What Type of Travel Agent Assistance Between Two Cruises?

[erdufylla]

@*Miss G* Thanks for all that! I almost always avoid third-party sites for precisely the reasons you list, so finding places to book directly with would have been my first instinct already. (I also like supporting smaller businesses directly when I can.) I’m glad to hear that practice remains a smart choice in Europe. I’ll definitely take your advice about researching neighborhoods, points of interest, and commuting options. I do have some potential mobility issues — nothing too major, but a bum ankle that can act up if I try and walk too much on it, so I won’t be booking any lengthy walking tours, and I’ll want to find a hotel that’s either close to some of the things I want to see, or possibly near a train station. But you’ve definitely helped me narrow down the things I need to include in my research, which is a huge help. Thank you!

 

@newcruisers70 Thank you for your advice about the trains in Germany! I’d mostly come to the conclusion that a flight to Copenhagen was going to be the smartest move, after seeing how inexpensive the flights are and how many transfers a train ride would require. But I’m very glad to hear that confirmed from someone with on-the-ground experience. And you’re right — a week sounds like a lot of time, but split between two cities, with a day of travel between, it’s not actually all that much, and I’d rather do that than add in several one-day trips to smaller cities in-between.

[melodyesch]

I have no advice about a TA, but would definitely recommend going to the travel forums at both Rick Steves and Fodors.  People there have done it all and you’ll get tons of help.

[dockman]

On 6/27/2023 at 6:23 AM, mcrcruiser said:

To start we recommend that you read or get his TV programs on Europe .He is Rick Steeves  .

 

 We have been to Amsterdam & sis a river cruise for 7 days down the Rhine river to Basil Switzerland 

 

 As far as hotels are concerned  inEurope we only book  into Hilton hotels .If you are not yet a Hilton honors member ,join them .Get the $05 per year Aspire Credit card from American Express Hilton honors which will make you Gold  level .That is more important in the USA .Save as many points as you can in advance ,Book only into Hilton Executive floors ,book 5 days get the 6th free ,The exercutive floor gets you entry into the executive lounge ,very important to do that because you eat & frink for free ,Un 2008 in Rome  ,we saved over $3000  in food & drink costs 

 

Get the Chase Sapphire credit card as well ,$06 per year ,First off it will insure your trip using it to pay some or most of the trip cost .with baggage ,with that get the Allianz Travel insurance.com which fits toyr need s . You buy it cheaper for a whole year than individual insurance .This will  give you medical ,med vac & baggage ie .As I said much better than a individual policy for one trip & usually much cheaper . It also will cover rental car 

 

 I have never used any Travel Agent tp [lan my land side trips . Doing the research you learn more  that way  & it becomes real fun & educational. I do full day touring either on my own or  using  Viator.com for your tours . .You do not need the Amsterdam card ,The Ricks museum for Rembrant & the Picaso museum as easily reached ,The Ann Frank house is also easy to get to  .Amsrterdam has over 500,000 bicycles .They have less  cars & more bicycles 

 

 Have Fun planing & then doing .You will meet a lot of nice people .BTW the surface transport is great in Amsterdam ,light rail  . Use only the Chase Sapphire to pay bills because there  is NO Exchange rate dees , USE this web site XE.com to covert US dollars to euors , Have 2 ATM cards & use only at the foreign airport ATM machines to get Euros  Why 2 cards because if one does not work the other will .It happened to me even though I had plenty of money behind both ATM cards . NEVER NEVER use ATM cards to pay bills .because you have NO protection with a ATM only protection is a credit card

 

 Make sure you get a money belt ,Yes unfortunately there are some very capable pick pockets .Carry only in cash in a front pocket what you may need that day . I use a thing around my neck that holds all money ,copies for my pass ports ,credit cards ie .DO NOT use pocket books in Europe unless the strap crosses your body ,so the 2nd person on a vesper scooter can't rip it off of you 

 

 Please please leave your original pass port ,airline tickets in the hotel room safe .Just keep copies with you

 

 Hope that we where of help to you here 😀

 

Cliff

 

another excellent credit card to get for hotel points is IHG..that is the group that runs holiday inns, intercontinental and a bunch of other brands...sign up and spend 3 k in 3 months and pay one time $95 fee and you get 150++ points that u can use for free hotel rooms all over the world and they have lots of choices in europe..do that and the hilton amex points cards and u can literally stay free for a couple of weeks ...you can cxl card after first year and you still keep the points...a great deal..just google it..

 

.hint...if u don't normally spend $3 k on card in 3 months just buy a few costco or walmart/sams club gift cards and put on the card to meet spend requirement and get points quickly...the cards never expire and of course won't take long to spend 3 k at those stores...

[lissie]

5 hours ago, *Miss G* said:

I strongly discourage using third-party booking sites.  Some are fine for doing research but they will add additional layers (and possible fees or loss of payment) should you need to make changes or cancellations.  Lowest level rooms given, and loss of rewards points, are another factor.  In addition, layers allow for blame to be shifted to the other party, whether it’s legitimate or not.  Go to the source and eliminate the frustration.

