last questions

will the NS app work on a tablet or only a phone. we will be using our tablet for everything.

why not Download now to see if it works on your device
https://www.nsinternational.nl/en/nsinternationalapp-1

Has anyone done the steam train from Hoorn, then cruise to Enkhuizen...what time do we need to catch train to Hoorn from Amsterdam?

I have not done it but you can see the schedule online for Hoorn, then cruise to Enkhuizen
https://www.stoomtram.nl/en

and then look up how much time it takes to get to Hoorn from Amsterdam

Will the NS app work on a tablet or only a phone.

The Reisplanner Xtra app can be downloaded via https://www.ns.nl/en/travel-information/ns-on-your-mobile/travel-planner-xtra.html and will work on tablets

why not Download now to see if it works on your device
https://www.nsinternational.nl/en/nsinternationalapp-1

This is the app for international travel

and then look up how much time it takes to get to Hoorn from Amsterdam

and that can be done via ns.nl/en

Do we need to make reservations for the train or boat?

No, you dont need to, but it is better if you do. When you buy your tickets via https://www.stoomtram.nl/en (click on Online tickets, you might have to change the language) you dont have to wait in line for your tickets.

Can we get tickets at Centraal station for the train/boat?

No, you can buy the tickets online or at he museum train stations Hoorn, Wognum and Medemblik and at the tourist information centre (VVV) in Enkhuizen (opposite the regular railway station)

Can I wait to get to Amsterdam to get our entry time to Van Gogh for same week?

Yes, that should not be problem. If you take a look today, you will see that tickets are stille available for every day next week. However not all time slots will be available. If you are planning to use the iAmsterdam City Card, there are only a limited number of tickets available per time slot for the iAmsterdam City Card. So even if there are tickets available for a time slot, it is possible that there are no tickets available for the iAmsterdam City Card.

We did the steam train from Hoorn to Medemblik, then the boat from Medemblik to Enkhuizen. I believe the steam train only has 1 running per day, so if you have the 9292.nl app you can check what time you should leave Amsterdam in order to get to Hoorn in enough time to get your ticket and board the train. The steam train station was behind the regular train station. I think it was a 30-minute train ride from Amsterdam to Hoorn.

Once we got to Hoorn, we selected the train/boat combo. I think the steam train was about an hour ride to Medemblik. We then had about an hour before the boat was scheduled to leave, so we did some window shopping in the city center of Medemblik. The boat has a restaurant you can order food during the boat ride, so we opted not to eat lunch in Medemblik -- wish we would have as the food on the boat was not very good. Had a hamburger that was the strangest looking/tasting hamburger we've ever had.

We also opted to get off the boat at the Zuiderzee museum in Enkhuizen. Toured the open air museum for about 2 hours, then it was about a 20 minute walk to the train station to catch the train back to Amsterdam. Enkhuizen was a great little city -- we enjoyed sitting at the harbor waiting for our train.

We did this in early April 2018 and the boat ride was very cold -- definitely bring a jacket, hat, and gloves!