Dutch & Belgian Waterways

Itinerary: Amsterdam to Amsterdam

Day 1 Depart Canada. Board your overnight flight to Amsterdam, Holland.

Day 2 Arrive in Amsterdam and transfer to the ship Embarkation on the vessel is in wonderful Amsterdam. Your Tour Manager will welcome you aboard your 'floating hotel', and you can get to know the crew and the layout of the ship. A cocktail is served in the Panorama Bar before the welcome dinner. The vessel stays in Amsterdam overnight.

Day 3 Today its “Queen Day”, the national holiday in Netherland. Over the whole country countless festivals and events taking place. The forenoon is for your own disposal to enjoy the lively atmosphere in town. The ship leaves Amsterdam at noon and quickly crosses over the 'Ijsselmeer' to the little fishing town of Volendam, from which you have the opportunity to take apart in the excursion “Nothern Holland” (€ 27).This former fishing village is a very popular town with visiting tourists. Afterwards continue to a local cheese farm where you will have the opportunity to see the process of how the local cheese from the area is made and also to sample some of the various types of cheese produced here. In the later evening the vessel resumes its cruise along the 'Ijsselmeer' and on into the river Ijssel. In the evening you can enjoy a typical folklore group on board.

Day 4 The vessel reaches Arnhem at noon. During the afternoon you can join the excursion to the “Kröller-Müller-Museum” (€ 50). The museum is a magnificent amalgamation of art, architecture and nature. Amidst unspoilt natural surroundings, the Kröller-Müller-Museums collection centres on the extensive collection of works by Vincent van Gogh and the world famous sculpture garden. Alternatively you can visit the “Airborne Museum” (€ 35) in Oosterbeek, former headquarters of the British divisional commander, Major-Genera R.E. Urquhart. Here you can follow the events of the battle: from the air landings, the march to the bridge, the fierce fighting in Arnhem and Oosterbeek, to the crossing of the river. In the afternoon the cruise continues and the vessel takes us into Belgium.

Day 5 At noon the vessel docks in Middelburg, the capital of the dutch province Zeeland. You can mark the city as monumental city because here you can find app. 1100 smaller and bigger monuments. In the afternoon you can choose between 2 excursions. During the city tour “Middelburg” (€ 10) you enjoy the medieval atmosphere of this town with the smallest university in Netherland. You’ll see the huge abbey, the impressive city hall and wonderful fronts of old trading houses. Another excursion (€ 55) takes you 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. Afterwards make a stop at the lovely town of Veere which was a very prosperous trading port in the middle ages due to the wool trade with Scotland. Today Veere is a favorite spot for visitors as it is one of the most picturesque towns in the area. During the dinner you are leaving Middelburg.

Day 6 The vessel reaches Ghent in the early hours of the morning. The typical patrician houses in its medieval centre convey, even today, an impression of the splendour of by-gone days. Our included city sightseeing tour includes many of the fine sights of the city in which the Emperor Charles 5th was born, such as the St. Bavo cathedral with its world-famous painting of the altar of the citizens of Ghent, by Jan van Eyck, and the 'Belfried' with its bell-tower. In the afternoon our included Bruges sightseeing tour is like a journey back in time to medieval Flanders. The old craft of the 'bobbin' – a skill that has become very rare - has been cultivated in the 'Beginenhof' in Bruges since the middle of the 13th century. You will see the 'Pulverturm', the Town Hall with its wonderful facade, and a Madonna by Michelangelo in the magnificent 'Liebfrauenkirche'. There’s time in the evening to explore Ghent on your own, before the ship casts off again.

Day 7 In the early hours of the morning the ship docks in Antwerp, Belgium’s second-largest city and formerly one of the most important harbours in the world. Our included sightseeing tour of the city will enable you to get to know it in some detail. Antwerp is best known for its diamonds and as the city of Peter Paul Rubens, who spent the best part of his life here leaving many traces of his influence - as a diplomat, architect, and teacher as well as a painter. The outstanding sights of this city – so richly endowed with museums – are the 'Liebfrauenkirche', Belgium’s largest Gothic church with its bell-tower dominating everything else, the 'Brabo' fountains in the 'Grote Markt' and the Rubens house that the famous painter had built as both his home and his studio. There’s plenty of time in the afternoon to explore this city under your own steam, or to join our Brussels excursion (€ 23) to the Belgian capital, where you can photograph the famous 'Mannekin Pis' for yourself. On the second-last day of your journey, the captain will be delighted to welcome you to the Captain’s Gala Dinner. The excellent orchestra, which has been entertaining you in the Panorama Bar throughout the cruise, will get you swinging and dancing the night away.

Day 8 In the morning you are reaching Kinderdijk. You can join the Kinderdijk excursion (€ 22) where you encounter Holland’s largest concentration of working windmills. Already at forenoon you return to the vessel. After a good lunch on board you can start via buses from Utrecht to an excursion to Keukenhof (€ 48) which enables you to marvel at the tulip fields between Haarlem and Leiden. Keukenhof’s flower displays put literally millions of flowers on show, displayed with artistic perfection in the most beautiful park. Nowhere else in the world are the flowers and colours of the spring as glorious as at Keukenhof. Here you can find endless inspiration while you relax in the beautiful surroundings of the park. Keukenhof offers you the opportunity to see millions of bulbs in flower, fantastic flower shows and the largest sculpture park in the Netherlands and is the most photographed place in the world. Those who have been on this excursion re-embark in Amsterdam, where the vessel by then awaits them. The vessel stays in Amsterdam overnight.

Day 9 Disembarkation after breakfast. Transfer to the airport for your flight home.

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