Avalon Hotel

[Big Al B.]

We are booked on the Globus/Avalon Tulip Time cruise. Does anyone know which hotel they use for pre-night stays? I was told the NH, but there are several in Amsterdam. Thanks

[Paulinda]

Big Al, our pre cruise meeting that we attended in June was held at the Hotel NH Amsterdam Centre, Stadhouderskade 7. I can't say for sure if they use that hotel for pre-cruise night stays as we didn't go early. Maybe you could call Avalon and confirm? Did you make arrangements with Avalon for a pre-cruise stay?

[Big Al B.]

Yes we did make our arrangements with Avalon, at least for now. Our TA said they used the NH hotel this year and it was pending for next. Thing was that I noticed there were 3 NH hotels in the city. Thanks a lot for the info. The TA did mention that they called it their "meeting" hotel.

[Paulinda]

Big Al, the hotel was in a very convenient location. The Rikjsmusem was only about 4 blocks away, the Van Gogh museum wasn't too far, the Holland Casino is real close, there are numerous restaurants all within very close proximity. The pre-cruise meeting was pretty much a waste of time and they only served us coffee, tea and water. NO SNACKS!!! BUMMER!

 

I hope you have a great trip! I wish I were back there now.

[LLD]

Hello, been thinking of going on a river cruise, after many large cruise ship cruises..

After reading this thread about pre-cruise hotel and meeting hotel... is it safe to say that when you book a river cruise with Avalon you have a "meeting hotel" where you need to be in order to get a transfer to the ship? LEt's say I flew into the city then I would have to make my own way to the "meeting hotel"? And if I stayed in one of Avalon's pre-scruise hotels it is a possibility that the hotel may not be the "meeting hotel"-it could be a different hotel??

 

Oh boy! This is a little baffling! I just read on another thread that someone waited hours at the hotel before they were driven to the ship! The overnight flight to Europe is long enough and then having to wait for hours to get to the ship! yikes!!! It would also be a pain if I was in one hotel and had to make my way to the "meeting hotel!

 

I usually like to do a hotel stay before the cruise. Like I said I am new to river cruising. I know all about cruising on the large cruise ships. I know when you do arrive in Europe and have a hotel stay, you are usually waiting for awhile in the lobby until your room is ready.

 

I am weighing my options but I am just not sure. Any help, suggestions, info??? thanks.

[caviargal]

LEt's say I flew into the city then I would have to make my own way to the "meeting hotel"? And if I stayed in one of Avalon's pre-scruise hotels it is a possibility that the hotel may not be the "meeting hotel"-it could be a different hotel??

 

Oh boy! This is a little baffling! I just read on another thread that someone waited hours at the hotel before they were driven to the ship! The overnight flight to Europe is long enough and then having to wait for hours to get to the ship! yikes!!! It would also be a pain if I was in one hotel and had to make my way to the "meeting hotel!

Any help, suggestions, info??? thanks.

 

They do not start boarding passengers until the afternoon so yes, you may have to wait.

 

We arrived by train as we were in Europe on our own pre-cruise. We made our way to the meeting hotel and arrived about 1pm, dropped our bags, then went out to explore and have lunch. There were lots of folks who had arrived much earlier.

 

The buses left about 4pm and we took the last one.

[shoshona2]

We always go in a day ahead of time since we have the long trip from California to Europe. We book a hotel and get a good night's sleep before our cruise begins. We once got stuck at JFK during the blackout of 2003! Good thing we went a day earlier or we would have arrived in Dover after the ship sailed.

Sheila

[Big Al B.]

I'm assuming that you could go out and about until they start boarding. Most flights to Europe leave at night and arrive there in the morning so it could be a long day until embarkation. Another good reason to go a day early.

 

I'm guessing that even with our staying at their "meeting" hotel we'll have to be checked out by 11-noon and still have that time to kill.

[cruie4ever]

I'm assuming that you could go out and about until they start boarding. Most flights to Europe leave at night and arrive there in the morning so it could be a long day until embarkation. Another good reason to go a day early.

 

I'm guessing that even with our staying at their "meeting" hotel we'll have to be checked out by 11-noon and still have that time to kill.

 

Hey Al long time no talk on these boards. Oct 2009 we cruise with Avalon's Creativity down the Rhine from Amsterdam to Basel . We were in Amsterdam days before the cruise as we wanted to see the City & we did . Recommendation --we stayed near the airport with a shuttle to get us to the train at the airport & we went all over . The day of the cruise we took a taxi to the Amsterdam hotel meeting place . The hotel that Avalon uses seemed to be a nice hotel & yes there are lots of good things rto see from there within walking distance .

 

Avalon is a class act with fabulous cruise directors & group tour leaders . They also bring on entertainers during the late day /eraly evening . We won a CooKoo Clock on our 7 night Rhine cruise & it was shiped & insured .We visited the place they make the clocks . food was fantastic with free flowing wine .

