River Cruising

A Week On... Belgium & Holland Waterways

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Direction and year

Select the cruise direction, and the year, you would like to travel.

Days
8
From (per Person)
$6,390 USD
Journey Type
River Cruising
Time of Year
May
Cities & Landmarks
Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Bruges, Antwerp, Brussels
Gorinchem, Netherlands

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Overview

Experience with Tauck

 

Enjoy a Tauck Exclusive, private dinner at the Mauritshuis - home to an impressive collection of Golden Age Paintings including Vermeer's "The Girl with a Pearl Earring"

 

Experience the storied 650-year history of Slot Loevestein, set on an island reserve that's yours to explore during a morning of activities

 

Tauck Value Includes

 

Tour the recently remodeled and reopened Royal Fine Arts Museum in Antwerp seeing works by the Old Dutch Masters in an art collection that spans the 14th through the 20th centuries

 

All private Tauck shore excursions – $2,282 Value!

 

Enjoy a choice of guided excursions in Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Brussels, Rotterdam and Amsterdam

 

SEE WHAT YOUR JOURNEY INCLUDES

Activity

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On some days, walking extends to 2–3.5 miles (~4,000–7,000 steps), with occasional stairs, hills, or uneven surfaces. Standing periods may last up to 90 minutes, but this level still includes breaks and lower-effort days.

Pace

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A steady daily tempo with 2–3 guided activities. Most days include early departures balanced with rest periods or scenic downtime. Transitions between cities occur every 2–3 days.

View Full Itinerary

Exclusively inclusive river cruising

Be as active as you like as you venture off-the-beaten rivers to charming inland waterways in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Here daily life unfolds in leisurely bicycle rides along country lanes, guided walking tours in quintessential Dutch villages steeped in history and cultural riches, a beer tasting at a Belgian brewery, a visit to the Royal Museum of Fine Art in Antwerp, a canal boat cruise in Amsterdam and an unforgettable dinner at a 14th-century castle on a private island open just for Tauck guests, and dinner with live music at the Mauritshuis in The Hague.
 
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Private Opening at Mauritshuis

Exclusive experience at the Mauritshuis Museum in The Hague

You're the guest of honor for a Tauck Exclusive dinner at the acclaimed Mauritshuis museum in Den Haag (The Hague), housed in a restored 17th-century mansion where a world-class collection of Dutch Golden Age paintings includes masterpieces by Rembrandt and Vermeer, including the iconic Girl with a Pearl Earring. Enjoy a personal welcome from a museum official who shares insights about the art you will see here, and dine to live music performed by students from the Royal Conservatory of the Hague.

Life on the Waterways

Dutch culture along The Netherlands' inland waterways

Much of The Netherlands was under water during medieval times; more than half the country has been reclaimed from the sea since then, and is maintained by a drainage system of windmills, dykes, dams and canals. Amsterdam, founded as a small fishing village on the mouth of the Amstel River, grew to become the trading center of a massive empire in the 17th century, evidence of which is seen today in its gabled mansions and inspired architecture along its canals. And pretty Enkhuizen is laced with canals and vestiges of its maritime roots, proudly recreated in the Zuiderzee Museum, whose historic structures and open-air exhibits showcase life in a Dutch fishing village from the 1880s to the 1930s.

Visit the Royal Delft Factory

Inside Delft Blue at the Royal Delft Experience

Founded in 1653, Royal Delft (Koninklijke Porceleyne Fles, or "The Porcelain Jar") is the only remaining factory of some 32 earthenware factories established in Delft during the 17th century that still produces iconic blue-and-white, hand-painted Delft Blue pottery according to centuries-old tradition. On your visit to the Royal Delft Experience, you'll tour the factory where craftsmen are busy producing the pottery; observe the painters' skill and passion during a painting demonstration; view the Delftware on display at the Royal Delft museum; and enjoy afternoon tea.

