Netherlands - Health
The Netherlands has universal healthcare, but the government requires all adults living or working in the Netherlands to have basic insurance.
If you’re an EU citizen, a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), usually available from health centres, covers you for most medical care. It will not cover you for non-emergencies or emergency repatriation.
Temporary visitors from outside the EU/EEA should arrange to have their own travel insurance or international health insurance while in the Netherlands.
Good health care is readily available. The Dutch have 3 types of hospitals: university hospitals, general hospitals, and teaching hospitals.
For minor self-limiting illnesses an apotheek (pharmacy) can give valuable advice and sell over-the-counter medication. It can also advise when more specialised help is required and point you in the right direction.
The standard of dental care is usually good.
Vaccine-Preventable Diseases:
No vaccinations are necessary for the Netherlands. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that all travellers should be covered for diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella and polio, regardless of their destination.
Food and Water Concerns:
Tap water country-wide is drinkable.
Emergency Numbers:
You can contact emergency services by dialling 112 or going directly to the emergency department at your nearest hospital.
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The relevant rules for vessels arriving from abroad (Schengen and outside Schengen) can be found here: https://english.marechaussee.nl/topics/reporting-requirements-for-commercial-and-recreational-vessels/recreational-vessels
Amsterdam rail bridge not operating from 1st Oct 2023 until 31st May 2024 for vessels with more than 6.25 m above normal canal level. Use the Haarlem route instead.
A port not to be missed when sailing the Friesian Islands is Harlingen. Both Vlieland and Terschelling are within reach, there is a connection to the inland waterways via the Van Harinxma Canal, and it is a beautiful town with a real seafaring feeling, including a very recognizable tidal scope. Waiting for the train bridge and town bridges to open up can take up to 30 minutes, but not more.
There is a much nicer and roomier marina in Amsterdam now, Amsterdam Marina (amsterdammarina.com). Newly built, great facilities. It’s a bit further from the centre, but 15min free ferry ride to the centre.
More detailed info regarding Standing Mast Route: http://www.varendoejesamen.nl/?language=en
A passport stamped with an entry into France (or any other Schengen Area country) does not negate the need to report your arrival into a different country, it only starts the clock ticking on your permitted length of stay in the Schengen Area.
Dutch formalities are a little unclear, we arrived in Rotterdam from Belguim via the MAAS and followed the VTS radio reporting rules as required reporting on each segment and requesting entry etc, see http://www.portofrotterdam.com.
we contacted the Harbour Master at Veerhaven before arrival and advised eta. Upon arrival and after berthing at Veerhaven spoke to HM and was advised no other formalities required. 1 hour later (7 pm Sunday evening) police launch arrived and had a good look at us from the cabin and 10 mins later 2 police officers arrived to advise us we had failed to report our arrival.
We were advised that Schengen formalities were not valid as we had arrived from the sea and although we had already cleared into France we needed to act as if we were arriving from international waters. We showed our passports with French EU entry stamps and French Customs inspection papers, this was apparently still not sufficient and another reporting was required although they were not able to tell us what.
We provided copies of all documentation and they advised that they would return if they needed any further information. they also advised that we would need to report to the HM at each port within the NL if we exited via sea eg Rotterdam to Scheveningen. We asked what documents or forms may be required or was there a website with such information and they advised us just to contact the HM on arrival.
We spoke to the Veerhaven HM again the next morning and he said he had no idea what they wanted and what we needed to do. as far as the triplicate customs forms and 1-year permit described above or any other papers at this stage no one seems to have any information on such documents.
Andrew s/v Katherine http://www.svkatherine.com