Spring in the Netherlands: Amsterdam & the Tulips Discovery Cruise - MS Emily Brontë
Holiday Highlights
- Enjoy two culture-filled guided tours, including iconic Zaanse Schans and the Zuiderzee Museum in Enkhuizen which recreates the 19th-century heritage of Hollands inland bay.
- Marvel at the spectacular Keukenhof, the world's largest flower garden covering nearly 80 acres.
- Visit the picturesque fishing town of Huizen and cruise across the Markermeer lake.
- See the sights of Amsterdam on a walking tour.
What's Included
- Prices are per person, based on two people sharing a twin cabin with a limited number of sole occupancy cabins available, at the relevant supplement. The price includes:
- Full board during your cruise from dinner on your day of arrival until breakfast on your final day
- Free drinks package
- Complimentary on-board tea and coffee
- Complimentary on-board Wi-Fi (connection speeds may vary)
- All visits and excursions as mentioned
- Return flights
- Coach travel as mentioned
- Transfers from the airport/station to and from the port of embarkation
- English-speaking expert guides
- The services of a Riviera Travel Cruise Director and Host
Itinerary
Day 1
Zaandam - Arrive in Zaandam and board your ship in the late afternoon. If you're here before then, enjoy free time in Zaandam – celebrated for its green-painted wooden houses and charming windmills. A warm and attentive crew will greet you on board, ensuring a smooth check-in and guiding you to your elegant, generously sized cabin. From the moment you arrive, comfort and sophistication set the tone for an unforgettable experience.
Day 2
Zaanse Schans & Huizen - Travel from Zaandam to Zaanse Schans, where the soft thrum of turning mills welcomes you into a pocket‑sized Netherlands. Timber houses, quaint canals, little bridges, and workaday windmills set the scene. Follow the sweet scent of Dutch pancakes and fresh timber, pause to watch sails catch the breeze, and wander between workshops where time seems to have politely slowed its pace. It’s an easy morning of gentle exploring and as many photo‑worthy angles as your camera can hold. Cast off over the broad, ink‑blue stretch of the Markermeer. The shoreline glides past like scenes from a moving picture, each view unfolding into the next: reed beds, church spires, the odd heron supervising proceedings. High tea is served on board – cups that clink, cakes that disappear a little too quickly, and enchanting riverside scenery. We arrive in Huizen with time to stretch our legs before dinner. Stroll the harbour where neat little boats bob on the water and fishermen’s cottages stand shoulder‑to‑shoulder. It’s the sort of place where you catch yourself walking more slowly, just to make the moment last longer. With the arrival of the first course at dinner, the ship slips into the broad expanse of the old Zuiderzee. As you sail towards Enkhuizen, the horizon transforms – its blues giving way to copper tones in the fading light.
Inside, the ship feels light and spacious, making it easy to settle in from day one. There’s a comfortable lounge - the ideal spot for a pre-dinner drink (or post-excursion pause), a bar that naturally becomes the social heart of the ship, and a restaurant where meals invite you to sit back, stay a while and enjoy a taste of the local flavours.
There’s a 24-hour reception too, so help is always close at hand - whether you need a helping hand or just want to know what’s coming up next. And our fitness area is available for anyone keen to keep moving between shore visits.
Up on the sun deck, you’ll find the best views on board. With a mix of seating and loungers, it’s a favourite spot as the ship glides past vineyards, villages and riverside towns.
Thoughtfully designed around everyday comfort, MS Emily Brontë offers a relaxed, welcoming and easy way to experience life on the water.