Best Cruises tours in the Netherlands

One of the best ways to travel around the Netherlands to take in as much as you can from the wide span of this interesting country is via a cruise. Cruise experiences are among the most popular across the European continent, providing a way to get from destination to destination while still enjoying a relaxing vacation. The Dutch waterways – both canals and rivers – offer plenty of opportunities to get up close and personal with history and culture. Here are some of the best cruise tours currently in operation in the Netherlands. Which one looks best to you?

The Best of the Netherlands

One of the best river cruises in the Netherlands for seeing some of the major sights is The Best of the Netherlands. Starting and ending in iconic Amsterdam, this river cruise is designed to showcase the best of what the Netherlands has to offer. It is a 6-day round trip that takes you through Hoorn, Gouda and Rotterdam before returning to Amsterdam. It’s a great choice for people who want a week-long excursion that includes all the hits!

Through Authentic Holland

Regarded as one of the best boat trips in the Netherlands for visitors who want to see the ‘real’ parts of the country is Through Authentic Holland. Travelling from Amsterdam and visiting Gouda and Rotterdam, this river tour also introduces you to Delft, home of world-renowned blue and white pottery.

Dutch Delight

This 8-day cruise that begins and ends in Amsterdam provides the quintessential Dutch experience. You will get to experience the full spectrum of typical Dutch life, with the breathtaking landscape to take in along the route. Truly a Dutch Delight, you will get the opportunity to visit charming port towns and sample all kinds of culture, including local delicacies.

Tulips and Windmills

There are two things that immediately come to mind when you think of the Netherlands – tulips and windmills! This amazing 10-day trip has both in bucket loads. The Tulips and Windmills tour is not only the opportunity for a fantastic river cruise in the Netherlands but also in Belgium. You will enjoy gliding through the canals of Amsterdam to Antwerp, passing through the stunning medieval city of Bruges and seeing the best of both countries. An unforgettable sight will be the 19 UNESCO-designated windmills at Kinderdijk.

Holland and Belgium at Tulip Time

This 8-day long cruise begins in Brussels and takes you all the way to Amsterdam, taking a special effort to weave a course that takes in as many fields of glorious tulips that Holland is so famous for. Stops along the way include Antwerp, Maastricht, Heusden, Schoonhoven and more. Holland and Belgium at Tulip Time is one of the most picturesque boat trips in the Netherlands.

Romantic Rhine

This is an 8-day river cruise from Amsterdam to Basel, giving travellers the opportunity to experience the beauty of 3 countries in just over a week. The course of Romantic Rhine is southbound, taking you through the Netherlands, France, Germany and Switzerland, inviting you to notice all of the small and wonderful differences in the cultures as you pass through.

Festive Time on the Romantic Rhine

Is there anything more magical than being in this part of the world during the festive season? The Festive Time on the Romantic Rhine is an 8-day river cruise northbound from Basel in Switzerland to Amsterdam. It takes place when the winter weather turns every corner of the European continent magical, and you can stop at one or two (or seven!) Christmas markets along the route to take in as much traditional festive culture and atmosphere as you can.

Amsterdam Evening Canal Cruise

One of the bucket list items for any trip to Amsterdam is a cruise along the city’s canals. Beautiful at any time, there’s more than a hint of romance on the Evening Canal Cruise. In a trip that lasts 1.5 hours through the notable hotspots on Amsterdam’s Canal Belt, you’ll see the illuminated merchant houses, sail the Golden Bend and pass under iconic bridges, including the famous Skinny Bridge.

The Rhine and Moselle: Canals, Vineyards and Castles

Many people visit Europe in the hope of seeing a medieval castle or two, and you can definitely have this kind of experience on the Rhine and Moselle river cruise. Lasting 8 days and journeying from Remich to Amsterdam, the tour takes you through the waterways and wine regions all the way from Luxembourg to Holland, with dramatic views aplenty and lots of city excursions.

From the Black Sea to the North Sea

If you have been saving up for the trip of a lifetime, then this just might be it! Over the course of an enchanting 28 days, you will travel from Bucharest to Amsterdam, stopping in Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria and Germany along the way. Not only do you get to experience the beauty of each of these countries, but this particular cruise also includes a two-night stay in historic Transylvania, a place that has more history than you can learn in a lifetime! All of these amazing European travel experiences before you even get to Amsterdam, without a doubt, the most exciting city in the Netherlands. A journey from the Black Sea to the North Sea is something that is worthy of a classic novel, but you will get to enjoy the trip from the comfort of a luxury cruise — what could be better?

Cruises to the Netherlands offer many satisfactions to the wants and needs of a modern holiday. Epic historical buildings, waterfront cafes, picture-postcard landscapes, the centre of the world’s diamond trade and interesting museums are easily accessible from the comfort of a boat as it glides serenely along the country’s rivers and canals.