Holland & Belgium Featuring Floriade - Southbound
10 Days
Priced from Priced from $6,685 US
Details below or click here for more information INQUIRY FORM
Once every ten years, the Netherlands hosts Floriade - a World Horticulture Exposition showcasing garden-inspired exhibits from around the globe. In 2012, a full day visit to Floriade's "theatre of nature" in Venlo is a highlight of our riverboat cruise through the inland waterways of Belgium and Holland aboard ms Swiss Sapphire, ms Swiss Jewel or new-for-2011 ms Treasures - making your ringside seat for nature's colorful show that much more spectacular! Check out the Aalsmeer Flower Auction and visit Keukenhof Gardens or Haarlem in Holland's bulb country. Take a private cruise through Amsterdam's canals and experience the past at the Zuiderzee Museum. Taste Belgian beer, observe cheese-weighing in Gouda and porcelain-making in Delft, and enjoy an interactive culinary experience at Chateau Neercanne - a Tour Operator Exclusive! Tour renowned art museums and World War II sites, and visit Bruges or Ghent, Brussels, Amsterdam, Antwerp, the Hague and more on this most popular of Holland cruises.
Day 1 Welcome to Amsterdam and embark your riverboat
Meals D
This most memorable of Belgium and Holland cruises begins at 4:00 PM in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Upon arrival, a transfer is included from Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport to the ms Swiss Sapphire, ms Swiss Jewel or new-for-2011 ms Treasures. After settling into your cabin, enjoy a Dutch Gin tasting followed by our welcome dinner this evening aboard the riverboat.
Lodging Aboard the Riverboat
Day 2 The blooms and art of Amsterdam
Meals B, L, D
Early risers may want to check out the colorful sights and sounds of the Aaslmeer Flower Auction (closed weekends), the largest of its kind in the world, where more than 20 million flowers and plants are auctioned every weekday. Enjoy a guided city orientation tour of Amsterdam, including a private canal cruise through Amsterdam's network of centuries-old waterways dating back to the Renaissance era. Admire masterpieces by Rembrandt and other Old Dutch Masters at the world-renowned Rijksmuseum and stroll through the Museumplein.
Lodging Aboard the Riverboat
Day 3 Keukenhof Gardens or historic Haarlem
Meals B, L, D
Journey to Keukenhof Gardens in Lisse (open only until May), where millions of blooming tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, lillies, crocuses and bluebells create colorful carpets of flowers every spring. Cruise departures through May will have an opportunity to visit the gardens; other departures will continue on to Haarlem via the Yellow Roads along the scenic flower route through Holland's bulb country, bursting with colorful flowers from May through October. Spend the morning in Haarlem, Amsterdam's "little sister city" where Dutch Masters including Frans Hals, Jacob van Ruisdael, and Pieter Saenredam painted many of their famous works, and now home to one of Holland's premier art museums. Rejoin your riverboat in Schoonhaven this evening.
Lodging Aboard the Riverboat
Day 4 Gouda cheese, Delft porcelain & Den Haag
Meals B, L, D
Dutch cheese, renowned pottery and The Hague are spotlighted on your travels through Holland's iconic countryside today. The charming town of Gouda takes its name from its home-produced cheese; get to know it on a walking tour, visit a cheese-weighing facility and taste this traditional food favorite before some time to explore more on your own. After lunch, travel to Delft to tour the famous porcelain factory where this distinctive blue and white tin-glazed pottery is made; the town has changed little since 1660, when Vermeer painted his View of Delft. Take to the Yellow Roads again to coastal Den Haag (The Hague) and its impressive sand dunes, upon which The Hague, known today as the seat of Dutch government, was originally built. Continue cruising to Arnhem this afternoon.
