Dutch_Travelgirl

May 4 is Remembrance Day, it’s however not a holiday in terms of things being closed. At 8pm we observe 2 minutes of silence to commemorate the victims of war. Shops usually close at 7:45 at the latest and public transport pauses during the 2 minutes silence. May 5 is Liberation Day, there are lots of festivities, but again everything remains open. More info here; https://www.4en5mei.nl/english

May 1 is a public holiday in countries like Spain, France etc but not in the Netherlands. May 2 is a regular normal Monday. 

The website of the Floriade has all the information on how to get there; https://floriade.com/en/address-and-route/

45 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

It seems that the bus from Schiphol to Keukenhof is a shorter run than that from RAI, so I'm guessing that our best bet is to buy the Keukenhof tickets with bus from Schiphol combination, and on the return trip take the train from Schiphol to Centraal.  Yes?

If you scroll back to post #13, you will see that this has been my suggestion all along. So to answer your question; Yes. 

9 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

From Centraal Station to Keukenhof (on Monday 18 April at around 11 am), would it be better to take Metro (M52) to RAI and then bus (852) to Keukenhof – or a different transit combo

That day is Easter Monday, a public holiday in the Netherlands. If you leave for the Keukenhof at around 11 am, it will be absolutely packed by the time you get there. There also is a good chance the roads around the Keukenhof will be clogged with cars from people exploring the tulip fields surrounding the Keukenhof. The busses to the Keukenhof use the same roads as the tulip watchers, so there is no way for the busses to escape the traffic jams. All this is another reason why it’s a good idea to store your luggage at Schiphol and continue straight on to the Keukenhof. That way you’ll arrive at the Keukenhof ahead of the crowds. 
If you still want to go to the ship first then metro to Rai and bus to Keukenhof is one option. Another option is to train back to Schiphol and take the bus to the Keukenhof there. 

That’s nice of you to say Foolrex. You’re welcome!

I just want to add one thing. The website of the Dutch government also says this:

” You are advised to do a self-test immediately after arrival in the Netherlands and again on day 5.“

This is an advice. Doing a self test upon arrival and on day 5 is completely voluntarily. It’s not mandatory and you don’t have to upload the results or show them to anyone. 
Enjoy your stay in the Netherlands! And don’t hesitate to ask if you have any follow up questions. 

All the rules with regard to vaccinations are stated on the website of the Dutch government; https://www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19/visiting-the-netherlands-from-abroad/requirements-for-proof-of-vaccination

Yes, starting today the testing requirement to enter the Netherlands is dropped for everyone, no matter where you arrive from or your nationality. 
However for non-EU nationals arriving from outside the EU/Schengen, the entry ban remains in place. There are several exemptions to this entry ban, including being fully vaccinated, recently recovered or arriving from a country on the safe list. Currently countries like the USA and the UK are not on the safe list. This means that UK and US nationals that want to travel to the Netherlands from outside the EU/Schengen need to be fully vaccinated or recently recovered. If not, they may not enter the country. 

On 3/4/2022 at 6:35 PM, Dutch_Travelgirl said:

 

I get that you’re anxious, but there is absolutely no reason to stress about what entry requirements might be in place 3 months from now. With the rate at which entry requirements are changing, 3 months basically equals 3 centuries.

 

And here is why I wrote this comment; starting Wednesday March 23, the test requirement for entry into the Netherlands is dropped;

https://www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19/tackling-new-coronavirus-in-the-netherlands/measures-announced

Non EU nationals arriving into the Netherlands from outside the EU/Schengen for tourism purposes must be fully vaccinated or recently recovered in order to be allowed to enter the Netherlands.

10 hours ago, Coolcruise02 said:

Thanks for the heads up about cash only in the grocery stores. What about grocery stores outside of Amsterdam?

Grocery stores are not cash only, quite the opposite actually. Grocery store prefer payment by card and all therefore all grocery stores accept Maestro debit cards. The issue lies with credit cards. Grocery store chain Jumbo does accept MasterCard and Visa. Grocery store Albert Heijn only accepts credit cards in a limited number of stores, for instance the Albert Heijn located at Schiphol and the one at Museumplein in Amsterdam. 

6 hours ago, topnole said:

The local said it is technically illegal for foreigners to do weed.  I asked how that could be given they are so well known for it, but she swore that was the case.  Interestingly, she said it is illegal to walk around with a beer, but a local can walk around while ingesting marijuana (smoking, eating, or whatever).  

