NETHERLANDS WATERWAY CRUISE April 16 – 24, 2021

with tour hosts Henk & Thressa Witte

with Bruce & Judy Buursma

Sailing no. 37 ❝We thoroughly enjoyed the trip. We were able to experience a wonderful variety of Dutch culture. The scenery was amazing—from the modern cityscape of Rotterdam to the quaint old cities to the farmland including the beautiful tulip fields and windmills, it couldn’t have been better! ❞ — M. VanderPlas | 2019 Netherlands Waterway Cruise Traveler

The Netherlands Waterway Cruise is a beloved annual tradition that began in 1984, when John Witte Sr. hosted a group of first- and second-generation Dutch immigrants aboard the MPS Salvinia for a nostalgic cruise along the rivers and canals of Holland. Since then, thousands of travelers over the past 35 years have come along with us to experience the unique beauty of springtime in the Netherlands. With friends, family, hosts, tour managers, attentive staff and a welcoming captain, the warm hospitality and quality of service on the Netherlands Waterway Cruise is unparalleled in the cruise industry. This spring, the tradition continues.

Join Henk and Thressa Witte once more for another memorable journey as they bid farewell to their hosting duties after more than 15 years as cruise hosts. Henk, who emigrated from the Netherlands at age 12, is the founder of Witte Travel & Tours and is also the former Honorary Netherlands Consul for West Michigan. The Wittes have traveled extensively, both with groups and on their own. You can be sure that the Wittes’ fun-loving spirit and cordiality will enhance the tour experience for every one of you.

Henk and Thressa are pleased to welcome Bruce and Judy Buursma as cruise co-hosts this year! Bruce is a writer who has traveled widely. Bruce covered religion for the Chicago Tribune and reported from more than 50 countries, earning recognition as a Pulitzer Prize finalist. Today, he serves clients as an independent communications consultant, and enjoys spending time with his wife, Judy, at their home near the Lake Michigan shoreline in Grand Haven, Michigan. Bruce has hosted many group tours with Witte Travel, including several Bike & Barge trips to the Netherlands. The Buursmas are excited to carry on the tradition of hosting the Netherlands Waterway Cruise.

The Wittes and the Buursmas welcome you aboard and look forward to traveling with you.

We loved the overall coziness of the ship and all ❝the flowers were beautiful. The upstairs lounge area was warm and inviting. Loved spending time here, visiting and enjoying teatime as well as the views out the windows. ❞ — K. Slagle | 2019 Netherlands Waterway Cruise Traveler

THE SHIP

The charming MPS Salvinia is your floating hotel.

Your home away from home, the MPS Salvinia, is smaller than many river cruise vessels, which allows it to access rivers, waterways and locks that larger ships cannot access, making your itinerary one-of-a-kind. Your floating hotel will take you through seven provinces and along rivers, canals, and seas. See the wide variety of waterways found in the Netherlands.

The MPS Salvinia bridge is open to the public. Converse with the captain and watch the river pass by. Other communal areas are divided among the ship’s three decks. The Observation Deck offers a lounge that opens onto the Sun Deck. The restaurant and lobby are on the Promenade Deck. The whirlpool and sauna can be found on the Main Deck. The decks are connected by an elevator and stairs. Between the four decks, the welcoming staff, complimentary WiFi, and newly renovated ship, you’re sure to enjoy the comforts of your floating hotel. There is plenty of space to unwind and enjoy uninterrupted views, as you relax in style and comfort.

Passenger cabins are located on the Main and Promenade Decks. All double cabins are furnished with two single beds, one of which converts to a sofa during the day. Rooms are also equipped with private facilities, a safe, flat-screen TV, and individually controlled air-conditioning. Promenade Deck cabin windows are larger than those on the Main Deck. The rooms are comparable in size. All windows open to let fresh air into the cabins.

Throughout the cruise you will eat the traditional Dutch menu. Early morning risers can enjoy freshly brewed coffee in the lounge before breakfast. Breakfast and lunch are buffet-style meals. Choose from fresh breads, local cheeses, eggs and meats. Delicious three-course meals are served at dinner. Be prepared for the potato, a Dutch staple! Each day a new specialty will be served. Try croquettes, herring and other wonderful delicacies. Seating at meals is not pre-assigned—use this time to move around and make new friends. Cruise Itinerary

