First timer's so should we stay close to home or go for it. We looked at booking the Hebridean Princess but for the same money we could visit places we had never seen; so we went for it.

North Wales to North Shields went better than we thought by car, well until we got to North Shields, then spent an hour or so going round in circles. Luckily we decided to stay the night so not a great problem and we were right beside the Port.

After a walk around North Shields in the morning we set off to the Port. Parking was easy as was dropping off the bags but the terminal ... what a dump and the sinks were not working in the gents. The wait wasn't to long and after the Gold Members boarded so did the rest of us. Read more