AMA Tulip Festival 7-Night River Cruise

Embark your ship in Amsterdam for your 7-night cruise.

With a scenic cruise through the IJsselmeer, you can choose four excursions in Hoorn. You can explore the tulip fields of a family-run tulip farm with more than one million tulips, each in a different phase of growth. Those interested in an insight into the maritime culture and history of the Zuiderzee region can attend a walking tour in Hoorn or the Zuiderzee Museum. Those who are looking for an active adventure can go biking in the Dutch countryside on a guided tour.

Enjoy a scenic cruise through the Delta before exploring medieval Middelburg, another Dutch East India Company trading center. Alternatively, a guided bike ride is the ideal way to discover the city on two wheels. Alternatively, you can visit the Flood Museum to learn more about the intriguing history of the Delta Works, a unique storm surge barrier. It was designed to prevent a recurrence of the 1953 flood disaster, since more than half of the Netherlands lies below sea level.

Depending on your interests, you can choose from several excursions. On a highlight tour, you can explore two medieval cities, Ghent and Bruges. Explore Ghent’s canals and famous sights, like the Castle of the Counts and Ghent Cathedral, and then head to Bruges, one of the best preserved medieval cities in Europe. An alternative is to take a full-day excursion to Bruges, where you can see Michelangelo’s magnificent Madonna and Child sculpture in the Church of Our Lady. For those interested in learning more about Belgian chocolate making, a master chocolatier is available to share his knowledge. If you are looking for more free time, then join a walking tour of Ghent followed by some leisure time.

Explore this trendy city on a walking tour where you’ll see Antwerp’s Steen Castle, Grote Market and Brabo Fountain, along with the UNESCO-designated Cathedral of Our Lady. For a more active exploration of the area, join a guided bike tour. Alternatively, you can visit the Rubens House, the residence of a famous 17th-century Flemish Baroque painter. In the late afternoon you can choose from two excursions. Foodies will want to take a culinary tour and enjoy chocolates, waffles and beer. Flower lovers and gardeners can stroll through Floralia, the annual spring flower show where the chateau’s staff hand-grow about one million flower bulbs each year.

In the morning, visit Rotterdam, known as the “Gate of Europe”, and taste local specialties. Or visit Delph Harbour, where the Fathers of Pilgrims embarked on their epic journey aboard the Speedwell on August 1, 1620. Many stopped at Southampton before boarding the Mayflower, which ended their voyage at Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts. Alternatively, you can head to Delft, famous for being home to painter Johannes Vermeer, Delft blue ceramics and royalty. You will visit the Royal Delft Porcelain Factory and Museum. If you prefer a more active adventure, you can explore Rotterdam by bike and pass some famous sights and buildings. In the afternoon, head to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Children’s Dike, a beautiful village known for having the largest concentration of windmills in the country, all dating back to the 18th century, which you can also cycle past from your bicycle seat.

One of the most impressive public gardens in the world, Keukenhof showcases a spectacular display of millions of tulips covering 70 hectares. Take time to wander through this legendary garden, which is only open nine weeks a year and is sometimes referred to as the “Garden of Europe”. Later in the day, admire Amsterdam’s historic harbour and canals, where you’ll see beautiful waterfront homes and the fabled Skinny Bridge. Or opt for a one-of-a-kind experience at the Holland Flower Fair* in Almere, very close to Amsterdam, with stunning gardens, innovative sustainable gardening displays, live entertainment, souvenirs and food stalls.

Disembark the ship and prepare for your flight home.