Oh My Gosh...90 Days To Go

[Hydrokitty]

Hello,

 

Discovered this space and just exploring what boards.cruisecritic.com is all about!

 

Well, you're a long way from home. :D Welcome.

[westchestermom]

Thanks Hydrokitty - and yes, I am from Westchester. I will pass on the tip about the greenhouse to my mom since she is the impetus for this trip, but since the whole reason for going is to see tulips, I suspect, weather permitting, we will spend our time outdoors. I was in Amsterdam a couple of years ago and did the canal cruise, but she has never been there and likely will not be there again, so I think we will plan on the cruise and leave Keukenhoff to the last day.

[Lois R]

Hi girls:)

 

I hope you and your Mom have a wonderful trip together:)

[westchestermom]

Thanks Lois - warm the ship up for us!

[Host Jazzbeau]

Thanks Hydrokitty - and yes, I am from Westchester. I will pass on the tip about the greenhouse to my mom since she is the impetus for this trip, but since the whole reason for going is to see tulips, I suspect, weather permitting, we will spend our time outdoors. I was in Amsterdam a couple of years ago and did the canal cruise, but she has never been there and likely will not be there again, so I think we will plan on the cruise and leave Keukenhoff to the last day.

 

What your Mom might want to do is get up at a quarter to Early and visit the Aalsmeer flower auction. Not for me -- dawn is only a rumor! -- but I hear it is a wonderful thing for flower lovers. If you are flying to Amsterdam the day before your cruise [always good advice], you could do this in the morning before boarding the ship.

Edited January 20, 2016 by Host Jazzbeau

[Hydrokitty]

Thanks Hydrokitty - and yes, I am from Westchester. I will pass on the tip about the greenhouse to my mom since she is the impetus for this trip, but since the whole reason for going is to see tulips, I suspect, weather permitting, we will spend our time outdoors. I was in Amsterdam a couple of years ago and did the canal cruise, but she has never been there and likely will not be there again, so I think we will plan on the cruise and leave Keukenhoff to the last day.

 

That's what I would do too. And try to get her a window seat for your flight out of Amsterdam, the sight of the tulip fields as you take off will take your breath away!!!

[Hydrokitty]

What your Mom might want to do is get up at a quarter to Early and visit the Aalsmeer flower auction. Not for me -- dawn is only a rumor! -- but I hear it is a wonderful thing for flower lovers. If you are flying to Amsterdam the day before your cruise [always good advice], you could do this in the morning before boarding the ship.

 

If you have the time, Aalsmeer is definitely worth the effort. It's not a long excursion because the auction only runs for so many hours and it starts at like 5:30 a.m. You don't get there that early. If you're there around 9 a.m. by 11 a.m. you'll have seen all you need to see, and it's unforgettable. Google Aalsmeer flower auction and click on photos. You'll see what I mean and you can better decide if you want to do it or not.

[westchestermom]

I just checked out the Auction on the internet and though it looks fascinating (and she would love seeing all the flowers) all reports say it is a lot of walking. Since the only viable option would be Thursday morning before we board AMAStella, I would be very worried about wearing her out too early in the trip, since we are flying overnight on Tuesday, arriving Wednesday morning in Amsterdam. Her other two requests are the Van Gogh Museum and the Dutch Masters wing at the Riksmuseum, so I'm thinking one of those Wednesday afternoon and the other Thursday morning. My dad died a year ago, and they had been dealing with the effects of his stroke for five years prior to that, so this is her "bucket list" trip. Before he got sick they were avid travelers and cruisers, but this is her (and my) first river cruise experience; one we are very much looking forward to!

[Hydrokitty]

I just checked out the Auction on the internet and though it looks fascinating (and she would love seeing all the flowers) all reports say it is a lot of walking. Since the only viable option would be Thursday morning before we board AMAStella, I would be very worried about wearing her out too early in the trip, since we are flying overnight on Tuesday, arriving Wednesday morning in Amsterdam. Her other two requests are the Van Gogh Museum and the Dutch Masters wing at the Riksmuseum, so I'm thinking one of those Wednesday afternoon and the other Thursday morning. My dad died a year ago, and they had been dealing with the effects of his stroke for five years prior to that, so this is her "bucket list" trip. Before he got sick they were avid travelers and cruisers, but this is her (and my) first river cruise experience; one we are very much looking forward to!

