Treasures of Belgium & Holland with 1 Night in Brussels
Discover the treasures of Belgium and Holland. Begin your vacation with a night in Brussels before your cruise. Enjoy superior hotel accommodations with complimentary breakfast, sightseeing with an expert Local Guide, and courtesy hotel-to-ship transfer. You’ll experience a guided tour to see the landmark buildings and inviting venues before embarking on your river cruise from Brussels to Amsterdam.
- Delight in quintessential scenes of windmills, waterways, and rows of blooming color along the way. Embark in Brussels and sail to Ghent “The Diamond of Flanders.” Visit St. Bavo’s Cathedral with its stunning Flemish artwork.
- For moving battlefield remembrances, visit In Flanders Fields Museum and take part to the Last Post Ceremony.
- On to Holland for a visit to the former Dutch East India Company trading port of Middelburg. In Kinderdijk, see 19 windmills built in 1740 for water management, and in Rotterdam the Erasmus Bridge.
- You’ll see why windmills are a symbol of Holland!
Day-by-day Itinerary
Day 1 - Brussels, Belgium
Day 2 - Brussels, Belgium (Embarkation)
Classic Excursion: Join a Guided Tour of Brussels, see the Town Hall with its landmark buildings and discover the many local bars, cafés, and shops of the Lower Town Streets.
Your Suite Ship® is now Ready for Boarding. Enjoy dinner on board as you sail for Ghent this evening.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO GHENT (B) (D)
Day 3 - Ghent
Classic Excursion: Explore Ghent—“The Diamond of Flanders”— with a Guided Sightseeing Tour of this showcase of medieval Flemish wealth. You’ll visit St. Bavo’s Cathedral—with its remarkable Flemish artwork.
Alternatively, you may choose to join a full-day Guided Optional Excursion of Bruges to explore its canals, cobbled streets, and medieval buildings. You’ll see its crisscrossed canals, the 13th-century belfry of Market Square, and charming patrician houses. This evening, enjoy live entertainment onboard.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN GHENT (B) (L) (D)
Day 4 - Ghent. Excursion to Flanders Field Museum
Active Excursion: Explore a different side of Ghent by bike with your Adventure Host, OR:
Discovery Excursion: Visit the In Flanders Field Museum in Ypres—named for the soldier’s famed poem. Learn about the story of the invasion of Belgium, the first months of the mobilization, the four years trench war in the Westhoek, the end of the war, and the lasting remembrance to follow. After your visit, enjoy lunch at the museum’s café.
Discovery Excursion: Following the museum, visit battlefields, cemeteries, memorials, and private collections.
Discovery Excursion: Experience the Last Post Ceremony, taking place nightly under the arches of the Menin Gate. Enjoy some free time for dinner before the Ceremony starts.
OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO MIDDELBURG (B) (L) (D)
Day 5 - Middelburg, Holland - Veere
Classic Excursion: Join a Guided Walking Tour through the winding cobblestones and canals of Middelburg. See the 15th-century Gothic Town Halland learn about its important role in the spice trade and Dutch East India trading.
Enjoy lunch on board while cruising to Veere.
Active Excursion: Alternatively, bike from Middelburg to Veere with your Adventure Host.
Classic Excursion: Explore the town of Veere with an expert local guide.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO ROTTERDAM (B) (L) (D)
Day 6 - Rotterdam
Harnessing the Wind for 300 Years. Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities. Enjoy a cruise through Rotterdam harbor.
Active Excursion: Experience Rotterdam by bike with your Adventure Host, OR:
Classic Excursion: Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour of Rotterdam featuring innovative architecture, including the marvelous Erasmus Bridge.
OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO ZAANDAM (B) (L) (D)
Day 7 - Zaandam - Haarlem
Windmills, Waterways, and Waving Fields of Flowers
Arrive in Zaandam this morning with free time to explore this quintessential Dutch town. During tulip season, you may take a Guided Optional Excursion to Keukenhof gardens. Outside of tulip season, join a Guided Optional Excursion to Zaanse Schans to see historic windmills and charming Dutch houses.
Cruise to Haarlem this afternoon while enjoying lunch onboard.
Active Excursion: Enjoy an easy bike ride to the beach with your Adventure Host, OR:
Classic Excursion: Visit Haarlem, a major flower-bulb growing district outside of Amsterdam. Explore the former North Sea trading port with its medieval features, gabled houses, and leafy courtyards.
Enjoy dinner on board your ship this evening as you sail to Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AMSTERDAM (B) (L) (D)
Day 8 - Amsterdam
Active Excursion: Join a Biking Tour through the Dutch countryside past polders, dykes, and quaint centuries-old villages, OR:
Classic Excursion: Discover the true beauty of Amsterdam with an off-the-beaten-path Guided Walking Tour through its cobblestone streets for a captivating look at this legendary city, OR:
Classic Excursion: Explore the iconic waterways of Amsterdam on a Guided Canal Cruise past stately homes of Amsterdam’s “Golden Age”.
This afternoon, you might consider joining one of the Optional Excursions available.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AMSTERDAM (B) (L) (D)
Day 9 - Amsterdam (Disembarkation)
Notes
- In the event of technical or water level issues, it may be necessary to operate the itinerary by motorcoach or alter the program, including hotel overnight when necessary.
- Guided Tours, Optional Excursions, activities, sailing and docking schedules may be contingent on weather conditions or other issues outside of our control and could therefore be subject to change at any time.
- Please check visa requirements with your local consulate(s); responsibility for obtaining visas rests with the traveler.
Staterooms & Suites
Deluxe Stateroom
- 172 sq. ft.
- Indigo Deck (Category D, E)
Panorama Suite
- 200 sq. ft.
- Sapphire, Royal Deck (Category A, B, P)
Royal Suite
- 300 sq. ft.
- Royal Deck (Category S)
Cruising Elevated
Avalon Waterways has redefined cruising by going against the current and away from the ordinary. Delivering unparalleled experiences and boundless exploration. Avalon puts you in the captain's seat to navigate your journey, fuel your passions and steer clear of the unexpected as you cruise down the world's most memorable and mesmerizing waterways. One step aboard our modern, luxurious Suite Ships with the grandest views in cruising and you'll see how the tides they are a-changin'.
Hand-Picked Hotels
We’ve vetted and hand-selected the best hotels around the world with location, comfort, and style in mind. Enjoy first-class hotels in each destination, and check in with the confidence that we’ve already checked everything out for your comfort and convenience.
Cardo Brussels, Autograph Collection
Located minutes away from the historic center of the city, Cardo Brussels Autograph Collection is a trendy landmark in the neighborhood. Playful artworks, wit and wellbeing are key features in all its 532 fully air-conditioned guest rooms with cracking cityscape views.
Movenpick Amsterdam City
A stylish 408-room hotel in the perfect location, this waterfront property offers Free Wi-Fi internet access throughout. The chic restaurant serves creative international cuisine and there is a fabulous bar serving drinks and light snacks which is also a great spot for a nightcap. For relaxation there is a Lifestyle Studio featuring a gym, Finnish sauna, bio sauna & ice fountain.
Westcord Jakarta
A unique sustainable hotel in Amsterdam, where two worlds connect. At the former location where ships left for Jakarta, lies a green oasis in the centre of the city. Hotel offers 200 luxurious rooms with a Indonesian influenced style. Enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner at Café Jakarta or get a drink at the Malabar. Be pampered in luxury and relax in our wellness and swimming pool with views towards the river IJ.