Lodging Aboard the Riverboat
Day 5 Nature, van Gogh & WWII history in Arnhem
Meals B, L, D
After your riverboat docks in Arnhem today, explore De Hoge Veluwe National Park, the country's largest nature reserve and home to scenic forests, drifting sand dunes and grassy plains. You'll then have a chance to peruse works by Vincent van Gogh (there are over 275 of them) and others at the Kroller-Muller Museum (subject to weekly closures) set right within the park. Later, tour battle sites associated with the World War II airborne assault on Arnhem and visit the Airborne Museum, located in a former Allied divisional headquarters in Oosterbeek. Rejoin your riverboat for a performance of classical music by La Strada this evening as this most delightful of Holland river cruises continues to Venlo, site of the 2012 Floriade.
Lodging Aboard the Riverboat
Day 6 A memorable day at the Floriade in Venlo
Meals B, L, D
Enjoy a once-in-a-decade opportunity to become "a part of the theatre in nature" as you spend the entire day in the floral wonderland known as Floriade - held every 10 years in the Netherlands to showcase green-inspired pavilions and garden exhibits created by over a hundred horticultural businesses from more than 25 different nations around the world. The tour operator includes a full day at the 2012 Floriade in the Dutch border town of Venlo, celebrating visions of a greener world, on departures between April and October. If you wish, you can also explore the town of Venlo on a walking tour, then take a drive on Yellow Roads along the "route of the roses" before returning to the riverboat for dinner.
Lodging Aboard the Riverboat
Day 7 Paying tribute to the past
Meals B, L, D
Drive to Margraten to pay your respects at the Netherlands American Cemetery, final resting place of thousands of U.S. World War II soldiers. As an Exclusive, lunch today is a memorable interactive culinary experience at Chateau Neercanne, a castle whose terraced gardens are protected by UNESCO; you'll don a chef's hat, visit the kitchen where your meal is being prepared, and dig into an extraordinary lunch served in a Roman grotto within the castle. This afternoon, cruise the entire length of the Albert Canal from the Netherlands into Belgium, enjoying the views from the riverboat's sun deck or lounge. Arrive in the important port of Antwerp, and savor Belgian specialties at dinner.
Lodging Aboard the Riverboat
Day 8 Walking through history in Antwerp
Meals B, L, D
Antwerp is yours to discover on foot today, when you meet your local guide on the dock for a tour of sights including the grand 1905 Centraal Station, opera house, city park and Grote Markt, lined with centuries-old Guild houses. Visit the city's historic Jewish quarter, one of the largest Jewish communities in Europe. Then spend some free time exploring Antwerp as you please prior to reboarding the riverboat for a farewell reception and Captain's dinner, as this most remarkable of Belgium and Holland cruises draws to a close.
Lodging Aboard the Riverboat
Day 9 Disembark, explore Bruges or Ghent & on to Brussels
Meals B, D
Disembark your riverboat in Antwerp and take your choice of sightseeing in famous Flanders today. You can journey to Bruges - one of Europe's best-preserved medieval cities, the birthplace of Flemish painting and a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring many treasures from its heyday between the 12th and 15th centuries. View Bruges' celebrated architecture on a tour, then explore more of its cobbled lanes, quaint canals and arched bridges as you please, and have lunch on your own. Or travel with the tour operator to Ghent and discover a wealth of Gothic architectural details on a visit to St. Baafskathedral, home to one of Europe's most remarkable paintings - Jan van Eyck's 1432 masterwork, The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb. Wind up this most delightful of Belgium and Holland cruises in Brussels, Belgium's capital city, where you'll overnight at the ideally located Conrad Brussels. Savor a taste of regional cuisine at tonight's farewell dinner.
Lodging Conrad Brussels
Day 10 Say goodbye to Brussels
Meals B
Tour ends in Brussels, Belgium. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from the Conrad Brussels to Brussels Airport. Allow 3 hours for flight check-in.
