If your cruise docks at the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam, you could not be better placed. The PTA sits right on the IJ waterfront in the heart of the city, just a few minutes from Amsterdam Central Station and a short stroll from the historic centre.
Our private shore excursions from the Amsterdam Passenger Terminal begin the moment you step ashore, with a friendly local guide, a flexible itinerary and a guaranteed return to your ship in good time. For cruise passengers it is the most flexible way to experience the city, and cruise ship visitors with just one day in Amsterdam see far more with a local guide than on any coach tour.
Because the PTA is so central, many guests start their tour on foot directly from the terminal, walking straight into the canals, lanes and squares that make Amsterdam so special. If you would rather travel further afield to the windmills or the tulip fields, we simply arrange private transport. Either way, the day is private to your group and shaped entirely around your interests. Why not browse some of the most popular locations in the Netherlands for tour ideas and inspiration?
If you have any questions about our Amsterdam Passenger Terminal shore excursions, please just contact us for the answers you need.
Add the windmills of Zaanse Schans to your Amsterdam shore excursion – working windmills, wooden houses and a cheese tasting, just a short drive from the cruise terminal.
The Passenger Terminal Amsterdam (PTA) sits on the Piet Heinkade, on the IJ waterfront, just a few minutes east of Amsterdam Central Station. It is one of the few cruise terminals in Europe that drops you straight into the middle of the city: the canal ring, the museums and the old centre are all within easy reach on foot or a short tram ride. From 2026 only one sea cruise ship a day berths here, so your welcome to Amsterdam is calm and unhurried.
If you are arriving on a river cruise, find my river cruise matches your line and dates to the ship and its berth, and the live ship tracker shows where it is right now.
Most guests start right at the terminal and walk into the canals and lanes of the centre. From here you can glide through the UNESCO canal belt by boat, stand before Rembrandt and Vermeer at the Rijksmuseum, lose yourself in the Van Gogh Museum, wander the Jordaan and the Anne Frank House neighbourhood, or soak up Dam Square and the Nine Streets. With a little more time we can drive you out to the working windmills of Zaanse Schans, the harbour villages of Volendam and Marken, or the tulip fields of Keukenhof in spring.
If you have been to Amsterdam before: in July 2026 The New York Times named Haarlem the number one European canal city to visit instead of Amsterdam, a “miniature version” of the city with the crowds left out (read the article). It is twenty minutes from the terminal and it is our most requested change of scene for repeat guests: the same canals and Golden Age art, plus hidden almshouse courtyards you will not find on your own. See our private Haarlem tour or our guide to things to do in Haarlem.
Every tour is private to your group and built around what you want to see, your pace and your interests. Your guide is more of a friend for the day, sharing the stories and quiet corners of Amsterdam that the big coach tours simply miss.
Because the PTA is so central, returning to the ship is quick and stress-free. We always plan the day around your sailing time, with a comfortable margin, so you step back on board relaxed rather than rushed.
– A friendly local guide who meets you right at the terminal
– A flexible, private itinerary just for your group
– Walking tours from the door, or private transport further afield
– Canals, museums, villages, windmills or tulips, your choice
– A guaranteed return to your ship with time to spare
See our 2026 & 2027 Ocean Cruise Calendar for every scheduled ship call at Amsterdam, IJmuiden and Rotterdam.
Sailing into a different port? We run private shore excursions right across the Netherlands. Take a look at our other cruise port pages:
Arriving at the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam? Beyond your shore excursion, we can arrange private transport between Schiphol, your hotel and the terminal, timed around your ship’s arrival and departure. Book a private transfer.
The Passenger Terminal Amsterdam (PTA) is on the Piet Heinkade, on the IJ waterfront in the city centre, a few minutes from Amsterdam Central Station. It is used by river cruises and by ocean ships small enough to sail into the city. We meet you right at the terminal.
Yes. The Passenger Terminal Amsterdam is very central, so many of our shore excursions start on foot straight from the terminal. You can be walking among the canals within minutes, with no transfer needed.
The Passenger Terminal Amsterdam is in the city centre and is mainly used by river cruises and smaller ocean ships. Larger ocean liners dock at the Felison Terminal in IJmuiden, about 45 minutes away on the coast. We run private shore excursions from both ports.
Almost anything Amsterdam offers. Popular choices include a highlights walking tour, a private canal cruise, the Rijksmuseum or Van Gogh Museum, an Anne Frank and Jewish history tour, or a Dutch food tour. With a full day in port we can also reach the windmills or the tulip fields.
Yes. We plan every Amsterdam Passenger Terminal shore excursion around your departure time with a generous buffer and track the time throughout the day, so you return to the PTA comfortably before the ship sails.
Every shore excursion from the Amsterdam Passenger Terminal is private to your group and fully customisable. You choose where to go, how long to spend and whether you would like to walk, cruise or drive.
Amsterdam is also a major port of call for river cruise ships. River cruise vessels dock at several berths along the IJ waterfront, including at NDSM Wharf and near the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam. These compact ships sit much closer to the city centre than a large ocean vessel, and passengers can often walk or take a short tram ride directly into the old canals. Amsterdam is typically the starting or finishing port on Rhine and Holland itineraries, and many voyages also include a call at Zaandam.
In 2026 the following cruise lines docked at the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam: AIDA Cruises, Ambassador Cruise Line, Aurora Expeditions, Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Costa Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Cunard Line, Explora Journeys, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Holland America Line, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, P&O Cruises, Phoenix Reisen, Princess Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Silversea Cruises, TUI Cruises, Viking Ocean Cruises and others.
River cruise lines that regularly include Amsterdam on their Rhine and Holland itineraries include AmaWaterways, APT, Avalon Waterways, Emerald Cruises, Riviera River Cruises, Scenic, Tauck, Travelmarvel, Vantage Deluxe World Travel and Viking River Cruises.
See our Ocean Cruise Calendar for every scheduled ocean ship call at Amsterdam, IJmuiden and Rotterdam. For river cruise arrivals at Amsterdam and Zaandam, visit our River Cruise Calendar. For a full guide to all Amsterdam cruise berths, read our article on Amsterdam’s cruise terminals.