 

Sorry about your Dad....it's hard. I have walking issues and I don't remember Aalsmeer being a problem. I remember walking and looking through the windows....but I don't remember it being a very long walk.

 

That being said, I like your plan better. Aalsmeer is fascinating but we had more time than you and I think the museums are more worth seeing than the auction. Both the Van Gogh and the Rijks are close together. The Van Gogh is smaller and the self-guided headset tour is worth purchasing. The Rijks has been recently renovated and if you're pressed for time or if your Mom is tired, there is a collection of their most important works in the Gallery of Honor. This is where you'll find "Night Watch" and many others. As in MOMA, there are benches in each room where you can sit and rest. I really like museums that provide a highlighted list of things unique to their venue. At the British Museum they give you a booklet listing all of their most important items with instructions on where they are located so people with limited time (or stamina) can avoid wandering around looking at interesting things, but missing things like the Rosetta Stone or Elgin Marbles!! The Rijks has done this with the Gallery of Honor and it's a fantastic idea. FYI, directly across from the front of the Rijks is one of the canal cruise piers. Depending on where your cruise leaves you off, you might be able to go from canal cruise to museum.

Edited January 20, 2016 by Hydrokitty

[purduemom1]

I just checked out the Auction on the internet and though it looks fascinating (and she would love seeing all the flowers) all reports say it is a lot of walking. Since the only viable option would be Thursday morning before we board AMAStella, I would be very worried about wearing her out too early in the trip, since we are flying overnight on Tuesday, arriving Wednesday morning in Amsterdam. Her other two requests are the Van Gogh Museum and the Dutch Masters wing at the Riksmuseum, so I'm thinking one of those Wednesday afternoon and the other Thursday morning. My dad died a year ago, and they had been dealing with the effects of his stroke for five years prior to that, so this is her "bucket list" trip. Before he got sick they were avid travelers and cruisers, but this is her (and my) first river cruise experience; one we are very much looking forward to!

 

How nice that you and your mom can make this trip together. Great idea to pace yourself as most will agree that all the port activities can really tire one out. The Rijksmuseum is fantastic and I believe you can purchase tickets ahead to avoid having to stand in line for a long time. Our trip to Amsterdam was last minute so no time to buy ahead and we had to stand in line well over an hour. We did not have time to visit the Van Gough so don't know what lines can look like there. Wishing you and your mom a lovely trip and many good memories.

Edited January 20, 2016 by purduemom1

[westchestermom]

Thanks everyone - yes, I was actually in Amsterdam for a more extended trip with my daughter a few years ago, so I know how advantageous it can be to order tickets for the museums online, and we will do that. I can say that for anyone wanting to see the Van Gogh museum, along with the Rijks and the Anne Frank House, I highly recommend advance timed reservations. It removes a lot of stress. My son just returned from a quick trip to Amsterdam with friends and he found the Canal House Museum fascinating. He said it's small, but worth the time. April will be here before we know it. I feel very lucky to be able to do this with her.

[Hydrokitty]

Thanks everyone - yes, I was actually in Amsterdam for a more extended trip with my daughter a few years ago, so I know how advantageous it can be to order tickets for the museums online, and we will do that. I can say that for anyone wanting to see the Van Gogh museum, along with the Rijks and the Anne Frank House, I highly recommend advance timed reservations. It removes a lot of stress. My son just returned from a quick trip to Amsterdam with friends and he found the Canal House Museum fascinating. He said it's small, but worth the time. April will be here before we know it. I feel very lucky to be able to do this with her.

 

the only thing I will say about the Anne Frank House with your Mom is that it's a very narrow and confining staircase....I was unable to do it because of the claustrophobia and the narrow, twisting staircase....and sometimes even with a ticket you have to wait on a line to get in. don't know anything about the Canal House museum.

Edited January 20, 2016 by Hydrokitty

[westchestermom]

Lucky for us, I've already talked her out of the Anne Frank Haus for many of the same reasons!

[Hydrokitty]

Lucky for us, I've already talked her out of the Anne Frank Haus for many of the same reasons!

 

good...she'll really like the Van Gogh and the Rijks.

[Host Jazzbeau]

The Van Gogh has a movie playing in the basement -- as I recall it was in Dutch, but at least you could sit down! [No backs though, so as we nodded off we were afraid of falling.] We needed the nap because the museum was so fabulous that we had spent quite a bit of time there.

