My cruise docks in IJmuiden. How do I see Amsterdam and get back to the ship on time?
Book a car by the hour from the Felison Cruise Terminal (Cruiseboulevard 10): central Amsterdam is about 30 km away, roughly 39 minutes without traffic, and the chauffeur waits for you all day and drives you back to the gangway. Seven hours costs €455 in Business Class for up to three, or €560 in Van Class for up to seven, with 280 km included. Without a car, the direct link is the cruise line's own shuttle; by public transport it takes a bus and a train.
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With a chauffeur by the hour: prices per vehicle
| Option | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Business Class, from the IJmuiden cruise terminal, waiting all day | €65 / hour | per hour · minimum 2 hours · 40 km included per hour · E-Class, EQE, EQE SUV, BMW i5, BMW 5 Series · up to 3 passengers, 3 bags |
| Van Class, from the IJmuiden cruise terminal, waiting all day | €80 / hour | per hour · minimum 2 hours · 40 km included per hour · V-Class, EQV · up to 7 passengers, 7 bags |
| First Class, from the IJmuiden cruise terminal, waiting all day | €100 / hour | per hour · minimum 2 hours · 40 km included per hour · S-Class, EQS, EQS SUV, BMW i7 · up to 3 passengers, 3 bags |
By the hour: minimum 2 hours, 40 km included per hour, starting and ending in the same city. The chauffeur waits between stops. Prices are per car, not per person, with 9% Dutch VAT included, and the same day and night. During ADE week (pickups October 20 to 26, 2026) fixed ADE-week prices apply, shown before you book; promo codes cannot be used that week. Booked less than 12 hours before pickup: +10%. At an airport or an intercity station the first 60 minutes of waiting are free, elsewhere 15 minutes; after that waiting is charged per minute at the class's hourly rate (Business €65 an hour). Free cancellation up to 1 hour before pickup.
What is included in the price
- A fixed price confirmed at booking, with VAT included: no meter and no surge
- The chauffeur’s name, car and phone number before pickup, plus e-mail reminders 24 hours and 2 hours ahead
- Water and phone chargers (iOS and Android) in the car
- Status updates to the person who booked, if that is not the passenger: confirmed, chauffeur en route, guest in the car, arrived
Plan backward from all-aboard
| Clock | What |
|---|---|
| All-aboard minus 60 min | Back at the terminal: our buffer for traffic and the A9 |
| Minus 1 h 45 | Leave central Amsterdam |
| The middle of the day | Canal cruise, a museum or a walk in the Jordaan |
| Gangway open | Chauffeur waiting at the terminal exit with your name |
Closer than Amsterdam
IJmuiden sits on the coast, so two good days out are nearer than the capital: Haarlem's old center is about 21 km away, 25 minutes by car, and the Zaanse Schans windmills about 23 km. In spring, Keukenhof is about 37 km down the coast road.
Related questions
Will the ship wait for us?
Not for an independent tour; that's why the plan keeps an hour in hand. Check your line's terms.
What if the ship arrives late through the locks?
The car is booked from your actual time ashore; message dispatch when you're off.
Can we drop our bags somewhere?
On a port day you won't have any; on disembarkation day see IJmuiden to Schiphol.
Sources
- Cruise Critic: shuttles from IJmuiden (checked October 31, 2026)
Book it, or ask dispatch first
Book online in a few minutes (no account, no app), or send your flight number and address on WhatsApp and dispatch replies in English, 24 hours a day.