Amsterdam Cruise Season 2027: Transfers to PTA, IJmuiden and Rotterdam
Sailing from Amsterdam in 2027? Which terminal your ship uses, drive times from Schiphol, embarkation-day timing, luggage and group vehicles.
Three terminals handle ocean cruise ships around Amsterdam in 2027: the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam (PTA) on the IJ in the city centre, the Felison Cruise Terminal in IJmuiden on the North Sea coast, and Cruise Terminal Rotterdam on the Wilhelminapier. The 2027 calendar for PTA already listed 73 calls when we checked it on 7 November 2026, most of them between May and September. Because Amsterdam limits the city terminal to 100 sea cruise calls a year, a ticket that says “Amsterdam” can just as well mean a drive to IJmuiden or Rotterdam.
This page is for passengers sailing in 2027 who want to know which terminal they need, how long the drive is from Schiphol or their hotel, and how to time embarkation and disembarkation day.
Book your 2027 cruise terminal chauffeur
The 2027 cruise season at a glance
- Passenger Terminal Amsterdam: Piet Heinkade 27, Amsterdam. 73 calls listed for 2027, busiest in May (15), July (14) and June (12)
- Felison Cruise Terminal: Cruiseboulevard 10, IJmuiden (satnav: Volendamkade 1). No public 2027 calendar
- Cruise Terminal Rotterdam: Wilhelminakade 699, Rotterdam. Calls listed from January 2027
- City rules: a maximum of 100 sea cruise calls a year at PTA from 2026, and shore power obligatory for sea cruise ships in the port of Amsterdam from 2027
- From Schiphol by car: about 20 to 30 minutes to PTA, 25 to 35 minutes to IJmuiden, 55 to 75 minutes to Rotterdam
Times in published calendars are guidelines from the ship’s agent and can change. Your cruise documents always take priority.
Which terminal is your ship using in 2027?
Check the port name on your booking first, then the terminal. Amsterdam has reduced its ocean cruise calls: NOS reported in June 2024 that the city allows a maximum of 100 ships a year from 2026, down from about 190. With fewer calls in the city, IJmuiden and Rotterdam are the other two ocean terminals in the region, so check whether your ship berths at PTA, 30 km away in IJmuiden or 80 km away in Rotterdam.
On the 2027 PTA calendar, Holland America Line’s Zuiderdam is listed on most Saturdays from May to mid-August, and Celebrity Eclipse calls twelve times between May and September. In Rotterdam, the published calendar shows Holland America’s Rotterdam and Nieuw Statendam on many weekends from April into August, and MSC Preziosa about once a week from January to April. If you sail on one of these dates, book the transfer when you book the cruise.
SilverDrive is an independent chauffeur company and is not affiliated with any cruise line or terminal.
Passenger Terminal Amsterdam: practical detail
PTA is a 15-minute walk from Amsterdam Centraal, and tram 26 stops directly opposite at Muziekgebouw/Bimhuis. The terminal gives the drive from Schiphol as about 20 minutes.
Drop-off. A car may stop briefly in front of the main entrance to let passengers out. The stop is brief, so the chauffeur unloads the cases at once and moves the car on.
Check-in. Check-in starts with luggage drop, signposted in the lobby. Porters in yellow cardigans help outside the entrance. Label your cases at home, and keep passports and travel documents in your hand luggage: you only see your suitcase again in your cabin. Check-in times vary per ship, and arriving at the time your cruise line gave you is the easiest way to avoid waiting in the hall.
Parking. The terminal points drivers to the Piet Heingarage next door, where spaces cannot be reserved.
Pick-up. On disembarkation day the terminal advises meeting at the meeting point on the corner of the street in front of the building, because passengers leave the ship in phases and the exact time is hard to predict. A pre-booked chauffeur meets you there.
Luggage lockers. There are 38 lockers on the Main Deck, 30 large and 8 small, useful if you arrive before check-in opens.
Felison Cruise Terminal, IJmuiden
The terminal lies in the outer harbour of IJmuiden, and ships berth at the Monnickendam or Volendam Quay. Holland America lists the address as Cruiseboulevard 10, 1976 EB IJmuiden, and advises Volendamkade 1, 1976 ED IJmuiden for satnav. The terminal gives about 25 to 30 minutes from Schiphol and 30 to 40 minutes from central Amsterdam.
Two points matter for planning. The terminal itself names organised buses and private transfers as the way passengers travel on, so arrange your transport before the day. And Holland America notes there is no luggage storage at the pier, so you cannot drop cases early and go into town. Parking can be reserved in advance through the terminal’s reservation site. Our IJmuiden cruise terminal guide covers port days and the difference between the cruise and ferry terminals.
Cruise Terminal Rotterdam
Cruise Terminal Rotterdam sits on the Wilhelminakade, in the centre of the city. Cruise Port Rotterdam lists passenger parking, taxis and coach parking at the terminal, a public transport connection a minute’s walk away, and a water taxi stop beside Hotel New York, two minutes on foot. For the terminal itself, see our Rotterdam Cruise Terminal guide.
