We look forward to the Sunderland Airshow every year and every year we go, get stuck in lots of traffic on our way to the park and ride, watch some fantastic flying displays and then get stuck in lots more traffic on the way home.
The Airshow itself is amazing,especially for Mr Frugal who like to think of himself as a bit of an expert because he can name most of the planes that we see, but the traffic that we inevitably get stuck in usually means that the day isn’t as enjoyable as it could be.
So we had high hopes for this years Airshow when we were invited to watch it from a DFDS ferry which would sail to the airshow while we were eating lunch on board and then dock just in front of where the airshow was taking place.
We set sail from Royal Quays which is far enough away from the Airshow that we didn’t hit any traffic at all and we were pleasantly surprised with the space on the ship. Even though the sailing had been fully booked for weeks, the ship was nowhere near capacity which to me, shows that a lot of consideration was given to our experience as passengers as we had the space to relax and there was plenty of great viewing spots for everyone.
The meal we had on the way to the Airshow was amazing. Buffet style with lots to choose from and again not too many people that you had to wait in queues to get your food. I even tried caviar for the first time and I’m gutted to say that I didn’t like it – my inner snob REALLY wanted to enjoy caviar 😉
After the meal, we went and sat on the top deck ready for the flying displays and we weren’t disappointed at all. The aircraft flew right above us and the displays they put on were fantastic as always – the only difference was that this time I was watching it from the deck of a lovely ferry with unobstructed views.
I would highly recommend watching the Airshow from this vantage point if you ever have the chance.
