A Mother-Daughter Adventure: Avalon River Cruise Across the Netherlands & Belgium
– May 2024 –
Written by Amy Davoli, Owner and Travel & Cruise Consultant at Travitude Travel Group
Mom and I boarded our 11-hour flight from Canada to Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. Here we would spend the night before boarding an Avalon River Cruise that would take use across the Netherlands and Belgium in 7 days. During this week, we will be aboard the Avalon Tranquility II, exploring 6 different towns, passing through 15 water locks and enjoying this unique part of Europe.
Landing in Amsterdam
I will say, as much as I love flying, I was relieved to stretch my legs when we finally landed in Amsterdam for our river cruise. But more importantly, I was excited to truly kick off our adventure. As I said, we had the night in Amsterdam, which of course meant I was going to explore a bit. Mom and I ventured around some of the cities with many canals, taking in their beauty and incredible construction.
Fun Fact: Amsterdam has 100km of canals, 90 islands, linked by over 1500 bridges!
As the sun descended below the horizon, mom and I decided to return to our hotel for the night. We were hungry and ready to eat, relax, and get some rest before our big departure. The hotel we stayed at was the Renaissance Schipol Airport hotel. The staff here were great, their kindness and professionalism made us feel at home.
Did I mention that our room has a sheep view? Yes a view of SHEEP! Seriously one of the cutest sights I’ve seen. Once we settled into our room, we headed down to the hotel’s restaurant to have a delicious meal…and delicious it was! The service was fantastic, the portions were large, and the flavor did not disappoint. After dinner, we headed back to the room to rest up.
The next morning, I was awoken by a familiar “baaa-ing” noise. I looked out the window to see the baby sheep nursing with their mommas. I wanted to ask the hotel if the sheep belonged to the hotel itself or if they were wild, but I didn’t get a chance because once we woke up, we were out the hotel doors pretty quick.
After we checked out of the hotel, Mom and I dropped our bags at the cruise ship and headed straight to Keukenhof Garden. Avalon offered this as an extra excursion, and we couldn’t wait to go! Keukenhof Garden in Amsterdam only opens for eight weeks each year, so we planned our river cruise around it just to see the tulips.
Gardeners plant over 7 million tulips by hand every single year. Before the first frost hits, they dig up every bulb and replace it with a new one—again, by hand. The effort is massive.
These gardens look so stunning that many local growers compete for a chance to showcase their bulbs here. I expected it to be beautiful, but it completely blew me away.
There were several exhibit buildings on the property as well, which had gorgeous displays of various themes. We had about 2 hours to explore on our own, which I initially thought was too much time, but I truly understand why people could spend a whole day exploring. We only saw about half of what was there, and with a pep in our step to get it done. That said, if you visit Amsterdam in the spring, I highly recommend dedicating at least half a day to exploring Keukenhof Gardens
Visiting Amsterdam soon? Book your excursions today!
Boarding Our Floating Home: The Avalon Tranquility II
It was finally time to board our home for the week, the Avalon Tranquility II. This beautiful ship will take us on a roundtrip from Amsterdam, visiting 6 cities, before returning to Amsterdam. Our itinerary was sold out but that means only 100 passengers were on board. And what are the odds that I recognized 2 of the staff members right away!
I’ve been on an Avalon cruise before, so I was familiar with the ships layout since all Avalon’s design are the same. The only real key difference with being onboard the Tranquility II was some of the colour of the décor. But then again, some would say, only I would notice things like this LOL.
I honestly love the design and flow of the Avalon ships. Avalon Waterways is the only river cruise company that has beds that face the window/balcony for an amazing view outside while you relax in bed. Their balcony cabins are not traditional balconies but rather Juliette balconies where your floor to ceiling window fully open for you to enjoy while in your room. This creates more space in your cabin and still allows for the enjoyment of a balcony to watch the scenery as you cruise by.
On board each Avalon Cruise ship is also a 24/7 lounge which is typically loved by all passengers. In this lounge, you can enjoy some light snacks (my favorite was the apple turnovers!) and hot beverages such as tea and coffee. The space is also great for socializing, boasting comfortable seating and even free-to-use board games!
It’s safe to say that with this being my second time aboard an Avalon Waterways cruise, it is quickly becoming one of my favorite river cruise experiences!
Exploring the Quaint Town of Veere
We started our day in Veere, a quaint province in the Netherlands. While docked there, our cruise offered 3–4 excursion options to choose from. Mom and I picked the 2.5-hour walking tour through the town—home to just 300 people!
