Dutch Delight

Giethoorn, the "Little Venice" of the Netherlands

This idyllic village is full of thatched roofs, lush greenery and lawns overflowing with colorful blooms. What it has virtually none of, on the other hand, is roads. Instead, locals live across a multitude of small islands connected by wooden bridges and get around by boat. This morning, you’ll have the chance to sail with your fellow guests through Giethoorn’s canals to get the best view of this pretty town.

Goat Boat

To see Giethoorn is to watch a storybook town come to life. The village, whose name literally translates to “Goat Horn” is almost entirely made up of a collection of tiny islands, each with their own houses. Connected by bridges and lacking roads, the only way to get around is by walking or—as is much more fun—by boat ride. Board a little boat just for your fellow young travelers and their families, then start floating your way around the canals of Giethoorn.

Only available on sailings that belong to the Generations Program.

The World's Oldest Planetarium

Take a drive to the city of Franeker for a look at the world’s oldest planetarium still in operation. You’ll enter a little house once inhabited by the Eisinga family, and stop in a tiny blue room to learn about Eise Eisinga’s pet project. Look up at the ceiling to see miniature scale models of the six planets of our solar system that had been discovered by the time it was built in the late 18th century, rotating on a perfectly timed track.

Only available on sailings that belong to the Generations Program.

Harlingen Walking Tour

Walk off the ship and right into town with your local guide for a quick sightseeing tour of this quaint harbor town. Many of the buildings here have been around for three or four centuries, giving Harlingen a historic feel. Keep an eye out for the gable stones on older buildings, small plaques with unique carvings used to help people find their way before numerical addresses were popularized.

Harlingen "Village Day"

Harlingen is an attractive port town on the Wadden Sea—local legend has it that the only reason Harlingen isn’t under the Wadden Sea is because of the actions of a young boy, who plugged up the local dike with one finger and thereby saved the city from sinking. It is, of course, just a fun story, but a statue in his honor can be found near the docks nonetheless.

Today you’ll stroll through Harlingen’s canals and quaint alleyways with a local guide. Many of the buildings here have been around for three or four centuries, giving the town a historic feel. Keep an eye out for the gable stones on older buildings, small plaques with unique carvings used to help people find their way before numerical addresses were popularized.

You will have the opportunity to dive deep into the Frisian area with one of two different experiences:

1. Head to a horse farm where the characteristically large and agile black Friesian horse is raised. After learning about the farm’s work and Frisian culture, you’ll be treated to a horse show.

2. Take a short drive to the city of Franeker, where you’ll find the oldest working planetarium in the world hanging from the ceiling of a beautiful canal house. This accurately moving model of the solar system was built between 1774 and 1781 by the Frisian wool comber, Eise Eisinga. You will also visit a historic mill, still active today as a grain mill.

Nijmegen Walking Tour

As you join a local guide on a walk through the streets of Nijmegen, you might be surprised by the youthful energy you find in the Netherlands’ oldest city. Discover a history that stretches back to the Romans and learn how this town recovered from World War II devastation to become the lively center it is today. End your visit in Nijmegen’s best shopping district, where you can branch out on your own to browse the small boutiques, popular chains and local restaurants available there.

A Het Loo Hullabaloo

Do you have what it takes to plan a royal party? Find out today on your visit to the Junior Palace at Het Loo, where you’ll help the royal stewards throw a festive reception as part of a fun living history exercise. Along the way, you’ll hear stories about the Dutch monarchy and the beautiful summer palace that was home to members of the House of Orange.

Only available on sailings that belong to the Generations Program.

Visit to Palace "Het Loo"

Immerse yourself in the history of the Dutch Royal family today as you visit the palace known as “Het Loo.” Built at the behest of William of Orange in the 17th century, it was a summer residence for his family. Now, in the 21st century, the palace serves as a museum, so travelers and locals can marvel at the stunning decorations and gardens that were once reserved for Dutch royalty. The heritage of this building and the House of Orange-Nassau are excellently preserved, all of which you can learn about at your leisure as you admire the beautiful property.

*Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences can be added to a booking up to 6 days prior to the cruise/tour start date if space allows. Some venues are limited in the number of guests they can accommodate. Guests can book onboard (space permitting) and pay in Euros. Pre-booked Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences are refundable up to 48 hours prior to the cruise/tour start date; if inside of 48 hours they are non-refundable. Select Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences require a minimum number of participants and are subject to cancellation (with full refund) if minimum is not met. Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences are non-commissionable. Prices are subject to change.

"The Green Fort"

To bike through the rolling green nature surrounding Fort Sabina, you almost wouldn’t realize that one of the best preserved forts in the Netherlands is there. As you bike there from the ship, however, a pentagon-shaped moat cut into the land gives it away. Equal parts active nature excursion and military history tour, this bike ride is a great way to spend your day in Willemstad.

Only available on sailings that belong to the Generations Program.

When in Oudenbosch

Stepping into Oudenbosch, you may feel as if you’ve left the Netherlands entirely, particularly around the town’s Basilica. The area abounds with Roman style architecture, and the facade of the Basilica itself was designed to be a smaller replica of St. Peter’s in Rome. Marvel at the Basilica, inside and out, on your visit to Oudenbosch today with a local guide.

Let's Go: Biking to Fort Sabina

Known as “The Green Fort,” the excellently preserved Fort Sabina is built in the earthen style, with buildings disguised by a series of dikes and polders. Between this, and the pentagonal moat surrounding it, Fort Sabina makes for a surprisingly pretty bicycle ride in the Willemstad countryside.

Rotterdam, City of the Future

With water levels rising in a country where much of the land is below sea level already, the Netherlands has a particularly vested interest in combating climate change. Learn how the country’s most modern city is also amongst its greenest as you get around town via electric city tram and sustainably-powered water taxis. Along the way, you’ll visit a floating farm, the circular beer brewery that helps feed its cows, and more.

