How much does it cost?

From £2,199 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $2,970 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

What is the accommodation?

Seven nights onboard the MS Amadeus Amara, a five-star luxury river cruise ship with all meals and drinks at dinner included.

Is this an escorted tour?

Yes. Great Rail Journeys provides an experienced Tour Manager and Cruise Director team throughout, plus onboard talks by horticulturist Charlie Dimmock and battlefield historian Piers Storie-Pugh.

What are the choice excursions?

Day 3: coach tour to Bruges or guided sightseeing tour of Ghent with chocolate tasting. Day 4: optional excursion to Ypres Battlefields with entrance to Sanctuary Wood. Day 5: Hartenstein Airborne Museum or Netherlands' Open-Air Museum.

Are flights included?

Yes. Return flights from London Heathrow to Amsterdam are included.

What meals are provided?

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included each day of the cruise, with a drinks package provided at dinner every night.

Great Rail Journeys · River Cruise

Springtime Tulips Cruise: Netherlands & Belgium – Fly

Eight-day Amsterdam river cruise with tulips, steam train, and World War I battlefields

Great Rail Journeys operates this 8-day escorted river cruise combining the tulip season and the MS Amadeus Amara, a five-star luxury ship based in Amsterdam. You begin with a return flight from London Heathrow on Day 1, stepping aboard the ship the same day. Days 2 through 7 take you through the Netherlands and Belgium: a canal boat cruise through Amsterdam; optional excursions to either Bruges or Ghent with chocolate tasting; a choice between the Ypres Battlefields or leisurely exploration; two museum options in Arnhem; and a nostalgic ride on the Medemblik steam train through Dutch countryside. The centrepiece is Day 7, a full-day guided tour of Keukenhof Gardens at peak bloom, featuring over seven million spring-flowering bulbs. Throughout, you sleep and dine aboard, with onboard presentations by horticulturist Charlie Dimmock and battlefield historian Piers Storie-Pugh. All meals, drinks at dinner, guided tours, and excursions are included. The trip suits luxury-seekers, history enthusiasts, and those who value escorted comfort with expert commentary.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has risen £200 since 4 Jul, to £2,199.

Each point is a day we checked this operator's own page, not a weekly average, and the line holds flat between checks rather than guessing at movement we did not see. 3 of 5 points are a live read of the operator's page. Hollow points are values shown when the trip was first listed here and never confirmed with the operator.

What to know before you look closer

Single supplement is GBP 1,200 (nearly 60 percent of the double price), a substantial premium
Only one departure listed: April 2027; confirm availability well in advance
The tour is escorted and structured; unguided time is limited to free afternoons in Ghent and optional excursion choices

Day by day

Day 1overnight: Amsterdam (onboard)
Flying to Amsterdam to board our ship
Your holiday begins at London Heathrow where we board our flight to Amsterdam. On arrival we transfer to our luxurious cruise ship, with free time to settle in before our first dinner together, followed by a Dutch sea shanty choir performance.
Day 2overnight: Cruising toward Ghent
Exploring Amsterdam on a canal boat cruise
After breakfast onboard, we get to know Amsterdam on a scenic canal cruise admiring its waterways and gabled houses, followed by a free afternoon to explore at leisure. We set sail towards Ghent this afternoon. Note: on the 29th April departure, Days 2 and 7 are swapped to visit Keukenhof Gardens today.
Day 3overnight: Ghent (onboard)
Excursions to beautiful Belgian cities
Our ship arrives in Ghent, where battlefield expert Piers Storie-Pugh delivers an onboard talk. After lunch, choose between an afternoon coach tour to Bruges or a guided sightseeing tour of Ghent, including a chocolate tasting.
Day 4overnight: Cruising toward the Netherlands
The battlefields of Ypres or at leisure in Ghent
Choose an optional excursion to the Ypres battlefields, including Sanctuary Wood, or explore Ghent at your own pace, seeing St Bavo's Cathedral and the Belfry. We set sail back towards the Netherlands after lunch.
Day 5overnight: Arnhem area (onboard)
Hartenstein Airborne Museum or Netherlands' Open-Air Museum
Sailing to Arnhem, Piers Storie-Pugh presents on the Battle of Arnhem. On arrival, choose between a guided tour of the Hartenstein Airborne Museum in Oosterbeek or a visit to the Netherlands' Open-Air Museum.
Day 6railovernight: Amsterdam (onboard)
Hoorn & the Medemblik Steam Railway
A guided tour of historic Hoorn, including the 15th-century Hoofdtoren, is followed by a nostalgic journey through the Dutch countryside aboard the Medemblik steam train, passing tulip fields and windmills. We sail on to Amsterdam, docking for the night.
Day 7overnight: Amsterdam (onboard)
Charlie Dimmock talk & Keukenhof Gardens
Horticulturist Charlie Dimmock joins us onboard for a talk and Q&A session, before we visit the incredible Keukenhof Gardens, the 'Garden of Europe', to see millions of spring-flowering bulbs in bloom. Tonight, an elegant gala dinner marks our last night onboard.
Day 8
Homeward bound
After a leisurely breakfast, we disembark and say goodbye to the ship's crew, transferring to Amsterdam airport by coach to fly back to London Heathrow.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 2Canal boat cruise through Amsterdam admiring the city's arched bridges and elegant gabled houses lining the flower-lined waterways
Day 6Nostalgic journey aboard the Medemblik steam train through the Dutch countryside after a guided tour of Hoorn's 15th-century Hoofdtoren and historic centre
Day 7Full-day guided tour of Keukenhof Gardens, showcasing over seven million spring-flowering bulbs and Dutch cultural heritage

Included

Escorted throughout your tour by our experienced Tour Manager/Cruise Director team
7-night cruise onboard MS Amadeus Amara
Five-star service onboard
Complimentary onboard Wi-Fi
Standard Class rail travel
All rail and coach travel throughout your tour
Return flights from London Heathrow to Amsterdam
Breakfast, lunch and dinner each day of your cruise including a spectacular gala dinner
Drinks package with dinner every night of your cruise
Superb excursions included

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance is not included in the price of the tour

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £2,199 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $2,970 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
What is the accommodation?: Seven nights onboard the MS Amadeus Amara, a five-star luxury river cruise ship with all meals and drinks at dinner included.
Is this an escorted tour?: Yes. Great Rail Journeys provides an experienced Tour Manager and Cruise Director team throughout, plus onboard talks by horticulturist Charlie Dimmock and battlefield historian Piers Storie-Pugh.
What are the choice excursions?: Day 3: coach tour to Bruges or guided sightseeing tour of Ghent with chocolate tasting. Day 4: optional excursion to Ypres Battlefields with entrance to Sanctuary Wood. Day 5: Hartenstein Airborne Museum or Netherlands' Open-Air Museum.
Are flights included?: Yes. Return flights from London Heathrow to Amsterdam are included.
What meals are provided?: Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included each day of the cruise, with a drinks package provided at dinner every night.