Jim_Iain Apex Key West, TansAtlantic and British Isle with a Week in Amsterdam

[Jim_Iain]

3 minutes ago, jetblue said:

Thanks for leaving the Apex nice and clean for us, Jim. Boarded today and she's still beautiful. Sorry we missed you guys!

 

So glad you get to enjoy Apex.  What a beautiful ship.    One of these days we are going to meet and get to know each other in person.   Hope you have good weather Norway.  

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, TommyD3 said:

Now that you are off the ship, how are you uploading all the pictures?

Do you have international coverage from your cellular provider?

 

LOL.. yes and no.    We do have T-Mobile by you are limited to 5GB roaming per months.   I definitely might go over that.

 

We had free internet on the train and now we are settled into our Home Away From Home (AirBnB) in Amsterdam.     I will be posting -  lightly of our adventures in Amsterdam.   I'll try to just post enough to keep Ya'all updated before we join the ship again next Sunday.

 

 

 

might

[Poconolady]

Thanks for the step by step directions of leaving the sjip and getting to Amsterdam Central Station. We will be doing the same when we return from our Iceland cruise in Aug. and I have been trying to figure out the best transfer options. This was very helpful. Is luggage a problem on the subway portion?

[kwokpot]

42 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

The only difficulty we had was trying to figure out using subway.    They only had a machine to add finds to a card. 
 

A nice person came to our aid.  They don’t take cash.  Either Cc or Apple Pay.   Just tap the pad at gate and it opens. 
 

We thought we had a 30 minute wait.  
 

Two trains coming and the sign says both stop at Schiphol and CS

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did you consider using a street tram from the terminal to Rotterdam Central? I didn't realize there was also an underground metro. Is using the Metro better? 

[kwokpot]

BTW, you have your CC # exposed. You really should have that photo deleted. 

[FlorenceItaly]

35 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

We stopped at the travel and ticket office and bought a 7 day bus / tram ticket and grabbed Uber to AirBnB

 

i should have listened to our host and grabbed the bus.   Uber doesn’t pick up at  the station and. You have to walk to a listed hotel. 
 

 

Was the travel and ticket office at the train station?  How much was the 7 day bus/tram ticket?  Thank you!

[Jim_Iain]

Our AirbnB.   We decided to get a larger unit as Evelyn and Alex will me joining us Thursday.  
 

Two real bedrooms with king size beds.   It is t easy to find  in Amsterdam.  I booked 9 months ago. 
 

 

A warm Dutch welcome.   Our host had to go to France for business but his brother welcomed us on his absence. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 7, 2023 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

Can’t wait to meet our host, Olley.   He has been so welcoming.  
 

 

 

Edited May 7, 2023 by Jim_Iain

[gfkcruiser]

8 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Our AirbnB.   We decided to get a larger unit as Evelyn and Alex will me joining us Thursday.  
 

Two real bedrooms with king size beds.   It is t easy to find  in Amsterdam.  I booked 9 months ago. 
 

 

A warm Dutch welcome.   Our host had to go to France for business but his brother welcomed us on his absence. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nice!

[gfkcruiser]

28 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

Did you consider using a street tram from the terminal to Rotterdam Central? I didn't realize there was also an underground metro. Is using the Metro better? 

Apparently the tram started later on Sunday.  Looked at Rome2rio and saw metro was running.  With info from other passengers, we tapped card when we entered and exited.   Did not see elevator until after dragged cases down stairs.  Nice man assisted us.  Already train tickets and had nice workers assist us with our reader issues.  FYI -  steps to enter and exit train but wonder where those with issues enter train.  

[venicecruiser]

Your "new home" looks great.  I think the bathtub may be the largest I have ever seen!

 

Please keep posting about your stay in Amsterdam until you board the ship!

 

Claudia

[ProfMHC]

Again … so nice to have met you both on the Apex. Will live vicariously as you continue onward. (Our next cruise not until October ☹️)

[kwokpot]

45 minutes ago, gfkcruiser said:

Apparently the tram started later on Sunday.  Looked at Rome2rio and saw metro was running.  With info from other passengers, we tapped card when we entered and exited.   Did not see elevator until after dragged cases down stairs.  Nice man assisted us.  Already train tickets and had nice workers assist us with our reader issues.  FYI -  steps to enter and exit train but wonder where those with issues enter train.  

Thanks. Our cruise in July ends on a Weds so the tram should be in service early morning 

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, kwokpot said:

Did you consider using a street tram from the terminal to Rotterdam Central? I didn't realize there was also an underground metro. Is using the Metro better? 

 

I looked at it real time --- they were the same price but the Tram was about 1 1/2 block further away and takes 27 minutes (Line 125)  vs the subway 16 minutes.     Not sure where the tram station is but the Subway takes you right into the Terminal.  

[Jim_Iain]

20 minutes ago, ProfMHC said:

Again … so nice to have met you both on the Apex. Will live vicariously as you continue onward. (Our next cruise not until October ☹️)

Thanks for intro ducting yourself.  We really enjoyed meeting you.

