1st Time HAL Rotterdam Norse Legends Review 9/9-9/16/23

[Trish Traveler]

13 hours ago, maggieq said:

@Trish Traveler  so glad you noted doing the express walk off as we are looking at a noon flight.  How did you find the airport from a checkin and customs perspective?  Thanks!

Both lines moved well.  I can't tell you exact times because I didn't specifically note them other than the whole thing from ship to exiting security to the gate area was about 90 minutes for us on that day.  At the terminal, we walked right out the door to where the taxis stage and were immediately assigned one.  We definitely felt very lucky to have this going so well.🤗  "Your mileage may vary" 

 

We used the kiosk at the airport for our boarding pass and luggage tags.  The thing that was different right after this point is that we waited in a short line to check our luggage in self-serve machines.  However, we immediately attached our luggage tags like we do in the US, but we then needed to pass an employee who was scanning the tags that people were holding in their hands.  She did scan ours on our luggage.  In addition, when we got to the machine, we found out that we had put our luggage tags in the wrong spot - in the US we always put them on the top handle the long way on normal rectangular luggage.  For the machine, you place your luggage on its side, so they apparently want the luggage tags on the side handle so the machine can read it.  I may have missed a sign that indicated this.🧐  We weren't the only ones who got this wrong.😬  Anyway, not a problem, as an employee just had us move to her kiosk to check them in the traditional way we are used to in the US.  But, it could waste precious time if you are counting minutes.

[LnWG]

I will add….we disembarked on Sep 23, which is the day that the ship was held up at the locks and was late arriving at Amsterdam port. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 12:15. 
 

We had chosen to disembark independently, the line on F2 was long but once it started to move it moved very quickly. It is a longer walk to the taxis than one might expect. Although we had no pre-booked cab, there was no trouble whatsoever getting one at the terminal. There were people directing you throughout the terminal so you knew where to go for cabs, pre-booked cabs etc. 

 

Our driver told us that one of the routes to the airport was closed due to annual maintenance that weekend, and we were somewhat starting to panic at this point. Nonetheless, we pulled up at the airport around 8:40am. It was exceedingly busy. But our good driver had made sure to drive us to the correct entranceway for our airline. 

 

The check-in desk was staffed and there was no-one at all lined up in front of us, so our bags were checked within minutes and our boarding passes were printed there for us. 
 

Security was busy. We proceeded through ahead of our pre-booked time slot, it took us about 35 minutes until we were cleared and through to the gates. Our gate was a long way off, but we were at the gate by 10:00, having stopped for facilities and a coffee along the way. 
 

So even with a few hold-ups, we had no trouble at all making a 12:15 flight. I’m sure you will be fine for your noon flight.
 

[maggieq]

Thank you so much all for terrific feedback.  I am a worry wart traveler so want to know everything I can about a new experience.  

[Kelownabccan]

Wow....what a blog on the cruise......we were on the next 21 days.....super time also....and loved the ship and crew......Ken and Judy in Canada

[Kelownabccan]

Just now, Kelownabccan said:

Wow....what a blog on the cruise......we were on the next 21 days.....super time also....and loved the ship and crew......Ken and Judy in Canada

Your pictures are super.....seem to be better than ours.....better phone??? or a real camera....lol....

[Trish Traveler]

52 minutes ago, Kelownabccan said:

Your pictures are super.....seem to be better than ours.....better phone??? or a real camera....lol....

Thank you. The pictures are a combination of pictures from my Google Pixel 3a phone and  a Canon Power Shot SX740HS.  I use the Canon as backup because my battery drains fast on my phone when I'm snapping so many photos on long port days!

 

Wow, I see your other post that you were on 21 days...that sounds great - 7 days was too short to really enjoy the ship when all our energy was spent in ports!  The Rotterdam ship and crew was great!

[MaryBethV]

Thank you for such an amazing trip report! Beautiful photos as well! We may just have to consider this itinerary in the future. 🙂

[Trish Traveler]

21 hours ago, MaryBethV said:

Thank you for such an amazing trip report! Beautiful photos as well! We may just have to consider this itinerary in the future. 🙂

You're welcome!  Norway is gorgeous.