Dutch Tulip Cruise
Of course you can visit the renowned Keukenhof Bulb Gardens (world's largest floral display) without taking a cruise. But seeing the splendor of the colorful fields full of tulips along with many of the scenic Dutch cities without having to unpack but once is an extra treat. A spring small ship cruise along the waterways of Holland at the height of the tulips' blooming season sounds like a wonderful way to see the Netherlands. You can fly to Amsterdam and spend a week cruising the Dutch waterways through the region's quaint harbor and river towns while watching out for the world-famous windmills. Doesn't it sound enchanting!
The tulips at Keukenhof Gardens are in bloom from late-March to mid-May, depending on the variety and the weather. Not all tulips bloom at the same time, but if you go during this time you'll be assured of lots of color from all sorts of bulbs.
A spring Holland cruise sounded so good to me that I cruised the Dutch countryside on a Viking River Cruise ship in April 2002. This "Dutch Journey" 9-day cruise holiday was on the 150-passenger river ship the Viking Europe. We cruised the waterways of Holland and visited both the Floriade and Keukenhof Gardens.
I loved our Netherlands tulip cruise so much I returned another April on the AMAWaterways Amalegro. The Amalegro Tulip Time 9-day cruise itinerary included cities and towns in both the Netherlands and Belgium.