Early opening visit to the Zuiderzee Museum

Stories of a bygone maritime culture at the Zuiderzee Museum

The Zuiderzee Museum in Enkhuizen brings to life stories of the people who once lived and worked on the shores of the Zuiderzee – The Netherlands' former saltwater "Southern Sea," which was turned into the present-day freshwater lake known as the IJsselmeer by the completion of the Afsluitdijk (the great IJsselmeer Barrier Dam) in 1932. Through both the open-air Outdoor Museum – a living history village of its own with costumed interpreters and over 140 authentic historic buildings from the former Zuiderzee region – and the Indoor Museum's treasure-filled exhibits on the art, culture and heritage of the region, you'll step back in time to see, hear, feel, taste and smell everyday life on the Zuiderzee between the 1880s and 1930. With Tauck, you'll enjoy an early-opening visit to this extraordinary institution.

Old World Europe – Rhine River cruises

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Deck Plans

Welcome Aboard

Sun Deck

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Diamond Deck

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Category 5

Category 7

(Note: All Category 7 cabins are three-guest capacity suites with a pull-out couch)

Ruby Deck

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Category 2

Category 4

Category 5

Category 6

Emerald Deck

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Category 1

Category 3

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Find your tour

Pricing & Availability

About Booking This Tour

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Trip Prep & Essentials

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How do I book this journey?

You can call us at 800-468-2825 or contact your travel advisor.

A $900 deposit will be due at the time you book this journey. When you call, please let us know the tour name and your preferred departure date, and have the following information ready for all travelers:

  • Full name (as it appears on passport or driver's license)
  • Address
  • Email address
  • Phone number(s)
  • Emergency contact (name and phone number of someone not traveling with your group)

Final payment is due to Tauck 120 days before departure for all journeys.

For more information, please visit our Travel Terms & Conditions page.

What's included in the price?

The price of this journey includes:

  • All accommodations
  • Meals (as detailed in the itinerary)
  • Airport transfers and land transportation (as detailed in the itinerary)
  • Basic internet in hotel rooms and aboard ships (where available; service not guaranteed)
  • Entertainment and special dinners arranged by Tauck
  • Sightseeing and shore excursions on cruises
  • Standard luggage handling
  • The services of and gratuities to hospitality staff, housekeeping, ship crew, local guides, safari guides and trackers
  • All appropriate gratuities for drivers, Tauck Directors, and Tauck Cruise Director

Are gratuities included?

All appropriate gratuities for hospitality staff, housekeeping, ship crew, local guides, drivers, Tauck Directors, and Tauck Cruise Director are included.

Is airfare included?

Airfare to and from your tour's starting and ending point is not included in the price. However, if your itinerary includes on-tour flights during your journey, those are included. To make your travel plans even easier, Tauck can also help you book international airfare.

Do I need a passport, visa, or any other travel documents?

Passports:

A passport is required to enter the Netherlands and Belgium. It must be valid for a minimum of six months beyond your entry date and must contain at least two blank pages.

International maritime security guidelines require that your passport information be provided to us as soon as you book your cruise or boarding may be denied. Once you board the ship, your passport will be held by the purser temporarily to make copies.

Visas:

You do not need a visa for the short duration of this journey.

Traveling with children as a guardian:

If you are traveling as the guardian of children, we strongly suggest that you carry a letter from both parents authorizing emergency treatment in case of an illness or accident. For travel abroad, many foreign countries have specific entry requirements for children under 21 who are traveling without BOTH parents. Tauck is not responsible for travel disruptions caused by improper documentation for children traveling without both parents.

Are there any recommended vaccinations?

Currently, there are no vaccinations recommended for the countries visited during this journey. For the most up-to-date health and vaccination information, we recommend you consult with a travel medical specialist, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the embassies of the countries you'll visit.

How physically demanding is this journey?

Tauck journeys are designed for guests in good health. Depending on your destination, you may walk longer distances, climb stairs, and navigate uneven terrain. To help you choose the experience that suits you best, we've created a rating system for the activity level and pace of each itinerary. You can find the ratings for this journey in the overview section above. For more details about what to expect on tour, visit our Activity & Pace page.

