8 Nights / 9 Days
9 days, 20 meals.
Experience the colour and glory of spring on this leisurely river cruise through Holland and Belgium. Float past blooming fields of flowers and windmills. Visit the expansive tulip fields of Keukenhof Gardens, home to more than 7 million tulips and one of the most visited attractions in all of Europe! Visit Kinderdijk, and see Holland’s largest concentration of windmills. Enjoy a canal cruise in the heart of Amsterdam. Step back to medieval times during a Bruges sightseeing tour. Sample artisanal cheese at a Dutch farm. Stop in Arnhem, the favourite summer retreat of the Dutch royal family.
Itinerary
Day 1: Overnight Flight
Savour springtime in Holland and Belgium with a cruise that highlights the blooming Dutch tulip fields.
Day 2: Amsterdam, Netherlands - Board Ship - Tour Begins
Your journey opens in Amsterdam, the 800-year-old thriving capital of the Netherlands. Board your ship and unpack once for a relaxing 7-night river cruise. Your beautiful vessel offers the newest technology, panoramic deck, panorama bar, delicious cuisine including regional wines with every dinner, and outstanding service. Tonight, a cocktail is served in the Panorama Bar where you will meet your fellow travellers before a lovely welcome dinner. Enjoy an overnight stay on the ship in Amsterdam.
Day 3: Amsterdam - Volendam - Cruising
After breakfast, view some of Amsterdam’s most important sites and diverse architecture while on a city tour. You will also get to see the city from the water during a delightful canal cruise. Midday, visit the little fishing town of Volendam where you can still find fishermen dressed in traditional caps and baggy-legged trousers. A visit to a local cheese farm illustrates the process of how cheese from the area is made and also allows you the opportunity to sample some of the delicious results! During dinner, the ship resumes its cruise to the IJssel Sea.
Day 4: Arnhem
Late this morning we arrive in Arnhem, location of the favourite summer retreat of the Dutch royal family. This afternoon, pass by lovely Dutch scenery as your journey continues.
Day 5: Middelburg - Cruising
Today your ship docks in Middelburg, the capital of the Dutch province, Zeeland. It is known as “the monumental city” because over 1,100 monuments dot its landscape. This afternoon, you may take an optional excursion to the Deltaworks Project located at Neeltje Jans. This is an amazing example of how the Dutch have truly tamed the environment in which they live. Your excursion continues with a stop in the lovely town of Veere, a prosperous trading port in the Middle Ages due to the wool trade with Scotland; today it is a favourite spot for visitors.
Day 6: Ghent, Belgium - Bruges
Welcome to the Imperial city of Ghent. Lined with typical patrician houses in its city centre, Ghent conveys the splendour of days gone by. Perhaps you will join an optional sightseeing tour that includes St. Bavo Cathedral, with its world-famous painting of the altar of the citizens of Ghent and the "Belfried" with its bell tower. This afternoon, be transported back to another time during a leisurely paced walking tour of Bruges, one of Europe’s most perfectly preserved medieval cities.
Day 7: Antwerp
Today the ship docks in Antwerp, Belgium’s second-largest city, which boasts beautiful Gothic and Baroque architecture and lively cafés. Join a local expert exploring the city’s historical sites including the legendary Brabo Fountain and "Liebfrauenkirche," Belgium’s largest Gothic church housing works by Rubens, the prolific painter. The afternoon is at leisure for shopping and independent exploration. Tonight, the captain welcomes you to the elegant Captain’s Gala Dinner, immediately followed by an evening of dancing.
Day 8: Kinderdijk - Utrecht - Amsterdam
Stop in Kinderdijk (UNESCO World Heritage site) to experience Holland’s largest concentration of windmills, many still operating, and to get a revealing glimpse into Holland’s age-old battle with the sea. After lunch, explore the world-famous Keukenhof Gardens, spanning more than 70 acres within a beautiful park of tranquil ponds and shaded paths. With more than seven million tulips and other flowers on exhibit, Keukenhof is a kaleidoscope of colour in bloom. Your day concludes with a farewell dinner and a typical Dutch folklore show celebrating the end of an unforgettable river cruise through Holland and Belgium.
Day 9: Amsterdam - Disembark Ship - Tour Ends
Your tour comes to a close today, leaving you with many pleasant memories of a wonderful adventure.
