Springtime Tulips and Keukenhof Gardens (Rail & Cruise)
Enjoy a wonderful waterways cruise
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EnquireSpringtime Tulips and Keukenhof Gardens (Rail & Cruise)
8 Days from £1,395per
person
person
Spectacular floral displays, poignant battlefield tours and fairytale cities await on this scenic cruise along the waterways of Belgium and the Netherlands.
From the decks of a luxurious river cruise ship, get to the heart of what makes these two charming countries so special as you are joined for on board talks from gardening television celebrity Charlie Dimmock, and World War I specialist Col. Piers Storie-Pugh
Meet your Tour Manager at London St Pancras today, where you board the Eurostar Service to Amsterdam, where you'll be escorted you to the ship.
Once on board your, take some time to settle into your comfortable cabin and relax in your new surroundings. We enjoy a welcome drink in the lounge before a sumptuous 5-course dinner in the panoramic restaurant, followed by live music.
After waking up to our first morning and breakfast on board, you have a choice between 2 fascinating excursions. Your first option is a guided sightseeing tour of Amsterdam, taking in all the sights which make this enigmatic port city one of the most loved in Europe. Discover the Royal Palace, Dam Square and the pretty canals for which Amsterdam is famous. Your second option is a visit to the town of Hoorn where you embark on a nostalgic steam train trip aboard the wonderful Medemblik Steam Railway.
Our vessel arrives in Ghent, in Flemish Belgium. This morning, Colonel Piers Storie-Pugh will come aboard to deliver a fascinating talk about the battlefields in the region, using his expertise in the field to take us back in time. In the afternoon, our excursion takes us to the infamous Ypres Battlefields, a key battlefront in the First World War. We are accompanied by experts who take us through some of the most poignant sites, including Tyne Cot Cemetery where many of the combatants were buried. We return to the ship later for dinner.
Discover the attractive town of Ghent this morning, as we venture into the narrow streets and pretty boulevards for a guided tour. Built in an instantly identifiable style, the architecture lends an elegant grandeur to the buildings here, and we discover some of the finest examples on our tour, which includes the ever impressive St Bavo's Cathedral and the Belfry.
After lunch, your time is your own to explore more of Ghent.
Today we pay a visit to the fairytale city of Bruges. An exceptional example of a medieval town which takes great pride in its history, Bruges is a truly an enchanting city. With winding streets opening up to large squares, often filled with locals enjoying the cafés that serve up plenty of Belgian delicacies. Here we discover the canals, churches and noble old townhouses famous across Europe. Later, after our day in Bruges, we enjoy another delicious dinner on board.
We arrive into Arnhem this morning. After some free time, you have another choice of 2 excursions. Your first option is to visit the excellent Hartenstein Airborne Museum, in nearby Oosterbeek, for a guided tour. This institution focuses on the fierce Battle of Arnhem in WWII, and was the setting of the war film 'A Bridge too Far'. The museum features a collection of various artefacts from the battle itself.
Alternatively, you may wish to visit the interactive Netherlands' Open Air Museum, recounting the storied history of this proud European country. Tonight, we sit down to an elegant gala dinner with our captain.
This morning we arrive back in Amsterdam. We are joined on board by the wonderful Charlie Dimmock, star of BBC's Ground Force.
We enjoy a presentation as well as a question and answer session with her, learning about her time at the BBC and her tips on horticulture and garden care.
Afterwards, we experience a true highlight of our cruise, visiting the colourful and enjoyable Keukenhof Gardens. Filled with all manner of glorious tulip displays, this is one of the best floral displays in Europe. Following dinner this evening, we're serenaded by a traditional Dutch sea shanty choir.
After a buffet breakfast, your cruise comes to an end and you disembark your ship in Amsterdam. Here you are escorted by your Tour Manager by rail back to London.
Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be found together with our dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices & Availability' button. We write to all booked customers approximately 10 weeks prior to the start of their tour to advise the exact departure and return time for their particular group.
Please note: This tour may be suitable for reduced mobility passengers, please call for further information.
of travellers would recommend this tour
Tour Rating
based on 12 verified reviews
Grj 's part in the holiday was excellent as we expect. The food was the downside as it was constantly nouvelle cuisine and occasionally the same ingredients recycled which meant a lot of us were glad when we got to the last meal. The ship's staff were very friendly and helpful.
Unable to book tour on first day.
It was generally a good trip, some meals were not up to the general standard we received, certainly compared with other Great rail holidays, but it was an enjoyable experience, and the included wine was of a good quality. In spite of asking twice in telephone calls about the excursions, we were not given any information on them, and no indication of price at all. All were described as 'walking tours' but varied a great deal in price- the Antwerp tour involved a 15 minute bus ride, then return to the boat to walk back into town for the rest of the tour , and it cost £38! The costings seemed rather random to say the least .Our arrival was rather farcical as the bus driver didn't seem to know where we were going resulting in a second 30 minute drive round the streets of Amsterdam, as he literally missed the boat in spite of passengers indicating when we were alongside it!
Accomodation on the ship was well up to expectations, but excursions should have been included in the overall cost.
The main thrust of the cruise was the 'tulip' bit, i.e. the Keukenhof Gardens. However we only had 2 hours there which is NOT nearly enough. We only saw about a quarter of the gardens in that time -and therefore missed quite a bit! It is for that reason we have only given a '4' rating. The ship and the crew of the Amadeus Princess were brilliant, and the food amazing, we're still trying to shift the excess, so the ship gets a '5+' rating in every department!!
Journey was by first class rail. The tour manager was outstanding. The cruise was delightful. My fellow passengers were extremely pleasant and friendly. The journey went without a hitch.
Excellent travel to/from Amsterdam and the ship was first class. Good choice of destinations throughout. The only negative - WiFi. In this day and age and bearing in mind our location and the quality of the ship, I would expect good WiFi connectivity throughout.
The plus points outweighed the negative aspects. Antwerp, Hoorn, the Bulb fields , Middelburg and Gand and Brugge were superb. Two of the three tour guides were poor and we were frustrated by the lack of time in Arnhem. The friendly service and quality on the boat were first rate.
Well organised and stress free. Good tour manager- helpful and well prepared. In the main local guides were good. Amadeus is an excellent ship in every way. Inadequate promotion of the 15 percent discount for prepaid trips. I tried to follow this up before we went but was given wrong information in that the Kirkenhof gardens were included in the basic price and not chargeable as a trip. For this reason,l left paying until on board but then even though I wanted to pay for the b option in advance, I couldn't do this because it should have been done before leaving home. In this way, between the 2 of us, I was forced to greater expenditure than I intended. Also boat staff had no understanding of paying using a Travel Card.
It was my first holiday for four years, following sickness and bereavement, and the week away was just what I needed to get back to a normal life. Thank you.
Enjoy a wonderful waterways cruise
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