Sadly you spoke to a very misinformed local. This may come as a surprise to many, but in the Netherlands by law the possession of weed is illegal and so is the sale. Yes, the possession of weed is illegal in the Netherlands, for everyone not just tourists. However the (in)famous Dutch tolerance policy, dictates that a person who has less than 5 grams of weed for personal use won’t be prosecuted. Coffeeshops are only allowed to have a limited amount of weed on the premises or else they too can be prosecuted. Those found in the possession of more than 5 grams of weed can and will be prosecuted. 
In order to stop the influx of so-called “drugs tourists” from countries like Belgium, France and Germany, coffeeshops in certain parts of the country are not allowed to sell weed to non-residents. This is basically the case in the entire border region. In these areas you need to be able to prove you’re a Dutch resident before being allowed to enter a coffeeshop. There was talk that this ban would be applied in Amsterdam as well, but they decided against it. So tourists can still enter a coffeeshop in Amsterdam and buy <5 grams of weed. Please don’t take just my word for it, see the official website of the Dutch government https://www.government.nl/topics/drugs/am-i-committing-a-criminal-offence-if-i-possess-produce-or-deal-in-drugs
Then the alcohol ban. In order to prevent disturbances, in large parts of Amsterdam it’s not allowed to consume alcohol in public areas. One of these areas is Dam Square. Amongst tourists the steps of our National Monument are a popular location to sit and drink a beer, but it’s not allowed there and I have personally witnessed police officers ordering people to pour their beer into the gutter. You are of course allowed to drink alcohol on one of the many outdoor terraces. 
 

The self test is voluntarily. It’s a recommendation not an obligation. You don’t have to do it, nor do you have to upload the result or show it to anyone. 
 

The Dutch government kindly asks all those who travel to The Netherlands from abroad to take a self test upon arrival, because there’s always a possibility that you got infected in the time period between the mandatory test for travel and your arrival in the Netherlands. 

To travel between Amsterdam Centraal and Schiphol you need to take the train. The train station at Schiphol is located right beneath the airport, so very convenient. 
The train is operated by the national railway company called NS, so you need a separate train ticket. See here for the website of NS https://www.ns.nl/en

10 hours ago, rgreenba said:

My cruise ends in Amsterdam and i would like to take tram 26 from the port to Central Station.  Can tickets be purchased on the tram?  Are there ticket machines on the platform?  All advice appreciated.

The trams, metros and most busses in Amsterdam are operated by the company called GVB. On their website GVB inform their customers about what tickets are available and where and how to buy them. If you’re only making this 1 tram journey, then a single 1-hour ticket is what you need. See here for where to buy it; https://reisproducten.gvb.nl/en/uur-en-dagkaarten/gvb-1-uur

If you check out that link, you will see you can buy the ticket in the tram, but that you can also use the GVB app to buy the ticket beforehand. 
If you plan on making more journeys with public transport, you might benefit from a (multi)day card. Let us know if you want help with that. 

7 hours ago, Airbalancer said:

 

One  person on the Apex TA roll call who lives in Amsterdam said it really not worth it to go the last week it is open as most of flowers are past their prime 

This isn’t necessarily true. The gardeners of the Keukenhof use special planting techniques, green houses etc to try and make sure there are flowers in bloom throughout the entire time the park is open. One technique they use is “lasagna style” planting of the bulbs. Bulbs of the same variety are planted at various depts, so they come up and bloom at different times. What the gardeners have no control over is Mother Nature. A couple of years ago we had a very long and cold winter and by the time the Keukenhof opened, everything was pretty much still green. Visitors complained and asked for their money back. Due to late start of the blooming period, a lot of flowers in the park were still in full bloom when the park closed for the season. 
This year we have a very early spring. The Keukenhof was interviewed about this early spring 2 weeks ago and they showed a field of beautiful blue/purple irises in bloom. These flowers will already be bloomed out before the Keukenhof opens. 
So it’s likely that there indeed won’t be much in bloom in the last week the Keukenhof is open this year, but it can be completely different again next year. 

I was only mentioning it’s not a flower park, because to some people the name “Floriade” suggests all things floral and flowers. The Floriade is just as much about new green technologies as it is about flowers and plants. I visited the 2012 edition in Venlo and it was okay.
Whether or not I would recommend it depends on whether or not it’s someone’s first visit to the Netherlands/Amsterdam and how many days there here. I wouldn’t recommend it to a first time visitor who is only in Amsterdam for 2 days pre-cruise. (Unless of course they have a keen interest in all things horticultural). For someone who has been in Amsterdam/the Netherlands previously and who has several days to spend, it can certainly be a very nice day out. 

