Tulip Time in the Netherlands with AmaWaterways

The famous windmills and vibrant colors of millions of tulips canvassing the Netherlands and the pungent fragrance that fills the air just two of the many highlights of this elegant AmaWaterways river cruise on the legendary Rhine River.

Penny Leonhardt - one of our top advisors - experienced all these sights, smells and sounds all along the Netherlands and Belgium aboard AmaWaterways on her relaxing cruise down the Rhine, one of the most verdant and vibrant rivers in the world. Read her recap below.

**What did you enjoy most about the river cruise experience? **

I thoroughly enjoy how relaxing a river cruise is. Peaceful, scenic and intimate, river cruising offers a smooth, gentle ride along the world's most remarkable waterways. No need to pack and unpack, getting to see beautiful scenery as the ship sails downstream.

What ports/cities did you visit with this itinerary?

Hoorn, Middeburg, Ghent, Bruges, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Delft and Amsterdam.

What shore excursions did you go on? Which ones would you recommend?

I enjoyed an excursion in each port-of-call and took advantage of some of the included perks that AmaWaterways provides.

My three favorite were:

1. A visit to a family operated tulip farm and to walk in the tulip fields
2. Eating waffles and chocolate in Bruges
3. Going to see the UNESCO windmills in Kinderdijk

Did you do any pre- or post-cruise activities?

I spent one night before the ship sailed in Amsterdam and can highly recommend the Hotel de L’Europe, located right in the middle of the Amsterdam action.

What are your top 3 pieces of advice for someone going on a similar trip?

1. Schedule time to relax on the pool deck and possibly take a dip in the pool
2. Enjoy the evening entertainment. AmaWaterways has local entertainment that they bring on board. Especially La Strada, which AmaWaterways welcomes on each cruise.
3. The staff could not be nicer. They always had a smile on their faces and were a joy to talk with.

What did you like most about the cruise line?

The food is locally sourced when possible and always freshly cooked to order. The Captain was always visible and friendly. The cabins are well appointed. The staff become family from the first day. There was always some fun surprises in the cabin throughout the cruise. I was sailing over Easter and we had an Easter basket in our room on Sunday.

**Did you do any shopping or specialty dining on board the ship? **

There is a little gift shop on board. They offered a few local items, but not much variety.