Tulip Tour on the MS Magnifique II, III, & IV

5/5 (3)
4 nights
18 miles/day
Guided from EUR € 859
Countries: Holland
Rider Level: Leisure Electric bike tours Bike and boat tours

Tulip Tour on the MS Magnifique II, III, & IV

5/5 (3)

Rider Level: Leisure Electric bike tours Bike and boat tours

4 nights
18 miles/day

Guided from EUR € 859
Bike and Boat Tour aboard MS Magnifique II, MS Magnifique III or MS Magnifique IV
Countries: Holland

Tap above to jump to different sections of this tour

  • Tulip Tour

    Experience Holland in the best possible way: a gorgeous spring short break dominated by flowers. This five-day mini-cruise plows through the most beautiful season of the year and will take you to gorgeous areas such as "the Garden of Amsterdam." Enjoy some unforgettable days on board a passenger barge with excellent service and an alternating itinerary.

    Amsterdam is also called, by some, the smallest metropolis of Europe. There are many unique museums, enticing shopping, and, recently added to the UNESCO Cultural World Heritage list, the canals in the heart of Amsterdam which certainly make a visit to Amsterdam a highlight. Visit the famous flower market in the center of the capital and discover the "Zaanse Schans," including windmills, a traditional cheesemaker, a clog maker, and an authentic traditional Dutch village.

    Other highlights of this trip are the historic city of Haarlem, the world-famous flower park "Keukenhof" near Lisse, and the largest flower auction in the world in Aalsmeer.

    Enjoy the personal service, delicious meals, and excellent accommodation on board of the premium barges.

    Note: The Aalsmeer flower auction is closed during weekends and on public holidays. This is an optional visit. Please be aware that on some departure dates a visit to the flower auction is not possible

    In case you prefer a day of rest, you can skip the bike tour and relax on board while cruising to the next town.

    • Zaandam, North Holland, the Netherlands. ASwathyn@Unsplash
    • Tulip fields in Holland. Carter Rubio@Unsplash
    • Amsterdam, North Holland, the Netherlands.
    • Zaanse Schans, Zaandam, the Netherlands. Ernstn@Unsplash
    • Plenty of flowers in Keukenhof, Lisse, the Netherlands.
    • Tulips & cycling in bike-friendly Holland! Joshua Hoehne@Unsplash
    • Haarlem, North Holland, the Netherlands. Alex Dudar@Unsplash
    • Haarlem, North Holland, the Netherlands. Hamid Bagheri@Unsplash

    View more photos

    Highlights

    • Amsterdam and the open air museum "Zaanse Schans"
    • Haarlem
    • The world's largest flower gardens of Keukenhof
    • The world's largest flower auction in Aalsmeer (closed on weekends and holidays)

    Learn More

    Learn more about guided tours.

  • Traveler photos

    •  (photo by John McNeiece)
    •  (photo by John McNeiece)
    •  (photo by John McNeiece)
    •  (photo by John McNeiece)
    •  (photo by John McNeiece)
  • Daily program

    Day 1: Embarkation in Amsterdam; cruise Amsterdam – Zaandam
    Embarkation and check-in is 2:00pm with the crew welcoming you on board. As soon as all guests have arrived your five-day tour will start with a short cruise to Zaandam, famous for its windmills and cheese-making. Your barge will berth in the center of the city. Upon arrival, you can enjoy taking your new bike for a brief test ride through the surrounding area. In the evening, enjoy a short walk through the picturesque center of Zaandam.

    Day 2: Zaandam – Zaanse Schans – Zaandam (14-21 miles/24-34 km) | cruise Zaandam – Haarlem
    After breakfast, you will enjoy a 5 km bicycle ride to the open air museum Zaanse Schans (entry included) which features beautiful windmills, traditional wooden houses, an old Dutch village, a cheese farm, and a traditional wooden clog maker. In the afternoon, after returning to your ship by bicycle, you have a choice to make: you can either cycle to Haarlem (14 miles/24 km) or take it easy while enjoying the scenery as your barge makes the approximate 2.5-hour trip.

    In Haarlem visit the historical inner city complete with the Grote Markt and St. Bavo church. Your barge will be berthed in the center of Haarlem for the night, so you will have plenty of time to enjoy a short city walk in the afternoon or in the evening.

