Cruise Departing from Newcastle

A cruise from Newcastle is the ideal departure port for anyone based in northern England or southern Scotland. Situated on the Tyne river, the deep-sea port of Newcastle has regular transport links to the city centre, along with shops, cafe's and bars on site.

Newcastle stands on a steeply sloping site on the left bank of the River Tyne. It is a lively and cosmopolitan city with a heritage stretching back 2000 years. The Quayside area is the symbolic and historic heart of the city - 17th-century merchants' houses mingle with Georgian and Victorian classical architecture as well as lots of excellent restaurants. The Norman Castle, dating from 1168 overlooks the area and the town was once ringed by walls and towers begun in 1265, parts of which can still be seen around the city. The most famous views are of the six bridges across the Tyne - the most famous yet youngest (1925-8) is the Tyne Bridge (the coathanger) prototype for the much larger Sydney Harbour Bridge (1932). Other sights of interest include Bessie Surtees' House consisting of two 16th and 17th-century merchants' houses on Quayside, Earl Grey's Monument in the very centre of the city and St Nicholas Cathedral with its glorious crown spire.

In the surrounding area, you will find sandy beaches with impressive castles and little fishing harbours along the coastline, while inland you can visit the open moorlands and wooded valleys of the Northumberland National Park. Other sights worth visiting include large sections of the Roman Hadrian's Wall, Hexham Abbey, Alnwick Castle and further afield the wonderful Norman Durham Cathedral on its rocky outcrop above the medieval city below.

Originally a station (Pons Aelius) on the Roman Wall, Newcastle's foundation is attributed to Robert Curthose (eldest son of William the Conqueror) who built the first castle here in 1080, around which the city grew.