Western Front Adventure with Hugh Dolan

Arrive in Amsterdam and transfer to your river ship. Enjoy time to explore this vibrant city at leisure before meeting your Cruise Director and fellow travellers at a Welcome Reception this evening.

Cruise Amsterdam’s canals aboard a glass-top boat with a local guide, gliding through the city’s maze of waterways before enjoying free time to explore at your own pace.

Enhance Your Journey – Muiderslot Castle

Visit one of the Netherlands’ best-known medieval castles. Dating to the 13th century, Muiderslot is famed for its round corner towers, surrounding moat and picturesque gardens.

In Arnhem, visit the Airborne Museum ‘Hartenstein’ to learn about the Battle of Arnhem, where Allied forces attempted to secure a bridgehead across the Rhine in September 1944 during Operation Market Garden.

Join a guided tour of Nijmegen, the Netherlands’ oldest city, set near the German border. Discover its historic streets, landmarks and architecture, then enjoy free time to explore at your own pace or relax in one of the city’s welcoming cafes or bars.

Set out on a guided tour of Maastricht, a historic city closely linked with the formation of the modern European Union. Wander cobbled streets, see sections of the old city walls and visit the Basilica of Our Lady, one of the city’s oldest churches, while discovering how this Roman settlement evolved into today’s lively university town.

Enhance Your Journey – Regional Wine Tasting

Explore one of the Netherlands’ oldest underground cellars, traditionally used for wine storage. During a guided visit, learn about the region’s wine heritage before sampling three local wines.

Today visit the site of the Battle of Waterloo, where in June 1815 Wellington halted Napoleon’s advance toward Brussels. Walk the battlefield and learn how the Imperial Guard’s final assault was repelled, then explore the immersive museum that brings the events of the day to life. This afternoon, enjoy time at leisure to explore Antwerp at your own pace.

In Antwerp, set out on a guided walking tour. Discover the lively Grote Markt, see the historic Het Steen fortress and visit the impressive Cathedral of Our Lady. The afternoon is yours to explore at leisure, or perhaps join a culinary experience highlighting the city’s famous flavours.

Enhance Your Journey – Chocolate Nation Tour

Sample Belgium’s renowned chocolate on a culinary tour and discover why it is considered among the world’s finest.

Arrive in Ghent and travel into the surrounding Flanders region to visit significant Western Front sites for a special Insider Experience.

Insider Experience – Western Front Battlefields

This morning, explore the Western Front with historian Hugh Dolan. Visit the V.C. Corner Australian Cemetery and Memorial, the 1st Division Memorial and the Gibraltar Blockhouse, and see the remains of a wartime bunker. Continue to the Memorial Museum Passchendaele, dedicated to the 1917 battle, before paying your respects at Tyne Cot Cemetery, the largest Commonwealth war graves site in the world, and walking the Polygon Wood battlefield. This evening, you may wish to attend the moving Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing.

Embark on a guided tour of Ghent, including a scenic canal cruise through the city’s historic waterways. The afternoon is at leisure, or you may wish to join an optional excursion.

Enhance Your Journey – Bruges

Travel to Bruges, the enchanting capital of West Flanders. Wander cobbled streets, admire winding canals and take in beautifully preserved medieval architecture, including the Markt and the impressive 83-metre-high Belfry.

Enjoy a moving Insider Experience today.

Insider Experience – Somme Battlefields

Explore the Somme battlefields, beginning with visits to the 1st and 2nd Australian Division Memorials. Continue to Villers-Bretonneux to see the Victoria School, where the words 'Do Not Forget Australia' remain a lasting symbol of gratitude from the local community, before visiting the Australian National Memorial.

You will also visit the Sir John Monash Centre, named for General Sir John Monash, commander of the Australian Corps in 1918. Through immersive multimedia displays and personal accounts, the centre shares the story of Australian soldiers who served on the Western Front.

From Veere, set out for your Insider Experience.

Insider Experience – Delta Works

Visit the Delta Works, one of the world’s most remarkable modern engineering projects. Discover how this vast system of dams, storm surge barriers and sluices was built over more than 30 years to protect the Netherlands from flooding. Comprising 13 sections, the Delta Works form the largest flood protection system in the world and are considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.

This morning, join a guided walking tour of Willemstad. Later, cruise to Kinderdijk and visit the World Heritage-listed village, famed for its remarkable concentration of 18th-century windmills.

Discover Rotterdam on a guided walk, taking in its striking modern skyline and the famous cube houses, with a stop at a local market to sample the city’s beloved stroopwafels.

Enhance Your Journey – The Hague

Join a guided tour of The Hague, visiting the Binnenhof and Buitenhof buildings (Inner and Outer Court) and the Peace Palace.

Enjoy a special Insider Experience before enjoying the remainder of the day at leisure, or join historian Hugh Dolan at a nearby cafe and soak up the local atmosphere.

Insider Experience – Maritime Museum

Step into the Netherlands’ rich seafaring history with a visit to the Maritime Museum (Het Scheepvaartmuseum). Housed in a 17th-century naval warehouse overlooking the waterfront, the museum showcases Dutch exploration and trade through engaging exhibits, historic maps and detailed ship models, including a full-scale replica of an East Indiaman moored outside.

After breakfast, disembark your ship and transfer to the airport, where your journey comes to an end.