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| View from glass-top canal boat tour |
How fabulous to start our Emerald Waterways cruise in Amsterdam, a city we had only recently fallen in love with during our short trip in October last year. After a swift flight from Humberside to Schiphol airport, we were met by a taxi that whisked us, and another cruise-bound couple, to our ship. We couldn’t have wished for a nicer pair to share the ride. Living in New Zealand but originally from the UK, our new friends were just as excited as we were to be starting this adventure. While Kate proved to be a wonderful companion during the week as we watched the sunsets from the appropriately named sun deck, Richard, a semi-professional photographer, offered to share his exceptional photos with me so I could send them to Cruise International magazine for my article. I was delighted they used five of Richard’s shots together with a couple of mine to accompany the piece.
With ocean cruising, the embarkation process can be rather long; understandable with the large numbers on board. With a river cruise, however, our ship carrying less than 200 passengers, it was more like checking into a hotel: no queues or hassle. We were given name badges which was a nice touch for the first evening though I noticed some passengers wore them religiously throughout the week. As this was a press trip for me, initially the company didn’t know my husband’s name so one had been randomly chosen for him when making the booking. Alfred. What a hoot! This was corrected once our paperwork was finalised but Emerald Star still had Alfred on the name badge. I was all for sticking with this for the duration but Dougie refused (spoilsport) and his badge was duly changed.
A spot of lunch, a nose around the ship and then our rooms were ready. Lots of oohs and aahs as, true to form, I inspected toiletries (Prija), examined the shower (Grohe) and checked out the channels on the TV (LG). Alfred unpacked.
After dinner we decided to explore the city. Expecting this to take some time to arrange, we were pleasantly surprised to discover that we only had to pick up a card from reception so they knew we had absconded. After a wonderful hour or so just wandering around Amsterdam on a warm, summer’s evening, we returned to the ship, armed with our special code to let ourselves back in. For some reason the code wasn’t working so Alfred and I (I promise I will revert to his proper name when the novelty wears off), along with a few other guests, had to bang on the door to attract a passing steward. What larks! I’m not sure whether our other new buddies, Campbell and Alison, were with us as we tried to break back into the ship but I suspect they were. Campbell, a retired businessman, originally from Glasgow (think Billy Connolly: same voice and sense of humour), had a lifetime of hilarious stories to share and together with his lovely Irish wife, he entertained us many times during the week. It brings a huge smile to my face when, writing this some months after our trip, I remember the fun and mischief we had with them.
The following morning after breakfast we experienced our first excursion: a canal boat tour of Amsterdam which was breathtaking at that time of day. A short bus tour followed before we were dropped off and given some free time to explore. The morning was very well-organised with just the right amount of useful information together with those wonderful stories you might not find in a guidebook e.g. the Tower of Tears, so named because it was the spot where wives said goodbye to their sailor husbands . We mooched through the floating flower market, revisited Begijnhof and generally made the most of the generous time allowed in Amsterdam: a real plus with this itinerary.
Sail away was at 12.30 and what better way to mark the occasion than with a dip in the pool at the aft of the ship. We waved goodbye to Amsterdam as we propped ourselves up on our elbows, splashing about in the water as Emerald Star pulled away from its berth to start its gentle journey upstream.
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| One of the charming houseboats on the canals: perfect drying day! |
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| Supported by wooden stilts, the ‘Dancing Houses’ wobble on the Kloveniersburgwal canal.
Our Rhine-Main Discovery Tour was commissioned by Cruise International magazine. Dougie and I were guests of Emerald Waterways. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.
Previous posts: Our Rhine Cruise with Emerald Waterways: the ship 
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Fabulous, it's my dream to one day go on a cruise, I have no idea where this passion comes from but one day I will satisfy it.
Campbell sounds a great laugh and Amsterdam looks dreamy.
Ocean cruising and river cruising are two very different animals – hope this helps you decide which one to try first.
Amsterdam was gorgeous in the sunshine – we were very lucky.
What a great start. This river cruise obviously attracts some interesting entertaining people. 🙂
It attracted some real characters. The informality and intimacy of the whole trip made it so much easier to get to know people. Usually we keep ourselves to ourselves on holiday – this was a whole new ballgame!
I've heard great things about Rhine river cruises. Starting with a good amount of time in Amsterdam sounds ideal and I like the sound of having a dip while you set sail. Very relaxing!
I think it's important to look at all the various itineraries and suss out how long the ships are in each port. It can make a difference if there is somewhere you want to spend more time.
Honestly, this sounds fantastic. Glad you and Alfred had a ball….
We weren't sure what to expect but it was just superb – such a happy holiday.
What an utterly glorious way to see Amsterdam! I think Mr TS and I would love this cruise – now that we're cruise converts too! 😉
I really do think you would enjoy a river cruise, now you've tasted ocean cruising. There's always something to see, that's what I enjoyed best.
I love Amsterdam – there are some wonderful quiet streets with the prettiest buildings and streets. The canal tours are great too. There's a lot more to Amsterdam than the sleazy areas around the station. Beer is very good too. X
I was grateful that we had been on a mini break to Amsterdam last year so we were able to visit all the pretty streets then. To have another chance to visit was fantastic. I agree – so much to enjoy there.
How fantastic! I visited Amsterdam once, many, many years ago – and I camped in the city centre in a proper camp site! I saw these canal boats drift by and wanted to give them a go but never did. A good reason to return!
Ha! A camp-site in the city centre – that's novel!
Yes, a great city for a mini break.
I'm coming round more and more to the idea of a river cruise. My parents have done a couple and I initially thought they were just for oldies (I'm such a sprightly young thing!) but actually now I see just what a relaxing way they are to see beautiful scenery. And what a bonus to start in Amsterdam, one of my favourite cities.
I know what you mean about the age thing. It still is an older clientèle but I think that is starting to change. The marketing is trying to lure a younger crowd.We were one of the youngest couples on board but there was a family with two teenage boys. The entertainment at night is low key but if you aren't desperate to go clubbing, it's a brilliant holiday.
Such a lovely relaxed looking way to travel and a day in a lovely city to start you off. A real treat. #MondayEscapes
It was such a great way to travel – smooth, effortless and with so much to see. It was a treat, you're right.
Oh! I can't wait to see Amsterdam. We are planning to take the kids there in 2017. We are hoping to spend 3 or 4 days there and a cruise is definitely on our list of must-dos. Thanks for sharing your details and pictures!
Ohhh sounds amazing! I have been to Amsterdam before, but I am dying to return and spend more time. The idea of a cruise sounds really tempting!! Beautiful photo of the boat in the canal.
Thank you for linking up with #MondayEscapes