Amsterdam

[Sunflower & The Scientist]

We will be in Amsterdam on a Viking river cruise in May and have a bunch of questions. I'm not finding a good rivers forum to ask questions outside of the roll call.  Since Viking ocean also docks there I would appreciate any information others might have. 

 

1. Is the Movenpick hotel a walkable distance from Anne Frank House?
2. Is the canal shuttle (boats) easily usable, and can we get it from the Movenpick hotel?
3. Are there good (and many) restaurants near the Movenpick hotel
4. Are there advantages to staying at the Pulitzer hotel instead of the Movenpick? 
5. Are there any safety issues in Amsterdam, anything to watch out for?
6. Are there any health clubs in the city center that give day passes to a swimming pool?  

[Meander Ingwa]

This is a situation where using Google maps would be very helpful to you

 

The Movenpick is out on the area near the cruise ship dock.  Pretty isolated from the heart of A'dam which is really quiet small and intimate.  Handy for embarkation but less so for exploring  You would need to feel comfortable with the tram and canal system  The Anne franks House is about a 45 minute walk.  Is it walkable, yes, can you do it, thats or your decision

 

The Pulitzer is about 1 or 2 blocks from AFH and is located in a more established neighborhood and sounds like it would be more to your liking. Many restaurants of world cuisine, whatever you like.   It is 5 star all the way they have a Gym, but no pool.  They have their own private canal boats for private tours.  If you stay there, it is highly likely the concierge can find out about a private gym with pool

 

Amsterdam is no different from any other Urban city.  You probably want to stay away from the red light district 

[odblnt]

Suggest you ask your questions in the following forums:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/340-river-cruise-ports/

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/148-british-isleswestern-europe/

 

I notice both have threads dealing with Amsterdam.

 

[The Other Tom]

You seem settled on the Movenpick.  We stayed at the Double Tree by Hilton near Centraal Station.  There's also a Hotel Ibis near there.  We walked the dock to our hotel and from our hotel to the Anne Frank house.

Like any large city, be aware of pickpockets. 

You might want to get a Rick Steves book on Amsterdam to check out various areas.  

[CurlerRob]

Amsterdam is a delightful city. In two visits, we've found it very navigable by foot, with the tram and canal system quite approachable. We'd second the advice offered by the previous posters.

 

I'd only add that, like most North Americans, we were unused to high-volume, high-speed cyclist traffic, which was the most dangerous thing we encountered! (Due to our ignorance of rules and customs, I hasten to add).

 

The Dutch predilection for healthy living nearly put an end to mine a couple of times 🤣. 🍺🥌

[Meander Ingwa]

totally agree about the bikes... and cobblestone, You have to watch your steps.  

[Peregrina651]

39 minutes ago, odblnt said:

Suggest you ask your questions in the following forums:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/340-river-cruise-ports/

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/148-british-isleswestern-europe/

 

I notice both have threads dealing with Amsterdam.

 

 

Bolded thread is in the Ports of Call forum, which get a lot of traffic and making it a very good sources of answers.

 

[Frisky070802]

11 hours ago, Meander Ingwa said:

….

 

Amsterdam is no different from any other Urban city.  You probably want to stay away from the red light district 

O/t but this amused me. I lived in Amsterdam for a year, before the days of Starbucks. The best roasted coffee beans in the city were found at a shop in the Red Light District.  My wife and I were so chagrined venturing there, but we did so in daylight…. 

[Sunflower & The Scientist]

Thanks so much for your great answers! They were all very helpful and we appreciate all the input...not to mention a few amusing comments!!

 

Thanks....

[CCWineLover]

17 hours ago, Meander Ingwa said:

This is a situation where using Google maps would be very helpful to you

 

The Movenpick is out on the area near the cruise ship dock.  Pretty isolated from the heart of A'dam which is really quiet small and intimate.  Handy for embarkation but less so for exploring  You would need to feel comfortable with the tram and canal system  The Anne franks House is about a 45 minute walk.  Is it walkable, yes, can you do it, thats or your decision

 

We've been to Amsterdam so many times and know it well.  When I read this I was surprised to hear it was 45 minute walk from Movenpick to Anne Frank house.  Was hard to believe, so I googled it, and it did indeed say 41 minutes to walk.

 

I guess we walk so much around Amsterdam, and it's such fun to see the sights, people, and dodge the bikes, that we never notice how long it takes to walk somewhere 🙂

 

[Traveler1977]

Amsterdam is a very walkable city.  Easy to navigate but as others have said, watch out for bikes. They come from every direction without any warning. I have stayed at the Movenpick hotel and enjoyed it very much. 
 

My biggest tip for Amsterdam is to plan ahead what museums (including the Anne Frank House) you want to visit. Make reservations and purchase your tickets well in advance of your trip. You can do this online. They often sell out early or you could wait in long lines just to purchase your entrance tickets.  Some of the museums even have discount bundle packages.  Enjoy your trip. 

Edited October 18, 2023 by Traveler1977

[SWFLAOK]

How long do we need to continue a question that was asked on the Viking Ocean forum by a person on a Viking River cruise?

My biggest question for a Viking cruise would be which ships will be allowed to dock in Amsterdam in the future. I suspect that the river ships will be, but the Viking Ocean cruise ships will not.

But the OP needs to find the correct river cruise, with no more discussion on Viking Ocean.

 

[CurlerRob]

1 hour ago, SWFLAOK said:

How long do we need to continue a question that was asked on the Viking Ocean forum by a person on a Viking River cruise?

My biggest question for a Viking cruise would be which ships will be allowed to dock in Amsterdam in the future. I suspect that the river ships will be, but the Viking Ocean cruise ships will not.

But the OP needs to find the correct river cruise, with no more discussion on Viking Ocean.

 

 

An unwarranted and uncivil response.

 

The question asked was about the city of Amsterdam and the OP (who has made other valuable contributions to these boards) clearly indicated her reasons for asking on this forum. You are not the arbiter of what discussions should happen here. 🍺🥌

[pavementends]

On 10/17/2023 at 5:59 PM, Meander Ingwa said:

Amsterdam is no different from any other Urban city.  You probably want to stay away from the red light district 

 

Is the red light district to be avoided because it is dangerous, or because one might see things that would cause one to clutch one's pearls??

[aungrl]

3 hours ago, pavementends said:

 

Is the red light district to be avoided because it is dangerous, or because one might see things that would cause one to clutch one's pearls??

In my experience, the latter.  But YMMV.

[Haqdeluxe]

16 hours ago, aungrl said:

In my experience, the latter.  But YMMV.

The Old Amsterdam Red Light district is  fairly tame and safe to explore in the daytime. It is after dark that it can get rowdy. There is a history of partying groups of guys/men (bachelor party) coming into the district to party and they tend to get out of hand in many ways. This behavior also tends to attract other unsavory folk too. Again, a daytime visit is reasonably safe.