Amsterdam, one day, pre cruise logistics and plan
 

My wife and I arrive Amsterdam early afternoon the day before our Viking River Cruise (next week). The day of the cruise, we'd like to check in early enough to drop our bags and put our name in for a cabin upgrade if possible- then head out and see the city. General boarding isn't until 3pm, and the boat does not sail until 10pm. Hotel location may not be an issue if this is simply a matter of jumping into a cab around 11am and popping over to the cruise terminal to leave the bags and make our arrangements.

Looking for a nice hotel (4 stars)-- biggest bang for the buck and location best suited for making the most of that first half day/evening and late morning side trip to the ship the following full day. Any suggestions on where to situate ourselves and how we might manage things day of cruise would be appreciated. Since we're there for such a short time we'd simply like to take in the city, see either the Van Gogh or Rembrandt museum and enjoy some good food in the process.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts. Regards, K

A whole bunch of people are probably going to tell you to stay in the Jordaan but I am not one of them.

First of all, I am assuming that the Viking ship is going to be docked in their usual place which is within sight, and for that matter walking distance, of Centraal Station. You can get both trams and the Metro to and from that point.

Yes, taking a taxi to the ship would be easy enough and if you wished you could use public transport from there.

In terms of the Van Gogh and the Rembrandt (I assume you have left the Rijksmuseum, A. Frank House, and others out for a reason) would you be willing or even want to walk to these from your hotel?

If you look at a site such as Googlemaps you can see that the Van Gogh and the Rembrandt are somewhat separated but you'll also see where a lot of adjacent hotels are located.

I like the Amstel Intercontinental when I visit the Rijks because I can walk or take the tram which I will do next month. But there are numerous great hotels you could choose.

Have a great trip and enjoy the Viking cruise, too; we certainly enjoyed ours last year.

In addition to your 2 museums, you might want to take a canal tour, which is a good way of understanding the logic and beauty of the historic city. The canal tours leave from quite near the central station, so if you stay in that area, might be best.

I would not make a big project of finding stellar food in Amsterdam. The high points of the local cuisine, in my book, are soups and sandwiches (made with the good cheeses they have), plus delicious beer and to some extent chocolates. Potato fries can be hit or miss and raw herring is for the brave. Coffee and cookies are good. (I'm not a fan of the local pancakes).

You can probably find online any number of self-guided walking tours to suit your particular interest, and that also skip what doesn't interest you. Shopping in Amsterdam can actually be fun with lots of quirky stores with unique design items.

Thank you for both of your remarks. No, we are not opposed to walking anywhere, and as long as we have easy access or transport to the cruise port the morning of the 6th, we are flexible on location. InterContinental, Sofitel, and a couple of other primo spots were not available using a number of booking sites, and there are a number of cool hotels over 400 Euro (ie: Pulitzer) that we're going to pass on due to the fact that we simply will not be there long enough to enjoy the amenities.

Thinking that a comfortable bed will be priority 1 for nap upon arrival, nice neighborhood and access to transit or walk for exploring early evening and dinner. Next a.m.-Off to the the port after breakfast to deal with the cruise and drop bags, then pick up on your canal tour suggestion to take us up to lunch. Then, we can see how we feel and what we have time for before actually boarding the ship.

We'll probably stay in the city through dinner time. My wife was in Amsterdam in 1985 and enjoyed a Rijstaffel dinner. She's determined to revisit the experience. Sounds like a perfectly good plan to me. Only hope is that she did not wander out of one of those "coffee shops" into the restaurant to create this fond memory of the meal. Any suggestions on the best choice for Rijstaffel (sp?).

Also, what about location for Hotel Estherea. It looks like a nice boutique hotel in a cool neighborhood. Priced less than we planned to pay (204 euro deluxe). Thoughts on this or other options. Appreciate the feedback! K

Estherea is a terrific location for experiencing Amsterdam, but I don't know where the cruise ship offices are that you want to visit. I've stayed down the street (at the NH City Centre) and enjoyed the neighborhood. The street has a couple of very good places to get beer and coffee, and a tapas bar which isn't bad. Bookstores and pleasant shops line the street.

Thanks very much. I think Estherea might be a good choice. The hotel emailed me that they are close to the tram and can arrange a cab to take us and our bags to the cruise terminal in short order. I like the sounds of the neighborhood. Did someone say, TAPAS?? MMM I appreciate all the pointers.

BTW, I found a lot of comments on Trip Adviser re: Rijstaffel options.

Hotel V Nesplein. You wont be disappointed. An extremely lovely hotel minutes from Dam Square.