Arrive at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport where you will be greeted by a Uniworld representative and transferred to your ship. (D)
DAY 3:
Amsterdam
Featured Excursion: City Tour including Rijksmuseum visit
Spend your first full day in Holland’s largest city, Amsterdam. Your scenic tour will take you through canal-lined streets as you enjoy the sights of Mint Tower, Dam Square, the Royal Palace and Museum Square. Visit the renowned Rijksmuseum, with priceless works of art by Vermeer, Rembrandt and other Dutch Masters of the Golden Age. In the afternoon, enjoy leisure time to explore this fascinating city on your own. (BB, L, Captain’s Welcome Dinner)
DAY 4:
Amsterdam and Hoorn
Featured Excursion: Keukenhof Gardens and Hoorn walking tour
During the morning, enjoy a visit to the Keukenhof Gardens, a 70-acre showcase of seven million flowers, before your floating hotel cruises to the rich seafaring town of Hoorn, once the leading port on the Zuider Zee. As you walk along the attractive 17th-century streets lined with gabled houses, listen to your guide provide insight on history and famous natives like Abel Tasman. (BB, L, D)
DAY 5:
Hoorn and Enkhuizen
Featured Excursion: Enkhuizen Walking Tour
Cruise to Enkhuizen, a lively trading center since the 17th century. (BB, L, D)
DAY 6:
Nijmegen
Featured Excursion: Kröller-Müller Museum
Spend the morning cruising before reaching Nijmegen. From here, you’ll head to the famed Kröller-Müller Museum, home to 278 of Van Gogh’s paintings, as well as pieces by Monet, Gauguin and Picasso. You’ll also see the museum’s beautiful sculpture garden, which is the largest in Europe and features works by Rodin. (BB, L, D) Note: On Mondays, the Liberation Museum will be visited instead.
DAY 7:
Rotterdam (Kinderdijk) and Dordrecht
Featured Excursion: Kinderdijk Windmills
Irresistible Optional Tour: Visit famous Delft, home to Dutch Master Vermeer and to Delft Blue Pottery
Sail to Rotterdam, and cruise through its harbor, since 2004 the world’s third largest after Shanghai and Singapore. Then head to Kinderdijk, where you will discover 19 astonishingly well-preserved windmills dating back to the 1500s and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Later in the afternoon sail to quaint Dordrecht, one of Holland’s oldest cities, and enjoy leisure time to explore this charming town. (BB, L, D)
DAY 8:
Veere and Middelburg
Featured Excursion: Middelburg walking tour and the Delta Works
In the morning, stroll through charming Veere before visiting the engineering marvel known as the Delta Works. At noon, sail to Middelburg, the capital of Zeeland. Admire old mansions and storehouses on your walking tour. Your guide will take you to the 12th-century abbey complex, with three churches, an herb garden and office space for the regional government. You’ll sail to Antwerp in the evening. (BB, L, D)
DAY 9:
Antwerp
Featured Excursion: Walking tour of Antwerp with cathedral visit
Spend a full day in the exciting diamond capital of the world, Antwerp. You will be guided to the Cathedral of Our Lady that houses four masterpieces by Peter Paul Rubens, who was born in Antwerp; visit Market Square, where you’ll see the Brabo Fountain; and discover charming hidden sidestreets. In the afternoon, you may choose to take a shuttle to Diamondland, Antwerp’s largest diamond manufacturer and shop. (BB, L, Captain’s Farewell Dinner)
DAY 10:
Antwerp and Bruges
Featured Excursion: Full-day Bruges with canal cruise
Your second day docked in Antwerp takes you to Bruges, one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. See the town as its original visitors did – aboard a canal boat – and discover why Bruges is often called the “Venice of the North.” (BB, D)
DAY 11:
Depart Antwerp
All river view staterooms are lavishly appointed with a vanity and make-up mirror, generous built-in closets, a hair dryer, safe, individual air conditioning, direct-dial telephone, a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom with thick cotton towels, aromatherapy bath amenities and plush terry cloth robe.
Beautiful lounge with a full-service bar
Library/game room
Panoramic restaurants with open seating
Boutique with sundries and gifts
24-hour coffee bar and front desk service
Sun deck, sky lounge, fitness center, sauna and beauty salon
Elevator
Laundry facilities
Inaugurated: 2002
Refurbished: 2005
Length: 110 m (360 ft)
Width: 11.40 m (37.5 ft)
Draft: 1.20 m (4 ft)
Number of Decks: 3 plus sundeck
Number of Cabins: 63 double cabins; 4 suites; no single, no triple
Number of Categories: 6
Maximum Passengers: 134
Staterooms: 64
Cabin Size: Approx. 151 sq. ft.
Suites: 4
Suite Size: Approx. 214 sq. ft.
Currency onboard: Euro
Voltage: 220 volts
Elevator: Yes
Restaurant: Open seating
Library: Yes
Laundry Service: Yes
Launderette: Yes
Ironing Facilities: Yes
Gymnasium: Yes
Sauna: Dry Sauna & Steam bath
Avalon with extra discounts With the decrease in the value of the dollar and the high price of fuel the cost of hotels and meals have doubled in European during the last three years. Savy travelers have come to understand that a river cruise offers the best value for a European Vacation. Accommodations, all meals on board and shore excursions are included in the price and some companies even include wine with dinner. Because of this, you do not have to live in fear of the $300 per night hotel bill, the $100 not so wonderful restaurant meal and the $10 cup of coffee with no free refills.
Many people believe that by dealing directly with the cruise line, they cut out the expense of a middleman. But when it comes to cruising, this is never the case. The cruise lines depend on travel agents to sell their product, and so it is the cruise lines who pay the agent's commission, not the customer. The lines also offer agents various extra incentives, bonus commissions and value-added perks, giving the travel agents more pricing leverage and the ability for us to offer you lower rates: There are many superb and well-trained travel agents, but there are not many who know as much as we do about river cruising.
