Summertime in Holland

Travel from the ship by coach on the 45-minute journey to the city centre of Alkmaar, with commentary from a local guide en route.

On arrival, your guides will give you a brief orientation and you will then have two hours to explore independently. Browse the shops lining the pretty cobbled streets or perhaps visit the quirky Cheese Museum (charges apply – approximately €6 per person payable on entrance).

As this visit will take place on a Friday, you will also be able to experience the traditional Alkmaar Cheese Market in the central square at its most authentic, with bartering traders and farmers negotiating the prices of cheese in a ritual that has been taking place here since 1365.

After your free time you will rejoin your coach and guide for the return journey to the ship.

Walking Grade 3

Please Note: Walking and/or standing on this tour is entirely at your discretion although you should expect to walk approximately one mile to make the most of your visit. The Friday Cheese Market is a popular attraction in Alkmaar so some crowds should be expected.

4 hours

After a short walk, either from your ship or following a short coach journey depending on your ship's mooring, you’ll embark a glass-topped sightseeing boat for a tour along Amsterdam’s historic canals.

Once the hub of the city’s commercial life, the canals are lined with houses that were originally workshops and stores. As you sail you can learn more about the city’s rich history and its connection to the waterways for which it is famous.

Walking Grade 2

Please note: Expect to walk approximately 550 yards in total over flat ground with the possibility of cobblestones. During this excursion there is a total standing and/or walking time of approximately 15 minutes. There are several steps to access the pontoon where you board the canal cruise boat and several steps on and off the boat itself.

1½ hours

Travel by coach to the village of Zaanse Schans, an open-air museum and quaint windmill village which has been recreated to resemble an 18th-century Zaan community. As you stroll with your guide through the streets, watching the craftsmen perform the trades of yesteryear, you'll get a real glimpse of how Dutch life once was.

There were over 600 windmills in the Zaanstreek, but now only a handful have been preserved. Enjoy a guided tour of the mill 'Het Jonge Schaap', a working example of a 17th-century sawmill. After your tour you will have some free time when you can take the opportunity to see the old Dutch craft of clog making, or simply relax in an outdoor cafe.

Walking Grade 4

Please note: Due to accessibility restrictions for large vehicles at the port of Hoorn, a ten-minute shuttle transfer between the ship and the transfer coach is necessary on this excursion. Expect to walk between one-and-a-quarter and two miles in total, some of which will be over uneven or cobbled ground with the possibility of some steps. During this excursion there is a total standing and/or walking time of approximately two hours.

3½ hours

On this guided walk you will explore the pretty town of Hoorn, set on the Markermeer lake and steeped in maritime history. It has an attractive harbour, which you will see during your walk. Hoorn experienced its heyday in the 17th century, when it was one of the most important centres for the Dutch East India Company. As a result of its early seafaring wealth, the town boasts many historic buildings, notably the State Council building with its decorative stone facade. After your tour you may choose to stay in Hoorn and explore further independently or you can return with your guide to the ship.

Walking Grade 4

Please note: Expect to walk approximately one-and-a-quarter miles in total over flat ground with the possibility of cobblestones. This excursion has a total standing and/or walking time of approximately 90 minutes.

1½ hours

After a short coach transfer from your ship, you will arrive at the Rijksmuseum, in the heart of Amsterdam’s Museum Square. Here you will see the works of 17th-century Dutch masters such as Rembrandt, Vermeer and Hals.

The museum, designed by Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers, has been housed in the Rijksmuseum building since 1885 and is now one of the most visited museums in the world. You can explore the museum independently at your own pace with an audio guide commentary. A return coach transfer will be provided.

Walking Grade 3

Please Note: Standing and/or walking on this tour is mostly at your discretion over level terrain. However, you should expect to walk approximately one mile to make the most of your visit. Some steps may also be necessary depending on your chosen route; however, a lift is available if required.

3½ hours

This excursion takes you to a traditional cheese-making farmhouse in the village of Katwoude, approximately a 30-minute drive from the centre of Amsterdam. Here, you’ll enjoy a demonstration of the craft of making cheese and can taste the product for yourself.

Next, take a tour through the barn to see the farm's herd of organic Jersey cows, before some free time to browse the quirky farm shop for souvenirs. Then, you will head to Edam, one of the Netherland’s best-preserved towns. It’s notably famous for its red-waxed cheese. Enjoy a short walking tour through the pretty streets and visit the Edam cheese weigh house before returning to your ship.

Walking Grade 4

Please Note: Expect to walk approximately one-and-a-half miles over terrain which will be cobbled and uneven at times and will include some steps. There is a total walking and/or standing time of approximately two hours. This excursion may run in reverse. This tour is not suitable for those with animal related allergies.

4 hours