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AmaLucia on the Rhine at Mannheim, 2022, sailing from Amsterdam, Netherlands and Rotterdam, Netherlands

Cruise Frog guide

Cruises from Amsterdam, Netherlands and Rotterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam and Rotterdam are home ports for river cruises on the Rhine and for ocean sailings to Northern Europe and across the Atlantic.

Things to do in Amsterdam, Netherlands and Rotterdam, Netherlands

  • The canal ring by boatA UNESCO World Heritage Site, best seen from the water.
  • Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh MuseumBook timed tickets ahead.
  • Anne Frank HouseTickets go on sale online weeks ahead and sell out.
  • Zaanse SchansWindmills and wooden houses half an hour north.
  • Rotterdam's Markthal and Cube HousesModern architecture beside the old harbour.

When to go

  1. Jan: low season
  2. Feb: low season
  3. Mar: low season
  4. Apr: high season
  5. May: high season
  6. Jun: high season
  7. Jul: high season
  8. Aug: high season
  9. Sep: high season
  10. Oct: shoulder season
  11. Nov: shoulder season
  12. Dec: shoulder season

Tulip season in April and May is the busiest for river cruises, followed by summer. Christmas market cruises fill December.

Flying in and getting to the ship

Easy transferAmsterdam's river moorings and the cruise terminal (PTA) are about 20 km from Schiphol, 15 minutes by train to Centraal plus a short walk or taxi, or 25 minutes by taxi. Rotterdam's terminal is about 45 minutes from Schiphol by train or taxi.

Rental cars: Not needed: trains are fast and frequent, and city parking is scarce.

The airport for Amsterdam, Netherlands and Rotterdam, Netherlands is Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS), with 10 lounges to wait in before you board.

Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) on Lounge Frog

Ships sailing from Amsterdam, Netherlands and Rotterdam, Netherlands

All ports
AmaLucia on the Rhine at Mannheim, 20224.2 ★AmaWaterwaysAmaLucia2021 · 156 guests · RhineAmaLucia is a 135-meter AmaWaterways ship that entered service in 2021, carrying 156 guests in 78 staterooms, many with twin balconies. Her Sun Deck has a pool with a swim-up…4.2 ★AmaWaterwaysAmaSiena2021 · 156 guests · Rhine · DanubeAmaSiena is a 135-meter AmaWaterways ship christened in 2021, carrying 156 guests in 78 staterooms with twin balconies. Her lounge has floor-to-ceiling windows and bold design…AmaCerto leaving the Bamberg lock, 20234.0 ★AmaWaterwaysAmaCerto2012 · 162 guests · Rhine · DanubeAmaCerto, which entered service in 2012, was the ship that introduced AmaWaterways' 135-meter design with twin-balcony staterooms and more than one restaurant. She carries 162…AmaPrima at Vilshofen an der Donau, 20134.0 ★AmaWaterwaysAmaPrima2013 · 162 guests · Rhine · DanubeAmaPrima is a 135-meter AmaWaterways ship from 2013 carrying 162 guests in 81 staterooms. All suites and many staterooms have twin balconies and marble bathrooms, and the ship…AmaSerena on the Rhine in Cologne, 20154.0 ★AmaWaterwaysAmaSerena2015 · 162 guests · Rhine · DanubeAmaSerena is a 135-meter AmaWaterways ship from 2015 for 162 guests in 81 twin-balcony staterooms. Her public rooms include a library with a fireplace and a Main Lounge with a…AmaVenita in Amsterdam, 20224.0 ★AmaWaterwaysAmaVenita2014 · 162 guests · Rhine · DanubeAmaVenita is a 135-meter AmaWaterways ship that the line describes as Concerto-class, carrying 162 guests with twin balconies in most staterooms. She has a Main Lounge with…AmaViola in Vienna, 20244.0 ★AmaWaterwaysAmaViola2016 · 156 guests · Rhine · DanubeAmaViola is a 135-meter AmaWaterways ship from 2016 carrying 156 guests in 78 staterooms, most with twin balconies. She has several indoor and outdoor dining spots, a heated Sun…Rotterdam in Eidfjord, Norway, July 20224.0 ★Holland America LineRotterdam2021 · 99,935 GT · 2,668 guests · Northern Europe · CaribbeanRotterdam is Holland America's flagship and the seventh ship to carry the line's best-known name. Planned as Ryndam, she was renamed during construction in July 2020 after the…S.S. Elisabeth moored in Cologne, Germany, 20254.0 ★Uniworld Boutique River CruisesS.S. Elisabeth2017 · 110 guests · RhineS.S. Elisabeth is a 110-guest river ship, 442.5 feet (135 m) long, built in 2017 as Crystal Mahler for Crystal River Cruises, which collapsed in 2022. Riverside Luxury Cruises…4.0 ★Viking River CruisesViking Eldir2026 · 190 guests · Rhine · DanubeViking Eldir is a 190-guest Viking Longship, one of the 135-meter sister ships that make up most of Viking's European river fleet, and it entered service in 2026. Eldir, whose…Avalon View at Ilok on the Danube, 20243.8 ★Avalon WaterwaysAvalon View2022 · 166 guests · Rhine · RhôneAvalon View is the newest of Avalon Waterways' 135-meter Suite Ships, entering service in 2022 with 166 guests. Like Avalon Envision she has the FlexDining layout, with a…3.8 ★Viking River CruisesViking Egdir2022 · 3,138 GT · 190 guests · Rhine · DanubeViking Egdir, a 190-guest Longship that joined the fleet in 2022, belongs to the large class of sister ships Viking introduced in 2012. Egdir, the namesake, is the watchman of…3.7 ★Avalon WaterwaysAvalon Envision2019 · 166 guests · Rhine · DanubeAvalon Envision is a 135-meter Suite Ship christened in Budapest on April 7, 2019, by author Elizabeth Gilbert. She carries 166 guests, most in Panorama Suites with window-facing…Avalon Panorama in Passau, 20143.7 ★Avalon WaterwaysAvalon Panorama2011 · 166 guests · Rhine · DanubeAvalon Panorama, in service since 2011, was the first of Avalon Waterways' Suite Ships, the first with two full decks of Panorama Suites whose floor-to-ceiling windows open…Avalon Vista in Cologne, 20133.7 ★Avalon WaterwaysAvalon Vista2012 · 166 guests · Rhine · DanubeAvalon Vista is a 135-meter Suite Ship from 2012, one of the first two built after Avalon Panorama, renovated in 2017 and carrying 166 guests. Her Panorama Suites have…3.7 ★Tauckms Grace2016 · 130 guests · Rhinems Grace is a 135-meter Inspiration class riverboat completed in 2016, a sister to ms Joy, and she sails mainly on the Rhine. Like the rest of the class she holds at most 130…ms Inspire at St. Goar on the Rhine, 20163.7 ★Tauckms Inspire2014 · 130 guests · Rhinems Inspire was the first of Tauck's 135-meter Inspiration class riverboats, christened in Basel on April 3, 2014, by four Tauck Cruise Directors serving as godmothers. Her design…ms Treasures on the Danube at Vienna, 20243.7 ★Tauckms Treasures2011 · 98 guests · Rhine · Danubems Treasures is a 110-meter Jewel class riverboat built in 2011 at the Vahali yard in Belgrade, the last of four sister ships designed for Tauck. Since a redesign listed as…Viking Einar on the Rhine below Marksburg Castle, 20193.7 ★Viking River CruisesViking Einar2019 · 3,138 GT · 190 guests · RhineOne of Viking's near-identical 135-meter Longships, Viking Einar carries 190 guests and has sailed since 2019. Einar, its namesake, was the late ninth-century Earl of Orkney…Viking Gefjon in Cologne, 20153.7 ★Viking River CruisesViking Gefjon2015 · 3,138 GT · 190 guests · Rhine · DanubeOne of Viking's near-identical 135-meter Longships, Viking Gefjon carries 190 guests and has sailed since 2015. Gefjon, the namesake, is the goddess said to have plowed the…Viking Kvasir in Cologne, 20153.7 ★Viking River CruisesViking Kvasir2014 · 3,138 GT · 190 guests · RhineOne of Viking's near-identical 135-meter Longships, Viking Kvasir carries 190 guests and has sailed since 2014. Kvasir, its namesake, is the god of knowledge created when the…Viking Magni in Koblenz, 20133.7 ★Viking River CruisesViking Magni2013 · 3,138 GT · 190 guests · Rhine · DanubeOne of Viking's near-identical 135-meter Longships, Viking Magni carries 190 guests and has sailed since 2013. Magni, its namesake, is a son of Thor and the only god besides his…Viking Mimir on the Main-Danube Canal in Bamberg, 20173.7 ★Viking River CruisesViking Mimir2015 · 3,138 GT · 190 guests · Rhine · DanubeViking Mimir, a 190-guest Longship that joined the fleet in 2015, belongs to the large class of sister ships Viking introduced in 2012. Mimir, its namesake, is the god of wisdom…Viking Sigrun in Cologne, 20263.7 ★Viking River CruisesViking Sigrun2019 · 3,138 GT · 190 guests · RhineViking Sigrun is a four-deck Viking Longship for 190 guests that joined the fleet in 2019. Sigrun, its namesake, is a Valkyrie who led a band of nine and died of grief after her…Viking Tir on the Merwede near Hardinxveld, 20223.7 ★Viking River CruisesViking Tir2019 · 3,138 GT · 190 guests · Rhine · DanubeViking Tir is a 190-guest Viking Longship, one of the 135-meter sister ships that make up most of Viking's European river fleet, and it entered service in 2019. Tir, its…Viking Vali on the Main at Zell am Main, 20223.7 ★Viking River CruisesViking Vali2019 · 3,138 GT · 190 guests · Rhine · DanubeViking Vali, a 190-guest Longship that joined the fleet in 2019, belongs to the large class of sister ships Viking introduced in 2012. Vali, its namesake, is the son of Odin born…Viking Ve in Budapest, 20243.7 ★Viking River CruisesViking Ve2015 · 3,138 GT · 190 guests · Danube · RhineOne of Viking's near-identical 135-meter Longships, Viking Ve carries 190 guests and has sailed since 2015. Ve, its namesake, is one of the three brothers, with Odin and Vili…Viking River CruisesViking Rota2026 · 190 guests · Rhine · DanubeViking Rota is an upcoming 190-guest Viking Longship, a sister of the 135-meter ships that dominate Viking's European fleet. Rota, the namesake, is a rebellious Valkyrie…

