Holland America Line Transfers Make Getting To and From Your Ship Easy

Thanks to Erik Tomren, senior specialist of hotel & tour management at Holland America Line, who wrote this post in collaboration with Danielle Rosenow, manager of hotel & tour management, to inform readers about the transfer services for guests that are offered to/from the ship.

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A Holland America Line cruise is an exciting adventure, and part of the appeal of a cruise vacation is the ease. Guests unpack one time, enjoy gracious accommodations and wake up in a fabulous new port almost daily without having to take another plane, bus or train. No need to drag luggage to different destinations or book multiple hotels. And everything is at your fingertips: delicious dining, exceptional entertainment, shore excursions, a state-of-the-art gym, relaxing spa, onboard classes and lectures, attentive crew members who cater to your every need and so much more.

Another way to make your cruise experience hassle-free is by taking advantage of Holland America Line’s transfer service that makes getting to and from the ship easy and convenient. We know the ports, so you don’t have to. And once you’ve booked your transfer and provided your flight information, we’ll take it from there.

So many questions arise when trying to get to the ship, and often we hear questions from our guests like:

“Where exactly is the pier located?”

“Do local taxi drivers speak English? How am I supposed to explain where to go?”

“Do taxis accept U.S. currency or credit or debit cards?”

“Is it even safe to use local transportation in this port?”

“What happens if an accident occurs along the way? Will the ship know to wait for me?”

The difficulties of arranging transportation can seem daunting if you’ve never been to a port or you don’t speak the local language. So this is why we recommend that you relax and let Holland America Line handle the details. These are some of the major benefits of purchasing one of our transfers:

HAL guests arriving at the ship on their transfer.

Airport Meet & Greet: We will have a representative waiting for your flight at the airport. They also monitor all flight arrivals. You just have to remember that if you booked your own flights independently to either pre-register during Online Check-In and provide us your flight details or call reservations with your flight details in advance.

Experienced Local Operators: We vet your transportation. We choose from among the best ground operators who are experts in providing local transportation. Their contact information is included in your documents, so they are available should you have an emergency.

English-Speaking Drivers: Our drivers know where the ships are located and are in touch with our staff at the terminal. Our transportation is dependable and safe.

Luxury Transportation: Arrive at the ship in style. We offer luxury, air-conditioned motor coaches. And we help with your luggage, too!

Pre-book & pre-pay: For your convenience, you can pre-book both pre- and post-cruise transfers and let us handle the rest. No waiting in taxi lines or trying to arrange last-minute transportation.

Holland America Line’s staff are full of smiles and eager to assist.

What should you do if you’re looking to book our pre- or post-cruise transfers?

Booking a transfer with us is easy. We kindly ask you to contact your travel professional or Holland America Line reservations at 800-426-0327 to make arrangements. Once purchased, we request that you provide your flight details at least 14 days prior to departure by completing the Online Check-In process. Within 14 days we require the air schedule at time of booking. Post-cruise transfers are also available to purchase onboard the ship.

It’s important to note that if you have purchased a pre- or post-cruise Hotel or Vacation Package with us, your transfers are already included in the package price.

Holland America Line offers transfers to/from most major airports near the port city where the ship is docked. Airport transfers also are available for purchase between the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to/from the ports of Rotterdam and IJmuiden in the Netherlands; Miami International Airport to/from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to/from the port of Vancouver; and from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport to/from the port of Seward, Alaska. Transfers between select city center locations and Holland America Line ships are available in Amsterdam (for ships in Ijmuiden and Rotterdam), Barcelona, London (for ships in Dover, Harwich, Tilbury and Southampton), Rome and Sydney.

If you have any special needs, especially if you are bringing a wheelchair or for a lift-equipped vehicle, please notify our Access & Compliance Department at 800-547-8493.

We look forward to getting you safely to and from your Holland America Line cruise!