Our MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences support sustainable tourism, offering our guests opportunities to directly impact the communities we explore in a positive way.

The Little Art Palace

Make your way to The Hague today for a visit to the Mauritshuis, a museum full of works of Dutch Golden Age art. This museum is special because it was once just a house—if a really nice one. This means that you can see some of the world’s most famous works of art displayed naturally on the walls, as if hung up in someone’s living room.

Only available on sailings that belong to the Generations Program.

The Hague with Mauritshuis Visit

Though Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands, The Hague is the seat of the country’s government and a fantastic place to visit in its own right. A favorite local highlight of ours, and your destination on this tour, is the Mauritshuis. This museum houses a significant collection of Dutch Golden Age masterpieces—an array of stunning still lifes and portraits, including Vermeer’s famous Girl with a Pearl Earring. Besides its remarkable collection, what makes this museum so special is its setting. The Mauritshuis itself was once a city palace, allowing the works of art inside to be presented in the manner they were originally intended, hanging on the walls of stately houses.

Dutch Culinary Stroll of Rotterdam’s Market Hall

Rotterdam’s bustling market hall epitomizes the city’s penchant for innovative architecture. The massive tunnel-shaped building—the walls containing hundreds of apartments—is an awe-inducing sight. Inside, you’ll find the towering walls and ceiling entirely covered in a colorful nature scene, and rows upon rows of vendors selling local and international cuisine. As you weave your way around with your guide, we’ll treat you to a taste of Dutch favorites along the way.

Visit Famous Delft

Delft is noteworthy for several reasons: it's the birthplace of world-renowned painter Johannes Vermeer, home to the famous blue Delft pottery and burial place of Dutch royalty. Explore picturesque Old Delft, with its tiny foot-bridges arching over peaceful, water-lily-filled canals, and visit the Royal Delft pottery to see the blue-and-white porcelain being made.

*Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences can be added to a booking up to 6 days prior to the cruise/tour start date if space allows. Some venues are limited in the number of guests they can accommodate. Guests can book onboard (space permitting) and pay in Euros. Pre-booked Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences are refundable up to 48 hours prior to the cruise/tour start date; if inside of 48 hours they are non-refundable. Select Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences require a minimum number of participants and are subject to cancellation (with full refund) if minimum is not met. Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences are non-commissionable. Prices are subject to change.

Nights Out: Amsterdam Canal Cruise

Cruise through Amsterdam’s iconic canals on a classic tour with a unique twist. As you float through the city, taking in its charming architecture in the evening light from onboard a private boat, you’ll be treated to a surprise that will showcase local culture in a way you won’t find anywhere else.

Zaanse Schans Windmills

There's an old saying: “God created the world, but the Dutch created their own land.” Today, as you head off to Zaanse Schans, a wonderful living-history village, you'll get a close-up look at the land the Dutch created. Zaanse Schans stands on the banks of the Zaan River, amid the Kalverpolder—land reclaimed from the sea 500 years ago and put to work supplying the needs of booming Amsterdam in the 17th century. Though the water was pumped away from the land via windmills, the windmills you see in Zaanse Schans were early industrial mills, dedicated to grinding spices, oil, flour—whatever the city growing nearby needed. Some 600 windmills operated here, forming the country’s earliest industrial zone; today six working mills stand atop the dike on the banks of the Zaan.

Dutch Cheese Trail

The Netherlands is a major world producer of cheese, making nearly a billion kilograms yearly. Nowadays, most of this cheese is made industrially in factories, which not only produces significantly more waste, but also eschews the more traditional processes that make Dutch cheeses unique.

Embark on a trip through the scenic countryside outside Hoorn on a visit to one of the country’s remaining authentic dairy farms, where Dutch cheese making traditions are being kept alive. The farmer here will tell you all about their sustainable cheese making practices and life on their farm.

This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience supports Global Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production; and Global Goal 15: Life on Land.

Our MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences support sustainable tourism, offering our guests opportunities to directly impact the communities we explore in a positive way.

Say Cheese!

This Generations excursion is also a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences excursion.

No, you’re not being asked to smile for the camera. You’re headed to a family farm to get a taste for eco-friendly Dutch cheeses! While the adults are off learning about cheesemaking at the same farm, you’ll be treated to a special tour that will take you to pet the animals—cows, horses, chickens, dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, pigeons, sheep, calves and more!—sip on lemonade while decorating cakes, and maybe even have some time for trampoline jumping, go-karts or pedal boating.

Only available on sailings that belong to the Generations Program.

Anne Frank House Visit

The story of Anne Frank is well known. She was born in Frankfurt 1929 to parents Otto and Edith Frank, who fled Germany with their family a few years later in the hopes of finding safety in the Netherlands. When Amsterdam failed to provide protection from the Nazis, the Franks planned to emigrate once again. This plan ultimately failed, and the Franks went into hiding in a secret household annex. It was in this annex that Anne Frank hid with her family for more than two years during World War II and wrote her diary. Seeing the annex for oneself is another story entirely. The Secret Annex had become a museum, giving context to Anne’s plight and that of many families like hers in WWII. Today, you’ll follow a local guide via public transportation to arrive at the museum and get a firsthand look at this poignant piece of history.

*Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences can be added to a booking up to 6 days prior to the cruise/tour start date if space allows. Some venues are limited in the number of guests they can accommodate. Guests can book onboard (space permitting) and pay in Euros. Pre-booked Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences are refundable up to 48 hours prior to the cruise/tour start date; if inside of 48 hours they are non-refundable. Select Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences require a minimum number of participants and are subject to cancellation (with full refund) if minimum is not met. Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences are non-commissionable. Prices are subject to change.