Questions about HAL Transfer from Amsterdam to the Ijmuiden Port

[GregnChris]

HAL offers shuttle transportation from Victoria Plaza Hotel (maybe in the Plaza across the street from the hotel) in Amsterdam to Ijmuiden port. The cost is $44 per person and I believe you have to book through your TA. We have a reservation for this transport on Aug 23, 2016 through our TA.

 

We are arriving 5 days early for our June 16 departure and staying on our own at the Starwood W hotel on Dam Square. We booked the cruise thru a HAL PCC. I asked if we could book a transfer from Victoria Plaza hotel as suggested by others, but he said he could only do that if we HAL booked our pre-departure hotel. So if I want the HAL transfer, I guess we have to go back out to the airport and catch that one. I think we will just take a cab.

 

Greg

[sammiedawg]

We are arriving 5 days early for our June 16 departure and staying on our own at the Starwood W hotel on Dam Square. We booked the cruise thru a HAL PCC. I asked if we could book a transfer from Victoria Plaza hotel as suggested by others, but he said he could only do that if we HAL booked our pre-departure hotel. So if I want the HAL transfer, I guess we have to go back out to the airport and catch that one. I think we will just take a cab.

 

Greg

 

Oh my. Things never change. Two years ago we were sailing from imjuiden and we were told we had to book Hal hotel to take the transfer from central Amsterdam. We argued back and forth for months to get on the shuttle. Never ever again would I sail from this port and the attitude from Hal was a big turn off.

City cabs do not want to take you to this remote port.

[KirkNC]

Oh my. Things never change. Two years ago we were sailing from imjuiden and we were told we had to book Hal hotel to take the transfer from central Amsterdam. We argued back and forth for months to get on the shuttle. Never ever again would I sail from this port and the attitude from Hal was a big turn off.

City cabs do not want to take you to this remote port.

 

You really have to wonder why they would take that approach. I get it that they make more money if you do their hotel as well but I am sure they make plenty at $60/pp for the transfer. And even if they did not make a dime they are providing a service to a customer. So what did they end up with, no profit on the transfer and an irritated customer, makes absolutely no sense.

[Boiler Cruiser]

You really have to wonder why they would take that approach. I get it that they make more money if you do their hotel as well but I am sure they make plenty at $60/pp for the transfer. And even if they did not make a dime they are providing a service to a customer. So what did they end up with, no profit on the transfer and an irritated customer, makes absolutely no sense.

 

As you can see from my OP that started this thread, I had a number of questions about how the HAL transfer process worked.

 

My DW and I have booked our transfer from Amsterdam to Imjuiden with HAL. We did it thought our TA and got no pushback from HAL about which hotel we were staying at.

 

Turns out we are staying at a hotel across town in the Museum District, and will take a taxi to the Victoria Hotel to catch our bus to the ship (Prinsendam). It is also not costing us $60/ each, although, off the top of my head, I can't remember what we are paying.

 

There is no requirement, as far as I know, that passengers stay at a HAL sanctioned hotel in order to get a spot on the transfer bus.

[SFO Peter]

[beginQUOTE=GregnChris;49630960]We are arriving 5 days early for our June 16 departure and staying on our own at the Starwood W hotel on Dam Square. We booked the cruise thru a HAL PCC. I asked if we could book a transfer from Victoria Plaza hotel as suggested by others, but he said he could only do that if we HAL booked our pre-departure hotel. So if I want the HAL transfer, I guess we have to go back out to the airport and catch that one. I think we will just take a cab.

Greg[/endQUOTE]

===

 

We are staying at the Crowne Plaza hotel (not a HAL hotel) in August. The transfer is without hotel for $44 person and must be booked through your TA. I don't know if the rules are different for earlier sailings. My understanding is tha HAL made this change to accommodate cruisers.

[SFO Peter]

It's on our personalized itinerary. Showing this as proof. The transfer is from Victoria Plaza. From what I can ascertain it is directly across the street from the Victoria Plaza hotel. Again your TA should be able to help you. Either that or change your TA. Our TA is neighbor with HAL in Seattle...

 

 

Edited April 6, 2016 by SFO PETER
added

[Boiler Cruiser]

It's on our personalized itinerary. Showing this as proof. The transfer is from Victoria Plaza. From what I can ascertain it is directly across the street from the Victoria Plaza hotel. Again your TA should be able to help you. Either that or change your TA. Our TA is neighbor with HAL in Seattle...

 

 

 

Peter,

 

My transfer reservation appears the same way on my itinerary, as well. By the way, I was under the impression that the HAL reps would be in or near the hotel lobby (Victoria Plaza Hotel) to greet guests who were going to Imjuiden and show them to the bus.

 

Has anyone had that experience, or heard that this is the case?

 

Gordon

[rafinmd]

HAL should have a representative at their hotel. He/she will not be a HAL employee, but probably someone secured through the port agent. When I sailed the Prinsendam last year, I walked over to HAL's hotel and talked to the representative at the HAL desk. He booked me a transfer, and said the bill would be added to my ship tab.

