Viking Ship to Airport options - Amsterdam

I'm on the countdown to my first Viking river cruise that ends up in Amsterdam (on Christmas Eve!). I've taken a deviation on the "included" air (so I can hop over to the UK for a Christmas family visit before making my way back to Canada) so presume that the transfer from the ship to Schiphol airport will be my own responsibility.

If I have to purchase the airport transfer separately from Viking, does anyone know the cost, and how that would compare to a taxi or any other option?

Thanks in advance!

Have not been on Viking, but in August the train from Amsterdam Central to Schripol was 10.90 euro for the 2 of us. The train station was easy walking distance from the overseas passenger terminal and most of the river boats were docked even closer. The station also has self serve luggage storage -10 euro for a locker that fit an average suitcase and backpack.

I don't know what Viking charges in Amsterdam for transfers but I expect it is around $60 per person, a ridiculous cost. I did cruise with Viking from St. Petersburg to Moscow and my TA managed to negotiate free transfers so you might try that. Normally transfers are free with Viking only if you book your air through them, unlike other lines such as Uniworld.

The train is a very inexpensive way to travel from Central Station to Schiphol and they are very frequent. If you want to take a taxi, expect to spend about €50.

We did our own air for a Viking river cruise that ended in Amsterdam and asked the concierge onboard about a taxi to Schiphol for our flight home. No problem, they set up a car to pick up at time we requested and the cost was very reasonable, certainly not $60 per person, maybe more like $60 total. Earlier this year we did the same and Viking asked if we wanted to share a car with another couple who planned to disembark at the same time, again, worked perfectly and we split the cost.

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Just home from our river cruise that ended in Amsterdam. Indeed, you can schlep your stuff a few hundred yards to the Central Station, or you can book a taxi to the airport. Our cost out to Schiphol in a nice Mercedes van was €40, door to door...and that was for up to 6 passengers. BTW: We made it out to the airport way ahead of the much more expensive cruise line transfer bus...so much easier checking luggage and passing thru security without them.

I'm on the countdown to my first Viking river cruise that ends up in Amsterdam (on Christmas Eve!). I've taken a deviation on the "included" air (so I can hop over to the UK for a Christmas family visit before making my way back to Canada) so presume that the transfer from the ship to Schiphol airport will be my own responsibility.

 

If I have to purchase the airport transfer separately from Viking, does anyone know the cost, and how that would compare to a taxi or any other option?

 

Thanks in advance!

Did you do the air deviation or the air stopover? If you did the stopover then the transfers will be included from the ship to the airport. This is what my TA relayed to us when she was setting up our air for this coming week. We are doing a stopover in Zurich before going to Munich where we will have the included transers to Passau.

Just home from our river cruise that ended in Amsterdam. Indeed' date=' you can schlep your stuff a few hundred yards to the Central Station, or you can book a taxi to the airport. Our cost out to Schiphol in a nice Mercedes van was €40, door to door...and that was for up to 6 passengers. BTW: We made it out to the airport way ahead of the much more expensive cruise line transfer bus...so much easier checking luggage and passing thru security without them.[/quote']

 

Hi. Did you book the taxi while on the ship with the concierge or did you do it yourself online?

Thanks.

Did you do the air deviation or the air stopover? If you did the stopover then the transfers will be included from the ship to the airport. This is what my TA relayed to us when she was setting up our air for this coming week. We are doing a stopover in Zurich before going to Munich where we will have the included transers to Passau.

OP here, reporting back! I did a deviation, not a stopover. I did the short hop over to the UK to visit my Brit family for Christmas, before heading back to the West Coast of Canada.

I did consider schlepping my case to the rail station, it didn't look that far, but opted for a taxi in the end. Viking was very, very helpful - I asked about "buying in" to a bus transfer, but the Tour Director (Diana - who was absolutely wonderful all through the cruise!) admitted that the transfer would probably be more than the taxi, if I was to buy it separately. Viking reception took the names of anyone who was thinking of taking a taxi and matched them up into taxi shares for those travelling at the same times. It worked out wonderfully and I shared a taxi (mini-van type) with another couple so it ended up being 20 Euro per person (including a good tip), which I considered more than reasonable considering the ease of the process.

I was glad to have avoided the bus transfer as the buses seemed to be leaving at a very early hour in the morning - I presume that most of the flights heading to the US must have been early ones. I ended up with time for a relaxing breakfast and then time to spare before hopping in the taxi!

(However I would recommend avoiding Amsterdam airport on the morning of Christmas Eve - it was an absolute zoo, with very long lines. I had got to the airport 3 hours early, which I thought was ample considering my the short flight time over the North Sea, however once I had got through check in and security I only just had enough time to grab a few things from the duty free shops before heading to the gate! As a warning the luggage drop off is all automated, if your suitcase is even slightly overweight, the machine spits it out and you have to go join yet another line to speak to a human (who then charges you for any overage!)

However the cruise was wonderful and I am definitely a "convert" to river cruising. All the crew and staff on the Vidar were amazing! If anyone needs any info on the Basel to Amsterdam route, I'll be happy to assist!