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Program Overview

Celebrate the spectacular beauty of Holland and Flanders in springtime on this carefully curated, 7-night river cruise. Expert-led excursions include visits to the historical canals of Amsterdam; the 2,000-year-old city of Nijmegen; the world-class Kröller-Müller Museum; Kinderdijk and the Delta Works engineering projects; storybook Bruges; the blue pottery center of Delft; the incomparable Keukenhof Gardens; and the Golden Age trading center of Hoorn. Extend your journey with the Amsterdam Pre-Tour Extension and/or The Hague Post-Tour Extension.

Keukenhof Gardens

Program Details

April 26 to May 4, 2024 (Amadeus Cara)
From $3,505 plus air View Terms & Conditions
  • Nine-day, 7-night, luxury cruise round-trip Amsterdam, the Netherlands, aboard an exclusively chartered, small river boat, Amadeus Cara.
  • Enjoy a walking tour of Nijmegen, a university town originally settled by the Romans in the 1st-century B.C.—and visit the wonderful Kröller-Müller Museum, with its amazing Van Gogh collection and stunning sculpture garden.
  • See 3 of Peter Paul Rubens’ masterpieces in Antwerp’s Cathedral of Our Lady.
  • Tour of Ghent’s St. Bavo’s Cathedral, whose chapel houses the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb.
  • Explore the medieval Flemish jewel of Bruges, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Golden Age trading town of Hoorn.
  • Visit to world-famous Keukenhof, the “Garden of Europe,” at the peak of tulip season to see the world’s largest and most colorful display of spring flowers.
  • Private cruise along Amsterdam’s UNESCO World Heritage designated canal district.
  • Complimentary wine and beer served with lunch and dinner aboard the river boat.
  • Amsterdam Pre-Tour Extension and/or The Hague Post-Tour Extension.

Day 1 - Depart Home City

Day 2 - Amsterdam, the Netherlands / Embark boat

Day 3 - Nijmegen for Kröller-Müller Museum

Day 4 - Kinderdijk / Delta Works

Day 5 - Bruges, Belgium / Ghent

Day 6 - Antwerp

Day 7 - Rotterdam for Keukenhof Gardens and Delft

Day 8 - Hoorn / Amsterdam

Day 9 - Amsterdam / Disembark boat / Return to home city

View detailed program itinerary >

Amadeus Cara

Deluxe European River Boat

The elegant and meticulously crafted Amadeus Cara, launched in 2022, features all the comforts of a refined and traditional hotel. The English-speaking, international crew provides warm hospitality. The Amadeus fleet has earned the “Green Globe Certificate” of environmental sustainability. The 82 stylish staterooms and suites are among the most spacious of any European river boat (172 to 284 square feet). Suites include a private balcony, and select staterooms feature a unique floor-to‑ceiling window that lowers to French-balcony height at the touch of a button. Accommodations have two twin beds or one queen bed, individual climate control, sitting area, private bathroom with shower, and a minibar.

View Amadeus Cara deckplan
Learn More about Lüftner Cruises

Amsterdam Pre-Tour Extension

Immerse yourself in historical Amsterdam on an itinerary that includes a visit to Rijksmuseum’s Dutch Master collection, including famous paintings by Rembrandt. During a picturesque neighborhood walking tour, visit the exquisite Our Lord in the Attic museum—a 17th-century canal house with a Catholic church in the attic.

The Hague Post-Tour Extension

Conclude your journey with a visit to The Hague, showcasing stately municipal buildings and structures long adored by the Dutch royal family. Visit the Mauritshuis, a 17th‑century Neoclassical mansion featuring a world‑renowned Dutch and Flemish art collection, including Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring.” Amble the streets of Gouda, beloved for its cheese.

The Pre-Tour and Post-Tour Extensions are available at additional cost. Details will be provided with your reservation confirmation.

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Program Itinerary

Days 1 Depart Home City

Depart your home city and board an overnight flight.

Day 2 Amsterdam, the Netherlands / Embark

When you arrive embark the deluxe river boat Amadeus Cara once you arrive in Amsterdam—built during the Golden Age of the Middle Ages. Later, attend the Captain’s Welcome Reception with your fellow passengers and enjoy dinner onboard

Day 3 Nijmegen for Kröller-Müller Museum

Visit the world‑class Kröller‑Müller Museum, most lauded for its collection of 90 Vincent van Gogh paintings and 180 of his drawings. See works by Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Édouard Manet. Enjoy a walking tour of Nijmegen, a university town layered with more than 2,000 years of history and originally settled by the Romans in the first century B.C. Explore an array of pristinely preserved structures, including the turreted 15th‑century De Waag—formerly one of the city’s gates and currently Amsterdam’s oldest secular building.

Day 4 Schoonhoven/Kinderdijk / Delta Works

In Kinderdijk, see the UNESCO-inscribed network of 19 authentic windmills built between 1722 and 1761. Visit one of the mills among the largest assembly of such in the Netherlands. You will have the option to either discover the Delta Works, an impressive feat of hydraulic engineering hailed as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, or explore Veere, Netherlands, once known for its rich history as the center of the Scottish wool trade.

Day 5 Bruges, Belgium / Ghent

A scenic drive through Flemish countryside takes you to Bruges, where you’ll enjoy a walking tour to the Gothic Town Hall, the famous and UNESCO-inscribed octagonal belfry and tower, and the Church of Our Lady, with a visit to see Michelangelo’s “Virgin and Child” marble sculpture housed at the church. Stroll through Ghent, replete with medieval and classical architecture. Admire the windows and Gothic steeples of St. Bavo’s Cathedral and see Hubert and Jan van Eyck’s magnificent altarpiece “Adoration of the Mystic Lamb”—the most frequently stolen artwork of all time. See the Belfry of Ghent, the tallest belfry in Belgium and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Day 6 Antwerp

Discover the Old Town of Antwerp, which preserves its distinct Flemish culture while still maintaining its distinction as the commercial center of Belgium and an established diamond trading center. Visit the UNESCO-inscribed belfry at Cathedral of Our Lady and see 17th‑century Baroque masterpieces by the city’s native son, Peter Paul Rubens.

Day 7 Rotterdam for Delft and Keukenhof Gardens

Saunter through historical Delft, where Johannes Vermeer painted his famous “View of Delft” from 1660 to 1661. Visit the original Delft factory of Royal Porceleyne Fles and watch craftspeople create the iconic “Delft Blue” porcelain. Enjoy lunch at the world‑famous Keukenhof Gardens and stroll through its tableau of blooming tulips meticulously landscaped with tranquil ponds, placid streams, and tree-shaded paths. Attend the Captain’s Farewell Reception and Dinner on board the ship this evening.

Day 8 Hoorn / Amsterdam

Discover Hoorn, which rapidly grew to become a major harbor town during Holland’s “Golden Age” and was an important home base for the Dutch East India Company. Enjoy a private cruise through the charming and picturesque canals of Amsterdam, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Day 9 Amsterdam / Return to Home City

After breakfast, continue on to the post-program, or transfer to the airport for your return flight home.