 

What I will say to save you some monies is you won't need the top deck . The 2nd or even the 3rd deck down is fine .We took the top deck as people were saying that 's the palce to see every thing from .Wrong it wasn't necesarry . You won't go wrong with Avalon Waterways .

 

Send me a e-mail if you want more particulars

 

Best Regards

 

Cliff

[eandj]

We are arriving AMS two days early. We will be staying near the railroad station, which inturn is near where the river boats dock. My thought is.. rather than cab to the Avalon meeting hotel, just to go back the same direction as our hotel..we'll just go to the boat on our own around 4:00. That IS possible isn't it? Figured we could call the CD to see where the boat is docked to make sure we find it.

 

Anyone else done that? Or is there really an advantage to heading to the NH to be with the group?

[LLD]

Wow! 4p.m. sounds so late! It would be awful to fly to Europe overnight, arrive the next morning and then wait so long to go to the ship!! Don't know about anyone else but I need a power nap even if for 2 hours in order to function for the rest of the day. I cannot fly overnight and travel that long then walk around a city in a daze or sit in a hotel lobby and wait until 4p.m. to get on the ship. Guess I would need to book a hotel stay before the cruise and hope that the hotel is the "meeting place hotel"!!

 

By the way, in Amsterdam and Basel, are the hotels (Avalon hotels) fairly close to the river cruise (regardless of being the meeting hotel or not.)? I love to travel and love cruising but I just don't like the hassle the first day! All info is appreciated. Thanks!

[eandj]

Wow! 4p.m. sounds so late! It would be awful to fly to Europe overnight, arrive the next morning and then wait so long to go to the ship!! Don't know about anyone else but I need a power nap even if for 2 hours in order to function for the rest of the day. I cannot fly overnight and travel that long then walk around a city in a daze or sit in a hotel lobby and wait until 4p.m. to get on the ship. Guess I would need to book a hotel stay before the cruise and hope that the hotel is the "meeting place hotel"!! You can find out the name of the hotel from Avalon. They only use a couple different ones in Ams. Not sure of Basel.

By the way, in Amsterdam and Basel, are the hotels (Avalon hotels) fairly close to the river cruise (regardless of being the meeting hotel or not.)? I love to travel and love cruising but I just don't like the hassle the first day! All info is appreciated. Thanks!

 

The hotel in Amsterdam is maybe 15/20 min by bus to the riverboat...at most. The city is pretty small. It's not like on ocean cruises, where you have to bus or train for an hour or two from the main city to the port.:rolleyes:

[caviargal]

We are arriving AMS two days early. We will be staying near the railroad station, which inturn is near where the river boats dock. My thought is.. rather than cab to the Avalon meeting hotel, just to go back the same direction as our hotel..we'll just go to the boat on our own around 4:00. That IS possible isn't it? Figured we could call the CD to see where the boat is docked to make sure we find it.

 

Anyone else done that? Or is there really an advantage to heading to the NH to be with the group?

 

We are going to do the same this year as it was an extra step that was not necessary. Call the CD and make sure the ship is ready for boarding and you are fine to head there directly.

[eandj]

We are going to do the same this year as it was an extra step that was not necessary. Call the CD and make sure the ship is ready for boarding and you are fine to head there directly.

 

Thanks. My dh thinks we should just head to the hotel for the group bus ride. But I feel it's a waste of time going the opposite direction as the pier and I really don't need my hand held or have the need to meet and greet other cruisers until we board.

As long as we aren't missing any important info or activity I don't see the point in our case. We will call the CD for the pier location and timing of our arrival.

[caviargal]

Thanks. My dh thinks we should just head to the hotel for the group bus ride. But I feel it's a waste of time going the opposite direction as the pier and I really don't need my hand held or have the need to meet and greet other cruisers until we board.

As long as we aren't missing any important info or activity I don't see the point in our case. We will call the CD for the pier location and timing of our arrival.

 

Agree that it is more of a hassle than a help when you are arriving independently.

[Paulinda]

The pre-cruise meeting is simply a waste of time if you know where the ship is docked. We arrived the day of the meeting so it made sense for us to go with the flow and get the 'free' transportation from airport to (eventually) the ship. If you arrive a day or so before the meeting it would just be an inconvenience to have to go to the meeting. As far as introducing ourselves to others at the meeting? There was another ship at our meeting and the people we did introduce ourselves to were on the other ship. Those friendships didn't last too long. :)

 

The one nice thing about the NH Amsterdam Hotel is that it was nicely located near a lot of sites we were waiting to see.

[patdor]

We have a November 7 cruise, Amsterdam to Basel with Uniworld. Plan to spend 3 nights prior in Amsterdam and need information on a hotel in Amsterdam, city center, about a 3 star hotel that is decent. Do any of you travelers have any suggestions?

Pat

[kleffy8]

We stayed at the RHO hotel. It had an American breakfast included in the price. It is about 10 steps (literally) from Dam Square. I found the room to be adequate, the front desk really helpful and the location fantastic.