To our surprise, no one else signed up for the tour so we literally had a private tour for the afternoon!! Our guide Hans was fantastic. He shared so much about the history of Veere and the province of Zeeland and shared about himself personally which was a lovely touch and made the afternoon even more memorable. His passion and pride in his home province and country were certainly felt.
It was wonderful to immerse ourselves in this little town full of charming architecture, local shops, and lots of history. Many of the streets and walkways were built from bricks, giving it a timeless appeal. Some parts of Veere even left me feel like I was wondering through a secret garden. One of my favorite parts of the tour was the stop at a local café. Here we ate a delicious local pastry called Zeeuwsw Bolus. Personally, I think it tasted like a cinnamon bun. YUM!
Exploring the Art Scene in Ghent, Belgium
2 days into our cruise we reach Ghent, a much larger town located in Belgium. Can you guess what one of our first activities was? If you said munching on delicious Belgium chocolate and candies, you would be correct. Among our selection was, Ghent neus “cuberdon”, Belgium chocolate and Merveilleux. They were all so amazing I wouldn’t dare to pick a favorite!
Our first river cruise excursion in Ghent was another 2.5-hour walking tour, this one was all about the city’s art scene. As with our tour in Veere, many of the other guests decided to opt for other excursion options which mean more space to enjoy the views. Throughout Ghent live over 250,000 people making it a sizable town. The communities are rich with creativity and are in many ways built around art itself.
Our town guide explained that Ghent is known as the “Graffiti-friendly city”. This is because street artists are continuously creating new art, and the scenes seem to change week-by-week. Ghent’s graffiti isn’t just for visual appeal, it also meaning behind it. Many artists focus on the community’s history and bring it to life through stunning art.
The finale of the tour was the graffiti alley. Every 2 weeks the walls are painted, and new masterpieces are created. Our guide had some cans of spray paint so we could create our own street art… did I mention I’m not really creative!! Nevertheless, Mom and I gave it a try because a new experience is better than no experience. With that said, while I enjoyed walking the streets of Ghent and learning about its history, art and galleries aren’t typically my thing, so I was ready to move on when we neared the end.
After our walking tour, Mom and I decided to take another small tour which took us through more of the city side of Ghent. Honestly, this was a bit more of my scene. Once our feet told us they were exhausted and our tummies were rumbling, we headed back to the ship.
During dinner we began moving through one of the 15 waterway locks I referred to at the beginning of this post. For those of you who don’t know, a water lock is used to raise or lower ships where bodies of water are at different sea levels, and the only way to make that smooth transition is for a ship to enter a lock, and the water is raised or lowered to match the height of the new body of water to continue sailing on its path.
While Mom and I, living in Niagara Region between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, are no stranger to locks, it is pretty exciting to be ON the ships while going through each lock. And it’s fun to see the other guests so intrigued as they’ve experienced or seen a lock like this before. However, during this particular lock, the ship beside us was quite big and the lock felt too small for comfort! The passage process was smooth though, even if my nerves were acting up a wee bit.
A few of my favorite excursions to book in Belgium:
A Bus Tour, Shopping, and Chocolate Making in Brussels
Brussels, Belgium was our next stop. Brussels is Belgium’s largest city, boasting a whopping 1.2 million people. To start, we had a bus ride through the modern city center, marveling at the sleek skyscrapers, bustling avenues, and contemporary architecture that define the city’s skyline. The contrast between the new and the old was striking.
After the bus tour, Mom and I had some time to explore the old part of the city. Here, cobblestone streets meandered past quaint shops, historical buildings, and charming cafes. We made it a point to find two of the city’s most prominent statues – Manneken Pis, the iconic little boy statue, and Het Zinneke, the playful peeing dog.
Of course, no visit to Brussels would be complete without indulging in some of the city’s famous culinary delights. We did some strolling and shopping, and when our appetite got the best of us, we enjoyed some delectable Belgian fries, crispy and golden, served with a variety of sumptuous sauces.
One of the highlights of our time in Brussels was a mid-morning chocolate making workshop which was included in our river cruise. We had so much fun at this workshop! Mom and I each got to make 21 filled chocolates… there was nuts, caramel, ganache, fruit filling…. And we got to make thin wafer chocolates with nuts. We were also treated to Belgium hot chocolate!
