Amsterdam to Basel or Basel to Amsterdam ?

Hello. Noticed that there seems to be a lot more availability Basel to Amsterdam, in April than Amsterdam to Basel. Is this just a quinkydink? Is there a reason for this? Does the POSH (port out starboard home) theory apply here as it does on Transatlantic cruises? Thx in advance for your thoughts. First Time Poster

I wonder if it has anything to do with the Keukenhof Gardens?

Hello. Noticed that there seems to be a lot more availability Basel to Amsterdam, in April than Amsterdam to Basel. Is this just a quinkydink? Is there a reason for this? Does the POSH (port out starboard home) theory apply here as it does on Transatlantic cruises? Thx in advance for your thoughts. First Time Poster

Welcome to CC Shanti .... To answer your questions:

1. Seeing as it's April, it is very possible that people are taking the Amsterdam pre-trip extension, or going to Amsterdam a few days early on their own to visit Keukenhoff. It's certainly worth the trouble if you're a tulip or flower lover! Otherwise because the ships sail back and forth all spring, summer and fall, it depends on which date works for you and where you'd rather fly into or home from.

2. POSH does not apply to river cruises for two reasons. First since you're on a river you can see land all the time and what you'll be seeing will basically be the same on both sides. If you're cruising a particularly scenic area, you'll be on deck anyway. Secondly river boats are often "rafted" together, which means that you could have one or more boats tied to yours and see nothing but the boat next to you! This is something unique to river cruising so it doesn't matter which company you cruise with because they're all subject to rafting. The harbor master decides who docks where and it's usually based on departure times so positioning can change. I do not consider this a draw back. When we're rafted I wait till after

DH and I are fully presentable and then open the curtains (I always get a french balcony) and wait to see what happens! I have shared tea and cookies with a couple from England on the Nile and wine with a couple from Russia where we had to speak French because it was the only language we had in common! You're going to love river cruising and since we're going on the same cruise, I have to ask: who are you cruising with and what is your departure date? Mine is August 27th on Vantage. It's my 7th!!

I'd prefer Amsterdam to Basle...

The trip we booked turned out to be the other way.

I think the scenery is much better near Basle, coming the other way down river the last part of the trip is along the boring flatlands of Holland and seemed very much an anticlimax.

I'd prefer Amsterdam to Basle...

 

The trip we booked turned out to be the other way.

 

I think the scenery is much better near Basle, coming the other way down river the last part of the trip is along the boring flatlands of Holland and seemed very much an anticlimax.

However, if you are flying home the same day as the end of the cruise Amsterdam is much more convenient to get to the airport for overseas flights.

From Basel you must first drive to Zurich...

From Basel you must first drive to Zurich...

We flew to Basel airport.

We flew to Basel airport.

Since you live in London, I would imagine your chances of getting a non-stop from Basel to London would be pretty good, unless of course, you're from London, Ontario. Assuming OP is from North America, her chances would be not so good. It depends on how much you mind having to change planes on the way home, which is something that doesn't matter much to me, but might to someone else.

This topic has been discussed many times previously on this board. If you do a quick search, you should find many threads with this as the topic. I suggest that you read through some of these to see what has been mentioned before.

Either direction is far superior to my daily commute to work... :)

We cruised Basel-AMS and enjoyed it very much. It is true that the scenery is prettier as you go south. But the advantage was that we didn't miss any beautiful scenery on that last afternoon while we were packing up!

I'd look into the relative convenience of flights, as others have suggested, and also look into whether you'd rather spend extra time in Switzerland vs. Amsterdam, and consider how that timing works out for you.

If you do the Basel to Amsterdam the river flows that direction helping the ship move faster so you have more time in ports

We flew to Basel airport.

And we flew home from Basel.

And we flew home from Basel.

We're flying home from Basel too. CPT, we're doing Amsterdam to Basel in August and I just booked all 3 optional excursions which I can cancel at any time. Did you do optional excursions to Black Forest, Luxembourg and Speyer Cathedral? If so, were the worth it? Would you recommend all or any of them?

Hydrokitty - I did this cruise back in 2012, with Avalon from Basel to Amsterdam. You don't say which line you are traveling on. You do not need to book any optional excursions to Speyer cathedral, assuming that you are actually docking in Speyer. It was at most a 7-10 min walk from the dock to the Speyer cathedral. It is very easy to tour on your own. We did pay extra (I think 3-5 Euro) to go into the crypts. We were given a handout that described what we were seeing.

You will love your trip.

Hydrokitty - I did this cruise back in 2012, with Avalon from Basel to Amsterdam. You don't say which line you are traveling on. You do not need to book any optional excursions to Speyer cathedral, assuming that you are actually docking in Speyer. It was at most a 7-10 min walk from the dock to the Speyer cathedral. It is very easy to tour on your own. We did pay extra (I think 3-5 Euro) to go into the crypts. We were given a handout that described what we were seeing.

 

You will love your trip.

Thanks YDF: I don't think we actually dock in Speyer, but the optional excursion does include the a guided tour of the Cathedral and crypts....and lunch....We're on Vantage, which includes excursions in each port and has 3 optional ones which usually include charter bus, admissions and lunch. The only one I was really curious about was Black Forest (I'm going anyway if only for the cake!) Luxembourg is a must see for us and Speyer is a UNESCO world heritage site and we both like to see those. We've discovered that UNESCO WH is sort of like AAA Gem, never disappointing!!!

