Duration: 15 Days
Begin your tulip season cruise in Amsterdam - perfect for garden and nature enthusiasts. For flower lovers, an expert botanist will provide lectures onboard, sharing his knowledge about botany and the world of plants. In Arnhem, tour its WWII Airborne Museum commemorating the brave battle of 1944. If you prefer, take an e-bike ride through the nature reserve Oijpolder. In Maastricht, go for a sightseeing tour of the old cobblestoned university town or learn more about the climate change.
On to Belgium for a sightseeing tour of medieval Namur and free time to browse its ancient architecture, charming cafes, and bookshops. In Liège, see the ancient quarters of the “Fiery City” as well as its romantic streets, steps, and tiny alleyways. Next, you’ll explore the city of Antwerp—birthplace of the master painter Peter Paul Rubens. Stroll its cobbled lanes amid 16th-century guildhall houses and the cathedral’s stunning altarpiece paintings by the famous artist. In Brussels, you’ll find landmark buildings and a collection of cafes and shops on your guided tour. Visit “The Diamond of Flanders”, Ghent, for stunning Flemish artwork in St. Bavo’s Cathedral. Explore more of the Flanders area with tours in Bossuit—the In Flanders Fields Museum and moving battlefield memorials and memorabilia.
In Middelburg, explore its grand history in the Dutch East India Company. Tour the Veere Delta Works to see the world’s largest flood-protection system. Continue your cruise through Kinderdijk—where windmills built in 1740 for water management helped the iconic structures become a symbol of Holland. See the Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam, and the quintessential Dutch towns of Zaandam and Haarlem with their signature flower farms, windmills, waterways, and North Sea trading. and delight in a visit to see the breathtaking blooming colours of Keukenhof, also largest gardens with more than 7 million flowering bulbs each year. Your cruise through Holland and Belgium returns to Amsterdam for a guided canal cruise through the iconic city. If you are a nature lover, you will have the opportunity to visit the most beautiful natural sites of the area by partaking in some unique excursions.
Welcome to Holland. Your Suite Ship is Ready for Boarding.
Flights into Amsterdam must arrive by 2 pm. Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm.
Your day in Amsterdam is free to explore at your leisure.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO NIJMEGEN (D)
Wildlife, WWII Valor, and Famous Mills
ACTIVE - Join a Biking Tour on the Hoge Veluwe National Park and admire its diversity of scenery, from dense forests to sand dune, OR:
DISCOVERY - Join a Guided Sightseeing to discover Arnhem-a key WWII operations site and home to impressive historical monuments and memorials-then visit a medieval castle for a regional herb and vegetable product tasting, OR:
CLASSIC - Join a Guided Tour of the Airborne Museum of Hartenstein commemorating the 1944 WWII Battle of Arnhem.
You may join a Guided Optional Excursion to the Windmill of Thorn or an Optional Cooking Workshop.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO MAASTRICHT (B,L,D)
Dutch History, School Spirit and an Architectural Feast
Enjoy an early morning sailing to Maastricht.
ACTIVE - Maastricht's charm awaits, get physical via nordic walking with your Adventure Host, OR:
CLASSIC - Discover this vibrant university town with its lovely cathedrals, old houses, historical buildings, and impressively cobblestoned town centre.
DISCOVERY - Join a Guided Experience in a unique natural reserve and discover the typical heath landscape of Benelux. Discover the Hoge Kempen National Park, a former mining area that is now a national park, during a private visit conducted by a ranger, followed by a stop by the Research Centre Ecotron to experience in first person the effects on climate changes on the planet.
Later, enjoy live entertainment on board.
OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO NAMUR (B,L,D)
Ancient Architecture and Charming Cafes
DISCOVERY - While sailing satisfy your curiosity about botany and nature during a lecture hosted by a local expert.
ACTIVE - Explore Namur's countryside by bike with your Adventure Host, OR:
DISCOVERY - Join a visit at Jardins D’Annevoie, one of the most beautiful water gardens in Europe and admire the rich park inspired to the French, Italian and English garden styles. Take the time to relax and connect with the unique environment around you, OR:
CLASSIC - Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour of the picturesque old-town, fortress citadel, and medieval architecture.
Take free time to stroll along Namur's cobblestone lanes and visit its charming cafes and bookshops.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN HUY (B,L,D)
Historic Wonders and Wonderful Waffles
CLASSIC - Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour of the "Fiery City" of Liege with its beautiful ancient quarters, peculiar alleys, and romantic streets. Don't miss sampling authentically sweet Liege Waffles.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO ANTWERP (B,L,D)
A Rubenesque Cathedral in Artful Antwerp
Join your Adventure Host for today's special activities.
ACTIVE - Explore Antwerp by bike with your Adventure Host, OR:
CLASSIC - Take a Guided Tour of this sophisticated city to visit the central Grote Markt, lined with 16th-century guildhall houses. You'll also see the beautiful city hall, the Cathedral of Our Lady with its stunning altarpiece paintings by Rubens, OR:
DISCOVERY - Spend some time surrounded by nature's magnificence on this inspiring guided excursion to the Arboretum Kalmthout botanical gardens.
DISCOVERY - While sailing, discover more about botany and nature joining a lecture hosted by a local expert.
