New: Holland & Belgium

Arrive in Amsterdam, then transfer to your ship.* After boarding, the afternoon is yours to relax or explore the city on your own. If your arrival schedule permits, you may wish to visit the Rijksmuseum, or the Van Gogh Museum next door.

Cruise Amsterdam’s charming canals this morning, passing under pretty bridges and enjoying streets lined with gabled houses of centuries past. This afternoon, join an optional excursion—perhaps a visit to one of Amsterdam’s world-class museums to explore the Dutch Golden Age, or uncover the city’s fascinating Jewish history. Your Viking Program Director can help you plan your afternoon

After breakfast, visit the picturesque Keukenhof Gardens, the world’s largest floral park. Admire the stunning beauty at both indoor and outdoor exhibits of millions of vibrant blooms including tulips, hyacinths, crocuses and daffodils. This afternoon, you may explore Haarlem at your leisure or join an optional tour highlighting the best of this historic city. Enjoy dinner on board your ship.

Early this morning, sail across the IJsselmeer (once known as the Zuiderzee) to the ancient shipping village of Hoorn. After breakfast, enjoy a guided walk through Hoorn’s cobbled streets; see age-old cheese warehouses and the town’s main square, which dates back to Hoorn’s heyday. Enjoy a warm welcome during a home visit to a local family and get acquainted with daily life. Perhaps take an excursion through the Dutch countryside to see the country’s famed tulips and windmills, or traverse the West Frisian countryside on a vintage train ride. Depart after dinner and cruise through the night

Arrive in Rotterdam today and take an afternoon to explore the modern face of Holland. The city has been extensively rebuilt after the destruction suffered during World War II, and some of its architecture is quite innovative. This evening, your ship sets sail for a scenic dinner cruise around the harbor. Admire the twinkling lights of the cosmopolitan skyline of Europe’s largest port.

Arrive this morning in Kinderdijk and disembark for a tour of this ingenious 18th-century community. Learn why the windmills were built and see how they work to help control flooding, then tour a working windmill to see its pumping mechanism and living quarters at this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy scenic afternoon cruising along the Lek and Waal Rivers and the busy Amsterdam Rijn canal, an ingenious feat of Dutch engineering, and dinner on board your ship

After breakfast, step back in time as you witness one of The Netherlands’ most dramatic chapters come to life. Learn how Operation Market Garden—the planned attack by the Allied forces in late summer 1944 portrayed in the epic war movie A Bridge Too Far—unfolded, and pay homage to the many soldiers who lost their lives. This afternoon, choose to stay on board and enjoy scenic cruising along the meandering Meuse River, or take an optional excursion to explore more of Nijmegen before rejoining your ship.

Disembark your ship and enjoy a walking tour around historic Maastricht. Stroll the narrow cobblestone streets of the Old Town, and see the Gothic-style church Sint Janskerk and the Romanesque Basilica of St. Servatius. This afternoon, enjoy free time at your leisure to explore or join an optional excursion to Aachen to see Charlemagne’s chapel, a UNESCO Site. Or pay your respects at the American Military Cemetery of Margraten, the final resting place of 8,000 American soldiers who gave their lives to liberate Europe from the Nazis

Arrive in Antwerp this morning and enjoy a walking tour of the historic quarter. See the Cathedral of Our Lady with its 3 monumental altarpieces painted by Peter Paul Rubens; the Grote Markt (Grand Square) surrounded by the Renaissance Town Hall and guild halls; and Het Steen (Steen Castle), Antwerp’s oldest building. This afternoon, you can enjoy an optional excursion to sample the delights of Belgium’s cuisine, or free time at your leisure so you can explore more of charming Antwerp as we remain docked overnight.

After breakfast, disembark and proceed to the airport for your return flight.* Perhaps see more of Belgium on a 2-night city stay in the capital, Brussels. Or enjoy a 3-night extension in the fairy-tale medieval city of Bruges, with visits to Ghent, Bruges and Flanders Fields. * Ground transfers are included with Viking Air purchase.

