AmsterdamCruise Port Guide
Your ship ties up a 16-minute walk from Central Station. Canal cruises, a windmill day trip and a few museums on the way all fit before all-aboard.
Welcome to Amsterdam
Pro Picks
Canal cruise · 1 hrSaloon boat canal cruise
An hour on a traditional saloon boat through the canal ring, with a live English-speaking guide and an optional cheese and wine add-on. You choose one of three starting points when you book, so pick the one nearest Central Station, and the minimum drinking age is 18.
From $15.79/ person
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Walking tour · 2 hrsAnne Frank walking tour
A two-hour small-group walk led by a local guide, meeting beside the Anne Frank monument at the Westerkerk, around the corner from the Anne Frank House. It does not include entry to the Anne Frank House itself, which sells out, so book those tickets separately.
From $21.70/ person
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Day trip · 5.5 hrsWindmills, Volendam and Marken day trip
A guided 5.5-hour trip by coach to the Zaanse Schans windmills and the fishing villages of Volendam and Marken. You check in 30 minutes before departure at the Tours & Tickets office inside Central Station, about 0.7 miles from the ship, so leave early.
From $37.58/ person
Book Now →Your time ashore
Count from leaving the ship to being back aboard.
Amsterdam in 2 hours
Canal cruise
Canal cruise from Central Station
A one-hour cruise past the canal houses with an audio guide in 19 languages. Boarding can stretch the outing to 90 minutes in peak season, so keep a buffer before all-aboard and be at the boat 15 minutes early.
From$14
Time required1 hour
Canal cruise
Panorama rooftop canal cruise
A glass-roofed boat with an open deck, a live guide in English or Dutch and a multilingual audio guide. The listing doesn't give one fixed meeting point, so choose your departure at booking and allow the walk from the ship.
From$13.90
Time required1 hour - 75 minutes
Amsterdam in 4 hours
Pancake cruise
Dutch pancake river cruise
A 75-minute cruise on the River IJ with all-you-can-eat Dutch pancakes. It leaves from NDSM wharf in Amsterdam-Noord, reached by the free pedestrian ferry (F4) from Central Station, so count the walk and the crossing as well.
From$33.82
Time required75 minutes
Walking tour
Anne Frank walking tour
A two-hour guided walk in a small group, meeting at the Westerkerk beside the Anne Frank monument. It's across the centre from the ship, so leave time for the trip each way. House tickets are not included.
From$21.70
Time required2 hours
Amsterdam in 7 hours
Day trip
Zaanse Schans, Edam, Volendam and Marken
A fast-paced private-coach tour to the windmills and three villages, 6.5 hours in total by the listing's own count, with luggage allowed on the bus. The bus leaves on time from De Ruijterkade, so arrive 15 minutes early.
From$35.26
Time required6.5 - 8 hours
Day trip
Zaanse Schans, Volendam and Marken
The shorter day trip: 5.5 hours by coach with a guide, checking in 30 minutes before departure at the Tours & Tickets office in Central Station. In winter the listing adds a boat trip from Marken to Volendam.
From$37.58
Time required5.5 hours
Within a stroll of the boat
Six stops on foot from Passenger Terminal Amsterdam, from the concert hall on the same waterfront to the old streets behind Central Station. There's no beach in the city; the coast is at IJmuiden, and ships that call there are a long transfer from town.
Culture · 0.2 mi · ~4 min
Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ
A concert hall and theatre on the same waterfront, a few minutes from the gangway. It has a ticket office and is listed as wheelchair accessible, so it's an easy first stop if a performance is on.
Museum · 0.5 mi · ~12 min
NEMO Science Museum
A hands-on science museum on Oosterdok, listed as open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:30 and taking cards. Entry is listed at 21.50 euros a person.
Museum · 0.8 mi · ~16 min
Het Scheepvaartmuseum
The national maritime museum on Kattenburgerplein, open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00 for an entry fee. It takes card payments only, so leave the coins in your pocket.
Landmark · 0.7 mi · ~16 min
Basilica of Saint Nicholas
A brick Roman Catholic basilica opposite Central Station, built in 1875. It's listed as open Tuesday to Saturday from 11:00 to 16:00 and only from 12:00 to 15:00 on Sunday and Monday.
Drinks · 0.8 mi · ~17 min
In 't Aepjen
A pub at the start of the Zeedijk, a short way past Central Station. Access is limited for wheelchairs.
Plaza · 1.0 mi · ~21 min
Nieuwmarkt
An open square at the edge of Chinatown, the farthest stop on the map and a good turnaround point before heading back to the ship.
Handy Helpers
Small things that make a port day easier.
Private Driver, Waiting at the Dock
A pre-booked driver meets you at the dock for a fixed price. No haggling, no waiting for a taxi to fill.
Bike rental
Cover more ground than on foot. Book ahead and return it well before all-aboard.
Travel eSIM
Install it on ship WiFi and your maps and ride apps work the moment you land in Amsterdam.
Quick answers
Facts last checked .
How we checked these answers
Every answer is built from facts we checked against the sources below and cross-checked with recent port guides. Where sources disagreed, the answer says so instead of guessing a number.
- I amsterdam (City of Amsterdam visitor site): cruise ships to Amsterdam
- Holland America Line: Amsterdam port information
- Royal Caribbean: Where is the Port of Amsterdam?
- Holland America Line: IJmuiden (Amsterdam) port information
- Celebrity Cruises: Amsterdam port
- I amsterdam (City of Amsterdam visitor site): beaches
- Celebrity Cruises: Amsterdam river cruise port guide
- European Central Bank: the euro
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection: Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative
- U.S. State Department travel advisory: Netherlands
- Evides Drinkwater
- Government of the Netherlands: summer time and winter time
Getting ashore
Where do cruise ships dock in Amsterdam?