    Day 3: Haarlem – Keukenhof – Oude Wetering (24-35 miles/39-57 km)
    Today you will ride your bicycle to the Keukenhof, arguably the most famous flower park in the world where you can admire hundreds of thousands of tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, and many other flowers in full bloom.

    After an extensive visit, you will get back on your bicycle and head to Oude Wetering, a small village, where your floating hotel will be waiting for you.

    Day 4: Oude Wetering – Aalsmeer* – Amsterdam (16-18 miles/25-28 km)
    This morning (bus trip at 6:30am) you are in for a real treat - a visit to the biggest flower auction in the world at Aalsmeer*. Early in the morning millions of flowers are auctioned off here and are instantly sent out to all corners of the world. By 9:00am you will return to your barge where a late breakfast will be waiting for you as the barge sails towards Amsterdam.

    During the afternoon you will have the option a final cycling route through the wetlands of Waterland you can take some time to discover this amazing city. Visit the inner city flower market, go to a museum, do some shopping…there is just so much to do!!

    *Optional visit! Entry to the flower auction is approximately €7 per person. The Aalsmeer flower auction is not available on weekends or holidays. Please be aware that a visit to the flower auction is not possible on some departure dates.

    Day 5: Amsterdam
    Disembarkation after breakfast by 9:30am.

    All distances are approximate distances of recommended bike tours. Program and information provided are subject to change, such as, for example, changes in weather conditions. Not all mentioned highlights will be visited during the short bike option. The company retains the right to change the program or to change the shipping time and/or the order of the program in the case it deems it necessary to do so.

    Surface and terrain

    Mostly flat routes. Paved or cobblestone roads.


    Boats


    How to get there

    Tour start and end
    Nearest airport: Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
    Nearest train station: Amsterdam Centraal Station

    Tips on getting to and from your tour

  • Dates

    Magnifique II: Apr 6, 10*, 14* (*indicates fully booked)
    Magnifique III: Mar 30; Apr 3, 7*, 11*, 15*, 19*, 2024 (*indicates fully booked)
    Magnifique IV: Apr 1, 5*, 9*, 13*, 17*, 21*, 2024 (*indicates fully booked)

    Season A: Mar 30, 2024 - Apr 05, 2024

    Season B: Apr 06, 2024 - Apr 25, 2024

    Prices

    Magnifique II

    Per person, double occupancy April 6 - 25
    Main deck, Standard cabin €1059
    Main deck, Premium cabin €1209
    Upper deck, Suite €1459
    Single use cabin (1 person/1 cabin)
    Main deck, Standard cabin €1399

    Magnifique III

    Per person, double occupancy March - April 5 April 6 - 25
    Main deck, Standard cabin €899 €1059
    Upper deck, Suite €1299 €1459
    Single use cabin (1 person/1 cabin)
    Main deck, single cabin €1159 €1399

    €200 off per person aboard the Magnifique III, March 30th departure.

    Magnifique IV

    Per person, double occupancy March - April 5 April 6 - 25
    Main deck, Standard cabin €899 €1059
    Upper deck, Suite €1299 €1459
    Single use cabin (1 person/1 cabin)
    Main deck, Standard cabin €1349 €1589

    Bike Rentals

    Standard touring bike, 21-speed €68
    Electrically assisted bike (limited number, only on request) €168

    Included services

    • 4 nights accommodation on board in the booked category from/to Amsterdam
    • Full board: breakfast, picnic lunch, 4 three-course dinners
    • GPS tracks
    • Two tour leaders (multilingual) with daily briefings of the bike tours, some short city walking tours (free); daily fully guided bike tours
    • Printed instructions and detailed maps for daily bike tours (1 set per cabin); GPS tracks
    • Fees for ferries
    • Use of bed linen and towels (change of towels daily possible)
    • Welcome drink, presentation of barge and crew and briefing on the first evening
    • Daily coffee and tea
    • Entrance fees for Keukenhof and North-Holland Dune reserve
    • Visit mill at Zaanse Schans

    Special dietary requests may be accommodated, but you may face additional fees. Please make requests in advance.


