SPECIAL  HOLLAND TULIP CRUISE FEATURING 
FREE AIR FROM NEWARK
On the Deluxe 5* Peter Deilmann Heidelberg

Enjoy  a 7 night cruise trip aboard the deluxe Peter Deilmann Heidelberg.  The cruise begins and ends in Amsterdam and features stops at Rotterdam, Dordrecht, Middleberg, Volendam, Ghent, Antwerp  and Keukenhof Gardens.  The per person rate, based on double occupancy is  $2330 for  the 7 night April 4, 11, 25 or May 2, 2009 departures.   The rate includes FREE AIR FROM NEWARK*, an outside middle deck twin cabin with French doors opening to the outside,  5 sightseeing tours, all meals and insurance for medical cancellation/coverage.    An upper deck cabins is an additional $430 per person.   Air travel on other days is allowed - some restrictions apply.    Call for air add on fee from other cities.   *Air tax of  $490 additional

           HOLLAND BELGIUM CRUISE ITINERARY

 

DAY PORT ARRIVAL DEPARTURE OPTIONAL TOUR INFORMATION Saturday Amsterdam   5:00pm Embarkation - begins 3:00pm Sunday Rotterdam Midnight 1:00pm M City Tour of Rotterdam and Delft   Drodrecht 2:30pm   A Windmills of Kinderdijk Monday Dordecht   4:00am     Middleberg 12Noon 6:00pm A Delta Works Tuesday Ghent 1:00am 6:30pm M City Tour         A Medieval Bruges Wednesday Antwerp 7:00am 6:00pm M Antwerp City Tour         A Brussels City Tour         A Cycling through Antwerp (active excursion) Thursday Volendam 1:00pm   A City Walk Friday Volendam   4:00am     Amsterdam 7:30am   M City and Canal Boat Tour         A Flower Magic in Keukenhof (1) Saturday Amsterdam     Disembarkation - until 10:00am

Itineraries and excursions are subject to change..
M = morning tour A = afternoon tour E = evening tour F = full day tour

**If you do not need air, then the credit is $400 per person.

Visit these historical cities:

Amsterdam, Netherlands
Holland’s picturesque capital awaits. Include a romantic boat ride along its famous canals or enjoy a trip to the world renowned Rijks Museum.  Enjoy seeing the works of Rembrandt during his 400th anniversary year as well as those of other Dutch masters. During Spring sailings you also may choose to visit the famed Keukenhof, where over 700 varieties of flowers are in bloom. The Defense Line of Amsterdam, a unique hydraulic engineering fortification, has been cited on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Antwerp, Belgium
Enjoy the superb architecture and a rich history of this important commercial and diamond- trading center. Visit Rubens House where the Belgian master lived until 1640.  Stroll through the medieval Old Town to the world famous Grand Place, the magnificent town hall and the various buildings in the St. Hubertus shopping arcade.

Dordrecht, Netherlands
From Dordrecht, visit the charming town of Kinderdijk.  Here, a row of 19 charming windmills has become a subject of countless paintings since the 17th century.

Ghent, Belgium
One of Belgium’s oldest cities, Ghent is noted for its many medieval and Renaissance buildings. Visit the 12th century Cathedral of St. Bavo and the famous Cloth Hall, built in 1425 as a symbol of the city’s thriving textile industry.  Explore the Government House, a fine example of Neo-Gothic architecture.

Rotterdam, Netherlands
View a spectacular skyline from the Erasmus Suspension Bridge.  This bustling harbor city is home to many excellent restaurants, shops and museums.  Marvel at the 45-floor Witte Huis (White House) before visiting the historical Delshaven (Delft Harbor) and Oude Haven (Old Harbor).

Volendam, Netherlands
Visit this artists' retreat with its scenic views.  Discover the boutiques, gift shops and wonderful restaurants.  Dine and enjoy the near-legendary smoked eel before strolling along the tiny streets in this charming place.

INCLUDED SIGHTSEEING TOURS IN PACKAGE PRICE:

Rotterdam / Netherlands
City Tour of Rotterdam and Delft

The city center of Rotterdam was completely destroyed by a bomber attack on the 14th of May 1940 and its harbor was heavily damaged through explosions in 1944. The amazingly fast recovery of the city is called the ‘Miracle of Rotterdam’. During your tour, you will see the Euro mast (590 feet high), which was build in the record-breaking time of only 23 days. You will also see the memorial by Ossid Zadkine called ‘the destroyed city’, the ‘Stadthuis’ (city hall) built in the style of the Flemish Neo-Renaissance as well as Delftshaven, the historical port of Delft with its picturesque setting. You will then continue on to the city of Delft . Numerous canals enclose its beautiful old town. After an extensive walk, you will still have the opportunity to visit one of the numerous porcelain workshops.

The excursion lasts about 4 hours.         

Dordrecht / Netherlands
The Windmills in Kinderdijk

19 windmills standing in a row that is what you will find in Kinderdijk. They were built between 1722 and 1761 and form the largest assembly of windmills in the Netherlands . Formerly, they were used as water pumps to drain the river Marsch. Nowadays, they are scheduled as ancient monuments. You will visit one of the windmills.

The excursion lasts about 2.5 hours.      

Antwerp / Belgium
City Tour

Apart from being the commercial center of Belgium , Antwerp can also claim the fame to be one of the five largest inland ports in the world. The city is renowned as a diamond-trading center. Indeed, four of the world’s eighteen diamond exchanges are located here. In addition, it is the city of Rubens , the world-famous 17th century painter. You will visit the ‘Rubenshouse’ in which the painter lived until 1640. Then you will continue to the cathedral of the Holy Virgin, the largest church in Belgium and one of the largest cathedrals in the world, which also includes two masterpieces by Rubens.

The excursion lasts about 3.5 hours.      

Amsterdam
Flower Magic and Keukenhof

In spring, the Netherlands have much more to offer than just tulips. Millions of crocus, hyacinths and narcissus are in bloom in Haarlem and Leiden . During this excursion, you will visit the flower exhibition ‘Keukenhof’ in Lisse where you can admire more than 700 different kinds of flowers in large greenhouses and gardens. This excursion will only take place during blooming season.

The excursion lasts about 4 hours.

Ghent
Medieval Bruges

The historic marketplace - the centre of old Bruges - is cradled on both sides by the river Reie. Here, you will find the statue of two masters of the guild, Pieter de Goninck and Jan Breydel. The medieval market hall can be seen on the eastern side of the market place. The redbrick house of Boucout is located on the western side. Another impressive building at the market square is the Government House. This fine example of Neo-Gothic architecture houses the regional government of West Flanders . You move on to the Burgplatz, the site of the former Bruges castle, which was destroyed in 1434. Close to the site is the town hall with its broad 85 feet wide front. Nearby you will see the Town Chancellery, the Palace of Justice and the Chapel of the Holy Blood, which contains a casket supposed to hold a few drops of Christ’s blood. There are several churches of interest including the Church of Notre Dame, which contains a collection of art and religious relics.

  Please note: This excursion includes walking longer distances on cobblestone.

  Approx. 4.5 hours

                

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