Tulip Time Cruise for Beer Enthusiasts

8 Day River Cruise Amsterdam to Amsterdam

Cruise WAA-T1

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Overview

Your European river cruise explores breathtaking springtime scenery, as well as the amazing diversity of original beer styles in Belgium and the booming beer scene in Holland. This Tulip Time river cruise for beer enthusiasts begins in Amsterdam. This 700-year-old city offers an abundance of classic architecture, cafés, and restaurants to explore. You’ll sail through Rotterdam’s harbor, said to be the world’s busiest port, visit the incredible Keukenhof garden—known as the “Garden of Europe.” If available, you may also choose an excursion to the city of Gouda, famous for its cheese and other specialties.

Next, sail to Antwerp, Belgium’s second-largest city, combining ancient buildings and monuments with modern architecture. Later, get to know the famous Belgian beer in a local brewery. In Ghent, Belgium take a canal boat tour which will take you to a local brewery to learn how the local beer is produced.

You’ll visit Middelburg, Holland—a historically important trading city—and see its gothic Town Hall, Abbey Tower, and bustling Market Square. No trip to Holland is complete without a visit to the technical miracle that is the 6-mile-long Delta Works barrier, constructed after the floods of 1953.

This beautiful and historic springtime Holland river cruise vacation concludes with more time to explore Am-sterdam, including a canal cruise along the elegant grachten lined with homes from Amsterdam’s “Golden Age.” You’ll have the opportunity to taste delicious Dutch beers, and a knowledgeable Beer Expert will cruise with you to provide lectures, beer-tasting, and food and beer pairings for a memorable Holland and Belgium River cruise experience.
Your European river cruise explores breathtaking springtime scenery, as well as the amazing diversity of original beer styles in Belgium and the booming beer scene in Holland. This Tulip Time river cruise for beer enthusiasts begins in Amsterdam. This 700-year-old city offers an abundance of classic architecture, cafés, and restaurants to explore. You’ll sail through Rotterdam’s harbor, said to be the world’s busiest port, visit the incredible Keukenhof garden—known as the “Garden of Europe.” If available, you may also choose an excursion to the city of Gouda, famous for its cheese and other specialties.

Next, sail to Antwerp, Belgium’s second-largest city, combining ancient buildings and monuments with modern architecture. Later, get to know the famous Belgian beer in a local brewery. In Ghent, Belgium take a canal boat tour which will take you to a local brewery to learn how the local beer is produced.

You’ll visit Middelburg, Holland—a historically important trading city—and see its gothic Town Hall, Abbey Tower, and bustling Market Square. No trip to Holland is complete without a visit to the technical miracle that is the 6-mile-long Delta Works barrier, constructed after the floods of 1953.

This beautiful and historic springtime Holland river cruise vacation concludes with more time to explore Am-sterdam, including a canal cruise along the elegant grachten lined with homes from Amsterdam’s “Golden Age.” You’ll have the opportunity to taste delicious Dutch beers, and a knowledgeable Beer Expert will cruise with you to provide lectures, beer-tasting, and food and beer pairings for a memorable Holland and Belgium River cruise experience.
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Book your cruise with or without flights

Cruise prices are shown without flights included in case you wish to book them separately, or aren't ready to return home when you disembark! Or we can book your flights for you from most UK airports, with overseas transfers and ATOL protection included. The choice is yours!

Book your cruise with or without flights

Itinerary

Avalon has designed included activities with a choice of experiences. We invite you to select the tours, activities, and events that interest you most, so you can experience your cruise your way. There are three types of included shore excursion on every Europe cruise:

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.

Active

Embark on energetic excursions to keep you in motion and on the go - from a guided jogging tour of Amsterdam, to biking, paddling, and hiking your way through scenic locales.

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.

Classic
<p>Embark on energetic excursions to keep you in motion and on the go - from a guided jogging tour of Amsterdam, to biking, paddling, and hiking your way through scenic locales.</p>
Active

Embark on energetic excursions to keep you in motion and on the go - from a guided jogging tour of Amsterdam, to biking, paddling, and hiking your way through scenic locales.

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.

Day 1 AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND (EMBARKATION)

  • Meals included:
  • Dinner

Welcome to Holland. Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding.
Flights into Amsterdam must arrive by 3:30 pm.
Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm.
Your day in Amsterdam is free to explore at your leisure.
You may choose to join a Guided Optional Excursion to beautiful Zaanse Schans where you’ll see a wonderful collection of well-preserved historic windmills and Dutch houses.
Enjoy dinner and explore the ship on your first night on board.

