriet from Toby & Roo says
I live so close to Hull and my husband is from there so we keep saying we must take them on a ferry – only issue is that he is terrified they will climb over board.. not sure what he is implying there haha! H x
Elizabeth says
I think that is a perfectly reasonable fear! I ended up banning mu children from the Sky Deck because they wouldn’t stop standing on the railings for a better view. My heart would leap into my chest each time! As for the rest of the ship – definitely very child friendly with no fears. 🙂
Tara says
Wow, what an awesome opportunity. Looks like a fun time!
Ashleigh says
You all look like you had a wonderful trip! I am jealous of the arcades on a ship – amazing, ha!
Ashleigh x
http://www.beingashleigh.com – UK fashion, lifestyle and travel blog
Jordanne says
I really wish I didn’t have such a fear of being on a boat/ferrie, anything water related to be honest because this just looks great! Reading the post makes me envy anyone who can go on them!
Jordanne || Thelifeofaglasgowgirl.co.uk
Talya says
This is brilliant timing as we were actually thinking of getting a ferry over from Hull next time we are visiting Grimsby – thanks for this!
Hannah says
I haven’t been on the ferry in years. They look a lot different to when i was on one last. Looks like you had a great time x
Dean of Little Steps says
Not a massive fan of ferries. I prefer travelling by plane or by land, but this looks amazing! I think I might just give it a go 🙂
Laura @dearbearandbeany says
I went on a ferry a few years ago with friends and their children and I must admit since having my own children it really does appeal to me. They are so much more entertained and it’s adds to the holiday x
Lisa (BadMammy.com) says
Looks like a brilliant trip – we’re hoping to head over on the ferry from Ireland to Wales in the next few months as it definitely seems like the easier option than flying with the small man! Hopefully our experience will be just as good as yours! Great tip about the different surname – my son has my surname, so we do worry about him travelling just with his dad when he’s a bit older, but we’ll cross that bridge when it comes to it!
LaaLaa says
I’ve been on a ferry once with the school to France so we mostly sat on the coach but this looks amazing, I’d probably forget I was even on one, until I looked outside.
Laura @ Life with Baby Kicks says
This looks incredible, we’ve done a P&O Cruise which was one of the best holidays ever but if always assumed that ferries were just a means to an end. This is a much better way to travel than going by car or plane to Brussels! It really adds something to the weekend, what a fabulous experience all round.
Lyndsey O'Halloran says
What a wonderful sounding trip and even better to be upgraded. It all sounded very appealing, Id love to do this.
Stella says
Looks like you had a lovely time. I have never been on a ferry before. This looks amazing. Loving the entertainment and rooms.
Rachel says
I have never done a trip like this because ive never been sure it is for me, but it looks just amazing x
Ana De- Jesus says
It is amazing that they gave you a club class room, it looks so luxurious and its great that living in the North has given you ‘sea legs’.
Leigh says
Oh my gosh, you’re so lucky to have been able to experience this! It looks so luxurious! I travel to the Netherlands quite a lot and I’ve always fancied taking the ferry as my other half has a phobia of flying!
ALSO, THE CHOCOLATE EXPERIENCE SOUNDS LIKE MY CUP OF TEA!
Christine Dodd says
It looks fab! Not at all like the ferries I remember.
Jess says
The Club Class room does look amazing! I’m not good at sailing to be honest, the furthest I’ve been on a ferry was Uig to Lochmaddy and that’s quite far enough I think! 🙂
Janice says
Oh my goodness, this is a vast improvement on the way it used to be and I liked it then! We always pre-booked our breakfast so we didn’t have to queue. I’m sorely tempted to arrange another trip, it’s not too bad a journey to Hull for us.
Alan Herbert says
That looks so much nicer than the cabins on the Irish Ferries service from Dublin to France.
I have to say Mrs OMG has never been questioned in relation to travelling with her children without the father there.
Looks like a fab boat to make the journey on.
Kavey says
I’m so impressed with the space and level of comfort of the cabins – we’ve not done masses of cruising but the last ones we’ve done have been on the expedition style ships down to the Antarctic and those cabins are small and basic, even the ones with en-suite bathroom! These look really comfortable!
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
Wow, I am really impressed with this ferry, especially the food. I have only ever done one overnight ferry before, and that was to Israel and it wasn’t anywhere near as nice as this one looks.
Katie Crenshaw says
This looks like an amazing trip! I am so jealous! I hope I get to go soon also!! Great tips!
Nikki says
This sounds amazing and such a brilliant trip! Looks like you all had a ball 🙂
Ludmilla says
Wow!!! This ferry is simply amazing!! What an adventure and I’m so jealous!! I’ve been imagining how great was the Belgium Chocolate Adventure…
Christie says
Wow! I had no idea a ferry had service like this. You don’t find a lot of them here in the USA. What a fun way to travel.
Mellissa Williams says
You lucky thing! The food looks amazing and the cabins a good size for a boat. Looks like with two cinema screens, the show lounge, children’s play area and much more there are loads for kids to do as well
Rhian Westbury says
A chocolate experience sounds like the best reason to jump on a boat. The food and accomodation looks really good x
Lottie L'Amour says
Wow you are so lucky to get invited on board with your family! This looked like a lovely trip – I love going on big ferries, they hold some of my favourite memories (and some weird, seasick ones too!). It looks like you had a blast, and that food looks amazing too 🙂
Lottie xx
http://lottielamour.co.uk