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April & May 2023

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Home>River Cruises>Springtime in the Gardens of Holland and Belgium

Springtime in the Gardens of Holland and Belgium

April & May 2023

7 days from £699pp

Visit the spectacular Keukenhof Gardens and explore its 32 hectares of themed gardens and pavilions filled with wonderful blooms
Relax on board with views of Amsterdam, Kinderdijk, Dordrecht, Antwerp and Rotterdam
Start your trip with a welcome drink & a Captain’s Gala Dinner
The chance to visit one of the worlds largest botanic gardens at the National Botanic Garden of Belgium (Meise) and the Plant Palace

Awaken your senses on this ultimate spring adventure, bursting with vibrant colours and incredible sights. See for yourself one of the world’s largest and most beautiful spring gardens as you walk among seven million tulips, daffodils and hyacinths at the famous Keukenhof. From the Garden of Europe, your journey continues through the Dutch countryside, featuring iconic windmills and model gardens. Cross over to Belgium where you can visit the must-see Floralia Spring Flower Show and explore Antwerp, before returning to the Netherlands. You’ll be sailing on your stylish ship the MS Arena, so you can relax knowing that the crew on board will be taking great care of your every need.

Day 1: UK – Amsterdam
We travel to Amsterdam, capital of the Netherlands, and enjoy a relaxing evening onboard our ship.
Day 2: Amsterdam
This morning you have the opportunity to join our optional coach excursion to the Aalsmeer Flower Auction, where you can experience the hustle and bustle of the auction floor and admire the stunning flowers traded daily from more than 10 countries (a packed breakfast will be taken because of the early start). This afternoon is free to explore at leisure. This evening you can join another optional excursion which reveals the best views of Amsterdam on a cruise around the city’s canals, with cheese and wine included.
Day 3: Kinderdijk – Dordrecht – Antwerp
This morning we reach Kinderdijk, which is renowned for its 19 beautifully preserved windmills. Our optional excursion visits one of the mills, where we learn about the lifestyle of a miller and the mechanism of a mill. We return to the ship and set sail for Dordrecht where you can join our optional excursion to Appeltern Gardens, which is home to 200 model gardens bursting with colour and inspiration. Dinner is served onboard this evening as we cruise overnight to Antwerp.
Day 4: Antwerp
We arrive in Antwerp this morning and here you can join our optional excursion to Kalmthout Arboretum which is located to the north of Antwerp. Its origins can be traced back to 1857 where Charles Van Geert started a plant nursery in the heart of Antwerp, at the location now occupied by the Zoo and the Central Station. In Kalmthout he found space to test newly discovered plants — mainly conifers from China and Japan. He also introduced the first Belgian examples of Witch Hazel, Hydrangea, Hosta, Iris and many other plants. The Kalmthout Arboretum is a botanical paradise and covers 12 hectares and has a collection of over 7,000 rare trees and shrubs and many more perennials and has grown into one of the world’s most prestigious botanic collections. On our optional excursion, we include entrance and a guided tour and there will be free time to explore at your leisure.
Day 5: Antwerp – Rotterdam
This morning’s optional excursion takes you to the National Botanic Garden of Belgium (Meise) and the Plant Palace. This is one of the largest botanic gardens in the world, which also boasts an enormous glasshouse filled with more than 10,000 plant species. We return to the ship for lunch and begin cruising overnight to Rotterdam.
Day 6: Rotterdam – Keukenhof – Amsterdam
After breakfast our coach departs for our included excursion to Keukenhof Gardens where there are over seven million bulbs on show. You can follow the pathways which surround shimmering lakes, ancient trees and wonderful works of art, plus browse the pavilions, find your way around the hedge maze and enjoy the entertainment taking place throughout the day. This evening we enjoy our final dinner onboard the ship and sail overnight to Amsterdam.
Day 7: Amsterdam – UK
We bid farewell to our captain and crew after breakfast and set off on the return journey.

ACCOMMODATION & FOOD

6 nights’ cruise on a full board basis
Welcome drink & Captain’s Gala Dinner
Afternoon tea/coffee and cake and late evening snack
Complimentary tea, coffee and Wi-Fi

SERVICES

Services of a Cruise Manager & Cruise Director

VISITS

Excursion to Keukenhof Gardens & Floralia Flower Show
5 visits included to Amsterdam, Kinderdijk, Dordrecht, Antwerp and Rotterdam

Aalsmeer Flower Auction

Aalsmeer is the largest trading centre for plants and flowers in the world, with trading taking place with over 10 countries. After our visit we will then explore the beautiful Aalsmeer Historical Garden. A breakfast pack will be provided due to the early start of this excursion.