It can be interesting, but be aware that it’s a horticultural exhibition fair, not a flower park like the Keukenhof. The website you linked to mentions all the details on how to get there. A train will get you near, but you need additional transport (bus, boat or bike) to get from the train station to the Floriade. 

6 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

This better than the hop on/hop off bus?

Both the hop on/hop off bus and the HOHO boat aren’t really ideal. The HOHO bus isn’t ideal because it can’t get into the most beautiful and historical part of Amsterdam; the Canal Zone. The streets in the Canal Zone are simply to narrow for these busses to drive on. The Hoho bus isn’t ideal, because it only has a limited number of stops and it doesn’t go thru the most beautiful canals. 
I would recommend to take a regular canal cruise and then walk to wherever you need to go. The historical city center of Amsterdam is very compact and walkable. 

@Host Jazzbeau I don’t know if your arrival time and river cruise check in time allow for it, but geographical, logistical and travel time wise it would be much easier to do the following;  Store your luggage at Schiphol Amsterdam Airport, take the direct bus from Schiphol to the Keukenhof and back, pick up your luggage and take the train to the central train station which is very close to where the river boats dock. If that isn’t possible, you should indeed do what you proposed in  your post. All the public transport journeys of both your and mine proposal (including busses to and from the Keukenhof) are covered by the 1-day Amsterdam &Region Travel Ticket. It costs €19,50 for the 1-day ticket and can be bought at Schiphol. More info here; https://www.iamsterdam.com/en/plan-your-trip/getting-around/public-transport/amsterdam-region-travel-ticket

@brobertsDid you perhaps my reply #1? The link you tell the OP to bookmark is the exact same link I already provided. And I also copy-pasted the current test requirements there. 
But most importantly, I stressed that 3 months is centuries away in terms of COVID. Entry requirements can and most likely will change before June. 

I get that you’re anxious, but there is absolutely no reason to stress about what entry requirements might be in place 3 months from now. With the rate at which entry requirements are changing, 3 months basically equals 3 centuries. For up to date information about entry requirements, see here; https://www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19/visiting-the-netherlands-from-abroad/checklist-entry

Currently (but subject to change!!!) the following rules apply with regards to the validity of the tests;

”

• • The test used for a NAAT (PCR) test result must be a molecular NAAT (PCR) test (either PCR, RT PCR, LAMP, TMA or mPOCT) based on a sample collected no more than 48 hours before departure in the foreign country. 
  • For a rapid test result the test must be a rapid test conducted up to 24 hours before departure. Usually this is an antigen test but it can also be a NAAT (PCR) test.”

3 hours ago, cruiserjoe315 said:

Are masks needed for indoor assigned seating, like restaurants or concerts?

Masks are only mandatory in public transport (train, bus, tram, metro, etc) and at the airport. 

1 hour ago, VMax1700 said:

 Do they still sell the 'stripkaart' for the trams? (apologies for spelling 🙄). They were great for a weekend, or if a regular visitor.

The strippenkaart was discontinued in 2011 and replaced by a OVchipcard that you can load with money. You can also buy individual tickets or (multi)day tickets. For all types of available tickets for bus, tram and metro in Amsterdam, see here; https://reisproducten.gvb.nl/en/toeristen

2 hours ago, DavietheScot said:

If your referring to covid restrictions by July you should be fine, Europe is already removing almost all restrictions for fully vaccinated individuals. 

As for current situation in Ukraine then at the moment that will have little effect on a Cruise industry in Europe with of course the exception of Baltic cruises which will be impacted. So fingers crossed you get there. 

Davie, you’re replying to a remark written more than a year ago. 

Airports, especially those like Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, which largely depend on transit passengers, would be extremely foolish not to accept credit cards. You will have no issues at all buying coffee or breakfast with your credit card. 
You mention bringing a European plug with you in your checked luggage, but you also mention that the UK is your final destination. Please be aware that the plugs used in the UK are totally different from the plugs used in the Netherlands. You can’t use the same plug for both the UK and the Netherlands. You will however find many desk type stations around Schiphol Airport where you can will find USB charging points. And depending on your airline and aircraft you may even be able to charge your phone or tablet during the flight.