Drive times in 2027: Schiphol, hotels and between ports
| Route | Distance | By car, approximately |
|---|---|---|
| Schiphol to PTA | about 21 km | 20 to 30 minutes |
| Schiphol to Felison Cruise Terminal | about 25 to 32 km | 25 to 35 minutes |
| Schiphol to Cruise Terminal Rotterdam | about 62 km | 55 to 75 minutes |
| Central Amsterdam to IJmuiden | about 30 km | 30 to 40 minutes |
| Central Amsterdam to Rotterdam | about 80 km | 75 to 95 minutes |
| PTA to Rotterdam, or IJmuiden to Rotterdam | about 85 km | 75 to 95 minutes |
Times are outside rush hour and based on the terminals’ own figures and a route planner. Weekday peaks on the A4, A10 and A13 add time.
The between-port routes come up more often than people expect: a cruise that ends in Rotterdam with a hotel booked in Amsterdam, a back-to-back booking that changes ports, or a group that stays in Amsterdam and boards in IJmuiden. One chauffeur can cover the whole sequence.
Embarkation day: plan backwards from boarding
- Start with your boarding time from the cruise line, not with the landing time of your flight.
- Subtract the drive from the table above, then add a margin for traffic and luggage loading.
- Fly in the day before if you can. A delayed flight on sailing day leaves no margin. We can cover Schiphol to your hotel on arrival and hotel to terminal the next morning as one booking.
- Pack for the handover. Passports, medication and anything valuable stay with you; labelled cases go to the luggage drop.
Airport pickups include flight tracking and 60 minutes of free waiting from the booked pickup time. Pickups at a terminal or hotel include 15 minutes, after which waiting is charged per 15 minutes at the vehicle’s hourly rate. That is why we set disembarkation pickups to your release time rather than the ship’s arrival. With an evening flight, a chauffeur by the hour (2-hour minimum) keeps your luggage in the car while you spend the day in the city.
Luggage and vehicles
A two-week cruise means large cases. As a guide from our own fleet:
- E-Class, S-Class, EQS or BMW i7: up to 3 passengers and 3 cases
- EQV: 5 or 6 passengers with matching luggage
- V-Class: up to 7 passengers and 7 cases, the usual choice for families
- Sprinter: 8, 16 to 20 or 28 to 30 seats for groups
- Setra coach: 52 seats for a full group or incentive programme
Tell us the number of passengers and cases when you book and we confirm the vehicle in writing. Groups are quoted per vehicle; see group transport. Sprinters and coaches can be cancelled free of charge up to 72 hours before pickup.
Planning beyond 2027
For a general comparison of a cruise line coach, a taxi and a private transfer, read our guide to cruise port transfers in the Netherlands. The service itself is described on cruise port transfers. Sailing on a Rhine or Danube ship instead? See river cruise transfers in Amsterdam.
Book your 2027 cruise transfer
Send your ship, sailing date, terminal, flight numbers, party size and number of cases. We confirm the vehicle and one fixed price before you travel, with a screened English-speaking chauffeur. For groups and multi-port programmes, use contact.
Frequently asked questions
How many cruise ships call at Amsterdam in 2027?
The cruise calendar of Cruise Port Amsterdam listed 73 ocean cruise calls at the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam for 2027 when we checked it on 7 November 2026, with the busiest months in May, June and July. Under the city's policy the terminal takes a maximum of 100 sea cruise calls a year from 2026, so other ships use IJmuiden or Rotterdam.
How long is the drive from Schiphol to the cruise terminal in Amsterdam?
The Passenger Terminal Amsterdam gives about 20 minutes by car from Schiphol. Allow about 20 to 30 minutes outside rush hour, and more on weekday mornings and late afternoons on the A10.
Where do I get dropped off and picked up at the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam?
Cars may stop briefly in front of the main entrance on the Piet Heinkade to let passengers out. On disembarkation day the terminal advises meeting at the meeting point on the corner of the street in front of the building, because passengers leave the ship in phases.
My ship says Amsterdam but sails from IJmuiden. How far is that?
The Felison Cruise Terminal in IJmuiden is about 25 km from Schiphol, roughly 25 to 30 minutes by car according to the terminal, and about 30 to 40 minutes from central Amsterdam. Use Volendamkade 1, 1976 ED IJmuiden in a satnav.
Can I stay in Amsterdam and sail from Rotterdam?
Yes. Cruise Terminal Rotterdam, Wilhelminakade 699, is about 80 km from central Amsterdam, roughly 75 to 95 minutes by car depending on traffic. Plan the pickup back from your boarding time, with a margin for the A4 or A13.
Can you move a whole cruise group with luggage?
Yes. SilverDrive runs its own Mercedes Sprinters with 8, 16 to 20 and 28 to 30 seats and a 52-seat Setra coach. Group transfers between Schiphol, hotels and any of the three terminals are quoted per vehicle.