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO ROTTERDAM


Day 2 ROTTERDAM

  • Meals included:
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Windmills and Skyscrapers in Holland’s Modern Maritime Marvel

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.

Join a full- or 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.


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.

Onboard lecture hosted by your Beer Expert.


Take some free time to relax on the harbor-side in Rotterdam with an artisan beer, a slice of appeltaart (Dutch apple pie), and a koffie verkeerd, a typical Dutch drink of half coffee, half milk. Take a bike from your ship to explore Rotterdam and the surrounding area.
Before dinner, enjoy a cruise through Rotterdam harbor.
Later, enjoy live entertainment on board.

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO ANTWERP


Day 3 ANTWERP, BELGIUM

  • Meals included:
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Gothic Cathedral, Crêpes, and Waffles in Artful Antwerp

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.

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. Your sightseeing will end at a brewery where you will learn something more about the world famous Belgian beers.


Alternatively, you may choose to join a Guided Optional Excursion to the nearby capital, Brussels—considered home to the European Union, and admire its magnificent palaces and cathedrals.
You might prefer to take time on your own to indulge in Antwerp’s signature Belgian waffles and crêpes—or explore this bike-friendly city from its old wharfs to its legendary diamond district.
Later, enjoy live entertainment on board.

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO GHENT


Day 4 GHENT

  • Meals included:
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Ghent’s Cobblestones, Canals, and Cosmopolitan Charisma
You’ll have time for an early-morning walk (or jog) to explore the architecture and canals of Ghent—“Belgium’s best-kept secret.”

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.

Enjoy a canal boat that will take you through the town of Ghent to one of the very special brewery you will find how to brew the local Gruut beer.


You may choose to join a 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.

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO MIDDELBURG


Day 5 MIDDELBURG, HOLLAND

  • Meals included:
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

A Spicy History in Middelburg’s Dutch Harbor Town

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.

Join a Guided Walking Tour of the historic merchant city of Middelburg—with its 15th-century gothic Town Hall. You’ll learn about the spice trade of this Dutch harbor capital of Zeeland, its prosperity in the Dutch East India Company trading, and origins as a stronghold city. Enjoy its winding cobbled streets and canals that circle Old Town.


Spend some free time biking or walking through Middelburg to sample Babbelaar cookies, fries, or beer before cruising to Veere this afternoon.

VEERE


The Delta Works Stand Strong as a Technical Marvel

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.

Join a Guided Tour of the Delta Works, the largest flood-protection system in the world, and a miracle of modern technology.


This evening, enjoy an onboard food and beer pairing dinner hosted by your Beer Expert.

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO WILLEMSTAD


Day 6 WILLEMSTAD

  • Meals included:
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Willemstad’s Windmills and Historic Harbor

Active

Embark on energetic excursions to keep you in motion and on the go - from a guided jogging tour of Amsterdam, to biking, paddling, and hiking your way through scenic locales.

Join your Avalon Adventure Host for a Nordic Walking in Willemstad.


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.

Join a Guided Walking Tour of Willemstad and discover its many beautifully restored buildings from the 17th and 18th Century.


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.

Later, enjoy a Beer & Cheese Tasting on board as you prepare to sail to Amsterdam.


AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO AMSTERDAM


Day 7 AMSTERDAM

  • Meals included:
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Canals of Colorful Amsterdam

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.

Discover Aalsmeer Flower Auction—the largest in the world, where around 20 milion flowers are sold every day. Later enjoy a typical Dutch breakfast, OR:


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.

Explore the iconic waterways of Amsterdam on a Guided Canal Cruise past stately homes of Amsterdam’s “Golden Age.”, followed by a real Dutch beer experience.


You may like to join a Guided Optional Excursion to Muiderslot Castle, or a Guided Optional Biking Excursion to the Dutch countryside.
Take some free time to explore Amsterdam’s colorful streets and canal houses, galleries, and shops.

OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AMSTERDAM


Day 8 AMSTERDAM (DISEMBARKATION)

  • Meals included:
  • Breakfast

Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning.

Questions? Our travel specialists can help with any queries, quotes or special requirements.  Request a callback or email us.

Notes

  • In the event of technical or water level issues, it may be necessary to operate the itinerary by motorcoach or alter the program, including hotel overnight when necessary.
  • Guided Tours, Optional Excursions, activities, sailing and docking schedules may be contingent on weather conditions or other issues outside of our control and could therefore be subject to change at any time.
  • Please check visa requirements with your local consulate(s); responsibility for obtaining visas rests with the traveler.
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