Tour members from across Canada depart for the Netherlands.

We are met on arrival this morning and taken directly to the ship, our home for the next week. Moored close to the city centre, we will have free time to explore Amsterdam before settling into our floating home. We meet the Captain, the cruise staff and our fellow travellers at our Welcome Reception followed by dinner on board. ms Amadeus Star (7 nights)

After a restful night on board, set off to see the sights of one of the most unique cities in Europe. Beautiful bridges connect numerous parts of the city which is divided by hundreds of canals and waterways, lined with 17th century architecture. In the morning, enjoy a city tour of Amsterdam including a canal boat tour and a stroll through the flower markets. In the afternoon, we take a drive to Northern Holland to visit the old villages of Volendam and Hoorn.

On arrival in Arnhem our coach will take us through the town where the World War II ‘Market Garden’ parachute landings and the battle for the bridge took place, giving the town a melancholy fame. We will visit the Airborne Museum, which won the prestigious 2009 Golden Heron award for spatial media. In the afternoon, we will visit the open air museum that is home to historic houses, farmhouses and mills showcasing the Dutch life from the 18th to the 20th century. This evening we continue cruising to Middelburg.

We sail through the Dutch region of Zeeland this morning arriving around noon in Middelburg, a city noted for its 1,100 large and small monuments. Our walking tour will take us to see the powerful abbey, impressive town hall, and the splendid old warehouses, along with many of the city’s great monuments.

This morning we are in Ghent, the real jewel of Flanders, a city which has managed to preserve its medieval heritage while moving into the future. The city centre is a delight to explore with its rich Flemish heritage. Our city tour includes many of the sights of the city where the Emperor Charles 5th was born, such as the St. Bavo’s Cathedral with its world-famous triptych altar depicting the citizens of Ghent by Jan van Eyck and the Belfry bell-tower. This afternoon takes us on a sightseeing tour of beautiful Bruges and a journey back in time to medieval Flanders. We return to Ghent with free time to explore on our own before casting off again. Note: Due to renovations, some artwork at the Ghent altar may not be accessible to visitors.

Our morning will be spent on a tour of Antwerp, one of Europe’s most historic ports. Our city tour allows us to visit the Cathedral of Our Lady, Belgium’s largest Gothic church. Walk through the delightful old city centre and admire the city’s busy pedestrian ways and beautiful architecture. In the afternoon we visit picturesque Brussels, the capital of Belgium, with its lively squares, beautiful boulevards and impressive monuments. We will take a walk through Europe’s oldest shopping mall before head back to the ship. This evening’s highlight will be the Captain’s Gala dinner.

This morning at Kinderdijk, we visit the largest group of 18th century windmills in Holland. Later, enjoy an excursion passing the bulb fields between Haarlem and Leiden to the famous Keukenhof Garden with its spectacular display of flowers in bloom. Keukenhof also offers several ponds, sculpture gardens, greenhouses, a windmill open for inspection and several terraces for relaxing. We rejoin our ship in Rotterdam before cruising back to Amsterdam.