Enjoy cocktail or coffee aboard your ship as you sail to Brussels this afternoon. Later, enjoy dinner and live entertainment.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN BRUSSELS (B,L,D)
Ancient Landmarks and New Haunts
ACTIVE - See Brussel's Aquaculture farm on bike with your Adventure Host, OR:
DISCOVERY - See the major highlights of Brussels and join a do-it-yourself chocolate workshop for a fun and interactive experience, OR:
CLASSIC - Join a Guided Tour of Brussels, see the Town Hall with its landmark buildings and discover the many local bars, cafes and shops of the Lower Town Streets.
The afternoon is free to explore Brussels at your pace
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN BRUSSELS (B,L,D)
Filling Fare and Fabled Beer
Spend a day at leisure to sample Brussels hearty cuisine and famous beer.
Enjoy dinner on board as you sail for Ghent this evening.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO GHENT (B,L,D)
Medieval Masterpieces and Flemish Finery
Visit the Adventure centre for today's activities with your Adventure Host.
ACTIVE - Explore a different side of Ghent by foot with your Adventure Host, OR:
CLASSIC - Explore Ghent-"The Diamond of Flanders"- with a Guided Sightseeing Tour of this showcase of medieval Flemish wealth. You'll visit St. Bavo's Cathedral-with its remarkable Flemish artwork.
Alternatively, you may choose to join a full-day Guided Optional Excursion of Bruges to explore its canals, cobbled streets, and medieval buildings. You'll see its crisscrossed canals, the 13th-century belfry of Market Square, and charming patrician houses.
This evening, enjoy live entertainment on board.
OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BOSSUIT (B,L,D)
Battlefield Remembrances in Flanders
DISCOVERY - Visit the In Flanders' Field Museum in Ypres- learn about the story of the invasion of Belgium, the first months of the mobilisation, the four years trench war in the Westhoek, the end of the war, and the permanent remembrance ever since. After your visit, enjoy lunch at the museum's cafe.
DISCOVERY - Following the museum, visit battlefields, cemeteries, memorials and private collections.
DISCOVERY - Experience the Last Post Ceremony, taking place nightly under the arches of the Menin Gate. Enjoy some free time for dinner before the Ceremony starts.
OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO MIDDELBURG (B,L,D)
A Spicy History in Middelburg's Dutch Harbor Town
ACTIVE - Explore Middelburg by bike with your Adventure Host, OR:
CLASSIC - Join a Guided Walking Tour through the winding cobblestones and canals of Middelburg. See the15th century Gothic Town Hall and learn about its important role in the spice trade and Dutch East India trading. Enjoy lunch on board while cruising to Veere.
VEERE: The Delta Works Stand Strong as a Technical Marvel
ACTIVE - Bike your way to the beach from Veere with your Adventure Host, OR:
DISCOVERY - Join a Guided Tour of the Delta Works, the largest flood-protection system in the world, and a miracle of modern technology.
DISCOVERY - While sailing satisfy your curiosity about botany and nature during a lecture hosted by a local expert.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT SAILING IN KINDERDIJK (B,L,D)
Harnessing the Wind 300 Years
Join your Adventure Host for today's special activities.
ACTIVE - See the windmills of Kinderdijk by bike with your Adventure Host, OR:
CLASSIC - Join a Guided Tour of Kinderdijk where 19 windmills were built in 1740 as flood prevention and water management. You'll hear about the windmill's vital role in the Netherland's history and why it became a national symbol of Holland.
Enjoy a cruise through Rotterdam harbor.
ACTIVE - Experience Rotterdam by bike with your Adventure Host, OR:
CLASSIC - Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour of Rotterdam featuring innovative architecture, including the marvellous Erasmus Bridge.
Later, enjoy live entertainment on board.
OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO ZAANDAM (B,L,D)
Windmills, Waterways, and Waving Fields of Flowers
CLASSIC - Join a half-day Guided Tour of breathtaking Keukenhof-known as the "Garden of Europe"-for its 70 acres of lush parkland, lakes, and the world's largest flower gardens-with more than seven million tulips, daffodils and hyacinths as well as other bulbs, planted each year OR:
ACTIVE - Join your Adventure Hosts for a scenic bike tour in Kinderdijk.
Alternatively spend your time to explore independently the quintessential Dutch town of Zaandam.
Cruise to Haarlem this afternoon while enjoying lunch on board.
HAARLEM: Tulips and North Sea Trading Ports
ACTIVE - Enjoy an easy bike ride to the beach with your Adventure Host, OR:
CLASSIC - Visit Haarlem, a major flower bulbs growing district outside of Amsterdam. Explore the former North Sea trading port with its medieval features, gabled houses, and leafy courtyards.
Enjoy dinner on board your ship this evening as you sail to Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AMSTERDAM (B,L,D)
Canals of Colourful Amsterdam
ACTIVE - Join a Biking Tour through the Dutch countryside past polders, dykes, and quaint centuries-old villages, OR:
CLASSIC - Explore the iconic waterways of Amsterdam on a Guided Canal Cruise past stately homes of Amsterdam's "Golden Age"- OR:
DISCOVERY - Access Amsterdam's secret gardens hidden behind the brick facades - a unique opportunity as they are normally closed to public.
This afternoon, you may like to join a Guided Optional Excursion to Zaanse Schans or experience a Culinary Tour through Amsterdam.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AMSTERDAM (B,L,D)
Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
