Amsterdam port

[catmandu73]

i am sailing on a British Isles cruise in August of this year and did this same cruise 3 years ago.  Does the Jewel of the Seas dock at the port by the Movenpick Hotel or is there another port somewhere else?  I know The Netherlands has been in pretty serious lockdown since covid so just didn't know if any cruises had been going out of there.

thanks.

Cathy Berg

 

[fweegy]

We are on the same cruise. As far as I can tell it is the port by that hotel. I already have reservations for 3 nights there. As of right now, that cruise would not be able to go because of the rigid restrictions The Netherlands have in place which include a 10 day quarantine for anybody from a high risk country. The USA is considered a high risk country. Keep your fingers crossed that things change by than.

[JillK]

When we cruised with Royal out of Amsterdam in May 2018 that is the port used.

 

FWIW, Amsterdam is relatively easy to navigate and the port is a five minute walk from the train station. We stayed at a hotel near the Rijksmuseum/Van Gogh museum and just hopped on a streetcar to central station and walked to the port from there. It was a tad awkward getting the luggage on but we managed. 

 

Seems to me last year the Netherlands along with Spain had very no testing requirements around COVID at entry. Should there be a decline in Omicron, it could be that they will relax their current rules and your cruise can proceed as planned. 

 

The British Isles cruise we did aboard the Brilliance was one of our best trips - best wishes for it to be a go and for you to enjoy!

 

 

[ocdb8r]

The one you mention (by the Movenpick) is the only cruise terminal in Amsterdam....some cruises, however, do dock at IJmuiden which is a good 30 minute car ride outside the city.  That said, it has always been very clear on cruise itineraries I have seen when using IJmuiden rather than Amsterdam proper.  While we have recently been in lockdown, last summer we were pretty well open (and cruises were departing from the terminal).

 

Just to manage expectations, it is indeed walkable from Centraal Station, but it's not just 5 minutes (it's over 1km), especially with luggage in tow.  It's also not the prettiest walk at times...but it is well paved the whole way.  Alternatively, you can take the #26 tram one stop from Centraal and then it is just a 5 minute walk from the Tram stop.  I agree that it's very easy to navigate the city and you shouldn't shy away from staying closer to the city center or sights if  you plan to enjoy the city before the cruise.

 

I suspect things will improve here by summer; there is a lot of pressure throughout Europe to relax travel restrictions.

[catmandu73]

thanks for all the replies.  yes this british isles cruise which i took 3 years ago is one of the most memorable cruises i have been on.  thus the reason i am going again just to a couple of different ports this time.  i used a van service to get from Schipol to the hotel last time i arrived in Amsterdam.  It was Conexxion and i'll have to see if they are still operating.  

[fisherguy]

We stayed at the Movenpick for both our British Isles and Baltic Cruises.  Nice Hotel and it was very convenient to be able to just walk next door for embarkation.  We usually take the train from Schipol airport to Central Station.  Quick and easy as the Train is very close to the arrival gates.  While the walk from the Central Station to Movenpick is pleasant, it is a bit of a chore when hauling luggage behind you.  We usually take a Short tram ride from the Central Station to the Hotel.  It stops in front and all you have to do is go down a ramp.

 

I loved my British Isles Cruise.  Scotland and Dover were my highlights.  But my favorite was my Baltics Cruise.