Arrive in Antwerp, then transfer to your ship.* After boarding, the afternoon is yours to relax or explore the city on your own. If your arrival schedule permits, you may wish to visit the Museum aan de Stroom, Antwerp’s oldest museum

This morning, enjoy a walking tour of the historic quarter. See the Cathedral of Our Lady with its 3 monumental altarpieces painted by Peter Paul Rubens; the Grote Markt (Grand Square) surrounded by the Renaissance Town Hall and guild halls; and Het Steen (Steen Castle), Antwerp’s oldest building. This afternoon, you can enjoy an optional excursion to sample the delights of Belgium’s cuisine, or free time at your leisure so you can explore more of charming Antwerp. Enjoy dinner on board as we sail to Maastricht.

Arrive in Maastrict this morning and disembark your ship for a walking tour around this historic city. Stroll the narrow cobblestone streets of the Old Town, and see the Gothic-style church Sint Janskerk and the Romanesque Basilica of St. Servatius. This afternoon, enjoy free time at your leisure to explore or join an optional excursion to Aachen to see Charlemagne’s chapel, a UNESCO Site. Or pay your respects at the American Military Cemetery of Margraten, the final resting place of 8,000 American soldiers who gave their lives to liberate Europe from the Nazis.

Enjoy scenic cruising this morning along the meandering Meuse River, or take an optional excursion. After lunch, your ship arrives in Nijmegen. Step back in time as you witness one of The Netherlands’ most dramatic chapters come to life. Learn how Operation Market Garden—the planned attack by the Allied forces in late summer 1944 portrayed in the epic war movie A Bridge Too Far—unfolded, and pay homage to the many soldiers who lost their lives during a visit to the touching National Liberation Museum in nearby Groesbeek.

This morning, enjoy a scenic cruise along the Waal and Lek Rivers and the busy Amsterdam Rijn canal, an ingenious feat of Dutch engineering. Arrive in Rotterdam for lunch, where you can take an afternoon to explore the modern face of Holland. The city has been extensively rebuilt after the destruction suffered during World War II, and some of its architecture is quite innovative. This evening, your ship will set sail for a scenic dinner cruise around the harbor. Admire the twinkling lights of the cosmopolitan skyline of Europe’s largest port.

Arrive this morning in Kinderdijk and disembark for a tour of this ingenious 18th-century community. Learn why the windmills were built and see how they work to help control flooding, then tour a working windmill to see its pumping mechanism and living quarters at this UNESCO World Heritage Site. This afternoon and evening, sail across the IJsselmeer (once known as the Zuiderzee) to the ancient shipping village of Hoorn.

After breakfast, depart your ship and enjoy a guided walk through Hoorn’s cobbled streets; see age-old cheese warehouses and the town’s main square, which dates back to Hoorn’s heyday. Enjoy a warm welcome during a home visit to a local family and get acquainted with daily life. Perhaps take an excursion through the Dutch countryside to see the country’s famed tulips and windmills, or traverse the West Frisian countryside on a vintage train ride. Dine this evening as you cruise to Haarlem.

After breakfast, visit the picturesque Keukenhof Gardens, the world’s largest floral park. Admire the stunning beauty at both indoor and outdoor exhibits of millions of vibrant blooms including tulips, hyacinths, crocuses and daffodils. This afternoon, you may explore Haarlem at your leisure or join an optional tour highlighting the best of this historic city. Enjoy dinner on board your ship.

After breakfast, disembark your ship and enjoy a full day in Amsterdam. Cruise charming canals, passing under pretty bridges and enjoying streets lined with gabled houses of centuries past. This afternoon, join an optional excursion—perhaps a visit to one of Amsterdam’s world-class museums to explore the Dutch Golden Age, or uncover the city’s fascinating Jewish history. Your Viking Program Director can help you plan your afternoon

After breakfast, disembark and proceed to the airport for your return flight.* Or you can choose to see more of Amsterdam on a 2-night city stay. * Ground transfers are included with Viking Air purchase.