TULIP TIME, A SYMPHONY IN COLOR

Few natural spectacles are as riotously colorful as the scene that blankets The Netherlands and Belgium when the tulips — millions and millions of them — announce the coming of spring. Join us for a memorable voyage into a land that has one wooden shoe firmly in the medieval past and the other dancing on the leading edge of contemporary culture.

ABLOOM WITH HISTORY

Holland’s love affair with tulips harks back to the 1500s, when these handsomely symmetrical Himalayan flowers were first imported. The Dutch soon grew so obsessed with cultivating new varieties that the famous “Tulip Mania” of the 17th century followed, when the rarest bulbs traded hands for more guilders than a mansion — until the market crashed. Widely regarded as the world’s first free-market bubble, this apocalyptic tale has been somewhat debunked by recent research. But don’t tell the destination guides that.

TULIPS & WINDMILLS

AMSTERDAM ROUNDTRIP CRYSTAL BACH & CRYSTAL MAHLER 8 DAYS | 7 NIGHTS DAY 3 | KINDERDIJK, NETHERLANDS 8 AM – NOON

AMSTERDAM

Kinderdijk

Rotterdam Hoorn

NETHERLANDS

Middelburg Ghent Antwerp

BELGIUM

UP TO 25 DESTINATION EXPERIENCES OFFERED

2022 CRYSTAL BACH: Mar 26, Apr 2, Apr 9, Apr 16, Apr 23 2022 CRYSTAL MAHLER: Apr 30, May 7, May 14

2-FOR-1 FARES FROM

PETITE SUITE: $3,899 PER GUEST DELUXE SUITE: $4,649 PER GUEST CRYSTAL PENTHOUSE: $9,249 PER GUEST

ASK ABOUT OUR BOOK NOW SAVINGS

DAY 1 – 2 | AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS OVERNIGHT | SAIL AT 11:30 AM ON DAY 2

Everyone has an image of Amsterdam. For some, it’s small boats gliding on the canals and locals two-wheeling on bikes to work. For others, it’s cobbled streets, important history and innovative design. For all, it’s tulips, windmills and extraordinary art… Vermeer, Van Gogh and Rembrandt. Come find your own Amsterdam.

DAY 2 | HOORN, NETHERLANDS 3:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Located on Lake IJssel near the open sea, Hoorn still shines with the prosperity brought by the great sailing ships of the Dutch East India Company, which delivered exotic spices and sprinkled the town with elegant touches. Explore cobbled streets to discover museums, monuments, the graceful town square and timeless harbor. Renowned for the 18th-century windmills that still operate today — there are 19 — this UNESCO World Heritage Site enthralls all who visit, a picturesque town and a community of friendly locals who eagerly welcome visitors from all over the world seeking a peek into old world Dutch living.

DAY 3 | ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS 1:30 PM – 7 PM

Home to outstanding museums and restaurants, and consistently ranked as a “must-visit” destination, much of Rotterdam was rebuilt with a contemporary approach to design after the WWII blitz. Modern buildings of concrete, glass and steel stand in contrast to the few remaining “old city” areas of Delfshaven and Oude Haven.

DAY 4 | ANTWERP, BELGIUM 8 AM – 11 PM

What Milan is to Italy, Antwerp is to Belgium: a historic city on the leading edge of fashion, art, entertainment and of course, the world’s diamond trade. A dynamic energy fills cobbled old squares lined with ornate buildings. Visit the Italianate city manse of celebrated painter Peter Paul Rubens, now a museum.

DAY 5 | GHENT, BELGIUM 7 AM – 5 PM

Buildings with stair-stepped gables, the meeting of rivers Scheldt and Leie, well-preserved medieval architecture, a brooding castle and the famed Ghent Altarpiece. Here is a welcoming center of industry with a lively cultural scene. See pretty canals, stunning churches, and explore one of Europe’s most enchanting cities.

DAY 6 | MIDDELBURG, NETHERLANDS 7 AM – 2:30 PM

A key player in the Golden Age of Dutch science and technology, Middelburg is credited with the invention of the microscope and telescope. Today, the city thrives with its rich cultural and scientific history, Gothic buildings, centuries-old canals, and the Delft Market Square where old and new worlds come together.

DAY 7 – 8 | AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS 6 AM – OVERNIGHT | DISEMBARK AM ON DAY 8

A full day and overnight means plenty of time to explore this iconic city as you wish. Sample Holland’s famed cheeses, bike the enchanting Waterland scenery, take a private canal boat tour to the Rijksmuseum — a quintessential Amsterdam experience. or visit Keukenhof Gardens, one of Holland’s most beautiful tulip gardens and the largest fresh flower garden in the world (March and April departures only). You might even consider a dinner reservation at the Michelin-starred Bolenius.