2022:

Price: £39 per person

2023:

Price: £42 per person

Amsterdam Canal Cruise with Cheese and Wine

Amsterdam is best appreciated with a cruise along its world famous canals. Enjoy a selection of wonderful cheese and a refreshing glass of wine as our chartered cruiser, accompanied by English commentary, highlights the sights and places of interest.

2022:

Price: £46 per person

2023:

Price: £30 per person

National Botanic Gardens of Belgium

This is one of the largest botanic gardens in the world, with endless promenades that lead you through beautiful collections of medicinal and herbaceous plants, shrubs, trees and conifers. There's also the Plant Palace, an enormous glasshouse with more than 10,00 plant species from around the world.

2022:

Price: £32 per person

2023:

Price: £36 per person

Windmills of Kinderdijk

No trip to the Netherlands is complete without visiting these beautiful wooden windmills, which date back to the 1500s. We visit the Museum Windmill Nederwaard, where we meet the miller and discover all about mill life and the Museum Windmill Blokweer, to learn about the impressive mechanism of a mill and Kinderdijk’s heritage.

2022:

Price: £25 per person

2023:

Price: £46 per person

South East - coach via Dover

Picture of - South East - coach via Dover

For those who live in the South East, you can join our coach from one of over 30 complimentary pick up points. You can also make your own way to Dover, where parking is available.

Alternatively, travel the day before your departure and enjoy an overnight stay, with complimentary parking for the duration of your cruise, before being collected after breakfast the following morning. We also offer complimentary transfers from central London, to our overnight hotels, for those who wish to make their own arrangements by train or coach.

Travel by Eurostar

Step aboard Eurostar at London St Pancras for a fast and comfortable journey to mainland Europe. You can even upgrade your reserved seat to Standard Premier – speak to our Holiday Advisors for more information. On arrival in Paris, Lille or Brussels, you will then join connecting services for your onward journey.

For those travelling from further afield, you can also book overnight accommodation in London, before and after your holiday. Speak to our Holiday Advisors for more information.

Fly from London Heathrow

Return flights from London Heathrow with transfers to and from the ship are included in our package on our specific arrival and departure dates. We also include one item of checked in luggage per person.

Fly from other airports

If our included flights are not suitable, alternative flights may also be available from other airports on our arrival and departure dates. These may have an additional supplement and are subject to availability at the time of booking.

Where possible, transfers will also be included, although if you choose to arrive or depart on a different day, there may be an additional supplement charged to cover your transfer costs.

Please call one of our friendly Holiday Advisors to check flight options and availability for this holiday.

Meet us at the ship

For complete flexibility, make your own transport arrangements to and from the ship. We will provide you with times and locations as well as some useful information for you to make your own arrangements to join your cruise.

If you require any further information to assist with your travel plans, please contact our Holiday Advisors who will be happy to help.

Central London FREE Shuttle Service

Picture of - Central London FREE Shuttle Service

Travel independently to Central London the day before your cruise and take advantage of our complimentary shuttle to Ashford for an overnight stay. Our coach will then collect you after breakfast the following morning.

Pick ups are available from London Euston, Kings Cross, Liverpool Street, Paddington Station, Waterloo, St Pancras and Victoria Coach Station.

Call our friendly Holiday Advisors for me information.

Overnight hotel in Dover or Ashford

Picture of - Overnight hotel in Dover or Ashford

For an even more relaxed start to your European holiday, why not stay overnight in Dover or nearby Ashford the night before your cruise from only £65pp? All our quoted prices include car parking for one vehicle for the duration of your cruise and cooked breakfast the following morning. Our coach will collect you and return you to the hotel on its way to/from the port of Dover. And if you don’t want that holiday feeling to end, why not do the same on your return journey?

Overview

Our new 4-star ship has all the ingredients of an unforgettable river cruise; comfort, style and the crew’s unfaltering attention to detail is everything.

MS Arena is completely deserving of its place in our premier cruise collection! Whether you’re cruising the Dutch Waterways, the rivers Rhine, Moselle or Danube, all the way to the Black Sea, this elegant, 4-star ship promises everything you’d wish for – and more – making for an unforgettable river cruising experience.

See more Ship info

CEUARNLSPG

Springtime in the Gardens of Holland and Belgium

April & May 2023

7 days from £699pp

Your Accommodation

MS Arena

Overview

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