In the year 2000, Continental Waterways added the Princess Royale  to its fleet of luxury hotel barges.  The PR offered two new itineraries along the beautiful waterways of the Netherlands and Belgium. The brand new Princesse Royale is a very elegant clipper style vessel built  accommodate 22 passengers in complete comfort.

The Princesse Royale starts her travels in early spring with the famous Tulip Cruises in Holland. Then as spring merges into summer, she switches route to take in the great, art-rich cities of fabulous Flanders, Bruges, Ghent, Willemstad, etc.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Alkmaar: An old town famous for its cheese and many beautiful buildings.
• Amsterdam: Most fascinating city with its 90 islands and 400 bridges.

• Ghent: Glorious city of 200 bridges.
• Zaanse Schans: Delightful old windmill village.

• Gouda: Famous throughout th world for its cheese: stunning stained glass windows of St. Johns church.
• Haarlem: City containing many lovely medieval buildings and home of tulip hyacinth and daffodil trade.
• Keukenhof Gardens: The magical setting for Hollands springtime, treat field upon field of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths.

Saturday ~ Our meeting time is 3pm at the: HOTEL DE L’EUROPE***** AMSTERDAM

This is the most luxurious hotel in Amsterdam. It has 5 stars and is located in the heart of the city. Built in 1896, it offers 2 gourmet restaurants and 100 rooms and suites. It is located at Nieuwe Doelenstraat 2-8, 1012 CP AMSTERDAM - HOLLAND.   Tel: 31. 20.5311777 - Fax: 31. 20.5311778  Email: hotel@leurope.nl

Coach transfer to the Princesse Royale moored in Vreeswijk. Welcome by the crew with cocktails before a beautiful cruise along the river Lek to Schoonhoven, known as "Silvertown" and renowned for its silver jewelry and traditional clockworks since the 17C. After dinner on board, free time to stroll through this charming town

Sunday ~ Morning cruise to Kinderdijk where we visit the 19 traditional windmills built in 1740 to drain the polders. These impressive windmills, in their lovely pastureland setting, are UNESCO World Heritage listed. Lunchtime cruise on the river Hollandse IJssel, passing the skyline of Rotterdam, one of the world's largest seaports, on our way to Gouda. Our walking tour of the town, famous for its cheeses, pipes and candles, takes in the beautiful stained glass windows of St John's Church (15C). Dinner on board.

Monday ~ Beautiful morning cruise to Oude Wetering on the Gouwe and Oude Rijn canals. Polders (low-lying land reclaimed from the sea) liberally dotted with greenhouses stretch out in every direction. After lunch, coach excursion to Keukenhof Gardens, Holland's most colorful garden-park and famous throughout the world for its dazzling fields of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths. Dinner on board.

Tuesday ~ For the early birds among us, coach drive to the world's biggest flower auction in Aalsmeer where some 10 billion flowers are sold every year. Return to the boat and cruise on the Ringvaart canal, skirting one of Holland's oldest polders - the "Haarlemmermeer". After lunch, tour of Haarlem, center of the Dutch bulb trade: St Bavo's church, containing one of the world's largest church organs, the Frans Hals Museum with its superb collection of Dutch masters. Late afternoon cruise to Purmerend. Dinner on board.

Wednesday ~ Beautiful Cruise past fields of flowers in bloom to Alkmaar. Walking tour of the town's monuments: 17C fortifications, St Lawrence's church with one of the finest old organs in Holland, beautiful 15C Gothic Town Hall, Picturesque old houses, excellent shopping. Dinner on board.

Thursday ~ Morning cruise to Zaansche Schans, a beautiful old village full of wooden houses and windmills. This fascinating "living museum" will transport you 300 hundred years into the past. Our cruise ends in the heart of Amsterdam. Guided walking tour of this delightful city and shopping. Farewell gala dinner.

Friday ~ After breakfast, coach transfer to the Hôtel de l'Europe in Amsterdam. At about 10 a.m.

This route in reverse on alternate weeks. Excursions/mooring places and the route may be changed without prior notice due to unforseen circumstances.

DECK PLAN

Click Here for a map of Continental Waterways Routes

FEATURES
- Cabins : 2 twins/doubles, 8 twins, 2 singles
- 22 Passengers
- 7 Crew members
- VCR, Stereo
- Air conditioning
- Central Heating
- Bicycles on board

TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Registry: France
Year Built: 1999
Converted:
Renovated:
Size: 166 ft. x 23ft.
Passengers: 22
Crew: 7
Handicap access: No

ROUTES
Spring Tulip Cruises- Holland
March 23 to May 17
CRUISE ON CANAL: 100%

No tow paths on these canals so bicycles used when in port each night.

See also Marguerite Tulip Cruise

Price includes transfers as indicated, cruise, gourmet meals, lunch and dinner with quality wines, open bar, all excurions and bicycles.

Accommodation

Regular (in USD $)
March 23 to  May 17

Value (in USD $)

Charter (22 guests)

$45,800

NA

Twin
Twin 3-4

$2,290 pp
$1,990 pp

NA

Suite

$2,490 pp

NA

Single Occupancy

$2,190

NA

Single Sup (in a Twin)

$470

NA

Single Sup (in a Suite)

$500

NA