Netherlands & Belgium Garden River Cruise
April 27, 2027 – May 7, 2027
TOUR AT A GLANCE
- 11 DAYS / 10 NIGHTS
- Double occupancy per person from $5,816
- Solo room from $7,758
WHAT’S INCLUDED
- 3 nights Utrecht, Netherlands
- 7 nights onboard luxury cruise ship, Amadeus Star
- 10 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 8 dinners
- Transportation by coach and cruise ship
- Admissions to all features specified in the itinerary
- Contribution of $350 to Northwest Horticultural Society Education Programs
- Not Included: Airfare to/from Amsterdam
About this trip
Welcome to spring on the waterways of the Netherlands and Belgium—a living tapestry of color, craft, and cultivation. This river cruise through the Netherlands and Belgium is designed for gardeners and nature lovers, timing your journey with peak bulb bloom and immerse yourself in the kaleidoscope of Keukenhof’s seven million bulbs. Along the way, meet the region’s horticultural heart: historic botanic gardens, hidden courtyard plantings, and private gardens and their gardeners. Days pair relaxed sailing with focused, garden‑forward excursions. Evenings bring local flavor—Belgian beer and chocolate, Dutch cheeses—and time to compare notes with fellow plant enthusiasts.
Whether you’re seeking inspiration for your own garden, curious about growing more bulbs in your garden, or simply ready to breathe in the fragrance of a continent waking up, this voyage offers front‑row seats to spring—curated for gardeners, rooted in place, and paced for unhurried discovery.
In addition to a local guide you will be accompanied by your NHS Host Susan Picquelle.
Susan is almost a native Northwesterner, having lived here since 1983 and has been a crazed gardener ever since she and her husband moved into their first home here. As a member of the NHS Tour Committee, Susan believes that garden touring is one of the best educational and most fun activities a gardener can experience. Susan recently retired from her second career as a landscape designer after first retiring from a long career with NOAA. An admitted plant addict, she is doing her best to support many nurseries as she fills her new garden in Poulsbo. When not working in her own garden or planning garden events, Susan enjoys scuba diving tropical waters, drinking wine with friends, and wearing hats, not necessarily in that order.
Itinerary At A Glance
Day by Day
Tuesday, April 27, 2027
- Arrival day – stay 3 nights in Utrechts
- Welcome Dinner
Wednesday, April 28, 2027
- Hortus Leiden & lunch
- Modeste Herwig private garden
Thursday, April 29, 2027
- Jacqueline van der Kloet private garden
- Singer Laren museum & sculpture garden
- Marie Kenolsen private garden
Friday, April 30, 2027
- Keukenhof gardens & lunch
- Board Amadeus Star
- Welcome reception & dinner
- Sail to Arnhem
Saturday, May 1, 2027
- Jelle Grintjes private garden
- Het Loo Palace & Gardens
- Superbloom Arnhem
- Ship sails to Middleburg
Sunday, May 2, 2027
- Morning cruise to Middleburg
- Walking tour of Middleburg
- Dinner onboard
- Ship sails to Ghent
Monday, May 3, 2027
- Ghent
- Drive to Bruges
- Walking tour of Bruges
- Chris Ghyselen private garden
- Time in Ghent/walking tour
- Ship sails to Antwerp
Tuesday, May 4, 2027
- Antwerp
- Royal Greenhouses of Laeken
- Lunch on board ship
- Antwerp tour to Rubenshuis & garden
- Sail to Rotterdam
Wednesday May 5, 2027
- Arboretum Trompenburg
- Lunch onboard
- Waterside Garden
- Sail to Amsterdam
Thursday May 6, 2027
- Hortus Amsterdam
- Independent time
- Finale Dinner
Friday, May 7, 2027
- Disembark from the ship by 9 am
The tour is SOLD OUT.
If interested, please add yourself to the waitlist. Click the JOIN WAITLIST button below, which will take you to the tour operator’s site. There, click the Book Now button, followed by the Waitlist button. If openings become available, you will be contacted.