To fully enjoy a Tauck cruise, you should be able to:

  • Walk up and down gangways (which can be steep depending on water level)
  • Navigate uneven or sloped docks
  • Walk through other riverboats with additional gangways and stairs (known as double-docking) on some river cruises
  • Board a tender, a smaller boat used to transport passengers to and from the shore on some small ship cruises
  • Reach pedestrian-only town centers (up to 1 mile from dock)
  • Walk up and down stairs, as not all decks are accessible via elevator and not all ships have elevators
Our riverboats features four decks: Diamond, Ruby, Emerald, and Sun.
  • On the Esprit and Treasures, the elevator travels between the Ruby Deck and Diamond Deck only. There is no elevator access to the Emerald Deck on these ships.
  • On the Grace, Joy, Savor, Inspire, Lumière, Serene, Harmonie, Saudade and Andorinha, the elevator travels between the Emerald Deck and Diamond Deck.
  • On all ships, the elevator does not access the Sun Deck.
  • Elevators provide access to the Reception area and the Compass Rose dining room.
  • There is no chair lift between any decks.

 

Can Tauck accommodate mobility limitations?

The responsibility of your Tauck Director is to ensure the larger group enjoys a relaxing and seamless journey; therefore, he or she cannot provide ongoing assistance to any one guest. 

Accessibility Accommodations: Guests who require accessibility accommodations must notify Tauck at the time of booking, or as soon as the need for accommodation arises. Guests are also responsible for promptly notifying Tauck if there is a material change in their mobility, accessibility, cognitive, or other participation-related needs after booking and prior to departure that may affect their ability to participate in the Trip or require accommodations, special arrangements, or reassessment of participation. Tauck will make reasonable efforts, in coordination with our suppliers, to attempt to accommodate such requests. Unfortunately, not all requests can be fulfilled. We are not responsible for denial of service by carriers, hotels, or other independent suppliers.

Personal Assistance: Tauck regrets that it cannot provide special assistance for walking, wheelchairs, dining, or other personal needs. If you need such assistance, you must be accompanied by an able companion who will assist you. 

Mobility Requirements: Due to operational constraints, including limited cargo space, stairs, and uneven or difficult terrain, we regret that some itineraries cannot accommodate wheelchairs or electric scooters. 

For more information on mobility expectations, please visit our Activity & Pace page.

What's the minimum age to travel on this journey?

This journey has the following age restrictions:

  • Minimum age: 5+
  • Recommended age: 8+
On all Tauck journeys:
  • At least one guest in the traveling party must be 21 or older to make a reservation
  • All travelers under the age of 18 must share a room or cabin with, and be accompanied by, an adult age 18 or older
  • All children must be accompanied on activities by a parent or guardian

We encourage families to be thoughtful when traveling with children, as our itineraries may include activities, pacing, and experiences that that aren't well suited to very young guests. It is for that reason we created Tauck Bridges – journeys for the whole family to enjoy together.

If a child is unable to participate in a scheduled activity, a parent or guardian is responsible for staying with them, as childcare is not provided during the journey.

With consideration for all fellow travelers wanting to enjoy their vacation to its fullest, it is important to know and understand that Tauck has the right to ask any tour member who is disruptive to a group to leave the tour whether they are 6 or 96 years of age.

Does Tauck offer Travel Protection?

Yes! Tauck's Travel Protection provides you with cancellation protection before your journey begins, as well as benefits while you are traveling. The cost of Travel Protection for this itinerary is $799 per person. If you wish to take advantage of this coverage, it must be purchased within 10 days of your initial deposit.

For complete details, visit our Cancellations & Travel Protection page.

What if I need to cancel?

You may cancel your reservation without penalty within 10 days of your initial deposit.

After 10 days, cancellations – regardless of reason – may involve fees from travel and hotel providers, which vary by tour.

For complete details, visit our Cancellations & Travel Protection page.

The Tauck Experience

Why Tauck?

Leave Your Worries At Home

One Upfront Price – No Hidden Costs

Tauck Directors – Simply The Best

Never Settle For Ordinary

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Book Today... And Travel Dreams Begin

Discover The World

Call us, or call your travel advisor, to book your preferred departure date today – and explore our beautiful brochures to find your inspiration for your next journey.

Book Today... And Travel Dreams Begin

Discover The World

Call us, or call your travel advisor, to book your preferred departure date today – and explore our beautiful brochures to find your inspiration for your next journey.

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