Catching an early train in Rotterdam after disembarking

[gfdw]

We are looking forward to our first HAL cruise in June 2024 and are currently planning the trip back home. The ship is supposed to dock at 07:00am in Rotterdam and we are interested in hauling our bags off on our own and catch a train at Rotterdam Centraal at 09:00 am. There are not many feasible train connections to our home town of Munich (approx. 8-9h ride, depending on the route) and the 09:00 am connection is the most attractive for us in terms of duration and pricing. The trip from the ship to the train station is supposed to take less than 30 minutes using public transport, even less if we would take a taxi. 

Now the question for seasoned HAL cruisers: in your experience, how fast does HAL allow passengers to disembark after docking? 

 

 

 

 

 

[kazu]

Once the ship is cleared, if you can manage your own luggage you can be the first to disembark (self disembark).  Since you have to manage your own luggage on the train I am guessing you will be travelling light.

 

DD DH and I took the high speed train from Rotterdam to Paris when we arrived.  Our train left at 10 AM and we were there in plenty of time and did not self disembark.  I seem to recall it took less than 30 minutes to get to the train station but my memory may be short.

 

I prefer a 10 AM time but I think you would most likely be ok barring any significant delay in docking, etc.  The ship is usually on time.

[OlsSalt]

We had the same challenge once -to make an early morning connection from the Rotterdam port to the main train station - two choices- their metro, or their above ground trams.  This was several years ago - things may have changed. And it was a Sunday.

 

None of us could figure out how to get tickets on the underground metro machines  - being US, we did  not the right credit cards,  and no Euro coins in the right amounts since we were not visiting other EU countries , etc.

 

Since it was very early Sunday morning there was no one there to help. We finally bailed out and took the above ground tram, not sure how we got around payment - maybe we finally had to go to a shop to buy something to get change?

 

Underground was faster - but more difficult for our early morning departure to the trains station - figure out how to get the ticket first if you want to use this option. Above ground tram was the easiest but took longer to get to the train station.. But was finally our only successful choice.

 

Once hooked into the Dutch train systems we had a marvelous jaunt across half of Holland on our Rotterdam overnight turnaround day on Voyage of the Vikings - out to delightful Zutphen  and down to impressive Maastricht, and back to Rotterdam with enough time to extend on to Delft  for a short time before heading back to the ship and the return trip back on  RT Voyage of the Vikings. Rome 2 Rio gave use precise instructions on what train connections to make and which platforms to use.

[gfdw]

Thank you for your fast replies, our main concern is how fast the ship will be cleared. Everything else is no problem, we are from Germany and familiar with using regional and  long distance public transportation in our neighbouring countries.

[OlsSalt]

Make sure you get into the first group to leave - you will be filling out a form declaring your  disembarkation transportation connections.

 

They accommodate those who have early connections to make and assign you to the earliest groups - by color and number typically.  Matches where the luggage can be found in the terminal.

 

Did not seem like there was any problem getting off the ships when in the first groups. Other than threading your way around all the people milling about the exits, even when repeatedly told to not wait in these exit areas until their group number/color were called.

[kazu]

29 minutes ago, gfdw said:

Thank you for your fast replies, our main concern is how fast the ship will be cleared. Everything else is no problem, we are from Germany and familiar with using regional and  long distance public transportation in our neighbouring countries.

 

It should be quick being cleared especially if you are coming from an EU port or one in the Netherlands.  normally, self disembarkation starts at around 7:30 / 7:45 AM IME.

[gfdw]

8 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

It should be quick being cleared especially if you are coming from an EU port or one in the Netherlands.  normally, self disembarkation starts at around 7:30 / 7:45 AM IME.

thanks! This is exactly what I needed to know 🙂

[OlsSalt]

Breakfast hours will also be earlier, allowing you to get one last bite before your early departure.

[OlsSalt]

Here is a sample of the disembarkation form from another cruise - thanks to Norbert's Niece showing the disembarkation times for their particular port. You will get something like this ahead of your own Rotterdam port disembarkation with the time slots for "independent" guests.  This particular one for Argentina- Santiago starts at 8:45 am.