Ferry from England/Scotland to Netherlands
 

I'm planning my 2 week holiday and am already booked to arrive in London and depart from Amsterdam. I've visited London before and am thinking of skipping it to head north to York and Edinburgh, which I've never seen, then hopping on a ferry to Amsterdam or Rotterdam. I discovered this option accidentally and don't know anyone else who has taken an overnight ferry with a berth and private shower/wc. It seems that the ferries leave from either Newcastle or Hull.

Can anyone tell me about these ferries? Are they comfortable? Reliable? I am really curious and thinking this might be a great offbeat holiday/vacation.

You cans ale from Rosyth to Zeebrugge, but I think it may be VERY expensive.

If the ferry's the point, you'll find the options here:-
http://www.directferries.co.uk/.

otherwise take a cheap flight out of Edinburgh

I have taken the Hull-Rotterdam ferry a few times. It is very nice. The rooms are comfortable with private bathroom. There is lots to do if you choose before going o bed. The evening meal is actually very good, but don't bother with breakfast - you can have an extra half hour in bed and find a better breakfast on shore.
The Newcastle ferry is similar I believe. Of course neither actually goes to Amsterdam so you will still need to get a bus, which you can buy with the ferry ticket from either Rotterdam or Ijmuiden.
Both offer cheap day trips - you maybe able to make use of one of those and forget to go back again!
Or fly from Edinburgh to Schiphol. Maybe not as much fun, but certainly quicker and easier.

I've used the Hull routes, to Rotterdam or Zeebrugge, several times. The ships are large and were purpose-built for the North Sea. They are very reliable. There is a buffet restaurant where you pay a fixed price and help yourself, or a more expensive waiter service restaurant. There is a lounge with a pianist, and another bar with a live band.

I've also used the Hull to Rotterdam or Zeebrugge ferries, though it is a few years back. We booked cabins with private facilities which were fine. They set off from Hull in the early evening, so you can settle into your cabin before enjoying a relaxed evening on board with a meal and a few drinks. When you wake up, you are there. We used them with our car when setting off on driving trips to Europe and they made a good start to the journey and felt like part of the holiday.

A little off topic, however I'm trying to decide if it's cheaper to drive to Scotland from Germany, or to fly and rent a car?

We live near Wiesbaden, and will be taking a 2 week trip to Scotland in July.

One thought is to drive and take the ferry to Hull or Newcastle, which would save us the cost of a rental. However the ferry for 2 adults and 2 children (17 & 14) looks to be about 600 Euro round trip, not counting gas.

When I check Ryan Air, we are looking at about 400 Euro for the 4 of us, plus the cost of a rental car. This option costs a bit more, but saves 4 days travel to and from Scotland.

I would really love to take the ferry, but the cost just seems too high.

Any ideas or thoughts?

<B>asbachnate:</B> I'd suggest you start a new thread w/ your own questions. Tagging on to a two year old thread often means your post gets lost in the shuffle-- folks answer the OP w/o seeing your. PLus you want different info that the OP . . .

"I would really love to take the ferry, but the cost just seems too high."

As a rough rule of thumb, I allow a day's car drive each way for each week's holday. A comfortable drive from my house to Umbria is three days - so I won't drive it unless I'm staying in Umbria for three weeks (which means taking FOUR weeks away from home). Anything less and I fly and hire - unless it's essential to take the dog.

There's no obvious other rule. Driving means you've got your own car, you're not having to deal with "wrongly" handed cars (ie wrong for you: driving an RHD car in a right-driving country is, generally, easier than driving a car wired in a way you're unused to), you can take stuff (especially dogs, which can't sensibly be flown or trained round Europe) and you're in control. They're all subjective factors: only you know how important they are.

But your question reads as if you're American, abnd Americans' silly obsession with presenteeism means you're unlikely to take three weeks off for two weeks in Scotland. Or organise your business so you can do it while driving.

If you're cursed with your nation's dedication to uncivilised behaviour, you've got no choice but to get a Ryanair flight then hire a car.