 

Everything worked perfectly. I got a cab to the Renaissance the next morning and used the hotel transfer. The only hitch was a pleasant one. The rep told me the cost would be 39 Euro, but when I got my bill it was $39. It sounds like it is now $44.

 

Roy

[just_cruising_along]

Always good to hear other people's experiences.

 

We will be on the Prinsendam later this year and transferring to Ijmuiden.

 

Prior to sailing, we are going to spend some time in Amsterdam. Since the HAL pre-cruise hotel is the MÖVENPICK, a bit north of the center of the city, we decided to spend time in another hotel and transfer to the MÖVENPICK our last night.

 

Our TA said we could just go to the HAL hotel that morning and pick up the shuttle, but decided we did not mind actually picking up and moving to another hotel. Perhaps not the most efficient way to approach this :).

 

Many times we just stay where we want, but when we have stayed at a HAL-designated hotel, we have that piece of mind that HAL will get us to the port.

[Boiler Cruiser]

Always good to hear other people's experiences.

 

We will be on the Prinsendam later this year and transferring to Ijmuiden.

 

Prior to sailing, we are going to spend some time in Amsterdam. Since the HAL pre-cruise hotel is the MÖVENPICK, a bit north of the center of the city, we decided to spend time in another hotel and transfer to the MÖVENPICK our last night.

 

Our TA said we could just go to the HAL hotel that morning and pick up the shuttle, but decided we did not mind actually picking up and moving to another hotel. Perhaps not the most efficient way to approach this :).

 

Many times we just stay where we want, but when we have stayed at a HAL-designated hotel, we have that piece of mind that HAL will get us to the port.

 

It sounds, based the comments above, that passengers staying at HAL designated hotels get some kind of preferential treatment.

 

For those who don't, will they be treated differently somehow?

Edited April 7, 2016 by Boiler Cruiser

[sammiedawg]

It sounds, based the comments above, that passengers staying at HAL designated hotels get some kind of preferential treatment.

 

For those who don't, will they be treated differently somehow?[/quote

 

We never book hotels through a cruise line, why pay their premium when the same product is available for individuals to book themselves. This should not make me a second class citizen but I was thoroughly exasperated with the Imjuiden situation two years ago. I cannot begin to tell you how much time I wasted dealing with this transfer.

 

We are Independent travelers, we rarely take cruise buses anywhere. I've booked private transfers and tours all over the world but I ran into a brick wall on Imjuiden. I could not find anyone to transfer us from central Amsterdam to the port and back again. There is no direct public transportation out there. I am not interested in any transferring from one bus to a different one when I am out in the boonies. We met a couple who had to pay two hundred euros to a cabbie for a one way transfer, they had to beg and overpay to get a ride out there. Cabbies do not want to go out there as it ties them up for two hours with little chance to get a fare back to the city..

 

I am disgusted to read HAL is again telling a customer they cannot buy a transfer unless they overpay for a cruise line hotel. Terrible, terrible customer service.

 

HAL needs to remove the word "Amsterdam" from the itinerary as this port is not in Amsterdam.

[SFO Peter]

[beginQUOTE=sammiedawg;49642522]

It sounds, based the comments above, that passengers staying at HAL designated hotels get some kind of preferential treatment.

For those who don't, will they be treated differently somehow?[/quote

We never book hotels through a cruise line, why pay their premium when the same product is available for individuals to book themselves. This should not make me a second class citizen but I was thoroughly exasperated with the Imjuiden situation two years ago. I cannot begin to tell you how much time I wasted dealing with this transfer.

We are Independent travelers, we rarely take cruise buses anywhere. I've booked private transfers and tours all over the world but I ran into a brick wall on Imjuiden. I could not find anyone to transfer us from central Amsterdam to the port and back again. There is no direct public transportation out there. I am not interested in any transferring from one bus to a different one when I am out in the boonies. We met a couple who had to pay two hundred euros to a cabbie for a one way transfer, they had to beg and overpay to get a ride out there. Cabbies do not want to go out there as it ties them up for two hours with little chance to get a fare back to the city..

I am disgusted to read HAL is again telling a customer they cannot buy a transfer unless they overpay for a cruise line hotel. Terrible, terrible customer service.

HAL needs to remove the word "Amsterdam" from the itinerary as this port is not in Amsterdam.[/endQUOTE]

===

 

Please look at my earlier posts. For the Prinsendam August 23 sailing (don't know about the others in 2016) HAL will transfer you in a bus from Victoria Plaza Central Amsterdam (not far from the Central Station) to Ijmuiden for $44 person. You do not need to be in a HAL hotel and there will be no preferential treatment for those not staying in HAL hotel (based on my experiences). You do need to book through your TA. Do another check with your TA. You can also make a copy of my earlier post showing the Ijmuiden transfer and ask your TA should this apply to you as well.

[just_cruising_along]

Not sure that is preferential treatment :) You pay for a service supplied by the cruise line. There is a representative at the hotel who can answer transportation and luggage handling questions, usually onsite the day before the transfer. Sometimes they actually call you and say, "We are here, come on down and get your shuttle ticket." Depending upon the city and the location of the port, we sometimes opt to use this service. In some cities, we already have favorite hotels and find our own way to the port. I think it is a matter of preference. Originally we were going to find our own transportation, however, after reading CC comments, we decided to move to the HAL pre-cruise hotel just to make it easier on ourselves.

