Tulip time cruise-need advice

[winegirl]

We wish to do a 2007 tulip time cruise, and since we are master gardeners, also want maximum possible time in the fields/gardens of Holland.

 

We have taken cruises with Cruise West (wine country,) Abercrombie & Kent via Continental Waterways (Burgundy,) Windstar (Mediterranean,) and Holland America (Alaska.) Of all those experiences, we liked the Windstar experience the best. The open seating dining and high quality of the food, very personalized service, size of the ship/stateroom and the passenger mix (active US baby boomers) were our preference. The other trips had their highlights as well, but the Windstar overall was our favorite.

 

My spouse is a bit fussy--he likes a roomy cabin and no twin beds. He likes high service levels, a casual dress environment, and wants to be among non-smoking primarily US citizens. We both speak some French, German and Spanish, but find it just easier if we can converse primarily in English. I like the structure of a cruise with excursions, food and wine included and open seating. I like not having to pack and unpack and struggle with reading maps, directions and finding places to sleep and eat every day. We just returned from Alaska on a Holland ship, and did not like the megaship experience at all: spouse said it felt like he was at his dad's assisted living facility all week and the huge numbers of passengers did not provide a personal experience at all.

 

Given those preferences, would appreciate some comments/guidance on selecting a river or barge cruise line that best fits these parameters. He's in his 40's, I'm in my 50's. He's working full time so has more money than time to spend on vacations.

[joek]

Unfortunately, almost all of the cabins on river cruises are small. A few ships have owner suites or suites and you should have a TA search for you. We firmly believe that one should do what makes them happy and not settle for less. Life is too short.

 

Have fun!

[AWED23]

I would suggest renting a car at the airport [schipol] and then driving to a hotel near the Hague and checking in for 10 to 14 days. There is an excellent restaurant/hotel just minutes from the Hague that would then give you access to every corner of the Netherlands within a 2 to 3 hour drive!...The Keukenhof would be nearby , 30 minutes....Driving in the Netherlands is easier and faster than here in the states. The roads and freeways are superb!.....Think on it because there is so much to see and do in that most friendly of countrys.....I have done a tulip cruise on the Rembrandt and had a "Suite"....Food,service and guides were excellent but I have had better experiences in the Netherlands using small. luxury resyaurant/hotels....Google small luxury hotels and you will find a link to their web site.

[Coral]

I am brand new to river cruising (have not gone yet) but am going to take a stab at this - have you looked at Amadeus. It caters to Americans, brand new ship, wine at dinner (though I probably wouldn't expect much)...

 

Here is the route:

 

http://www.amadeuswaterways.com/itinerary.asp?tourcode=AA

 

I would also look at Avalon:

 

http://www.avalonwaterways.com/Cruise-Vacations/River-Cruises-Western-Europe/

 

I am going next May for my first river cruise (Russia). I am in my 30's and know I will be one of the youngest ones. I really think river boats will attract those in the Holland American age group. I know this going in and that is fine with me. My guess is that it will be a worldly, educated bunch and I am looking forward to it.

 

Maybe do a combination river boat and land trip - sort of the best of both worlds.

[winegirl]

Thank you all for the advice. After reviewing information about a number of river cruise lines, I am obtaining quotes on an Amadeus and Avalon tulip time cruise.

 

Also investigating the idea of a hotel and car. We don't have 2 weeks to travel, only a week or a bit more. We did do an auto trip from Zurich through Bavaria, all over Austria and a jog to Italy a few years ago. While it was easy to drive on the highways in Europe (the roads are in MUCH better shape than our roads in Wisconsin,) and my husband loved driving over 100 mph pretty much everywhere (regardless of the speed limits,) I found myself staring at a map for most of the journey, trying to figure out where we were and navigating. It was one of the most stressful and unenjoyable trips I've taken. I told him never again, unless we had a GPS system (we've since purchased one which we use extensively and it will accept software for European roads.) So that might change things. Driving does get tricky when you are driving in densely populated areas such as Vienna since finding a place to park it is always a problem.

[sueswny]

Hi. I think you'll really like Amadeus Waterways. I've sailed on them for Holland and for the Danube. They do things first rate. If you haven't already booked a cruise I would like to let you know that my travel agent usually can give 10 percent discount on Amadeus Waterways. email me and I'll tell you how to contact her. (sueswny@yahoo.com ) Whatever you do, you'll have a great cruise. If you have an extra day or two it would be nice to spend some time in Amsterdam, and maybe take a day trip on the train to Haarlem or nearby. THe trains are easy to use and there are so many places near Amsterdam that are only a short train ride away. Plus there is lots to see in Amsterdam itself. Sue