16, FRI | DEPART 17, SAT | ARRIVE, 18, SUN | ZUTPHEN, 19, MON | STAPHORST, 20, TUE | FRANEKER Check in at the airport GOUDA, KINDERDIJK, KAMPEN GRONINGEN, SNEEK Setting off early, we for the overnight flight EMBARK IN ARNHEM, Get your cameras Today the ship cruises explore Friesland. In across the Atlantic! DOESBERG ready as we cruise on the IJsselmeer, Sloten, Friesland’s Good morning, welcome past delightful small following the shores of smallest city, the narrow to the Netherlands. After villages on our way the Noordoostpolder streets and tiny houses going through customs through Gelderland. (North East Polder). bordering the canal make formalities, we meet our After breakfast, we After going through the for terrific photos. We tour manager and driver, stop in Zutphen. Those Lemmer Locks into the continue to Hindeloopen. and are on our way to interested in a Sunday province of Friesland, we Hindeloopen has a Gouda for a visit and service can worship venture into the eastern rich history that is still independent lunch. Our at the 13th-century St. Dutch provinces on a evident in its colorful next stop is at Kinderdijk, Walburgskerk. You may full-day excursion. The hand-painted artwork, a UNESCO World not understand the first stop is in Staphorst, distinctive traditional Heritage Site, where 19 sermon but you’ll enjoy a town where some of dress and even its working windmills still hearing the wonderful the older inhabitants language – a rare blend stand like sentinels along organ. We continue still wear the traditional of West Frisian, English, the canal. Watch a short our scenic cruising this dress. After learning Danish and Norwegian. film at the Wisboom afternoon on the Ijssel about the historic culture The last visit of the day pumping station before River past Deventer and at the Farm Museum, our is in Harlingen, the only visiting one of the Zwolle, to Kampen. Once drive continues through seaport in Friesland. windmills. Then continue very prosperous from the the scenic villages of Enjoy the marina, historic to historic Arnhem to herring trade, Kampen is Dwingeloo and Norg. houses, a pedestrian board the MPS Salvinia. one of the old Hanseatic Then it’s on to Groningen, shopping district and Settle in and enjoy a cities. Following dinner, where we’ll have lunch the Harlinger Aardewerk Welcome Aboard dinner we are invited to a before an organ concert en Tegelfavriek where as we cruise to our private organ concert in at the Martinikerk. Free Frisian pottery and tiles evening port, Doesburg. the 14th-century Gothic time follows the concert. are made. Our excursion (L-independent, D) Bovenkerk. (B, L, D) Then we board the bus ends with the short drive for the drive back to the to Franeker where the ship, which has arrived in Salvinia awaits. (B, L, D) Sneek. After dinner there is a guided walk to the Water Gate. (B, L, D) CRUISE costs $3,499 Main Deck Cabin, based on double occupancy

$3,649 Promenade Deck upper deck cabin, based on double occupancy

$200 Single Supplement for either deck using a single cabin

$825 Single Supplement for either deck using a double cabin as a single

21, WED | FRANEKER, 22, THU | ALKMAAR, 23, FRI | AMSTERDAM 24, SAT | RETURN DEN HELDER, ZAANDAM Bright and early we set All too soon, it’s time SCHAGERBRUG This morning there will off for the Keukenhof to head home. After We have the morning be more spectacular Gardens. The national saying goodbye to the free to visit Franeker. views of the tulip, flower exhibition displays captain, crew, and fellow In the center of town is hyacinth, and daffodil the many varieties of passengers extending an amazing handmade fields as you sail south tulips and other flowers. their stay in Europe, we 18th-century planetarium to Alkmaar. Upon arrival Walk through the theme transfer back to Schiphol that is still in working take a walking tour with gardens, greenhouses, Airport to check in for our order. The Weigh House a local guide. Famous and pavilions, choosing return flights. We hope Museum, the town for its weekly cheese your favorites. A picnic you have had a fantastic hall and the Gothic market, this town has a lunch is served outside cruise and we look Martinikerk are also charming old center for the garden before we forward to traveling with worth a visit. Be back you to see. This afternoon return to Amsterdam. you again soon! (B) to the ship for lunch we continue our cruise to In Amsterdam, we when we’ll cruise Zaandam. (B, L, D) take a canal cruise. toward Harlingen, and Cruising through the out into the shallow narrow canals and Franeker Groningen Wadden Sea. Reaching under the many bridges Harlingen the province of North is a delightful way to experience this city. Holland, we navigate the Sneek harbors and locks of Den Then we return to our Den Helder Hindeloopen Sloten Helder. From here, the ship for dinner. There will Lem mer Salvinia continues via the be onboard music this Schagerbrug Locks

Noord Holland Kanaal to evening. (B, L, D) Alkmaar Staphorst Schagerbrug. En route, Kampen our cruise takes us past Zaandam the breathtaking tulip, Amsterdam hyacinth and daffodil Schiphol Airport fields for which the Zutphen Netherlands is famous. Gouda (B, L, D) Doesburg Arnhem Kinderdijk

Tour Pace

MODERATE – Activity levels vary from day to day. Sightseeing is often a brisk walk over distances of several miles on cobblestone streets and uneven ground. Germany & Switzerland Extension $1,495 per person, double occupancy Single occupancy $425