[Jim_Iain]

58 minutes ago, gfkcruiser said:

Apparently the tram started later on Sunday.  Looked at Rome2rio and saw metro was running.  With info from other passengers, we tapped card when we entered and exited.   Did not see elevator until after dragged cases down stairs.  Nice man assisted us.  Already train tickets and had nice workers assist us with our reader issues.  FYI -  steps to enter and exit train but wonder where those with issues enter train.  

 

For us the escalator wasn't running ---- so we thought.    Later found on the Up Escalator when you approach it it turns on.    We chose the Elevator and down we went then they had a moving sidewalk to the entry.    We didn't have a tram card and learned you just tap you CC when entering and leaving.... very easy.  

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

I forgot to mention that there was a real mess in La Havre.   Maybe someone can explain. 

 

One tour that went to Paris for the day had some real problems.   We were supposed to leave Le Havre at 8:00 PM but the departure was delayed until 11:00 PM as the bus was stuck in Traffic. 

 

A post on our FB Group said their bus broke down with a broken radiator they were accommodated on a replacement bus and even had their planned lobster dinner.    Others sai they were unhappy and refunded between 50-100%.

 

There was also an unconfirmed post on the same group that there was a Fire on a Bus possibly Brugge Anyone hear anything about it?    Another complained of waiting for over an hour for a late guest. 

[scrapcreator]

Great information on the subway vs tram to Amsterdam. Thank you!

 

What a wonderful Air BnB host! Making note of his local recommendations.

[Barwick Cruiser]

Your Airbnb looks fabulous and I love how welcoming and helpful the host has been so far. We are in need of accommodation next May with two bedrooms…can you share your location? Can wait until you leave if you’d rather! Very interested in where you tour and dine while you’re in the Netherlands! Thanks for continuing to post. I’m going to start paying more attention to doorways when I travel, thanks to all your beautiful pictures.
 

Try the homemade stroopwafels from a vendor and enjoy some delicious pancakes, they make them both sweet and savoury 😋 

[kwokpot]

20 minutes ago, scrapcreator said:

Great information on the subway vs tram to Amsterdam. Thank you!

 

What a wonderful Air BnB host! Making note of his local recommendations.

Agreed. I think for us we will take the tram embarkation day since our Rotterdam hotel is a couple of blocks from Central Station in the direction of the pier, so it makes more sense to take the street tram. At disembarkation looks like the Metro is a better option, especially if you need to go to Central station.

Edit: There's a Metro stop right at our Rotterdam hotel (Holiday Inn Express) so we might just take the Metro both ways to/from the pier!

2nd Edit: Looks like streetcar is closer to hotel,lol

Edited May 7, 2023 by kwokpot

[scrapcreator]

Whoops, I skipped a step. The subway to Rotterdam train station and then on to Amsterdam.

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, Barwick Cruiser said:

Your Airbnb looks fabulous and I love how welcoming and helpful the host has been so far. We are in need of accommodation next May with two bedrooms…can you share your location? Can wait until you leave if you’d rather! Very interested in where you tour and dine while you’re in the Netherlands! Thanks for continuing to post. I’m going to start paying more attention to doorways when I travel, thanks to all your beautiful pictures.
 

Try the homemade stroopwafels from a vendor and enjoy some delicious pancakes, they make them both sweet and savoury 😋 

I've been buying Stroopwafels for 50 years from street vendors and agree 500% with you.... Nothing beats one made fresh on the streets.   Especially on a cold winter day.   

 

Tomorrow will definitely have appeltaart met slagroom en koffie

 

The only problem we have noticed so far is most of the local restaurants are not to our liking but will explore more.

 

One weird thing we experience and will have to ask Oliver.   We went to Grocery Store -  When checking out they had a terminal but said they don't take Visa or MasterCard even a Chipped Sapphire Card.    Couldn't figure out what they take. 

 

The clerk was middle eastern and only spoke dutch or yes an no to English.  

 

 

Here's the link to Oliver's - 4p. modern apartment - rooftop terrace

He is a SuperHost and 4.94 rating for this unit.   Looking at the ratings -

Some have down rated him because of Location - not in Centrum but out by the Museums.   Perfect for us

 

 

 

 

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/5950879

[kwokpot]

3 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

The only problem we have noticed so far is most of the local restaurants are not to our liking but will explore more.

What types of dishes are they serving that's not appealing to you?

[kwokpot]

4 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

One weird thing we experience and will have to ask Oliver.   We went to Grocery Store -  When checking out they had a terminal but said they don't take Visa or MasterCard even a Chipped Sapphire Card.    Couldn't figure out what they take. 

Probably NL bank debit cards only. I noticed in Europe there were many ATMs that were actually banking machines that you had to have a certain bank's debit card.

[Barwick Cruiser]

Thanks for the link, Jim, unfortunately he wants a five night min stay. Looks lovely tho! I’m sure you’ll enjoy that terrace as well!