MS Rigoletto – Cruising in Elegance
Designed especially for river cruising, the exclusively chartered MS Rigoletto, your floating hotel for seven-nights, features an elegant dining room with large panoramic windows for splendid views of the passing landscapes. The ship is fully air-conditioned and offers comfortable, all outside first-class accommodations each with large picture windows, comfortable furnishings and private bathrooms with shower. Enjoy a variety of fine international cuisine with entertainment in a relaxed atmosphere. The best part is, you unpack only once.

Amsterdam, Holland –The “Venice of the North”
Your journey begins and ends in Amsterdam, known for its winding tree-shaded canals, ornately gabled 16th century townhouses, hundreds of bridges and tulips everywhere! Like the diamonds that make it famous, Amsterdam shines with works of the world’s greatest artists. Enjoy a panoramic city tour which includes the Royal Palace, the Tower of Tears. the Skinny Bridge and the Portuguese Synagogue.

Keukenhof Gardens
While in Amsterdam Join us for an optional excursion to Keukenhof, also called the “Garden of Europe.” Known throughout the world for its open-air flower exhibition, admire the flowers at the height of tulip season only two months a year.

Volendam
The picturesque postcard fishing village of Volendam has retained its original charm, delighting you with women who greet you in traditional wooden shoes, lace caps and skirts. Volendam is well-known for making wooden clogs.

Hoorn
Next cruise to Hoorn, an ancient medieval harbor town with a long-standing maritime history. Hoorn was the 17th-century headquarters for the Dutch East India Company. Enjoy a leisurely walk through the town or take time to visit a colorful pub.

Enkhuizen
Drommedaris Tower stands tall in the harbor, a reminder of its glorious naval past. Visit the indoor/outdoor Zuider Zee Museum and see the largest collection of boats in Holland. Then during lunch, cruise the Ijssel Mer, a large inlet sea, the result of a Dutch engineering feat cutting it off from the open North Sea.

Stavoren, Friesland
Arrive in Stavoren and take an optional excursion to the little Friesian town of Makkum famous since the 17th century for its tiles, platters and ornamental earthenware. Then continue to quaint Hindeloopen which offers a blend of “old” and “new” with many canals and beautiful wooden bridges.

Kampen
Situated on the IJssel River, the former Hanseatic League city of Kampen is known for its well-preserved mansions and former homes of Dutch sea captains. Kampen has one of the best preserved old town centers of the Netherlands. While in Kampen participate on an optional excursion to Giethoorn – “Venice of the Lowlands” and considered the "prettiest village in Holland". This is a town where vehicles are prohibited and the only transport is by canal boat.

Deventer
This 11th-century town was the setting for the movie, “A Bridge Too Far.” Join us on a walking tour of St. Lebuin’s Church with its Gothic architecture, Mechanical Toy Museum and fascinating Market Square.

Zutphen
Zutphen has the nickname “Ancient city of towers” because of its many churches and towers. It lies on the east bank of the river IJssel in the province Gelderland. Because of its position on the river IJssel which has a connection with the Rhine and the former Zuiderzee, it became an important trading city.

Arnhem – Tribute to WWII Battles
Arnhem is most recognized for the many fierce air battles fought in its forests during WWII remembered in the Airborne Museum. Join an optional excursion to see Arnhem’s Open Air Museum which takes you back to the old world and discover what life was like in the 18th century with its old farms, workshops and windmills. Continue to the nearby Kröller Mueller Museum to admire the 276 works by Van Gogh.

Kinderdijk – UNESCO World Heritage Site
Situated close to Rotterdam and just seven feet above sea level, Kinderdijk is famous for its beautifully preserved 19th-century windmills along a dyke called “Kinderdijk” or Child’s Dyke. Enjoy an introductory talk on the importance and operation of windmills in the Netherlands before having the chance to explore first hand the working mechanism and living quarters inside the windmills.

Before leaving Kinderdijk, enjoy an optional excursion to Delft, where the Dutch Golden Age remains alive. See where this magnificent hand-crafted and painted china comes from as well as beautiful canals, Gothic churches and 17th-century Market Square.

Rotterdam – Largest Port in Europe
Rotterdam is famous throughout the world for its modern and automated port facilities. Enjoy an afternoon cruise of this modern port city before your return cruise to Amsterdam.