Ships that call at Amsterdam, Netherlands and Rotterdam, Netherlands

Ships based elsewhere whose Rhine sailings regularly stop here. Calls vary by sailing, so check the itinerary.

And 46 more.

Quick answers

Which cruise ships sail from Amsterdam, Netherlands and Rotterdam, Netherlands?

On Cruise Frog, 28 ships sail from Amsterdam, Netherlands and Rotterdam, Netherlands: AmaLucia (AmaWaterways), AmaSiena (AmaWaterways), AmaCerto (AmaWaterways), AmaPrima (AmaWaterways), AmaSerena (AmaWaterways), AmaVenita (AmaWaterways), AmaViola (AmaWaterways), Rotterdam (Holland America Line), S.S. Elisabeth (Uniworld Boutique River Cruises), Viking Eldir (Viking River Cruises) and 18 more.

Which cruise lines sail from Amsterdam, Netherlands and Rotterdam, Netherlands?

AmaWaterways, Holland America Line, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, Viking River Cruises, Avalon Waterways and Tauck sail from Amsterdam, Netherlands and Rotterdam, Netherlands.

What is the best-rated ship sailing from Amsterdam, Netherlands and Rotterdam, Netherlands?

AmaLucia (AmaWaterways), at 4.2 out of 5 in Cruise Frog's editorial ratings.

Which airport do you fly into for a cruise from Amsterdam, Netherlands and Rotterdam, Netherlands?

Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS). Lounge Frog lists 10 open lounges there for the wait before boarding.

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