It's a small cruise terminal in a city called IJmuiden. I'd say it's about a 35 minute drive to the center of Amsterdam.
It initially doesn't look like much when you first arrive to this port. There are vendors inside selling souvenirs and Dutch products. The tour buses are easy to find in the parking lot. The whole process of getting from the ship to the terminal was smooth and seamless. Everyone was friendly and helpful.
For those not taking shore excursions, there's a walking trail known as the "Bunker Walking Route" that will lead you to all kinds of WWII era German bunkers. It runs along what used to be the fortified Atlantic Wall. There's even a Bunker Museum nearby that gives the history of the German fort (Festung IJmuiden) that was built after they destroyed most of IJmuiden.
There's also a beach nearby. You'll see all the rows of tiny wooden beach huts along Kleine Strand as you cruise into the port. It didn't look so pleasant on a cold & windy spring morning, but I can see it being a nice summer destination for those who love the beach. The natural beauty of the beaches here are pretty much preserved. It does give off an heir of being desolate, which is kind of nice for those who want to get away from city life.
It's a good starting point for shore excursions. We decided to take a tour of the polders to the north of Amsterdam. It was everything we wanted in a cultural tour. The return to this terminal was just as easy as when we arrived. I hope to visit again in the future. read more