The chocolates we crafted and photos we snapped in Belgium made the perfect souvenir for our time spent here.
Our Last Stop in Belgium: Exploring Antwerp, Belgium
Our last day in Belgium, we explored Antwerp. The population here is about 500,000, making it the third largest city in Belgium. Antwerp’s docking was fantastic because the port is literally right attached to the city, which makes it so easy to just walk off the ship and explore.
We started the day with a 90-minute excursion including touring Antwerp on foot with a local guide. We learned a lot about the history of Antwerp. It was also really quiet first thing in the morning because it was a holiday in Belgium – which made for great photos!! But wow it was super busy once the afternoon arrived.
For the first time on our cruise, we were actually blessed with a sunny, gorgeous day. Man was it nice to see and feel the sun! After exploring the city, it was back on the river cruise to continue our journey. Next, we make our way back to the Netherlands…specifically Rotterdam.
Exploring the Large Market and Unique Architecture of Rotterdam, Netherlands
When we first got to Rotterdam, we had no clue where to begin and then someone told us to check out the market. Sometimes you aren’t sure what to expect when someone says, “go to the market, it’s worth seeing” and I can tell you that mom and I were not expecting this!
Besides the large market hall, the complex houses 228 apartments, 4,600 m2 retail space, 1,600 m2 horeca and an underground 4-storey parking garage with a capacity of over 1200 cars.
The Markthal (Market Hall) is a residential office building with a market hall underneath, located in Rotterdam. The building was opened on October 1, 2014, by Queen Máxima of the Netherlands. Besides the large market hall, the complex includes 228 apartments, 4,600 m² of retail space, 1,600 m² of horeca, and an underground 4-story parking garage with a capacity of over 1,200 cars. To say the least, it was HUGE!
There were numerous vendors offering fresh, prepared, and bulk foods. It was crowded and unlike anything we’ve experienced before, and I am SO glad we did. Although Mom and I didn’t buy anything, the market is an excellent place to sample local Dutch cuisine.
Our next adventure was the famous cube houses in Rotterdam, which were really close to the market and where we were docked. These particular cube houses were built in 1986, there are a total of 38 houses, each with 3 floors. You can pay for a ticket to go inside and view one, but mom and I decided not to. We did hear that most people need to buy custom furniture to fit the unusual dimensions inside.
After checking out the cube homes, it was time to head back to the port for dinner and to start sailing to our final destination.
Heading Back to Amsterdam!
On our final leg of the journey, we ventured back to Amsterdam. A highlight of our sailing was the sight of some pretty cool looking windmills! These windmills were unlike modern styles which made them a neat sight to see. We eventually made it back to Amsterdam port where it was time to disembark.
We spent the final day in Amsterdam participating in a couple of excursions included in our river cruise. The first one was a visit to the Royal Delft Museum, which is also an operational factory. Delftware was originally created as a more affordable alternative to Chinese porcelain and is made of ceramic instead.
Originating back to 1600, Delftware continues to be produced today and is still highly valued. At the end of the tour, we had the opportunity to paint our own tile in the signature blue. It was an informative morning, and each participant was able to bring home a unique piece as a souvenir.
Capping Off Our Trip with a Canal Cruise
The other Avalon excursion Mom and I took was a canal Cruise, which was the PERFECT way to end our travels. The boat was full, only holding 26 people so it didn’t feel too crowded or like we were packed squished.
There are soooo many companies offering canal cruises, it’s impossible to say which is better etc. some have closed glass domes which is great if there’s weather. Others are entirely open with no roof at all. It truly depends on what you’re looking for! Our particular boat was with a closed glass dome, which Mom and I enjoyed a lot.
As our canal cruise came to an end, I began reflecting on the entire journey and couldn’t help but feel a sense of fulfillment. Our travels through the Netherlands and Belgium took us through 6 cities, each with their own uniqueness. From the tulip gardens of Amsterdam to the charming streets of Ghent and the bustling markets of Rotterdam, each stop offered its own unique charm and story.
This river cruise was more than a vacation; it was an experience steeped in culture and This river cruise was more than a vacation; it was an experience steeped in culture and enriched by stunning architecture, and delectable food that celebrated the region’s heritage.
Ready to Start Planning?
From tulip fields to chocolate workshops, every stop brought unforgettable memories. If you’re dreaming of a culturally rich, stress-free European getaway, contact a Travitude Travel agent today and let’s turn that dream into a plan.