Spring in the Netherlands: Amsterdam & the Tulips Discovery Cruise - MS George Eliot
Holiday Highlights
- Enjoy two culture-filled guided tours, including iconic Zaanse Schans and the Zuiderzee Museum in Enkhuizen which recreates the 19th-century heritage of Hollands inland bay.
- Marvel at the spectacular Keukenhof, the world's largest flower garden covering nearly 80 acres.
- Visit the picturesque fishing town of Huizen and cruise across the Markermeer lake.
- See the sights of Amsterdam on a walking tour.
What's Included
- Prices are per person, based on two people sharing a twin cabin with a limited number of sole occupancy cabins available, at the relevant supplement. The price includes:
- Full board during your cruise from dinner on your day of arrival until breakfast on your final day
- Free drinks package
- Complimentary on-board tea and coffee
- Complimentary on-board Wi-Fi (connection speeds may vary)
- All visits and excursions as mentioned
- Return flights
- Coach travel as mentioned
- Transfers from the airport/station to and from the port of embarkation
- English-speaking expert guides
- The services of a Riviera Travel Cruise Director and Host
Itinerary
Day 1
Zaandam - Arrive in Zaandam and board your ship in the late afternoon. If you're here before then, enjoy free time in Zaandam – celebrated for its green-painted wooden houses and charming windmills. A warm and attentive crew will greet you on board, ensuring a smooth check-in and guiding you to your elegant, generously sized cabin. From the moment you arrive, comfort and sophistication set the tone for an unforgettable experience.
Day 2
Zaanse Schans & Huizen - Travel from Zaandam to Zaanse Schans, where the soft thrum of turning mills welcomes you into a pocket‑sized Netherlands. Timber houses, quaint canals, little bridges, and workaday windmills set the scene. Follow the sweet scent of Dutch pancakes and fresh timber, pause to watch sails catch the breeze, and wander between workshops where time seems to have politely slowed its pace. It’s an easy morning of gentle exploring and as many photo‑worthy angles as your camera can hold. Cast off over the broad, ink‑blue stretch of the Markermeer. The shoreline glides past like scenes from a moving picture, each view unfolding into the next: reed beds, church spires, the odd heron supervising proceedings. High tea is served on board – cups that clink, cakes that disappear a little too quickly, and enchanting riverside scenery. We arrive in Huizen with time to stretch our legs before dinner. Stroll the harbour where neat little boats bob on the water and fishermen’s cottages stand shoulder‑to‑shoulder. It’s the sort of place where you catch yourself walking more slowly, just to make the moment last longer. With the arrival of the first course at dinner, the ship slips into the broad expanse of the old Zuiderzee. As you sail towards Enkhuizen, the horizon transforms – its blues giving way to copper tones in the fading light.
Every departure on the MS George Eliot is solo-only, every guest enjoys their own cabin, and there are no single supplements. Designed for independent explorers who value both freedom and companionship, MS George Eliot offers a pioneering new way to discover Europe's rivers alongside like-minded guests.
Named after one of the leading English novelists of the 19th century, MS George Eliot is 110 metres of fine Swiss engineering and craftsmanship. Built to the highest specifications and strict safety regulations by Scylla AG, world-renowned builders of some of Europe's most modern river cruisers, she combines elegant design with the welcoming atmosphere of a luxury boutique hotel.
Guests are welcomed into an elegant lobby with its gleaming marble floor, beautifully illuminated by sophisticated lighting. Thoughtful design is on display throughout the ship, with sustainable hardwood furniture, intricate wrought-iron detailing, polished copper and brass, soft leather and sumptuous Italian fabrics creating a refined yet welcoming ambience.
As a solo-exclusive ship, MS George Eliot has been thoughtfully designed to balance independence with sociability. Stylish lounges, elegant dining spaces and inviting public areas provide the perfect setting to relax, connect and share experiences with fellow solo travellers.
There are 70 luxuriously appointed suites and cabins, all featuring an en-suite bathroom with shower, individually controlled air-conditioning, flat-screen TV, hairdryer, safe, mini fridge, telephone and facilities for making tea and coffee. Every guest enjoys the comfort of their own cabin as standard, while complimentary Wi-Fi is available throughout the ship.
A small number of bicycles are available on board for guests. Please enquire at the reception desk for information.
View a 360 tour of the MS George Eliot