La Nouvelle Etoile sails through some of the most picturesque parts of Holland on a 7-day private classic cruise. Find a collection of well-preserved windmills and houses in the Zaanse Schans. After that, visit a Gouda cheese farm and take in the city's striking architecture and stained-glass windows afterward. Continue to Delft Pottery Works, which is painted entirely by hand. See the world's most magnificent spring garden, Keukenhof Gardens, which boasts over 32 hectares of color and aroma thanks to its 7 million tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths. Your Dutch expedition concludes in Aalsmeer, the world's largest flower auction, before disembarking in Haarlem.
Highlights
View the fascinating windmills of Zaanse Schans with your private group of up to 8 guests
Enjoy Aalsmeer and see its gorgeous flower auction
Visit the Royal Delft pottery shop, where traditional Dutch pottery is made.
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Guests meet in Amsterdam and transfer to La Nouvelle Etoile which is moored in the center of Haarlem. The whole crew prepares you for your cruise with a champagne welcome. Haarlem has its charming beauty which can be seen through its retained medieval character of cobblestone streets and gabled houses. You can find the majestic St. Bavo's Cathedral in the main square where Mozart and Handel played on its muller organ.
After breakfast, take a cruise to the reconstructed historic village of Zaanse Schans. Find working windmills, clog makers, cheese farms, mustard mills, and everything the Dutch are known for in this sweet village. In the afternoon, be taken back to a previous century as you cruise through the heart of Amsterdam with its narrow canals and architecture. After this visit, continue cruising along the Amstel River to Uithoorn.
A morning cruise to Gouda warms up your day for its famous cheese, pipes, and candles. Visit a local cheese farm and explore Gouda's unique architecture and stained glass windows, the remarkable windows in St. John's church date back to the15th century. Browse or shop while you are in Gouda.
After breakfast this morning cruise to Rotterdam, the world’s largest port, stop at a vodka distillery en route, Ketel, one of the oldest distillery in Holland still owned by the same family. Continue to Delft, a beautiful town with many historical connections, including being one of the starting chambers of the Dutch East India Company and the birthplace of artist Jan Vermeer. The day’s visit also includes a tour of a factory to learn how the world-famous pottery is made. Spend the rest of the afternoon strolling around this delightful and historic Dutch city. Dinner on board.
The sailing adventure continues as you cruise through the canals past Leiden, where many Pilgrims lived before they set out to the New World. The ship crosses the Brasemmer Lakes to Oude Wetering. In the afternoon, visit the famous Keukenhof Gardens and explore the 70-acres which exemplify the Dutch floral industry. This showcases an ever-changing display of spring flowers beginning with narcissus followed by hyacinths and tulips from late March to mid-May.
Aalsmeer is where the world's largest flower auction is held and where 10 billion flowers are sold every year. After visiting this gorgeous place, return to the hotel barge to cruise to Haarlem with an optional side trip to Cruquius Museum. The Cruquius pumping station is a beautiful neo-Gothic building built-in 1846. Visit the town of Haarlem and the Frans Hals Museum, an international collection of Old Masters and works that represent the Dutch Golden Age. Tonight enjoy the Captain's farewell dinner on board.
Day 7: Haarlem | Disembark
1 Breakfast
After breakfast, disembark La Nouvelle Etoile and transfer back to Amsterdam.
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Suites
200 sq. ft. including en-suite facilities. Twin/double beds, private bathroom with shower, wardrobe, small tables and a chair.
Initial deposit is 25%, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 100 days prior to departure by Credit card, check, and bank transfer. All final payments by credit card subject to a surcharge of 2.5% 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 | 174 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 174 reviews on
1 day 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
2 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.