 

 

My  issue hasn't been the same. The cute  little auberge I've booked direct in Quebec refuse to answer my reasonable question (in French) about which floor the room is on (they have no lift). If I booked on booking dot com then I'd get a reply within 24 hours via their messaging system because the site monitors  responses to questions. 

 

But as I said its a backup - you book that early keep and eye on other deals and recommendations and book those later if you want and cancel your original booking.  I also book there in Europe because I get better terms - either cheaper, or no money up front, or cancellable up until 24 hours prior with no penalty, or all of those. Booking direct doesn't get you that often. 

[DCThunder]

Whether or not booked through a 3rd party site, I totally endorse the suggestion to avoid big American style chain hotels in Europe.  I use the 3rd party sites to do some research on hotels and then go to the hotels website to actually book. I understand lissie's point about not getting a response from the hotel on a reasonable question, but that hasn't been my experience.

[Heartgrove]

A little snag that I spotted regarding your Transatlantic on the Zuiderdam. You will not be docking in Amsterdam but docking in IJmuden (according to the HAL website) which is on the outskirts of Amsterdam. That port is used so that the ships do not need to go through the lock, and maybe anticipating low water levels again. HAL should have bus transfers for sale to Schiphol airport and Amsterdam-Centrum.

 

I actually prefer flying SAS having never having flown KLM nor any of the budget carriers for those city pairs.

 

Copenhagen will be simple to navigate. I recommend getting the "Copenhagen Card" once you arrive at Kastrup as you can use it to travel to your hotel on the Metro. The cruise terminal at Oceankaj is a bit remote but much easier to get to now than when we were there in 2017.

 

I broke my ankle in 2015 and now have chronic vein damage so need to limit walking at times. I also book hotels near train stations and tourist attractions.

 

- Jack

 

 

Edited June 28, 2023 by Heartgrove

[oakridger]

8 hours ago, Heartgrove said:

A little snag that I spotted regarding your Transatlantic on the Zuiderdam. You will not be docking in Amsterdam but docking in IJmuden (according to the HAL website) which is on the outskirts of Amsterdam.

 

I am on this TA also on Zuiderdam May 11, 2024, from Ft. Lauderdale and wondered if that's the one @erdufylla was talking about.  I was also considering taking a train from Amsterdam to Oslo through Copenhagen and realized that there will be way too many transfers.  Other CCers on the Scandinavia ports of call forum convinced me also to just fly from AMS to Oslo instead of trying the train.  Too bad, because I like trains if they have no connections!

 

@Copper10-8 informed me that part of the reason HAL may be using Ijmuiden instead of Amsterdam port is that AMS charges a per passenger fee now to dock there and Ijmuiden doesn't.  🤷‍♀️

 

~Nancy

 

 

[erdufylla]

Yup, that’s the TA I’m on. Docking in IJmuiden looks like it’s not quite as convenient, now that I look, but if it saves on port fees, I can appreciate that. And it doesn’t look like it’ll be too inconvenient to figure out transportation into Amsterdam proper. I’ve been poking around a bit and found several different options for mass transit daily passes. I don’t know if they extend that far out, or if it would be better to take a HAL transfer into the city and go from there, but all things to look into. 🙂 

 

I look forward to seeing you on the cruise, @oakridger!

[Mary229]

23 minutes ago, erdufylla said:

Yup, that’s the TA I’m on. Docking in IJmuiden looks like it’s not quite as convenient, now that I look, but if it saves on port fees, I can appreciate that. And it doesn’t look like it’ll be too inconvenient to figure out transportation into Amsterdam proper. I’ve been poking around a bit and found several different options for mass transit daily passes. I don’t know if they extend that far out, or if it would be better to take a HAL transfer into the city and go from there, but all things to look into. 🙂 

 

I look forward to seeing you on the cruise, @oakridger!

I looked the port over and for us it would have been a welcome change, it  looks like a pleasant place to stay. I think it would be ideal for a departure.  Unfortunately my TA will be departing Rotterdam which is OK but I am always looking for another port.  

Edited June 29, 2023 by Mary229

[*Miss G*]

We docked in IJmuiden on May 28th from an overnight DFDS ”mini-cruise”.  It appeared to be an unremarkable working port town.  We had looked into various ways of getting into Amsterdam to board the Nieuw Statendam the same day, but the least complicated and far less expensive way was to take the DFDS bus transfer at €10/pp.  I imagine the HAL transfer would be somewhat more expensive but it’s pain free.  The coach drop-off location is next to Amsterdam Centraal Station and the cruise ship terminal, both within easy walking distance if you don’t have mobility issues.

 

Arrow points to Amsterdam Centraal (with the rounded rooves).  Circle is the bus drop-off location.

 

[Mary229]

38 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

I looked the port over and for us it would have been a welcome change, it  looks like a pleasant place to stay. I think it would be ideal for a departure.  Unfortunately my TA will be departing Rotterdam which is OK but I am always looking for another port.  

There are some beach side communities nearby.