24, SAT | COLOGNE, MANNHEIM 27, TUE | LAUTERBRUNNENTAL, MÜRREN, AESCHI Depart the Salvinia and board a bus for a drive across the See the classic U-shaped glacial valley of Lauterbrunnental, board Netherlands and into Germany. A midday stop in Cologne a cable car up to Grütschalp and then continue by train to gives you an opportunity to visit the Dom. This colossal Mürren, a village completely free of car traffic. twin-spired cathedral contains relics said to be of the Three Heading back down the mountain, you Magi. Continue along the Rhine Gorge for panoramas meet the motorcoach for the scenic of quaint villages, vineyard-clad hills, and castle drive to Trummelbach Falls, Europe’s ruins. Then arrive in Mannheim for hotel check-in largest subterranean waterfalls. and dinner. (B, D) Dinner is at the hotel. (B, D)

25, SUN | HEIDELBERG, BLACK FOREST, 28, WED | GRINDELWALD, BREITNAU INTERLAKEN, AESCHI This morning visit Heidelberg, a storybook Drive the ascent to city on the banks of the Neckar River. Tour Grindelwald, a town in the the beautiful Heidelberg Castle and walk Jungfrau area. Here you have through the old city center to see the Cologne the option of making the Knight’s House, the Students’ Jail, the old climb via rack-railway to the bridge and the Church of the Holy Spirit— Jungfraujoch, the highest mountain the Heiliggeistkirche. In the afternoon, resort in Europe (11,401 feet). Those who travel south to Breitnau, a town nestled prefer to stay closer to sea level will have a in the Black Forest. (B, D) great time exploring charming Grindelwald. Mannheim Then visit Interlaken before heading back Heidelberg 26, MON | RHINE FALLS, BERNE, to Aeschi for dinner. (B, D) AESCHI Switzerland is known the world over for its 29, THU | LUCERNE, ZURICH spectacular scenery and its delicious cheese and Our morning drive takes us to Lucerne. Breitnau chocolate. Our first stop will be to see the mighty Here, enjoy a walking tour to see the Rhine Falls Rhine Falls, the most powerful waterfalls in historic Lion Monument, the Wooden

Europe. Then it’s off to the medieval city of Aeschi Zürich Chapel Bridge, the Jesuit Church, and the Berne, capital of the Swiss Federation. Bern Lucerne old city center. Spend your free time cruising on the In the late afternoon, we’ll continue to Interlaken lake or shopping for a Swiss watch. Late afternoon, we Aeschi, our home for the next three Mürren Grindelwald continue to our hotel located near the Zurich Airport. After nights. (B, D) check-in, gather for a farewell dinner. (B, D)

30, FRI | RETURN After an early breakfast, transfer to the Zurich Airport to check in for your return flights to the U.S. We hope you enjoyed your vacation! (B) Belgium & France Extension $1,495 per person, double occupancy Single occupancy $475

24, SAT | BRUGGE 27, TUE | NORMANDY BEACHES, CAEN Depart the Salvinia and board a bus for the morning drive to After breakfast, head off to visit the Normandy Beaches. The first Brugge, Belgium. Brugge is built on a system of canals and is stop is in St. Mere Eglise, the first French town liberated in WWII. considered one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Europe. It was near here that the U.S. 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions Enjoy free time this afternoon before an early evening check-in at were air-dropped to protect Utah Beach during the D-Day invasion. the hotel and then dinner. (B, D) The second stop is Utah Beach. Our last stop is the American Military Cemetery near St. Laurent-sur-Mer. After this visit, return 25, SUN | BRUGGE to Caen where the rest of the afternoon is free. (B, L) The morning is at leisure. Attend a church service, browse in one of the city’s museums, or take a boat trip through the canals. After 28, WED | VERSAILLES PALACE, PARIS lunch, gather for a guided tour of the city. Walk through Market The morning drive is to Chateau de Versailles. As a symbol of the Square, past the Town Hall and the massive 13th-century belfry to French monarchy during its peak, the famed castle was established the Onze-Lieve Vrouwekerk to see the only piece of Michelangelo’s in the early 17th century as a royal hunting lodge. After visiting this work to have permanently left Italy: Madonna and Child. The tour royal residence, you head into Paris with a stop at will end at the Begijnhof. (B, D) Brugge Trocadero Gardens for a great view of the Eiffel Tower. Dinner will be at a nearby restaurant 26, MON | AMIENS, CAEN followed by an evening Seine River cruise Leaving Belgium, continue to France. before heading to the hotel. (B, D) Normandy Amiens In the late morning, stop in Beaches Amiens, famous for Caen 29, THU | PARIS its UNESCO World Versailles Paris This morning take a bus tour of Heritage 13th-century Paris with views of the Arc de Gothic Cathedral. Triomphe, Place de la Concorde, While here be sure La Madaline, the Opera, Palace to enjoy lunch, stroll the Vendome and more. Afterward streets and see the cathedral. there is free time to shop, rest along Back on the road, continue into the banks of the Seine, or enjoy a Normandy and on to Caen. (B, D) drink at a sidewalk café. Tonight, gather for a farewell dinner before retiring to the hotel. (B, D)

30, FRI | RETURN Bright and early you depart for the airport for your return flight. We hope you have had the perfect vacation! (B)