DESTINATIONS Netherlands boat-travel-43

TRAVEL TIPS

Boat Travel

Hire your own boat or take a guided city canal tour of Amsterdam, Leiden, or Delft; alternatively, take a harbor tour to check out Rotterdam's extensive Europoort, Europe's biggest harbor, and the flood barrier. There are pedestrian ferries behind Amsterdam's Centraal Station across the IJ.

Passenger Terminal Amsterdam. Passengers visiting Amsterdam as part of a cruise will find themselves arriving at the shiny Passenger Terminal, 400 yards east of Central Station. After entering Holland's great North Sea Canal at the port city of IJmuiden, most passenger ships then head south to Amsterdam. Once there, besides the usual embarkation and disembarkation facilities, the new terminal has a number of food outlets along with shops offering you a last-minute chance to stock up with some surprisingly tasteful souvenirs. Piet Heinkade 27, Amsterdam, 1019 BR. 020/509–1000; www.ptamsterdam.com.

To/From the United Kingdom and Holland

International ferries link Holland with the United Kingdom. There are two daily Stena line crossings between the Hoek van Holland (Corner of Holland, an industrial shipping area west of Rotterdam) and Harwich, on the car ferry, taking approximately seven hours. The overnight crossing takes about eight hours. There is one P&O Ferries overnight crossing between the Europoort in Rotterdam and Hull, which takes about 11 hours, and one DFDS Seaways overnight crossing from Newcastle to IJmuiden, in Amsterdam, taking 15 hours.

To/From the United Kingdom and Holland

DFDS Seaways. Sluisplein 33, IJmuiden, 1975 AG. 0255/546–666; 0871/522–9955; www.dfdsseaways.com.

P&O Ferries. Channel House, Channel View Rd., Dover, CT17 9TJ. 010/7145–464; 028/085–020; 0800/130--0030; www.poferries.com.

Stena Line. In Holland: Hoek van Holland Terminal, Stationsweg 10, Hoek van Holland, 3151 HS. 0844/770–7070; 0900/8123; www.stenaline.nl.

Transeuropa Ferries. Slijkensesteenweg 2, Oostende, B8400. 059/340–260; 01843/595–522; www.transeuropaferry.co.uk.

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