Dutch Waterways Aboard the Exclusively Chartered Deluxe Amadeus Star
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NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT for Solo Travelers along the Dutch Waterways aboard the Exclusively Chartered Deluxe Amadeus Star April 17 to 25, 2022 featuring Floriade Expo 2022 Held Only Once Every 10 Years! WELCOME BACK SAV I NG S SAVE $2000 PER COUPLE! BOOK WITH CONFIDENCE! No land/cruise cancellation fees for new bookings until 96 days prior to trip departure. Dear Council Traveler: We invite you to join us to celebrate the beauty of Holland and Flanders in blissful springtime—the ideal season for visiting, when the tulip fields are in full bloom. A special highlight is Floriade Expo 2022 “Growing Green Cities,” the world’s largest horticultural expo, held only once every 10 years. Aboard the deluxe Amadeus Star, one of the finest ships to ply the waterways of Europe, discover the true essence of River Life® in the Low Countries. Our expert-guided tours explore seven UNESCO World Heritage sites. Amsterdam—a 700-year-old city of canals, quaint waterside houses and spectacular museums filled with some of the world’s greatest art treasures; the engineering marvel of the Delta Works—a vast flood barrier holding back the sea; Antwerp, Belgium; the medieval showcase of Ghent; charming Bruges; the world-class Kröller-Müller Museum; and an exclusive River Life® Forum with local residents are just a few of the highlights of this uncommon voyage. This trip represents tremendous value! Our price includes accommodations, all meals, guided excursions and specially arranged Cultural Enrichments. Space will go quickly for this special Floriade cruise, so please book early to avoid disappointment. Call (800) 942-5004 x 209 (email: [email protected]). Warm Regards, Shoshana Altrichter, Vice President of Travel Can’t travel at this time? Ask about the Council’s other cruises with Gohagan & Company to the Arctic and the Scottish Highlands. Cooperating Councils: AKRON • ALABAMA • ALASKA • ARIZONA • ATLANTA • AUSTIN • BALTIMORE • BOSTON • BUFFALO CHARLESTON • CHARLOTTE • CHICAGO • GREATER CINCINNATI • CLEVELAND • COLORADO SPRINGS • COLUMBUS CONNECTICUT • DALLAS-FORT WORTH • DAYTON • DENVER • GREATER HAMPTON ROADS • HARRISBURG • HILTON HEAD HOUSTON • INLAND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA • JACKSONVILLE • KANSAS CITY • KENTUCKY/SOUTH INDIANA • LAS VEGAS LOS ANGELES • MAINE • MID-HUDSON VALLEY • MILWAUKEE • MONTANA • MONTEREY BAY • NAPLES • NEW ORLEANS NEW HAMPSHIRE • NORTHERN CALIFORNIA • ORANGE COUNTY • OREGON • PALM BEACH • PEORIA • PITTSBURGH GREATER READING • RHODE ISLAND • RICHMOND • SAN ANTONIO • SAN DIEGO • SANTA FE • SAVANNAH • SEATTLE SONOMA COUNTY • SOUTH TEXAS • ST. LOUIS • STAMFORD • TACOMA • TENNESSEE • TRAVERSE CITY • UTAH • VERMONT WESTERN COLORADO • WESTERN MICHIGAN • WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA The safety and well-being of our travelers remains our highest priority. All passengers traveling on our programs are required to present confirmation of a full COVID-19 vaccination, and, as well may have to produce evidence of a recent negative COVID test. All our staff are committed to adhering to all health and safety protocols from the start of your trip to the end as directed by the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention, overseas health officials, as well as those protocols mandated by your cruise company (if applicable). Detailed protocol information tailored to your travel program will be mailed to you along with additional pre-departure information. Cover photo: Cruise through the Netherlands, where tulip blooms announce the arrival of spring. Photo below: See the Windmills at Kinderdijk, which once prevented flooding in the wetlands of Dordrecht. Itinerary Amsterdam Pre‑Program Option 1 Depart the U.S. 2 Arrive in Amsterdam, the Netherlands ♦ Embark the Amadeus Star. Cultural Enrichment: ♦ Private cruise of Amsterdam’s canal district. 3 Nijmegen ♦ Walking tour of Nijmegen. Cultural Enrichments: ♦ Guided tour of the extraordinary, world‑class Kröller‑Müller Museum. ♦ Exclusive River Life® Forum. 4 Kinderdijk/Willemstad/Bruinisse ♦ Tour of the legendary windmills at Kinderdijk. Cultural Enrichment: ♦ Excursion to one of the Delta Works engineering projects. during 5 Ghent, Belgium/Bruges ♦ Walking tour of Ghent, including a visit Tulip SeaSon to see the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb. ♦ City tour of whimsical Bruges. Custom‑designed and intimate, this signature 6 Antwerp travel program will immerse you in the daily life ♦ City tour featuring a visit to the of the Low Countries. There is no better time Cathedral of Our Lady, housing to visit the Netherlands than during spring, masterpieces by Peter Paul Rubens. when the legendary gardens of Keukenhof 7 Rotterdam, the Netherlands/Delft put on their glorious flower show—with over ♦ seven million tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and Visit to Delft to see traditional other flowers blossoming across 79 acres craftspeople create the iconic of woodland. “Delft Blue” porcelain. Cultural Enrichment: The Golden Age of the Netherlands is alive ♦ Visit to the magnificent in the iconic works of its master painters— Keukenhof Gardens. from Johannes Vermeer to Pieter Brueghel the Elder—and in its flourishing landscapes and 8 Lelystad/Almere remarkably preserved medieval towns, where ♦ Excursion to the Floriade Expo 2022 gabled homes line cobblestone streets and to enjoy the exquisite floral and peaceful canals. During this comprehensive plant displays. cruise along the great Dutch and Flemish 9 Amsterdam/Disembark ship/ waterways, experience firsthand the distinct Return to the U.S. heritage, cultural traditions and friendly people The Hague Post‑Program Option of Holland and Flanders. Photo above: Discover Bruges’ medieval architecture and UNESCO World Heritage-designated belfry. Photo below: See Ghent’s Leie River promenade with well-preserved guildhalls and its medieval harbor. w THE NETHERLANDS Lelystad North Amsterdam Sea Almere Keukenhof Gardens Floriade Kröller-Müller Museum The Hague Gouda Delft Nijmegen Delta Works Kinderdijk Antwerp Ghent Bruges FLANDERS UNESCO World Heritage Site Cruise Itinerary BELGIUM Air Routing Floriade expo 2022 Land Routing World’s largest horticultural expo, held once every 10 years! Nijmegen Enjoy a once‑in‑a‑lifetime opportunity to A vibrant university town layered with see flora and horticulture from countries history, attractive Nijmegen was originally around the world. With a theme of settled by the Romans in the first century “Growing Green Cities,” Floriade Expo B.C. Explore an impressive array of 2022 inspires visions of a greener pristinely preserved buildings, including tomorrow—showcasing global innovations the turreted 15th‑century town hall and the for a more sustainable, healthier and 17th‑century, Renaissance‑style De Waagh. happier future. Explore Floriade Expo Overlooking the River Waal, Valkhof Hill 2022’s uniquely created Arboretum—a features the captivating Barbarossa Ruins and living library of more than 3,000 tree, plant ninth‑century Carolingian chapel. and flower species alphabetically arranged Cultural Enrichment: by botanic name and filled with spectacular Meet and engage with locals during the colors and scents. Marvel at nearly 2,000 specially arranged River Life® Forum. trees on the expo grounds that have been sent from growers across the Netherlands. Kröller-Müller Museum Enjoy an optional cable car ride Among the heathlands and dunes of that showcases the skyline of the the Netherlands’ largest national park, growing “green city” of Almere De Hoge Veluwe, is the remarkable and the breathtaking venues of Kröller‑Müller Museum, lauded for its Floriade Park. collection of 90 Vincent van Gogh paintings and 180 of his drawings. Cultural Enrichment: See works by Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet, Pierre‑Auguste Renoir and Édouard Manet, as well as captivating late‑19th‑ to 21st‑century pieces by Auguste Rodin, Henry Moore and Jean Dubuffet, wreathed in the idyllic woodland scenery of the 60‑acre Amsterdam, the Netherlands sculpture garden. In Amsterdam, one of Europe’s most Kinderdijk enchanting cities, canals weave between Designated a national monument and a handsome merchant houses, charming UNESCO World Heritage site, Kinderdijk houseboats and world‑renowned museums is home to Holland’s greatest concentration and galleries. of old windmills. Here, little has changed Cultural Enrichment: since the mid‑18th century, when 19 wooden A private cruise through the UNESCO‑ windmills were erected side by side to drain designated canal district offers a unique look the Alblasserwaard, one of many regions in at the integral role waterways have played the Netherlands below sea level. Though no in the culture of this city, which began as a longer used to monitor water levels, the simple fishing village and flourished into the windmills are still one of Holland’s most 17th century’s foremost economic center. picturesque sights and represent exceptional Stroll through a vivid tableau of blooming examples of the achievements of 18th‑century tulips as far as the eye can see in the beloved Dutch engineering. Keukenhof Gardens. w Amsterdam’s bridges and canals bring the intimacy of The lively, medieval Market Square is the principal a small town to one of Europe’s most celebrated cities. city square and gathering point in Bruges. Cultural Enrichment: Antwerp Excursion to the largest project of the The alluring Old Town of Antwerp preserves Delta Works, hailed as one of the Seven its distinct Flemish culture in a labyrinth of Wonders of the Modern World by the squares and cobbled streets that are studded American Society of Civil Engineers. with museums, mansions