twonight

FORGET forking out hundreds for a European city break – you could hop on a cruise for a fraction of the price.

P&O has mini cruises for as little as £65pp, which includes two nights onboard and travel over to Amsterdam or Rotterdam.

Setting sail from Hull, the ship sails overnight to arrive in one of the cities.

You can hop off in the morning and catch the coach into the city centre for a full day exploring.

If you fancy Amsterdam, Assistant Travel Editor Sophie Swietochowski has shared her top tips.

She said: “Head to the ‘brown bars’, so named because of their dark, wooden interiors, for a local beer and some bitterballen.

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“The artsy, bohemian neighbourhood of De Pijp is much loved by locals and not very well known among tourists but has quirky cafes and artisan shops.

“And the best views are found at the 100-metre-tall A’DAM Lookout with a 360-degree sky deck and giant rooftop swing.”

Prefer Rotterdam? The Sun’s Adam Sonin explains: “Head to the nearby, futuristic-looking Markthal, a giant food hall packed with vendors selling grub from around the world.

“Or there is The Depot, calling itself the ‘world’s first publicly accessible art storage facility,’ which is a collection of hundreds or artworks.”

Once back onboard, all the live entertainment is included on the ship before another overnight sailing, before arriving back in the UK the next morning.

Each of the P&O mini breaks include the return ferry travel as well as a private cabin.

You can pay extra for meal packages onboard or for coach transfers to and from the UK port.

But when you factor in the price of return flights and a hotel, you could easily spend hundreds more.

According to Skyscanner, the cheapest return flights to Amsterdam can be found for £64 – just £1 less than the cruise.

This doesn’t factor in the cost of a hotel, which are on average around £118 a night, according to Kayak.

You can also book P&O’s Mini Cruise Live for £129pp, which also has live performances onboard.

This includes Kimberly Wyatt, Tinchy Stryder, T’Pau and The Overtones.

Running from October 11 to December 12, there is even a unique Halloween sailing for £99pp.

Louisa Bell, Managing Director of Passenger, P&O Ferries said: “Mini Cruise Live is our way of making the travel experiences unforgettable and not just about great destinations – no airports, no hassle, just music, mates and a mini adventure at sea.”

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Here are the Sun’s Head of Travel Lisa Minot’s top cruise tips.

And we’ve rounded up the best cruise deals you can still book for Christmas.

We have a fantastic trip up for grabs, with breakfast and dinner included and a visit to the Game of Thrones Studio

We have teamed up with Aer Lingus and Titanic Hotel Belfast to give you the chance to win an unforgettable two-night stay in Belfast.

The prize for two includes return flights to Belfast City Airport from any UK airport on the Aer Lingus Regional network. You’ll stay at the multi award winning Titanic Hotel Belfast, a landmark destination in the city’s iconic Titanic Quarter with breakfast each morning, plus an unforgettable evening of fine dining with a three-course dinner at the hotel’s renowned Wolff Grill. Blending timeless heritage with contemporary luxury, this is the ultimate way to discover Belfast’s maritime legacy.

The lucky winner will also have the opportunity to step into the heart of filmmaking with a visit to the Game of Thrones Studio where the world of Westeros was created. Explore the groundbreaking craftsmanship and technical artistry that brought one of television’s most celebrated series to life.

Simply fill in the form below for the chance to win this complete package! The competition closes on 31st October. If you can’t see the form click here.

Aer Lingus Regional flights to/from Belfast City Airport include:

Birmingham | Up to 6 flights daily

Cardiff | Daily flights

Edinburgh | Up to 3 flights daily

East Midlands | Daily flights

Glasgow | Daily flights

Leeds Bradford | Up to 4 flights daily

Manchester | Up to 4 flights daily

Exeter | 2 flights weekly

Southampton | Up to 3 flights daily

Aer Lingus Regional is exclusively operated by Emerald Airlines. Emerald Airlines was named the most punctual airline in the UK, 2024.* Based on data from the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) Trends Report for 2024.