Ferry - Harwich to Hoek van Holland

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Brains

Legendary Member
Location
Greenwich
Done both day and night runs.
Harwich/Hook is our preferred route to northern Europe and soooo much nice than Dover/Calais

Living in London the night run is really good as you can get to Harwich, get a decent meal in the town, get on the ferry as soon as they let people on at about 20.00 and then an early night in a nice cabin.
(Or if you are not the first driver then eat on board, good, but quite expensive, the restaurant is open until about 23.30 when the ship departs, advance booking recommended)

Up with the lark in the morning, the ship gets in around 06.30 local time (05.30 body time!) don't get the ship breakfast (as it's a bit of a bun fight), you will be clear of customs before 8am Dutch time, get an hour down the road (Delft is good) and then get breakfast.
You can be in Germany for an early lunch and Berlin by early evening (with two drivers)

The day run is fine, but a bit of a waste of a day
 

snorri

Legendary Member
The overnight sailing suits me, but the very early morning call is a right pain, and I don't think it can be silenced, I fell asleep again on one occasion and was wakened by the cleaning staff which caused me a degree of panic. No breakfast and last through customs^_^.
If you cant find a cafe in the Hoek, there is one in central Maassluis (if you are heading along the Nieuwe Waterweg).
 

slowmotion

Quite dreadful
Location
lost somewhere
Do they still play "Don't worry, be happy" at an unnecessarily early hour and unnecessarily loud volume to make sure you get up in time to buy breakfast?
I once managed to sleep through that and emerged from my cabin to find all the other passengers had already disembarked. It was a bit strange to dash down to my bike to find a completely empty car deck. Fortunately I found the café by the station and fuelled up.

Edit: Sorry, cross-post with @snorri.
 

steveindenmark

Legendary Member
I like the early morning call. It gives me time to get up and have a shower, get out on deck and get breakfast. You get to see the land coming closer and what promises to be the start of a new adventure.

If you find it hard to get up early, go to bed earlier.
 

StuartG

slower but further
Location
SE London
Its been mentioned before but take spare bungee cords. The cycle provision was designed for Dutch bikes that don't normally feature low dropped handlebars so the 'fit' into the slots can be a bit awkward with the front of your bike pointing precariously at the ceiling. Otherwise Harwich-Hook is brilliant. Hook-Harwich isn't. Well it is until you disembark!
 

andym

Über Member
You're only looking at an extra £32 for the cheapest overnight cabin, which is not bad for a bed

I went to the Stena site because I thought 'is that for a bed in a shared cabin?' - but no it's a single inside cabin. So probably the same price as an overnight stay in a B&B in Harwich. Given the early departure time (08:00) of the day ferry, it looks like that's the way to go unless you live close to Harwich.
 
We've done it, think we have done overnight and overday (we've certainly overdayed on one ferry). Onboard food is not very exciting at all; would sort your own. There might still be an oriental style teppanyaki joint on the Dutch side if you are after supper, that was quite good. Brittany ferries, now, that has good food :smile:

We were asked to prove where in the Netherlands we were staying by the border guards once. Luckily I had a B&B printout but I was quite miffed - what if we were backpacking or something?
 

toffee

Guru
Its been mentioned before but take spare bungee cords. The cycle provision was designed for Dutch bikes that don't normally feature low dropped handlebars so the 'fit' into the slots can be a bit awkward with the front of your bike pointing precariously at the ceiling. Otherwise Harwich-Hook is brilliant. Hook-Harwich isn't. Well it is until you disembark!

You don't happen to have a photo of he do you?
Going that way in July and it would be good to see what we need to do.

Derek
 

e-rider

crappy member
Location
South West
Anyone got any experience? Recommend the overnight one or not?

Should be jumping on either Wednesday morning or evening, then heading for eastern Europe and beyond.
done this route loads of times by car and bicycle - day takes about 6-7 hours, overnight is more enjoyable - go to the bar, then to bed, and then have breakfast before heading off the ferry in the morning
 

slowmotion

Quite dreadful
Location
lost somewhere
IMG_2720.JPG
IMG_2719.JPG
@toffee, here's a photo. The cradles that take drop bars tend to snag the gear/brake cables.
 
[QUOTE 4197775, member: 45"]Will you all please stop it?? You've got me and my bike trying to come up with a cheap and easy way to get from the South West over to Harwich.[/QUOTE]
Train from Liverpool Street...
 
It's also worth noting that both ships ships on the route don't have that system. It's the newest one that does (can't remember which it is). On the other one you fasten your bikes to a railing area at the bow end of the upstairs car deck (and you have to cycle up that awful ramp.
All the ferries on the Harwich-Hoek night route that I've used had that hook system.
On the Newcastle-Ijmuiden route ferry it's was tie your bike to the railings.
 

slowmotion

Quite dreadful
Location
lost somewhere
It's also worth noting that both ships ships on the route don't have that system. It's the newest one that does (can't remember which it is). On the other one you fasten your bikes to a railing area at the bow end of the upstairs car deck (and you have to cycle up that awful ramp.
Thanks for the info @slowmotion . Did you also lock the bike to the rack?

Derek
I did. Most people didn't.
 
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