Inaugural Cruise with The Bootleg Beatles

23/03/2021 UK to Amsterdam

Fly, board a direct Eurostar train to Amsterdam or travel by coach from Folkestone via Eurotunnel or ferry, and embark Spirit of the Rhine.

Enjoy a welcome reception and dinner as you spend tonight moored in the Dutch capital.

24/03/2021 Amsterdam to Beverwijk to Zaandam

Here Comes the Sun! Bid Amsterdam farewell as you begin cruising before breakfast.

Late this morning arrive in Beverwijk from where you can join an included excursion which visits Alkmaar’s Beatles Museum – the largest in the world – which will remain open ‘after hours’ exclusively for our guests. The museum is the culmination of the combination of two separate private collections of memorabilia. See the original record contract signed by the band and a selection of outfits worn by the stars during performances in the Netherlands in the 1960s. The location is fitting as Alkmaar is where John Lennon’s first guitar was made.

After dinner take the short cruise to Zaandam where you will moor overnight.

25/03/2021 Zaandam to Hoorn to Enkhuizen 🎧

If you wish to explore the iconic windmills of Zaanse Schans today then We Can Work It Out for you with one of our optional half-day excursions.

If you’d rather be a Day Tripper then a full day excursion visits the magnificent Keukenhof Gardens – one of the largest and most revered flower gardens in the world.

You may prefer to explore Zaandam independently before Spirit of the Rhine sails on to arrive in Hoorn early-afternoon, where Keukenhof excursion participants will rejoin her. You can join an optional walking tour of Hoorn this afternoon and learn more about the history of the area with a visit to the Westfries Museum.

Sail through dinner to reach Enkhuizen late tonight and moor overnight.

26/03/2021 Enkhuizen

Spend the day in Enkhuizen, a town made wealthy by its association with the Dutch East India Company.

Amazingly, much of the land in this part of the country is land reclaimed from the Zuiderzee, as you will discover on an included visit to the Zuiderzee Museum which involves a ferry trip to see more than 140 historic buildings which once fringed the inland sea, meet residents of Urk and visit a cheese warehouse for a tasting.

Remain moored in the picturesque little town overnight.

27/03/2021 Enkhuizen to Amsterdam 🎧

Set sail after breakfast and cruise to the capital, where you will moor at lunch. You have the afternoon to explore. It's easy to make your own way around this compact and pedestrian-friendly city – perhaps explore the Royal Palace on Dam Square, discover the wealth of art in one of the museums, see Anne Frank House or admire the paintings of Van Gogh.

Alternatively, if you’re a fan of cheese, you might prefer to spend the afternoon visiting Volendam, Edam and the Katwoude Cheese Farm on an optional excursion.

28/03/2021 Amsterdam 🎧

As it’s a Beatles holiday it’s only right that we include a Ticket to Ride a sightseeing canal cruise and coach tour, to help you fit in as many highlights as possible! Alternatively this morning you might choose to join one of our Unique Experiences which are designed to help you get under the skin of a destination by enjoying the local food and culture. After meeting your guide, take a tram to Central Station and begin a three-hour walking tour. Along the way look forward to tasting local delicacies including herring, cheese and croquettes and rounding it off with a sweet treat from a bakery.

Afterwards you have the rest of the day to explore independently – perhaps seek out the floating flower market, the Central Railway Station, which is built on thousands of wooden piles, or the grand 19th-century Rijksmuseum.

29/03/2021 Amsterdam to UK

Say Hello Goodbye to your fellow passengers this morning as you disembark Spirit of the Rhine after breakfast and begin your journey to Get Back to the UK.