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| VANTAGE DELUXE WORLD TRAVEL |
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| Detailed Day by Day Itinerary |
| Waterways of Holland & Belgium: Tulips, Windmills & Canals |
| Amsterdam-Amsterdam |
| View Days: [1-5] [6-10] [11-12] |
print friendly version |
| Day |
Schedules and Accommodations |
1-2
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Depart Home / Amsterdam,The Netherlands / Embark Ship
When you arrive after your overnight flight, a Vantage representative will meet you and arrange your transfer. Later, gather in your ship’s panoramic restaurant for dinner. (If you like, begin your trip three days earlier with our optional Brussels, Belgium extension.)
Deluxe Vantage River Cruise Ship (L,D) |
3
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Rotterdam (Delft)
Journey to nearby Delft and tour the Royal Delft Factory, where you’ll
watch artisans painting Holland’s famous blue and white porcelain. The
Dutch Master Painter Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675) spent his entire life
in Delft, and on your walking tour you’ll take in the places that
provided him with artistic inspiration. His most famous works include
Girl with a Pearl Earring (which inspired the book and Hollywood movie)
and View of Delft. Back aboard, celebrate at the Captain’s Welcome
Reception.
Deluxe Vantage River Cruise Ship (B,L,D) |
4
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Dordrecht
Cultural Connection: This morning you’ll attend a shipboard lecture
about “Dutch Canals and Waterways.” When you arrive in Dordrecht, enjoy
a walking tour of this historic town. After lunch on board, you can
join an optional tour to quintessentially Dutch town of Gouda,
featuring the exquisite stained glass at St. John’s Church.
Deluxe Vantage River Cruise Ship (B,L,D) |
5
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Ghent (Bruges), Belgium
Delight in an included excursion to Bruges, one of Europe’s
best-preserved medieval cities and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You’ll
experience it on a magical canal cruise. Then, you’ll find ancient
cobbles under your feet and fairytale turrets overhead on a walking
tour. Your Program Manager will provide you with “lunch money” to spend
at the restaurant of your choice.
Deluxe Vantage River Cruise Ship (B,L,D) |
6
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Antwerp, Belgium
Antwerp boasts beautiful gothic and baroque architecture and lively
cafés. The impressive Cathedral houses four paintings by native master
Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), which you’ll view on your included
walking tour. Then it’s time for a treat back on board ship — a Belgian
chocolate making demonstration!
Deluxe Vantage River Cruise Ship (B,L,D) |
7
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Schoonhoven (Kinderdijk), The Netherlands
Today you’ll get an overview of the types and functions of Holland’s
graceful windmills during a visit to Kinderdijk, a wonderful UNESCO
World Heritage Site. Nineteen original 18th-century windmills line the
canal here, and you’ll even step inside one to see how it works. Next
you’ll take a walking tour of Schoonhoven, known as “Silvertown,” and
visit the Dutch Museum of Gold, Silver, and Clocks.
Deluxe Vantage River Cruise Ship (B,L,D) |
8
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Lelystad / Enkhuizen
From Lelystad, you’ll drive to Franeker, located in the Friesland
province of North Holland. Here you’ll marvel at 18th-century Eise
Eisenga Planetarium, a solar system created by one man in his home in
order to disprove a widely spreading rumor of the world’s imminent end.
Cultural Connection: After lunch at a restaurant in the town of
Harlingen, you’ll visit Dutch bulb fields where you’ll meet expert
flower bulb growers at work. This Vantage Cultural Connection gives you
an exclusive look at the painstaking care that goes into producing
Holland’s gorgeous tulips. Cultural Connection: This evening aboard
ship, you’ll be entertained by a Dutch folkloric dance group.
Deluxe Vantage River Cruise Ship (B,L,D) |
9
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Hoorn / Volendam
Sail on to Hoorn, a seafaring port where colorful wooden boats bob in
the harbor. On your walking tour you’ll pause in the center of town to
view the statue of Jan Pieterszoon Coen, founder of the Dutch East
India Company. Then it’s a short cruise to Volendam, where old fishing
boats line the picturesque, shop-filled boardwalk. This afternoon,
you’ll board a ferry for the short ride to Marken Island where you’ll
find traditional Dutch houses. Cultural Connection:
At a shipboard lecture you’ll learn about the Dutch phenomenon,
“Tulipmania,” comparable to a stockmarket crash of bulb trading. While
the mania died down, to this day the Dutch continue to be the world
leaders in tulip cultivation.
Deluxe Vantage River Cruise Ship (B,L,D) |
10-11
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Amsterdam
On Day 10, you’ll get to know sophisticated Amsterdam on a delightful
canal cruise through the heart of Amsterdam, beneath bridges, and past
step-gabled homes. On a tour of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’s premier
art collection, you’ll view Rembrandts, Vermeers, and other works by
Dutch and Flemish Masters from the 15th to 19th centuries. Cultural
Connection: Find out why Amsterdam has a fine reputation for diamonds
during a visit to one of Amsterdam’s oldest diamond houses. Back aboard
ship, gather for a Farewell Party and Dinner followed by Dutch
entertainment.
Then get ready for the highlight of your cruise! On an included
excursion you’ll venture just outside Amsterdam to Keukenhof Gardens —
the world’s largest flower fields and the heart of Dutch tulip
production. With 3,200 acres and more than seven million flowers,
Keukenhof is a rainbow in bloom. You’ll have plenty of time for a
leisurely stroll among the beautiful gardens, and to visit the
greenhouses full of more delicate varieties. When you need a break from
the dazzling flower displays, enjoy a refreshment at one of the cafés
inside the complex.
Deluxe Vantage River Cruise Ship (2B,2L,2D) |
12
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Amsterdam / Return home
Or, stay on in Amsterdam with our 3-night optional extension.
(B) |
Breakfast, most lunches, and dinner are included daily while on board your Vantage river cruiser. All ports of call are in the Netherlands unless otherwise noted.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: This day-by-day itinerary is preliminary and subject to change. If any major changes occur in advance of your departure, you will be notified in writing by Vantage. If changes occur while on tour, you will be notified by your Vantage Program Manager or local representatives. In addition, should there be an extreme change in water levels that prevents the ship’s passage or docking, Vantage will do everything possible to provide either the included excursion(s) or an alternate at Vantage’s discretion. |
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