The Best of The Netherlands (port-to-port cruise)

AMSTERDAM or surroundings(2) - HOORN - GOUDA - ROTTERDAM or surroundings(2) - AMSTERDAM or surroundings(2)

Passengers are welcome to board our ship at 6 p.m. After you’ve comfortably settled into your cabins, we’ll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail. We'll enjoy dinner on board. The rest of the evening is yours to do as you please.

We’ll spend the morning cruising Lake Markermeer.

This afternoon, join us for an optional excursion to Edam and Volendam. Edam is known worldwide for its cheese. We’ll visit the warehouses from the 13th century that bring this delicious history to life, and we’ll be able to taste a few samples, of course! We’ll then continue on to Volendam, a charming village that has preserved its character for over six centuries thanks to the tough vitality of its fishermen. The village is famous for its traditional smoked eel, and we’ll enjoy a bite.

This evening, take advantage of some free time to explore Hoorn on your own. While you sleep, our ship will begin to cruise to Gouda.

We’ll spend the morning cruising. Enjoy a snack of poffertjes on board—fluffy pancakes the Dutch traditionally eat with a pat of butter and a sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar.

This afternoon, we’ll set off for an optional tour of Gouda. We’ll explore the city to take in its major sites, including the canals, cobblestone streets, and Sint Janskerk—the impressive Gothic church known for its stained glass windows. At the end of our tour, we’ll have a tasting of the city’s namesake. Our ship will cruise to Rotterdam, and it will remain in port overnight.

This morning’s optional excursion is a trip to the Windmills of Kinderdijk—the only place in the world with so many windmills together. The mills were built in the 18th century to remove water from the polder. They are now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  We’ll be able to visit the inside of some of the mills to see how they work.

This afternoon, we’ll head to The Hague for an optional visit to the Mauritshuis. The Mauritshuis is an art museum that houses works by many renowned Dutch and Flemish artists. Its collections include Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring, Rembrandt's The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp, and Fabritius’ The Goldfinch,  as well as works by Rubens, Steen, and Hals.

We’ll enjoy a tasting of stroopwafel—fine wafer cookies with a caramel middle—first made in Gouda.

Tonight is our festive gala evening. Our ship will cruise to Amsterdam overnight.

This morning’s free tour will take us through Amsterdam on a tourist tramway to the Jordaan district. From its romantic canals to its world-renowned museums, Amsterdam never ceases to surprise. We’ll visit the city on an old-fashioned tram. Stops include Westerkerk—the biggest church in Amsterdam—regarded by many as the city symbol. We’ll continue on foot to the upscale Jordaan district, brimming with galleries, boutiques, restaurants, and street cafés. The Anne Frank House museum is located close by.

In the afternoon, we’ll enjoy an optional audio tour of the Rijksmuseum. The State Museum is more than 200 years old and today is seen as having one of the most breathtaking collections in the world that includes famous masterpieces such as Night Watch by Rembrandt and Johannes Vermeer’s The Milkmaid. Even the museum building itself—built in the Dutch neo-Renaissance style using neo-Gothic elements—is considered a work of art.

This evening, enjoy some free time to explore Amsterdam on your own.

Enjoy breakfast on board this morning before disembarking at 9:00 a.m.