Tulip Time Highlights
8 Day River Cruise
Make your visions of tulip season in Holland and Belgium come into view! Cruise from Brussels to Amsterdam for quintessential scenes of windmills, waterways, and rows of blooming color. Embark in Brussels and sail to Ghent—“The Diamond of Flanders.” Visit St. Bavo’s Cathedral with its stunning Flemish artwork. Sail to Bossuit for moving battlefield remembrances, including In Flanders Fields Museum and the Last Post Ceremony. On to Holland for a visit the former Dutch East India Company trading port. You’ll tour the Delta Works in Veere—a marvel of flood-protection. In Kinderdijk, see 19 windmills built in 1740 for water management, and in Rotterdam the Erasmus Bridge. You’ll see why windmills are a symbol of Holland!
Take in the tulips and other flowering bulbs in the flower farm regions of Zaandam and Haarlem, and conclude your river cruise through Belgium and Holland with a visit to Amsterdam. Take a guided canal cruise past bridges and homes of a golden age.
Countries: Belgium, Netherlands
River(s): Dutch & Belgian waterways
Pricing
River cruise starting at $3,850* CAD per person, based on double occupancy
8 Days – Brussels to Amsterdam
Your stateroom includes
- Comfort Collection Beds with choice of mattress firmness
- Egyptian super-combed cotton linens
- Bathrobes & slippers
- Premium L’Occitane bath products
- Large bathroom featuring shower with glass door
- Flatscreen satellite TV with free movie channels
- Individual climate control and in-room safe
- USB Ports
Onboard amenities
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
- Panoramic windows
- Elegant, contemporary design & décor
- Friendly, English-speaking crew & Cruise Director
- Sky Deck with whirlpool, shade awnings, game area and premium lounges
- Covered Observation Lounge
- Club Lounge with 24-hour self-serve beverage station with complimentary cappuccinos, lattes, tea, hot chocolate & premium coffees, as well as treats throughout the day
Excursions
- CLASSIC – Your local expert is ready to guide you through the history and heritage of local destinations. You’ll marvel at the legends, lore, and spectacular architecture of iconic and historic sites.
- DISCOVERY – We’ve found inspiring and interactive activities to speak to your interests – from cooking classes, to painting workshops – to immerse yourself in each culture you explore.
- ACTIVE – Embark on energetic excursions to keep you in motion and on the go!
Health & Fitness
- Bikes
- Canoe, kayak and jogging excursions
- Maps for hiking, biking and jogging routes
- Fitness and wellness activities
- Fitbits®
Day
Day 1
Location(s)
Brussels, Belgium
Meals
Dinner
Description
Welcome to Belgium. Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding.
Enjoy dinner on board as you sail for Ghent this evening.
Evening/Overnight Cruise to Ghent
Day 2
Ghent
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Medieval Masterpieces and Flemish Finery
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 onboard.
Overnight Cruise to Bossuit
Day 3
Bossuit
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Battlefield Remembrances in Flanders
Discovery – Visit the In Flanders Field Museum in Ypres—named for the soldier’s famed poem. Learn about the story of the invasion of Belgium, the first months of the mobilization, the four years trench war in the Westhoek, the end of the war, and the lasting remembrance to follow. After your visit, enjoy lunch at the museum’s café.
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
Day 4
Middelburg, Netherlands – Veere
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
A Spicy History in Middelburg’s Dutch Harbor Town
Active – Explore Vlissingen by bike with your Adventure Host, OR:
Classic – Join a Guided Walking Tour through the winding cobblestones and canals of Middelburg. See the 15th-century Gothic Town Halland 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.
Evening/Overnight Cruise to Kinderdijk
Day 5
Kinderdijk to Rotterdam
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Harnessing the Wind for 300 Years
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 marvelous Erasmus Bridge.
Later, enjoy live entertainment onboard.
Overnight Cruise to Zaandam
Day 6
Zaandam – Haarlem
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Windmills, Waterways, and Waving Fields of Flowers
Arrive in Zaandam this morning with free time to explore this quintessential Dutch town. During tulip season, you may take a Guided Optional Excursion to Keukenhof gardens. Outside of tulip season, join a Guided Optional Excursion to Zaanse Schans to see historic windmills and charming Dutch houses.
Cruise to Haarlem this afternoon while enjoying lunch onboard.
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
Day 7
Amsterdam
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Canals of Colorful 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”.
Overnight Docking in Amsterdam
Day 8
Amsterdam
Breakfast
Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning.
Interested in the itinerary above? Click on the “START PLANNING” button below and reference “Tulip Time Highlights” in the form, or give us a call at 587.997.5969 to book.
An adventure designed specifically for you
Let us work with you to tailor a journey based on your travel style and interests. We can use the existing itinerary above as a foundation, or build one from scratch to create your ideal vacation. Connect with us to start the conversation.
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*Prices are per person, based on double occupancy and subject to change and availability.