Cruise ships that berth in the city dock at Passenger Terminal Amsterdam, Piet Heinkade 27, on the River IJ just east of Central Station, and tie up alongside the quay, so there is no tender. Some ships call at IJmuiden instead, at the Felison Cruise Terminal about 30 km north-west of the city. Holland America lists both as Amsterdam departure points, so check your cruise documents for the one your ship uses.
Which terminal does Celebrity use in Amsterdam?
Celebrity, Holland America and Royal Caribbean usually use Passenger Terminal Amsterdam: Celebrity says its Amsterdam ships sail from it, and Holland America and Royal Caribbean both give its Piet Heinkade 27 address. Holland America also lists IJmuiden as a departure point, and no cruise line page we found says which other lines use it, so confirm your berth in the ship's daily program or your cruise documents.
Is it worth getting off the ship in Amsterdam?
Yes at the city terminal, because the ship docks about a 15-minute walk from Central Station and the old centre starts just beyond it. Without leaving the waterfront you have luggage lockers in the terminal, the Muziekgebouw concert hall 0.2 miles away and the NEMO science museum 0.5 miles away. The stroll map shows six stops within about 20 minutes of the gangway.
Can you walk from the Amsterdam cruise terminal to the city centre?
Yes from Passenger Terminal Amsterdam: it is about 0.7 miles and a walk of roughly 16 minutes to Central Station, and the city's own visitor site calls it a 15-minute walk. Tram 26 covers the same stretch in a few minutes if you would rather ride. From IJmuiden there is no walk, because the city is about 30 km away.
Can you walk to a beach from the Amsterdam cruise port?
No, there is no beach within walking distance of the Amsterdam cruise terminal, because Amsterdam has no sea beach in the city. The beach areas in the city's own visitor guide are on the North Sea coast at IJmuiden, which is a long transfer from the centre. Most people spend a port day here on canals and museums instead.
Is the port of Amsterdam open to cruise ships?
Yes, but with limits: since 2026 Passenger Terminal Amsterdam accepts at most 100 sea-cruise calls a year, with one berth per day. The city government has proposed ending ocean cruise calls in the centre by 2035, and left that decision to the council elected on 18 March 2026. We found no report of the outcome, so check your cruise line for your sailing's berth.
Where is the river cruise port in Amsterdam?
River cruise ships use the river-cruise quays on the Ruijterkade and the Veemkade, not the ocean terminal at Piet Heinkade 27. Celebrity's river cruise guide says De Ruijterkade is a river port and should not be confused with Passenger Terminal Amsterdam, which is the main terminal for larger ocean ships. Check your river line's boarding instructions for the exact quay.
Getting around
How do I get from the Amsterdam cruise port to the city centre?
From Passenger Terminal Amsterdam the city's visitor site names tram 26 and taxis as the quicker ways to the centre. Trams run every four to six minutes and you can tap a contactless bank card, with a one-hour ticket about 3.40 euros, and a taxi to Central Station is about 8 to 15 euros. Holland America says Uber and Bolt are also available at the terminal.
How do I get from the IJmuiden cruise terminal to Amsterdam?
From the IJmuiden terminal, central Amsterdam is about 30 km away: roughly 30 minutes by taxi, or about an hour by bus 382 to Sloterdijk and then a train or tram. A taxi costs roughly 70 to 140 euros each way. Some cruise lines run their own shuttle, which is usually the simplest option, so ask your ship before you book a transfer.
How far is the Amsterdam cruise terminal from the airport?
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is the airport for the cruise terminal: Holland America lists it at 15 miles (24 km), about 30 minutes by taxi depending on traffic, for roughly 45 euros. The line gives the same figures for the IJmuiden terminal, so check traffic and your own transfer for sailing day.
Is there somewhere to leave luggage at the Amsterdam cruise terminal?
Yes, Passenger Terminal Amsterdam has luggage lockers on the Main Deck beside the restrooms, open 24 hours, according to Holland America. A small locker is 4 euros and a large one 6 euros, and they take only 1 and 2 euro coins, so bring change.
Planning your day
Can I get Anne Frank House tickets on the day of my cruise call?
Don't count on it. The Anne Frank walking tours listed on our page say they do not include entry to the Anne Frank House and advise booking house tickets a few months ahead because they often sell out. The tours meet at the Westerkerk, around the corner from the house, so book the house ticket first and then plan the walk around it.
Money, documents & health
What currency does Amsterdam use, and are cards accepted?
Amsterdam uses the euro, the currency of the Netherlands as a euro area member since 1999, according to the European Central Bank. You can tap a contactless bank card on city trams, buses and the metro, so a card covers the ride from the terminal; the terminal luggage lockers are the exception and take only coins.
Do I need a passport to visit Amsterdam on a cruise?
US Customs and Border Protection says US citizens on closed-loop cruises can re-enter the United States with a birth certificate and a government-issued photo ID, but may still be required to show a passport to enter the countries the ship visits. A passport is needed for air travel, so carry one in case you have to fly home from Amsterdam.
Is Amsterdam safe for cruise passengers?
The US State Department rates the Netherlands Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution, because of terrorism, and lists tourist locations, transport hubs, markets and hotels among possible targets. Use normal big-city care in crowded areas and around Central Station.
Is the tap water safe to drink in Amsterdam?
Yes, Dutch tap water is safe to drink. Evides, a Dutch drinking-water company, says it is clean and safe to drink for young and old.
What time is it in Amsterdam, and do the clocks change?
The Netherlands is on Central European Time, with summer time (CEST) in between. In 2026 the clocks go back one hour at 03:00 on Sunday 25 October, according to the Dutch government, so on a call around that date check whether your ship is also changing its clocks.