Dutch River Cruise

The activities and excursions within this itinerary can be tailored to your specific requests. Do you cycle? You can! Would you rather play golf? That is possible as well. How about a museum-hopping theme! Yes! This itinerary can be tailored to accommodate everyone: cyclists and non-cyclists,  art lovers and history buffs, foodies and oenophiles, and those who just enjoy relaxing on board, soaking in the surroundings with a good book and a glass of great wine (yes, there is a jacuzzi on deck)! Each and everyone, regardless of your interests, will find that this is the trip of a lifetime.

Day 1:  Schiedam  
Day 2: Rotterdam- Delft - Leiden
Day 3: Leiden -  Haarlem
Day 4: Haarlem - Zaandam
Day 5: Zaandam - Amsterdam - Alphen aan den Rijn
Day 6: Alphen aan den Rijn  - Gouda 
Day 7: Gouda -  Schiedam

Cruise routes are subject to change without notice.  Some waterways may be subject to occasional closures due to drought, storms, floods, canal or lock repairs, or other unforeseen circumstances that make navigation unsafe or impossible. The captain reserves the right to make changes deemed necessary.

Day 1:  Schiedam  
Transfer from your hotel or airport in Amsterdam to your first night’s mooring in the quaint and fascinating town of Schiedam, situated on the outskirts of Rotterdam. This little town has some amazing sights including six of the world’s largest working traditional windmills, a glass museum, a chocolate art factory, a historic boat harbor, AND the famous Nolet Gin distillery.

So for the connoisseurs, a visit to the gin museum and tasting room combined with a leisurely walk around the old town will be a perfect beginning to your cruise.

Day 2: Rotterdam- Delft - Leiden
While enjoying your first gourmet breakfast aboard the Aurora, the cruise officially begins with the skyline of Rotterdam and the towering Euromast as your backdrop. Today can feature a visit to the Delft pottery factory to learn first-hand from the artisans how this world-famous porcelain is made.

Other options: 
The Hague: You can visit the Mauritshuis Museum with more than two hundred masterpieces by Dutch and Flemish masters. You will want to see the Binnenhof (government buildings) as well as the Peace Palace.

Madurodam: You will discover Holland’s most iconic landmarks and history through a story of magnificent miniatures and indoor attractions. This is a perfect place for families!

You will be moored for the night in Leiden, home to one of the oldest universities in the country and the birthplace of the famous Rembrandt Van Rijn. Leiden is an ancient and impressive historical city (city rights since 1266) full of charm and character, perfect for those who like to cycle, or simply stroll the banks of the pretty tree-lined canals. In the evening you can take a stroll through the historic center with its many churches, historic city gates, courts, almshouses, and numerous museums.

Day 3: Leiden -  Haarlem
Upon leaving the university town of Leiden, you cruise by beautiful lakes and colorful flower fields towards the historical cosmopolitan and truly picturesque city of Haarlem, dating back to the 13th Century. In Springtime, you will be sailing past the Tulip fields and gaze out on fields awash in vibrant colors. Haarlem is home to the Frans Hals Museum founded in 1862 with its vast collection of Old Masters. Other highlights include many great buildings such as the late Gothic masterpiece St. Bavo’s Cathedral on the main square, graced by the fact that both Handel and Mozart played the magnificent Muller organ there.

Come face to face with the 13th-century town hall, the magnificent Butchers’ hall (Vleeshal) built by Lieven de Key, and the Fish auction hall (Vishal) and dream back in time. Or experience the atmosphere of the many historic courts. You will have some free time visiting a fine selection of boutique shops. Complete this day with an evening walk along the quiet canals to the market square with its café terraces or take a canal boat tour through picturesque arched bridges.

If you are chartering the vessel during Tulip Season, a trip to the Keukenhof is a must.  Known as the garden of Europe, this is the largest display of flowers in the world with more than 100 acres filled with over 7 million flowering bulbs, varieties of tulips, and hyacinths. You stroll through 32 hectares of gloriously breathtaking waves of color and immerse in the heady scents during this unforgettable excursion.

Another option:
A visit to the Frans Hals portrait Gallery.

Day 4: Haarlem - Zaandam
Your morning cruise heads north up the Spaarne to the region of Zaandam with its traditional Dutch green ‘dollhouse’ architecture. In the afternoon you tour Zaanse Schans, an open-air conservation area and museum that provides a living impression of the Dutch way of life in the 17th and 18th centuries.

This historical area consists of authentic houses and windmills, a historic shipyard, pewter factory, cheese and dairy farm, and an age-old grocery store dating back to the 1900s. Everything that the Dutch are famous for can be encountered here in this tiny village. 

Day 5: Zaandam - Amsterdam - Alphen aan den Rijn 
From Zaandam, you will cruise into Amsterdam, through the heart and the center of the city where the small canals and architecture will take you back to a previous century. The ship then heads along through the beautiful lake area to our mooring for the night in the Alphen aan den Rijn.

Options for today:
a) Amsterdam:  depending on your interests you can visit one of the numerous museums (Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh museum, Diamond Museum, or Anne Frank House). 
b) Volendam and/or Marken: visit the traditional and authentic fishing villages. In Marken, there is a cheese factory and a clog-making workshop. Volendam is known for its colorful wooden houses and fishing port. 

Day 6: Alphen aan den Rijn - Aalsmeer - Gouda
If you would like to get up very early this morning, you can visit the colorful Aalsmeer Flower Auction, where some 17 million cut flowers from all over the world are traded each day. Upon return to the hotel barge, you will set off for a breakfast cruise to the nearby quaint medieval town of Gouda, the Mecca of cheese! There will be time to explore the town's beauty, including the picture-perfect town hall and square plus the Waag where the famous Gouda cheese has been weighed since 1668. A visit to the iconic Sint Janskerk Church is a must. It is world-famous s for its 72 Goudse glazen stained-glass windows, some as tall as 20 meters, and all depicting remarkable biblical and historical stories.

Day 7: Gouda -  Schiedam
Today you will be sadly saying your farewell and after your last wonderful breakfast on board, you will then be driven to the designated drop-off point (airport or the hotel of your choice).

Onboard the luxury vessel, the Aurora. Having only four king suites and a capacity for 8 adult passengers, this tour and boat is the perfect vacation for families and groups.

• Aurora

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  Deluxe Class Motor Yacht

  Onboard the Aurora, an ultra-deluxe vessel, you can enjoy a unique bike and boat or luxury river cruise in style. Peppered with various activities, you will enjoy professionally prepared quality food, personalized service, and itineraries as unique as you are. Read More