Inclusive Prices:
Cruise prices are per person in U.S. dollars. All hotel and riverboat accommodations, motor coach transportation, port charges, land excursions, admissions, entertainment, special dinners, all-day soft drinks and wine with dinner aboard the riverboat, sightseeing, porterage, and the services of the ship staff, the local guides and drivers, the Tour Director and the Tour Cruise Director are included. Transportation from Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport to the riverboat is included, regardless of the time of your arrival, provided you have furnished us with accurate fight arrival information at least two weeks prior to the start of your tour. If you are arriving into a local train station please retain a receipt and submit it to your Tour Director for reimbursement. Transportation from the Conrad Brussels to Brussels Airport is also included when you check out of the hotel. Transportation to and from airports and train stations may be shared with other guests.
Hotel and Riverboat Accommodations
- The tour price includes all hotel and riverboat accommodations. Our standard is to provide the best available hotel accommodations without sacrificing value. Although the quality of one hotel may differ slightly from another, our commitment to your comfort is unwavering. Two-bedded rooms are reserved in most hotels.
The ms Treasures, ms Swiss Jewel and ms Swiss Sapphire accommodate only 118 guests. Your well-appointed, outside-facing cabin offers a plush interior with plasma TV, mini-bar, radio, safe, hair dryer, international direct-dial telephone, adjustable air conditioning, private bathroom with shower, L'Occitane toiletries, and terry cloth robes and slippers. Most cabins feature floor-to-ceiling windows with French balconies.
Most cabins have two twin beds that may be separated or combined. Triple accommodations in one room are only available in Category 6 on this cruise. Please note that we cannot guarantee adjacent, adjoining or connecting rooms. Requests for triple and quadruple accommodations are only available as two separate twin cabins in categories 1 and 3. We will do all that we can to secure rooms next to one another or connecting when possible.
For safety and security purposes, at time of booking, room accommodations for children under 18 years of age must be made in the same room as a an accompanying adult; exceptions may be granted under certain circumstances with parental consent.
While on board you may also enjoy the panoramic bar and dance floor in the lounge, the spacious restaurant that can accommodate all guests in one seating and the large sun deck with deck chairs and a whirlpool. There is a Fitness & Massage Center on board. The Fitness Center is complimentary and includes a limited variety of fitness equipment such as treadmills, stationary cycling machines and free weights. Massages are available for a fee in a private room off of the Fitness center. The ship's small boutique is located by the reception desk.
Meals
- Most meals are included as specified in the itinerary.
An ample buffet breakfast of both hot and cold dishes is served in the spacious restaurant. At lunch, you are presented with a choice of entree with several courses, or a delicious buffet. Dinner's choice of entree is accompanied with an international selection of wines. Please let us know about your special dietary requirements when booking your cruise, as we will be pleased to meet your special dietary requirements whenever possible. Kosher meals are not available.
Complimentary all-day soft drinks, coffee and tea service, cookies and fruit are available in the Lido Bar on the riverboat. A continental breakfast of muffins, pastries, fruit and yogurt is served here daily, as well as lunch and dinner.
The legal drinking age aboard the riverboat is 21 years old.
Tour Director
- Holland & Belgium Featuring Floriade has one Tour Director for every 40 guests and one Tour Cruise Director who will remain with the group throughout the tour. Your Tour Directors are professional, fully trained employees of the tour operator.
Gratuities Included
- All customary gratuities for the ship staff, local guides, drivers, Tour Directors and Tour Cruise Director are included.
No Options Sold
- Your Tour Directors will assist you with information on free-time activities based on honest opinion and guidance, but they will not sell you anything. This means better value and a more relaxed and pleasant experience for you.
Not Included:
Transportation to the tour departure point and from the tour ending point is not included. Airfare may be purchased from us for travel originating in the United States.
Hotel Rooms Before and After Tours
- To avoid jet lag and possible flight delays, you may wish to make hotel arrangements for the nights preceding or following your cruise. As a service, we will book additional nights for you on a space-available basis using special rates only available through us. Hotel room charges will be added to the cruise cost. Train and airport transfers are included for these extended stays as described above under Inclusive Prices. If you wish to spend additional nights, please consult your reservations sales consultant or travel agent when you book your cruise.
