Your Guide to the 13 Best Cruises from Newcastle

Is there anyone on the planet who doesn’t want to see the Northern Lights?

This cruise lasts 10 nights and takes you to various places in northern Norway, all of which offer the chance to see the Northern Lights. The cruise is timed to give you the best-possible chance of seeing them, and experts join you with tips on spotting the stars.

Other highlights include:

• Ice-fishing, dog-sledding, and a stunning arctic railway ride
• Some of the prettiest mountains you’ve ever seen
• Insights into the quirks and traditions of local life
• Local costumes, tradition, and language
• Little-known WW2 history

Like all cruises we’ve brought you, it’s an all-inclusive trip on the Balmoral boat, with a huge range of food. Drinks aren’t free, but you can buy various drink packages.

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The most well-known of all the Fred Olsen Newcastle cruises (and one my grandparents have been on!), this one heads to the Norwegian fjords.

The Norwegian fjords are long, narrow waterways, usually surrounded on three sides by steep cliffs. And the ones you see on this tour are all (of course!) connected to the sea.

… so in terms of natural beauty, this is one of the top cruises from Newcastle. You’ll enjoy waterfalls at their strongest, places only smaller boats can reach, and the highest sea cliff in Europe. You’ll see 6 different fjords, you’ll learn about unique geology, and you’ll stand at the tops of some massive-but-easy-to-access rocks.

If you want to head to Northern Europe, this is one of the best cruises you’ll find.

You ride on the all-inclusive Balmoral. The trip lasts 5 nights.

A 13-night cruise, this one includes waterfalls, Arctic Circle sunsets, learning about Icelandic myths and legends, active geysers, far-off volcanoes, outdoor hot springs, the world-famous Blue Lagoon, learning about history and local life, and the chance to see some free-roaming humpback whales.

You make multiple stops around Iceland, exploring more than half its entire perimeter. So you see a load of stuff, and a bunch of variety and diversity.

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Again, you ride on the all-inclusive Balmoral. This cruise leaves from Rosyth, but ends in Newcastle.

Different from all the other options we’ve brought you so far, this one’s less about natural beauty and more about eating, drinking, riverside views, and visiting pretty cities.

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You hit Bordeaux, Lisbon, and some lesser-known cities, and munch on some of western Europe’s best eats and treats (including lots of local wine!). Other highlights on this 14-night cruise include:

• A winery visit
• A cooking class
• A cheese-tasting session

Again, like on most of the Newcastle cruises, you ride on the all-inclusive Balmoral.

Scotland is outrageously underrated.

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Because it’s connected to England, Brits often assume the two countries are very similar.

But they aren’t: and some of Scotland’s landscapes are among the best I’ve ever seen. On this cruise, you’ll see Edinburgh, the Isle of Mull, and Duart Castle before sailing on to Ireland.

Highlights on this 10-night adventure include dramatic cliffs, seaside towns, and castles. In Ireland, there is time to explore Connemara National Park and the Giant’s Causeway. You’ll immerse yourself in Gaelic culture with music, dancing, and (of course) whiskey.

Again, you take this trip on the all-inclusive Balmoral.

For much more on exploring Scotland, set sail to our guides on:

The longest of all the Fred Olsen options, this massive adventure clocks in at 59 nights. If you’re looking for a lengthy, special cruise, this is absolutely the best you’ll find.

Expect a combo of big cities, little towns, island life, and places you never knew existed.

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While you visit huge cities with even huger reputations (Rome, Naples, Barcelona, Valencia), you also visit under-the-radar locations (Croatia, Montenegro, and many island towns). Highlights include culture, food, history, and your ride on the all-inclusive Balmoral.

One of the best Newcastle cruises for people who don’t have much time.

For this one, you sail from Newcastle to Edinburgh, staying close to the UK’s east coast (and getting coastal views along the way).

You won’t see many sights, but it’s a nice way to sample cruise life. Which means the highlights are top-class food, great bars and restaurants, and lovely from-deck views.

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(and, of course, a good option for budget travelers—as of now, this costs less than £200 per person)

And, yep: like all the Fred Olsen cruises we’ve brought you, this still takes place on the all-inclusive Balmoral (even though it’s just a one-day jaunt)

9. Exploring the Islands of the Mediterranean

This 40-night one-way adventure focuses on coastal life skirting around Spain, Italy, and Greece.

Along the way, you hit well-known islands, like Corsica, Ibiza, and Santorini. Mainland stops include Valencia, Sorrento, Dubrovnik, and Athens. Expect bays, beaches, natural harbors, palm trees, ancient city walls, UNESCO adventures, and archaeological sites.

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For a sun-packed combo of history and natural beauty, this is the best cruise on our list.

Yep, again: this one takes place on the all-inclusive Balmoral.

The first non-Fred-Olsen cruise we’ve brought you!

Instead, this one is from Ambassador Cruise Line… the first new British cruise liner in a decade. And because it’s the first new British cruise liner in a decade, lots of attention has been paid to the on-board attractions and amenities:

… like on all the Ambassador cruises we’ve brought you, you’ll be riding on The Ambition ship. From it, you can expect helpful staff, high-end rooms and decor, comfortable beds, and lots of laid-back class. Drinks aren’t free, but all food is.

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Like the Scottish cruise we brought you earlier, this is a great way to see some under-the-radar, close-to-home sights. Over 12 nights, you see both mainland and island attractions. Highlights include:

• The Irish town of Cobh
• Guernsey’s St. Peter Port
• The Welsh town of Holyhead
• The Orkneys and the Shetlands
• And the lesser-known St Mary’s (sitting on the Isles of Scilly, which only has a tiny total population of 2,000 people)

Expect tucked-away cultures you never heard of, along with some seriously underrated parts of the UK and Ireland.