We skipped the Black Forest excursion (which was included on GCT), opting instead for more time in Strasbourg. I didn't relish the thought of an hour and a half or so each way on a bus from Strasbourg. A lot depends on what the alternative is . . . What's yours?

We did go on the optional to Luxembourg. The visits to the American and German cemeteries was moving. The city itself was pleasant and I enjoyed the walking tour. We had a group lunch which was fine, but I would prefer getting lunch on my own to maximize my free time rather than sit waiting for a group to get served.

As far as a Speyer, we were docked right there and the Cathedral was included in our walking tour along with the Jewish Quarter. The Cathedral is impressive and worth visiting . . . but, what will you miss by doing this optional. Speyer also has a really interesting "Technical Museum" if you have several extra hours.

Note that my response is from the perspective of cruising on GCT, not fond of bus rides and being part of a couple that enjoys roaming on our own walking faster and farther than many. We also have decent "survival" and restaurant language skills . . . at least in the present tense. ;)

ETA: We spend time in the Black Forest area years ago when I was stationed in Germany and that did enter into our decision. How much does a forest change? ;)

We skipped the Black Forest excursion (which was included on GCT), opting instead for more time in Strasbourg. I didn't relish the thought of an hour and a half or so each way on a bus from Strasbourg. A lot depends on what the alternative is . . . What's yours?

 

We did go on the optional to Luxembourg. The visits to the American and German cemeteries was moving. The city itself was pleasant and I enjoyed the walking tour. We had a group lunch which was fine, but I would prefer getting lunch on my own to maximize my free time rather than sit waiting for a group to get served.

 

As far as a Speyer, we were docked right there and the Cathedral was included in our walking tour along with the Jewish Quarter. The Cathedral is impressive and worth visiting . . . but, what will you miss by doing this optional. Speyer also has a really interesting "Technical Museum" if you have several extra hours.

 

Note that my response is from the perspective of cruising on GCT, not fond of bus rides and being part of a couple that enjoys roaming on our own walking faster and farther than many. We also have decent "survival" and restaurant language skills . . . at least in the present tense. ;)

 

ETA: We spend time in the Black Forest area years ago when I was stationed in Germany and that did enter into our decision. How much does a forest change? ;)

Thank you!!! I checked to see what we would be missing during each optional and I still doing Luxembourg and Speyer. Apparently we don't dock there, the choice is "scenic cruising from Mainz to Speyer" OR tour the cathedral, so I'm going for Speyer. BUT.....I think I'm going to drop the Black Forest tour because that happens when we're in Strasbourg...I'm thinking I might enjoy walking around and shopping in Strasbourg more than cake....especially since we have an included tour of Baden-Baden which is in the Black Forest. I don't share your walking ability any more, but I am comfortable in Spanish, French and Italian and that covers most restaurants. :)

Thank you!!! I checked to see what we would be missing during each optional and I still doing Luxembourg and Speyer. Apparently we don't dock there, the choice is "scenic cruising from Mainz to Speyer" OR tour the cathedral, so I'm going for Speyer. BUT.....I think I'm going to drop the Black Forest tour because that happens when we're in Strasbourg...I'm thinking I might enjoy walking around and shopping in Strasbourg more than cake....especially since we have an included tour of Baden-Baden which is in the Black Forest. I don't share your walking ability any more, but I am comfortable in Spanish, French and Italian and that covers most restaurants. :)

Good move! Strasbourg has a grand cathedral, canals to cruise, as well as tarte flambé and choucroute to enjoy.

Good move! Strasbourg has a grand cathedral, canals to cruise, as well as tarte flambé and choucroute to enjoy.

Canal cruise is included in our morning tour, but I think I'm really going to enjoy having lunch there.....any suggestions?

Canal cruise is included in our morning tour, but I think I'm really going to enjoy having lunch there.....any suggestions?

We found a brew pub . . . I could probably wander to it again, as it isn't too far from the central square, but I don't even remember the name. There are plenty of places on the square surrounding the cathedral.

We found a brew pub . . . I could probably wander to it again, as it isn't too far from the central square, but I don't even remember the name. There are plenty of places on the square surrounding the cathedral.

Too long to edit . . . found it.

http://www.aubrasseur.fr.

Other spots listed here . . . http://www.ottosrambles.co.uk/strasbourg.php

Too long to edit . . . found it.

 

http://www.aubrasseur.fr.

 

Other spots listed here . . . http://www.ottosrambles.co.uk/strasbourg.php

Thanks..looks like a winner!!!

. . . found it.

 

http://www.aubrasseur.fr

That looks like a nice place - our walk through Strasbourg last year took us within a block from here. Oh well, sorry we missed it!

We found some nice tarte flambée at a pub between the Cathedral and the walk back to the bus called Restaurant A la Ville de Bâle. It was tasty and the outdoor seating was nice:

Love that tarte flambée! Just bring your Lipitor with you...

Sometimes the places you just stumble into are the best.

Sometimes the places you just stumble into are the best.

Absolutely!!! We stumbled upon a place in Brussels that was amazing and instead of wine, owner talked us into trying Kriek, which has become my favorite drink, if I could only get it as good here as I did in Belgium. And then there was our all time favorite restaurant, the Soviet Cafe, in St. Petersburg...ate there every night and would almost consider going back to St.P just to have dinner!

Sometimes the places you just stumble into are the best.

Or stumble out of... ;)