    Bike rentals

    Bikes available to be rented (in advance at the time of booking) include:

    • Standard touring bikes, 7-speed
    • Electrically assisted bikes (limited number, upon request)*
    • Children's equipment and tandems, in limited quantities (please inquire for pricing)

    *More about electrically-assisted bikes >

    Equipment included with bike rental:

    • Pannier bag
    • Helmet
    • Water bottle

    You can bring your own bicycles for an additional charge. Standard bikes are an additional € 10 and E-bikes are an additional € 25. The crew or tour operator are in no way responsible for any damage, loss or theft of such bicycles.

    Pedals:
    The bikes will have flat pedals. At this time, it is not possible to change the pedals. 

    Saddle:
    At this time, it is not possible to change the saddle. We recommend a universal padded saddle cover which can be pulled taught around the provided saddle.

    Helmets:
    Please note that helmets are available on this tour (for free, included with bike rental). We recommend that you bring your own, or purchase one when you arrive at your destination. In the Netherlands and Belgium, cyclists are not obligated by law to wear a bike helmet, but we strongly recommend everyone to wear a helmet.

    Bike Protection:
    Bike protection can be purchased at the time of booking. You can read more about that HERE.


    Tour Company

  • Route Map

    Maps are for information purposes only and reflect typical routes between overnight locations. They may not reflect your actual route.

    • John McNeiece 10 months ago

      Bucket list!! What an amazing trip!

      Holland at tulip time on bikes and a boat is pretty amazing. Our group was quite small but mixed together very well. Then our guides! Thomas and Hans, along with intern, Angela, added the extra touch with extra night time excursions and extra attention for all.
      We did spend an entire day riding in the rain (touring Keurkhoff). In one respect it made the day a bit miserable, but at the same time the rainy day was indicative of Holland and added to the overall experience. Each day’s experience was above and beyond our expectations.

      What was the date of your tour?
      April 2023
      How many tours have you completed?
      3
      Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
      As expected
      Who is this tour suitable for?
      First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
      Do you recommend this tour?
      Yes
      • 5/5 Value
      • 4/5 Included meals
      • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
      • 5/5 Hotels or boat
      • 5/5 Scenery
      • 5/5 Ease of navigation
      • 5/5 Tour documents
      • 5/5 Local tour company services
      • 5/5 Route selection
      • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
    • John McNeiece 10 months ago

      Bucket list!! What an amazing trip!

      Holland at tulip time on bikes and a boat is pretty amazing. Our group was quite small but mixed together very well. Then our guides! Thomas and Hans, along with intern, Angela, added the extra touch with extra night time excursions and extra attention for all.
      We did spend an entire day riding in the rain (touring Keurkhoff). In one respect it made the day a bit miserable, but at the same time the rainy day was indicative of Holland and added to the overall experience. Each day’s experience was above and beyond our expectations.

      What was the date of your tour?
      April 2023
      How many tours have you completed?
      3
      Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
      As expected
      Who is this tour suitable for?
      First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
      Do you recommend this tour?
      Yes
      •  (photo by John McNeiece)
      •  (photo by John McNeiece)
      •  (photo by John McNeiece)
      •  (photo by John McNeiece)
      •  (photo by John McNeiece)
      • 5/5 Value
      • 4/5 Included meals
      • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
      • 5/5 Hotels or boat
      • 5/5 Scenery
      • 5/5 Ease of navigation
      • 5/5 Tour documents
      • 5/5 Local tour company services
      • 5/5 Route selection
      • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
    • tim57 May 3, 2019

      Nice trip biking through Holland and staying and eating on the Magnifique III

      This was an excellent journey biking through Holland. The boat and the crew were first rate, grade of an A. The food was delicious. Bikes were ok. Too much time at the throwback village in Zaaham, probably could trim some time off the visit. The tulip gardens were too much, a sight to see. I had a single room. Much smaller than the brochure photo. Plus the bed mattress was sloped downward on the open end. Need to fix that.

      What was the date of your tour?
      4/15 to 4/19 2019
      How many tours have you completed?
      3
      Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
      Somewhat harder
      Who is this tour suitable for?
      Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
      Do you recommend this tour?
      Yes
      • 4/5 Value
      • 5/5 Included meals
      • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
      • 4/5 Hotels or boat
      • 5/5 Scenery
      • 4/5 Ease of navigation
      • 4/5 Tour documents
      • 5/5 Local tour company services
      • 4/5 Route selection
      • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)