What is the best and least expensive to go from the airport to the cruise terminal.

The train from Schiphol goes to Central Station. Central Station backs right up to the water, so you can actually walk to the cruise terminal (I stayed at the Movenpick hotel, next to the cruise terminal, and routinely did this walk) if you don't have too much luggage. Otherwise you can take a very short taxi ride, or take the tram (you can buy your ticket on board, enter at the back) directly there. It's tram number 20-something.

Frankly easiest to just walk in my opinion.

Thank you so much. The cruise line wants 39 euros per person one way. We'll take your advise and the train.

It's tram 25. It's just one stop on from Central Station to the cruise terminal (aka Passenger Terminal or PTA), at which point the tram turns around and comes back to Central Station.

Will we need euros or will a credit card work.

39 euro? Presumably via taxi or van. The train is easy and cheap (and probably faster), and the tram is very easy to negotiate. Walking the easiest and cheapest still. If you want to walk, look for signs in the train station that direct you towards the north side of the station (there may be water or boat symbols---it wasn't hard to figure out). There's been some construction in the area, but not difficult to negotiate, and the walk along the waterfront is very nice.

The front of Central Station (where you'd catch the tram is a bit of a mess, as there's lots of construction there at the moment).

You will need euros. A credit card is of absolutely no use to you in any public transit setting in the Netherlands. Even expensive train tickets (if you were buying one) need to be purchased with cash or with a debit card (from a Dutch bank) or with something called a chipknip (card loaded with cash---you can't get this easily, so don't bother). Cash, and only cash. And coins even better, as then you can use the machines at Schiphol and avoid paying the 0.50 euro fee per ticket for using a ticket window.

If you don't already have euro, just stop at an ATM at Schiphol and withdraw some from your checking account. Be sure to notify your bank to expect some foreign charges and withdrawals during this period.

You can also exchange dollars for euro in the airport.

I had to go out for awhile. Just wanted to say I appreciate the information. Thank you.

My pleasure.

Your query reminded me of an incident last September at the Rotterdam train station. It was fairly early AM and I was buying a ticket (with cash) to Schiphol to catch my return flight to Atlanta. The train station is particularly difficult to navigate at the moment, as it's being remodeled.

While conducting my transaction I became aware of a woman at the adjacent desk who was having the "what do you mean, you don't take credit cards?" conversation with the cashier, and realized that she also was trying to get to Schiphol to get back to North America (to Canada, as it turned out). The cashier explained that she'd have to go get cash, but due to the disruption of the station layout the nearest cash machine was some distance, and she would surely miss the train.

So I approached her and offered to buy her ticket, and then she could pay me back at Schiphol, where cash machines are plentiful. She accepted and we had a nice chat on the train (we'd both been in The Netherlands on business). She got some cash at Schiphol and bought me breakfast, and then we parted for our flights back home.