Luggage Responsibility
- Although every effort is made to handle your luggage carefully, we cannot be responsible, assume liability or accept claims for loss or damage to luggage and personal effects due to breakage, theft, or fair wear and tear through hotel, airline and group carrier handling. It is important for your own self-interest and protection that you make certain you have adequate insurance to cover these eventualities.
Lost luggage is an unfortunate possibility in today's world of airline travel. We suggest that you:
Pack at least one change of clothing in your carry-on bag
Split your items between your suitcase and a traveling companion's suitcase
Do not pack any vital medications or valuables in your checked luggage
Confirm that your luggage is checked and tagged to your final destination at airport check-in
Place your luggage claim tags in a secure place for your flight
File a claim for any missing luggage immediately before leaving the baggage claim area
Secure a case number and contact information for follow-up communications
Make certain that the airline has your onward itinerary
Your Tour Director will assist you with airline and other carrier communications, but has no inside contacts to guarantee or expedite recovery of lost luggage. All recovery costs, including the communication costs, are your responsibility. Check your travel protection details for covered expenses.
Personal Expenses such as phone calls, room service (other than breakfast in Category 6 accommodations), alcoholic and other beverages not specifically included, laundry, dry cleaning, airline excess luggage charges, vaccinations, visa fees and services, airport arrival and departure taxes, individual airport transfers (when applicable), and other optional or incidental extras are not included and may be significant.
Accommodations:
Nights 1 - 8 : Aboard the Riverboat - Europe's inland waterways
Cruising Europe's inland waterways exclusively for this tour operator, sister ships ms Swiss Emerald, ms Swiss Sapphire, ms Swiss Jewel and Tour Operator new-for-2011 ms Treasures represent the epitome of luxurious river cruising. In addition to their spacious, well-appointed cabins, all four ships offer 14 beautiful 300-square-foot suites - equipped with floor-to-ceiling windows, marble baths, flat-screen televisions and walk-in closets - as well as 7 junior suites, adding up to four times more suites than most other European riverboats. The cabins, which range from 150 to 183 sq. ft., provide plush accommodations with plasma TV, terry bathrobes, fine L'Occitane toiletries, large windows and much more; 85% of the cabins have floor-to-ceiling windows with French balconies. A crew of 29 attentively serves just 118 guests. The Restaurant offers both an elegant dining venue and a fine dining experience, while the spacious Panorama Lounge in the bow, with its bar, dance floor and entertainment, is a delightful gathering spot in the evenings. The gracious Lido Bar in the stern has a 180 glass wall that opens for an indoor / outdoor cocktail hour, and offers alternative bistro dining featuring lighter fare - a first on Europe's rivers. This Tour Operators riverboat fleet is definitely "top-of-the-line"!
Night 9 : Conrad Brussels - Brussels, Belgium
Offering the largest guestrooms in Brussels, the Conrad Brussels is located on the fashionable Avenue Louise, near all the sights that visitors most want to see. In-room amenities such as a 25-inch TV, minibar, marble bathroom with separate bathtub and shower, bathrobe and slippers, hairdryer, iron and ironing board and coffee- and tea-making facilities ensure a comfortable stay. Cafe Witcher's covered outdoor terrace and indoor courtyard provide a relaxed and informal atmosphere in which to enjoy both international cuisine and some classic Belgian dishes. The Loui Lounge & Bar, awarded the prestigious title "Best Hotel Bar in Europe" in 2010 by the Prix Villegiature composed of a jury of 21 major journalists, is the ideal place to begin or end your evening with a classic cocktail or one of over 100 different whiskey choices. High-speed internet connectivity is available in guestrooms.
Departure Dates:
April 2012
Prices:
From approx $6,685 US per person based on double occupancy
To book or for more information please complete the
INQUIRY FORM
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