[Lois R]

Well, one of my Limited Edition tours was cancelled:(...it was the one

to the Gardens......I am hoping they will have it as a regular tour because

I really want to see them:)

[Lois R]

I was going to post this on the "air forum" but decided to do it here instead.

Here goes.....what do ya'll usually do on your flight overseas? Do you

read? Sleep? Watch tv? Last time I flew to Europe was 2012 and I remember

they had the small screen on the back of the seat in front of me...I

would think that is still offered?

 

Now for the other part.....I do not own an IPad or Tablet.....I have a

laptop but am not bringing it with me. I do bring normal paperbacks....

 

Any replies would be appreciated:)

[westchestermom]

Lois, there is a regularly scheduled trip to the Gardens on the itinerary for Wednesday, the 20th (Day 7) , as far as I can tell. That's what confused me regarding the Limited Edition tour.

 

Regarding the flight, we're on an overnight flight on Tuesday (departs at 8:00pm, arrives 9:30am), that will likely leave us (or at least mom) exhausted for much of Wednesday. My goal on the flight is to eat dinner and grab a couple of hours of sleep - trying to avoid being tempted to watch movies etc. Hopefully, we'll be able to get into a hotel room before 3pm and grab a short nap before heading out for some light sightseeing. If you're on an overnight flight, I do recommend trying to get some sleep or the next day will be interminably long, and if you decide to nap on arrival for more than an hour or two, my experience is that your jet lag will be harder to overcome. I've never flown to Europe on a daytime flight, so I have little advice for that situation.

[Hydrokitty]

Lois, there is a regularly scheduled trip to the Gardens on the itinerary for Wednesday, the 20th (Day 7) , as far as I can tell. That's what confused me regarding the Limited Edition tour.

 

Regarding the flight, we're on an overnight flight on Tuesday (departs at 8:00pm, arrives 9:30am), that will likely leave us (or at least mom) exhausted for much of Wednesday. My goal on the flight is to eat dinner and grab a couple of hours of sleep - trying to avoid being tempted to watch movies etc. Hopefully, we'll be able to get into a hotel room before 3pm and grab a short nap before heading out for some light sightseeing. If you're on an overnight flight, I do recommend trying to get some sleep or the next day will be interminably long, and if you decide to nap on arrival for more than an hour or two, my experience is that your jet lag will be harder to overcome. I've never flown to Europe on a daytime flight, so I have little advice for that situation.

 

We used to fly back and forth to London on the morning flight from JFK and, truth to tell, I liked it better than over-night because we would arrive in London around 9 p.m. and by the time we got to our flat it was time to watch the evening news and go to bed. We'd wake up the next morning at our regular time and the jet lag didn't seem to bother us as much. Of course, we were younger then and now we fly business so we can "sleep".

[Hydrokitty]

I was going to post this on the "air forum" but decided to do it here instead.

Here goes.....what do ya'll usually do on your flight overseas? Do you

read? Sleep? Watch tv? Last time I flew to Europe was 2012 and I remember

they had the small screen on the back of the seat in front of me...I

would think that is still offered?

 

Now for the other part.....I do not own an IPad or Tablet.....I have a

laptop but am not bringing it with me. I do bring normal paperbacks....

 

Any replies would be appreciated:)

 

Lois, I am certain your trip to Keukenhof will not be cancelled by AMA....they might not have had enough people to make it worthwhile, but barring something really drastic I'm sure you'll go to the Gardens on the regular itinerary.

 

As for what do I do on overseas flights....you mean besides drive DH nuts? :D

I'm a techie so I have my kindle fire loaded with games that I can play for hours...I also throw in a couple of trashy paperbacks..you know the kind that keep your interest but you don't really have to pay attention...and first thing I do is check out the movie selection...so far I've watched movie twice and usually pick movies I wanted to see that DH didn't. When I'm done with all of that I'll have a glass of wine or 3 and then sleep it off. Then have 2 cups of coffee with breakfast to wake me up again! My son, who used to be in the military, said all the soldiers would take a P.M. cold capsule just after dinner on their trips to and from Afghanistan and the anti-histamine would knock them out but I wouldn't recommend doing that if you have any kind of high blood pressure.

[Host Jazzbeau]

The explanation for the "Limited Edition" tours is that these are experiences that only a few guests tend to be interested in. AMA offers them to accommodate those few, especially repeat passengers who have already done the regular tours in the area. In this case, most people probably figured the regular tour was all the Keukenhoff they needed so registration was too small to be viable.