[ScottishMaid]

Does anyone know the price per person of the HAL transfer directly from the airport to Ijmuiden on the morning of the cruise?

We are flying in to Amsterdam late the previous afternoon. I'm wondering whether to get a hotel near the airport for the night.

Any ideas other than HAL for a direct transfer airport to Ijmuiden?

Any recommendations for an airport hotel?

Thanks!

[PatsyAnne]

We stayed at CitizenM Schiphol (sp?) a couple of weeks ago. I really liked it and would stay there again, but it is a different concept. Check it out online. Small room, large bed.

[GregnChris]

thanks, everyone for your comments about using your TA to book the xfer. unfortunately, we booked our tour thru HAL PCC, and he was not able to add the transfer. apparently he has left the company and we were assigned a new PCC. I will give her a call to see if shecan help us.

 

Greg

[SurfnSail]

After a few phone calls I did book a HAL in-transit transfer from the city center of Amsterdam for $22. I think HAL said from the airport the in-transit theater is $44. The transfer is arranged through your travel agent.

 

If anyone else has found other transfers from Amsterdam to the ship pier please pass on the information.

[Boiler Cruiser]

Not sure that is preferential treatment :) You pay for a service supplied by the cruise line. There is a representative at the hotel who can answer transportation and luggage handling questions, usually onsite the day before the transfer. Sometimes they actually call you and say, "We are here, come on down and get your shuttle ticket." Depending upon the city and the location of the port, we sometimes opt to use this service. In some cities, we already have favorite hotels and find our own way to the port. I think it is a matter of preference. Originally we were going to find our own transportation, however, after reading CC comments, we decided to move to the HAL pre-cruise hotel just to make it easier on ourselves.

 

My DW and I are, at this point, going to be staying at a hotel near Vondel Park for 3 days before our cruise. We have made arrangements through our TA to take the HAL transfer to the Prinsendam in Imjuiden, which leaves from the Victoria Hotel.

 

Our plan is to take a cab that morning (of our departure) to the Victoria Hotel, from our hotel, in time to be there an hour or so before the bus is scheduled to leave.

 

Here are my questions:

 

1. Should we make a point of dropping by the Victoria Hotel the night (or day) before and checking in with someone who is familiar with the HAL transfer, such as the consierge or the HAL desk, if there is one?

 

2. Will there be a HAL rep there (at the Victoria Hotel) an hour or so before the scheduled departure of the bus that we will be able to check in with?

 

Thanks for any information, guidance and/ or advice.

[lastlook]

We arrived in Amsterdam a few days in advance of our Prinsendam cruise last June. HAL was using the Renaissance Hotel last year and we decided to book there independently and then planned to purchase our transfer at the hotel once the HAL rep was on site. We were surprised to learn that the HAL transfer bus was full, but the HAL representative (at the table set up just off the lobby) was very helpful and offered to arrange a taxi with another couple who also needed a transfer. In the end, there were 3 couples and we had a pleasant taxi van ride out to Ijmuiden. I don't remember what the cost per couple was, but I do remember that it was less per couple than if we'd taken the HAL bus transfer. Each couple paid their portion in cash upon arrival at the port.

 

For the return from Ijmuiden to Schipol at the end of the cruise, we decided to purchase the HAL transfer while onboard the Prinsendam. It was well organized and we (and our luggage) arrived at the airport without any problems.

[RuthC]

Here are my questions:

 

1. Should we make a point of dropping by the Victoria Hotel the night (or day) before and checking in with someone who is familiar with the HAL transfer, such as the consierge or the HAL desk, if there is one?

 

2. Will there be a HAL rep there (at the Victoria Hotel) an hour or so before the scheduled departure of the bus that we will be able to check in with?

I have taken the HAL 1-night pre-cruise to the Amsterdam port twice, and in many other cities as well. The procedure is the same all over, so my experience may help answer your questions.

 

There is always a table set up for the HAL reps off the hotel lobby, and they have long hours there the day before transfer.

Stopping in to see them is a good idea, so they know to be looking for you, and what you look like.

 

They will be there early the next morning organizing, coordinating, and generally getting things moved along.

Yes, get there early and check in. Find out where they want you to put your luggage, where to wait, then relax---it's going to be a while. This is my time to start getting nervous (but doesn't have to be yours).

Keep your eyes open to what's going on around you, and watch to see the reps. You want to be alert to be ready to board when it's time. Keeping track of your luggage to see it makes it on the bus is a good idea, too.

 

The busses may or may not be there when you arrive, but they will come. Sometimes they have to come in a few at a time, if there isn't room for them all at once. As each one fills and leaves, the others will pull up to the doorway area.

There will be lots (and LOTS!) of people, so be patient.

 

You may not have done this before, but the HAL reps have. They have experience, and know what they are doing. You will get to the port.

And then the real fun starts! :D