Uniworld Belgium to Holland cruise in March 2017

[gnome12]

Joe,

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences! I couldn't find arrival or departure times for Brussels and Amsterdam on my invoice from Uniworld. When did you get that information? Do you still have the daily program that you can share with me? Is the excursion to Ghent or Bruges offered on first or second day in Brussels?

 

I should have 2.5 days in Amsterdam not counting the second to last day of the cruise so I hope to fit in the 3 museums and canal cruise.

 

I need to pray for an early Spring then to be able to see the tulips in full bloom. Will check the weather beforehand and pack accordingly.

 

Do you know about the Cruise Companion? It will be sent with your documents, but that is only a few weeks before departure. They are also available online. On the Uniworld site click Already Booked, in the Cruise Companions section click Learn More and you will get links to documents that give much more information. They don't currently have the 2017 documents up, but the 2016 will give you a pretty good idea, and you can watch when the 2017 ones go up.

Edited August 31, 2016 by gnome12

[Happy_Traveler_2008]

I have seen the Cruise Companion but unfortunately no times are listed. Having only taken ocean cruises, I am not used to the fact that there are no departure and arrival times for the whole itinerary provided well in advance. It would be helpful for my trip planning to at least know when I should board the ship in Brussels and when to depart in Amsterdam.

[laverendrye]

I have seen the Cruise Companion but unfortunately no times are listed. Having only taken ocean cruises, I am not used to the fact that there are no departure and arrival times for the whole itinerary provided well in advance. It would be helpful for my trip planning to at least know when I should board the ship in Brussels and when to depart in Amsterdam.

 

 

In most cases, passengers are met at the airport and transferred directly to the ship, and on disembarkation are transported to the airport on a schedule depending on their flight departure time.

 

However, as you have indicated you will be staying in Brussels for two days beforehand and in Amsterdam for two days after the cruise, you must make your way to the ship on your own and depart by your own means. It's very flexible, however. As the Cruise Companion notes, you should try to arrive at the ship any time after 3PM. As the ship stays in Brussels that night, you don't have to worry about missing it with a late arrival. On departure in Amsterdam you can leave at your leisure, but you will likely have to vacate your cabin by 8AM or 9AM at the very latest. The ship will arrange a taxi for you when you want to leave.

[Ritabob]

Your cabin will not be ready for you until around 3pm, but you can board the ship any time prior to that, especially if you have to vacate your hotel early. The crew will store your bags and you are then able to continue out and about sightseeing or explore the ship and hang out in the lounge. A light lunch will be provided for those embarking early and for those who are disembarking late.

RB

[Happy_Traveler_2008]

Thanks for the replies. That is very helpful.

[Hydrokitty]

I have seen the Cruise Companion but unfortunately no times are listed. Having only taken ocean cruises, I am not used to the fact that there are no departure and arrival times for the whole itinerary provided well in advance. It would be helpful for my trip planning to at least know when I should board the ship in Brussels and when to depart in Amsterdam.

 

Arrival and departure times at river cruise ports are not usually announced until the night before arrival. You will get each days schedule the night before while you're at dinner. There are too many variables in river cruising to enable them to post arrival and sailing times ahead of schedule. I would not take any chances on the day of departure....I would call your cruise line and ask them what is the earliest AND latest time you can board. You should also ask them exactly where will the ship be docked and write it down so you can tell the taxi driver where to take you. As to your departure on the final day, they will usually post individual departure times in the lobby and give you a luggage tag or ribbon in different colors that will coordinate with your individual departure time. Since you are staying on in Amsterdam, you probably won't have to put your luggage out the night before, but you will have to vacate your room by 8 or 9 a.m. The lounge is usually available for people who are leaving later or staying on and depending on the cruise line, a light b-fast may be set up as well.

Edited September 1, 2016 by Hydrokitty

[Ritabob]

another thought that popped into my mind...

With your travel documents there will be a card with the ship's phone #. Have the hotel you are staying in prior to the cruise, call the ship to confirm the docking location. Also good to have it for the taxi driver if they are not familiar with the docks.

[gnome12]

My Tulips and Windmills cruise started in Antwerp. I had called the ship and they gave me the location but we couldn't find the ship. They neglected to tell us it was behind a parking structure. Make sure you ask for any information on the docking location.

 

On my other Uniworld cruise beginning in Vienna my flight arrived at about 6:30 am and I went straight to the ship. While I couldn't get to my cabin I did go up to the sundeck to relax. (I also fell asleep and got a bit of sunburn.)

 

Later I accessed my luggage and took out a bike for a bit of a ride along the Danube to get some of the cobwebs out.

Edited September 1, 2016 by gnome12

[Hydrokitty]

another thought that popped into my mind...

With your travel documents there will be a card with the ship's phone #. Have the hotel you are staying in prior to the cruise, call the ship to confirm the docking location. Also good to have it for the taxi driver if they are not familiar with the docks.

 

Excellent idea!!! And ask the hotel to write down the location in english AND Dutch....just in case you get a taxi driver who doesn't speak English all that well.

[Happy_Traveler_2008]

Thanks for the tips. I'll be boarding in Brussels so I need the directions in French, Dutch or German?

[capriccio]

Thanks for the tips. I'll be boarding in Brussels so I need the directions in French, Dutch or German?

 

The Belgians are polygots, especially in Brussels. You should do fine in English but if you're concerned, have your hotel concierge make the call to the taxi company. Brussels is officially dual language, French and Flemish (Dutch dialect). In the Brussels suburbs the official language varies from town to town. We lived in Waterloo where French was the official language but the next towns over (Overijse and Hoeilaart) have Flemish as their official language. German is only spoken in the far eastern section of Belgium.