[Lois R]

Lois, there is a regularly scheduled trip to the Gardens on the itinerary for Wednesday, the 20th (Day 7) , as far as I can tell. That's what confused me regarding the Limited Edition tour.

 

Regarding the flight, we're on an overnight flight on Tuesday (departs at 8:00pm, arrives 9:30am), that will likely leave us (or at least mom) exhausted for much of Wednesday. My goal on the flight is to eat dinner and grab a couple of hours of sleep - trying to avoid being tempted to watch movies etc. Hopefully, we'll be able to get into a hotel room before 3pm and grab a short nap before heading out for some light sightseeing. If you're on an overnight flight, I do recommend trying to get some sleep or the next day will be interminably long, and if you decide to nap on arrival for more than an hour or two, my experience is that your jet lag will be harder to overcome. I've never flown to Europe on a daytime flight, so I have little advice for that situation.

 

Oh, I am not flying during the day.....my flight from Newark leaves

at 6pm......flying overnight too.:).....I arrive at AMS the following

morning.

[Lois R]

The explanation for the "Limited Edition" tours is that these are experiences that only a few guests tend to be interested in. AMA offers them to accommodate those few, especially repeat passengers who have already done the regular tours in the area. In this case, most people probably figured the regular tour was all the Keukenhoff they needed so registration was too small to be viable.

 

Thanks for the explanation.:)

[Cyber Kat]

I was going to post this on the "air forum" but decided to do it here instead.

Here goes.....what do ya'll usually do on your flight overseas? Do you

read? Sleep? Watch tv? Last time I flew to Europe was 2012 and I remember

they had the small screen on the back of the seat in front of me...I

would think that is still offered?

 

Now for the other part.....I do not own an IPad or Tablet.....I have a

laptop but am not bringing it with me. I do bring normal paperbacks....

 

Any replies would be appreciated:)

 

It's been a long time since we've flown to Europe. Those times we flew coach - which was so much better back then! I remember not being able to sleep much - too much going on.

 

This time we're flying business/first, so I hope to be able to catch some sleep! I have a Nook - which I will be bringing loaded up with some good reading material. I'll probably eat, rid a bit and try to get some sleep. Some of that "free" champagne should help ;) I may watch a movie if they have something I want to see. Our flight leaves at 5"34pm - I think, I have to check, but around that time. We arrive in Amsterdam at 7:30am.

[purduemom1]

I was going to post this on the "air forum" but decided to do it here instead.

Here goes.....what do ya'll usually do on your flight overseas? Do you

read? Sleep? Watch tv? Last time I flew to Europe was 2012 and I remember

they had the small screen on the back of the seat in front of me...I

would think that is still offered?

 

Now for the other part.....I do not own an IPad or Tablet.....I have a

laptop but am not bringing it with me. I do bring normal paperbacks....

 

Any replies would be appreciated:)

 

Hi Lois,

 

My experience with transatlantic as well as trans pacific flights is that I get very little sleep even when I'm in a lie flat seat/pod in business. That's just me and everyone is different. I don't know if you have chosen a seat yet but my experience with window seats in coach is that they can be colder than other seats. On the other hand I like them because if I'm going to sleep at all. I'm most likely to fall asleep when I'm in a window seat.

 

Seat back screens offer many choices, movies, tv shows, games, flight tracker etc so you may or may not need other diversions. I load pod casts onto my phone and listen to them if I am bored. I may bring one paperback although my iPad has books too.

 

Drink lots of water but I avoid the potable water that is often served in coach. The FA will come thru the cabin with glasses of water on a tray and I always ask if it's potable or bottled. When I'm in coach I always make sure to take water on board with me and replenish my bottle when the beverage cart comes thru with bottled water. Many US airports now offer fill stations so I have an empty bottle in my carry on or you can buy bottled water after you clear security. Now if you are in business/first, you will get bottles of water onboard.

 

I don't mind the long haul flights and I fly from the West Coast so going from Florida will mean a much shorter flight for you. I tell myself the flight is a "means to an end" and think about the adventure that is ahead.

 

One more thing, if you should check the flight tracker and see that your flight isn't going in a straight line but rather a circular curve over Greenland, don't worry, that is a normal flight path. Surprised me the first time I saw that.

 

As the airlines say, sit back and enjoy the flight!

Sharon

Edited January 22, 2016 by purduemom1