Another Ambassador Cruise Line option.

Measuring in at 480 miles (777 km), the River Seine is France’s most famous waterway. And this cruise takes you along a short portion of it to two of its cities (Honfleur and Rouen).

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Other highlights include Dundee and Antwerp (which is Belgium’s coolest city).

Expect small, kooky harbors, lesser-known attractions, and some interesting history. This is a great option if you like exploring smaller, less-visited locations. In total, this one measures in at 8 nights.

Again, you’ll be on The Ambition ship.

Another Ambassador Cruise Line trip, another option for exploring northern Europe, and another good choice for finding under-the-radar locations.

Yep, you’ve heard of Copenhagen and Stockholm (and you’ll be seeing them both on this ride!).

But en route places you haven’t heard of include:

• Fredericia: a small and cozy fortress town
• Ronne: a colorful town on the Danish island of Bornholm
• Aarhus: arty and bohemian, and home to Denmark’s longest church
• … and Visby: on the UNESCO list, this is a well-preserved medieval town on the Swedish island of Gotland

Other highlights include friendly locals, colorful architecture, and the cozy charm of lovely small towns.

And, again, you’ll be riding on the Ambition ship. In total, this cruise lasts 12 nights.

Okay, this one doesn’t reeaalllly qualify as a ‘cruise,’ but it’s the most popular and well-known boat trip from Newcastle.

DFDS only runs one route from Newcastle… and it’s this one.

The journey from Newcastle to Amsterdam takes around 16 hours. An overnight trip, you reach the Netherlands’ capital at around 9 am.

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… but here’s the unique part: instead of being a cruise, it’s really just a mode of transport. So you can buy a return, and choose to stay in Amsterdam for as long or as little as you want (some people even visit the city for just a few hours!).

… or you can take a one-way ride, and use it as an excuse to explore more of mainland Europe.

So along the way, you don’t see anything except the North Sea.

But tickets are cheap (starting at £55 per person, including a car!), and it’s an easy way to access Europe.

The boat ride itself isn’t particularly luxurious, but it’s better than most people expect. On-board perks include 2 restaurants, 3 bars, a cinema, a nightclub, and a casino.

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Newcastle Cruises: Frequently Asked Questions

Where do most of the UK’s cruise ships leave from?

The UK is home to many ports.

But the vast majority of the UK’s major ferries leave from Southampton, which sits around 320 miles (515 km) south of Newcastle. Hardly convenient for people living in the north.

Other northern-England port options include Hull and Liverpool.

How many different cruises can I take from Newcastle?

Fred Olsen alone currently offers 52 different cruises from Newcastle.

And there are 12 options from Ambassador Cruise Line.

And DFDS, as mentioned, runs the one route from Newcastle to Amsterdam. That ferry runs most days.

… so if you were to book a cruise today, you would have 65 different cruises to choose from. But the exact number will vary… depending on the season, the time you book, the deals different cruise lines are offering, and whether or not your chosen cruise is booked out.

What are the cruise ships like?

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If you’re sailing from Newcastle with Fred Olsen, you’ll always be on the Balmoral. The Fred Olsen Balmoral is the smallest ship in the Fred Olsen fleet, and can seat up to 1,300 passengers. It includes six restaurants, seven bars, two swimming pools, and lots of view-packed open-air decks.

If you’re sailing from Newcastle with Ambassador Cruise Line, you’ll always be on the Ambassador Cruise Line Ambition ship. It has 680 cabins (125 of them have balconies), and can carry up to 1,200 passengers. It also offers two main restaurants, a bistro-style café, four bars, other eateries, two swimming pools, a gym, and plenty more.

The DFDS ship to Amsterdam (because it’s not an actual cruise ship!) is much more basic. But it’s still comfy, the cabins are spacious enough, and you’ll still enjoy your ride.

Where is the Newcastle cruise terminal?

The Newcastle cruise terminal is at:

International Passenger Newcastle Cruise Terminal
Albert Edward Dock
Royal Quays
North Shields
NE29 6EE

It’s close to the Royal Quays Shopping Centre, in the western part of North Shields.

(… and this whole area is just east of central Newcastle).

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You can reach Newcastle cruise terminal by both bus and metro from Newcastle city center, but the best option is the Metro. The Metro runs through central Newcastle (and has stops at both the city’s main bus station and the city’s main railway station… which is known as ‘Newcastle Central Station’).

To reach the ferry port, jump off the metro at Percy Main station, then walk for around 20 minutes.

The metro journey to Percy Main Metro station from central Newcastle takes between 15 and 20 minutes, depending on which station you hop on at.

Or, you can drive… which brings us to…

Where do I leave my car when going on a cruise from Newcastle?

The cruise ship car park is very close to the address above. It’s the official car park for anyone taking a cruise from Newcastle, and it’s open every day from 7 am until 8 pm.

It’s pretty pricey, at a rate of £12 per 24 hours.

That said, cruise operators sometimes offer discount codes or free parking if you’ve booked a cruise with them… but these policies sometimes change—so contact them or check the websites to find out the current information. At the time of writing, Fred Olsen is offering a 100% discount to all their customers who want to park here.

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If you need to pay, you do so when you pick your car up (not when you first leave it there to head out on your trip). These pay stations are at both the cruise terminal and the car park entrance, and you can use both cash and card.