On cruise ship to Amsterdam: What to know before my visit to Amsterdam Old Town and Red Light District

Short History

Amsterdam, the capital city of the Netherlands, is known for its picturesque canals, cultural heritage, and vibrant atmosphere. Established in the late 12th century as a small fishing village, Amsterdam evolved into a major trading hub during the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century. Its rich history is reflected in the architectural styles of the city, which include a mix of historic buildings, modern structures, and the famous gabled houses lining the canals. Today, these canals are recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site and are an essential feature for visitors arriving via cruise ships.

Preparation for Your Cruise Ship Visit to Amsterdam

Amsterdam is a popular stop for the cruise ships touring Northern Europe. Preparing for your visit to this fascinating city will ensure you make the most of your shore time. Here’s a detailed guide on where the cruise ship terminal is located, along with some advantages and disadvantages of visiting Amsterdam by cruise ship, as well how to get to the city's famous Old town and Red Light District (De Wallen in Dutch)

Understanding the Location of the Cruise Ship Terminal

The primary cruise ship terminal is the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam, located in the heart of the city's harbor area, near the IJ River. This terminal is split into two parts and docks sea and river cruises. These docks are located on eastern and western side on Central Rail Station. Sea cruises docks on East part behind the building of the passanger terminal

Attention: In Amsterdam there is another cruise ship terminal called Amsterdam IJmuiden which is on West OUTSIDE the city and less than 1 hour car drive. Passangers arriving on IJmuiden are transported by buses to the Passanger Terminal building located on Piet Heinkade 27, 1019 BR Amsterdam, Netherlands close to Central Station

The Passanger terminal is conveniently situated just a few minutes from the city center by public transport or walk. Here is a link to official website www.cruiseportamsterdam.nl

Live web cam pointing where sea cruise ships are docked (building at upper right corner is the Passanger Terminal Amsterdam ) At the middle is some small part of the back of Central Rail Station and with its river ferries connecting North and Central Amsterdam www.portofamsterdam.com/en/discover/experience-port/webcam-amsterdam

Advantages of Visiting Amsterdam via Cruise Ship

Convenient Arrival: Cruise ships often dock on the docks on the east and west part of the Central Rail Station in Amsterdam, allowing easy access to popular attractions. You can start exploring almost immediately after disembarking.

Guided Excursions: Many cruise lines offer organized tours that allow you to see some highlights of the city with a guide, ensuring you don't miss out on key experiences.

Diverse Itinerary Options: Being part of a cruise allows you to explore multiple destinations on one trip, making it a great way to see a variety of northern European cities.

Comfortable Travel: With all accommodations, dining, and entertainment provided on board, your sea travel is hassle-free, leaving you well-rested when you arrive in Amsterdam

Cost Effective: Cruise ship accomodation is cheaper than the same class hotel stay at Amsterdam City Centre

Disadvantages of Visiting Amsterdam via Cruise Ship

Limited Time: Cruise stops are often short, typically between 6 and 12 hours, which may restrict your ability to explore Amsterdam at a leisurely pace. Planning its crucial. You can check another acticle on Day tour planning from our Things to do in Amsterdam page.

Crowds: Popular tourist sites can become quite overcrowded due to the influx of passengers from multiple cruise ships and bus tours. Try to book your City Sightseeing and museum tickets in advance.

Cost of Sightseeing: While independent sightseeing can often be cheaper, organized cruise sightseeings might come with a higher price tag and limited options. Remember that many cruise ships passangers and independent tourists book sightseeing services at the same time

Lack of suitable clothing: Very often when changing different locations you need suitable clothing and shoes. When comes to Amsterdam the weather here is chilly and windy with long walks through narrow streets where cars and buses are not allowed. It`s good idea to pick up some light weight winter clothes and comfortable shoes even in summer time

Potential for Rush: The tight schedules of cruise itineraries may require you to return to the ship at a set time, which can create some panic. The best practice for Cruise ship passangers is to hire Electric Rickshaw (bicycle taxi). Passangers start their day with Rickshaw Sightseeing Tour which ends up at their museum of choice. When finish with the musum they call the Rickshaw driver to take them to the ship. That practise saves you time and you don`t worry to get stuck in the traffic.

How to get to Old Town and Red light Destrict from Passanger Terminal Amsterdam

Old town is the closest and most popular attraction to the Passanger Terminal. Redlight District is a part of the Old town. The area closed between 1st canal belt called Singel used to be Medieval Amsterdam at 17th century. The oldest building in town is Old Chuch located in Redlight District and Old town is reffered to this oldest area of Amsterdam.

The easiest way to get to Old town is by walking 20-25min one way. It`s waste of time to wait for public transport or taxi because it will take you the same time. Amsterdam is one way city with many old narrow streets and driving a car in the city centre is slowly and boring. As the most bike friendly city in the world Amsterdam offers best bike lanes with the bicycle being the fastest and easiest to park vehicle.

The best time to be visited Red light destrict is after 8.00pm when it`s dark outside. The girls there don`t show much during the daytime due to many window shoppers. Few hours before midnight is the time when Red Light shines.

Attention: In Red light area operate many pickpocketers so keep your belongings under the clothes. Direct photos of the girls on the windows are not allowed and can put you in trouble.

Best Time to visit Old town is before midday when is not that busy on the narrow streets there. Remeber that there is the oldest architecture of Amsterdam and streets were meant for horses and carriages. Cars and buses are not allowed in the Old Town. Many landmarks and attractions can be found there but often they are overlooked by wandering tourists.

Hiring a tour guide is really important to understand the history behind Old Town. In Amsterdam Electric Rickshaws we have special History and SIghts Tours dedicated on the Old Town and Redlight District. When the history is told and landmarks shown is easier for one to connect the dots from the past

Best Practices for Cruise ship passengers is to leave the ship quickly after the breakfast. Outiside they get on Rickshaw city tour at Old town. The driver show them the landmarks and tell some history. The developing of the city is explained and shown with Medieval Maps.

After that at the midday passangers can continue with fresh powers to the National History Museum (RijksMuseum) and Van Gogh Museum. These two are next to each other and takes 5-6 hours of walking inside to explore both.

At evening time you can visit alone some of the restaurants in China town and when gets dark you go for a walk in Red Light District. In that way you can enjoy the sights most time efficiently and learn a lot of history.

Final Words

When visiting Amsterdam, families have a myriad of transport options to consider, ranging from public transportation to cycling, walking or electric rickshaw services (bicycle taxi)

Old town is located closest to the Passenger Terminal and offers multiple landmarks, sights and history. Due to thousands visitors arriving on the cruise ships Its essential to leave early in the morning and to book your museum tickets in advance.

Don`t forget to check the weather and take into account that could be chilly and rainy. The wind comes from North and boosts the feeling of cold. Docks are open and wind really feels there. A lot of walking is envolved so prepare yourself with comfortable shoes and even walking sticks.

If you decide to go further than Old town trams are particularly advantageous for families as they offer a network of lines that connect key tourist destinations throughout the city. Parents should note that trams provide space for push chairs, increasing their feasibility for family use.

Cycling is the most popular mode of transport in Amsterdam. The city is renowned for its bicycle-friendly infrastructure, making it an ideal place for visitors to rent bikes.

To enhance your family’s experience, it is prudent to plan ahead. Amsterdam city centre its NOT kids friendly and its terrible idea to bring kids to the busiest streets specially in rush hours.

Thank you for your time and we hope that the information is usefull for your trip. Don`t hesitate to text or call us for any further help. If you need E-Rickshaw Services we are here to serve you with our unforgettable experience