Explore the beauty of the inland waterways of the Netherlands and Belgium on this 8-day roundtrip Amsterdam cruise aboard the Crystal Debussy. View the Hoorn's city water, trade, and architecture; city Kinderdijk, that is world-renowned for the 19 eighteenth-century windmills that continue to operate today. On your way, discover Rotterdam, which is known as a top-ranking best place to visit. Stop in Antwerp - a historic city that has a current pulse of on-trend fashion, art, and entertainment. Walk along pretty canals, wander into stunning churches, and appreciate the flower-adorned squares and alleyways as you explore Ghent in Belgium. Furthermore, explore Middelburg, a key player in the Golden Age of Dutch science and technology. Finally, return to Amsterdam for your disembarkation.
Highlights
Discover eighteenth-century windmills in the village of Kinderdijk
Explore magnificent Rotterdam and learn about its seafaring history
Feel the dynamic energy of Antwerp’s old squares
Visit the flower adorned squares and cobbled alleyways in Ghent
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Everyone has an image of Amsterdam. For some, it’s small boats gliding on the canals and locals two-wheeling on bikes to work and, as frequently, to meet friends for drinks. For others, it’s gabled buildings leaning, seemingly precariously, over cobbled streets and cozy taverns illuminated by candles. Still, others imagine tulips in bloom and the paintings Vermeer, Van Gogh and Rembrandt. Each vision is even more beguiling when experienced in person.
The harbor town of Hoorn embodies what makes the Netherlands so special: water, trade, and architecture. Located near the open sea on the largest lake in Western Europe, the Ijsselmeer, this city shines, still glinting with the prosperity brought by the great sailing ships of the Dutch East India Company, which delivered exotic spices and sprinkled the town with elegant touches. Explore cobbled streets to discover interesting museums, fine monuments, the graceful town square, and timeless harbor.
Kinderdijk, one of the Netherland's biggest tourist attractions, is world-renowned for the 19 eighteenth-century windmills that continue to operate today. This UNESCO World Heritage Site continues to enthrall tourists with its historic windmills (and the beloved folklore of "The Cat and the Cradle" that goes with it), a picturesque town and a community of friendly locals who eagerly welcome visitors from all over the world seeking a peek into old-world Dutch living.
Much of Rotterdam’s edgy, sophisticated personality is a result of the destruction of much of the city by the WWII blitz, which left it to be rebuilt with a contemporary approach to design. Modern, eye-catching buildings of concrete, glass, and steel stand in stark contrast to the few remaining “old city” areas of Delfshaven, or Delft Harbor, and Oude Haven, or Old Harbor, and outstanding museums, hotels and restaurants consistently earn Rotterdam top rankings for best places to visit.
What Milan is to Italy, Antwerp is to Belgium, a historic city that is on-trend with a finger on the pulse of fashion, art, and entertainment. Dynamic energy fills Antwerp’s old squares, gorgeous with cobbled centers and edged, like a cake with decorative icing, by ornate buildings. High-reaching church towers and fountains with cherubic sculptures add to the feeling of antiquity, while the port - the largest in Belgium and one of the largest in the world - brings a sense of purpose and prosperity. Surely, you associate Antwerp with diamonds. More than 70 percent of all diamonds are traded through this sparkling city, one that also shines under the light of celebrated painter Peter Paul Rubens, who lived and worked in an Italianate city manse, now a museum.
Buildings with stair-stepped gables, the meeting of the rivers Scheldt and Leie, intact and well-preserved medieval architecture, a brooding castle, the famed Ghent Altarpiece. Ghent is a welcoming center of the industry with a lively cultural scene. Walk along pretty canals, wander into stunning churches, and appreciate the flowers adorning squares and alleyways as you explore what was once one of Europe’s richest cities and continues to enrich travelers.
A key player in the Golden Age of Dutch science and technology, Middelburg scientists are credited for the invention of the microscope and telescope. Famed explorer Jacob Roggeveen, who discovered Easter Island, was also a resident. Today, the city continues to thrive with its rich cultural and scientific history with gothic buildings, centuries-old canals, and the Delft Market Square where old and new worlds come together.
Everyone has an image of Amsterdam. For some, it’s small boats gliding on the canals and locals two-wheeling on bikes to work and, as frequently, to meet friends for drinks. For others, it’s gabled buildings leaning, seemingly precariously, over cobbled streets and cozy taverns illuminated by candles. Still, others imagine tulips in bloom and the paintings Vermeer, Van Gogh and Rembrandt. Each vision is even more beguiling when experienced in person.
Day 8: Amsterdam | Disembark
1 Breakfast
Enjoy one last breakfast aboard the Crystal Debussy before disembarking.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
Notes
Rates are capacity controlled and are subject to change without notice.
Solo Supplement: A select number of cabins are available for single use. The single supplement varies by cabin type, please contact us for details.
Child Discount: Children age 11 or under receive 50% off when sharing a cabin with two full paying guests. Children, regardless of age pay full rate in a double occupancy cabin.
Initial deposit is 30%, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 130 days prior to departure by Bank transfer, check or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and maximum of $20,000 charge
The trip might have been the absolute best of our lifetime (thus far). We particularly want to commend our guide Peter in the Guilin area-he was so incredibly attentive, energetic, enthusiastic-and absolutely dedicated to ensuring that our meals were 100% vegetarian.
Jack Charney
TrustScore 4.8 | 175 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 175 reviews on
7 hours ago
The response from Adventure Life to my first inquiry was prompt and promising. I worked with Jamie Broeckel, Trip Planner, via text, email, and phone calls- always extremely responsive and thorough with information and explaining the process to arrange a private tour for me to Malaysia Borneo. Within about week, the booking was complete and I made decisions because of Jamie's great customer service , friendly manner, and overall competence on behalf of the company's travel expertise. Now I have an itinerary, additional Trip Planner Assistants, several links for vital information for traveling to Maylasia, etc. Still many details for Sept. trip, but now the heavy lifting is done and I can enjoy the rest of the anticipation and research!! Thanks Jamie- you are amazing!!!!
Susan Campo
2 days ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
3 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.
