Holland & Belgium - MS Mecklenburg

The Netherlands and Belgium aren’t particularly large; therefore a tour between Amsterdam and Bruges by boat & bike is easily manageable in a week. Find the similarities and differences between the reformed States General and the Catholic-Spanish Netherlands. Explore countless UNESCO world cultural heritage sites, from individual noteworthy buildings to entire townscapes. This tour in Holland and Belgium starts in Amsterdam.
Here you can find details about your boat, the MS Mecklenburg.

Day 1 Arrival in Amsterdam, approx. 15 km/9 mi
Check-in until 1.30 pm, boat and bike tour, overnight stay in the fortress town Vianen.

Day 2 Bike tour Vianen - Kinderdijk, approx. 56 km/35 mi
Cycle along rivers and canals to Kinderdijk, a village which hosts a large concentration of drainage windmills, which has been declared a UNESCO world heritage site.

Day 3 Bike tour Willemstad - Tholen, approx. 40 km/25 mi
Your bike tour to the former port town of Tholen begins in the beautifully restored Willemstad Fortress.

Day 4 Bike tour Tholen - Antwerp, 20-36 km/12-22 mi
First you will cycle tour through one of the rare forest areas, from there by boat to the City of Diamonds - Antwerp.

Day 5 Bike tour Antwerp - St. Amands, 34-49 km/21-31 mi
You’ll cycle along the river Scheldt to the charming town of Sint-Amands, which is characterised by town houses from the 17th and 18th centuries. Make sure to sample the Duvel beer.

Day 6 Bike tour Dendermonde - Gent/Merelbeke, approx. 52 km/32 mi
Cycling through typical Flanders villages you’ll reach the once rich and distinguished Ghent with its cathedral and splendid town houses.

Day 7 Bike tour Lovendegem - Bruges, approx. 45 km/28 mi
Foat trip during breakfast, then you will cycle along the Ghent-Oostende Canal until you reach Bruges, which is also known as the ‘Venice of the North’ and is a UNESCO world cultural heritage site.

Day 8 Departure
After breakfast your tour in the Netherlands and Flanders on MS Mecklenburg comes to an end.

Here are the details on MS Mecklenburg.

Included in "Holland & Belgium on MS Mecklenburg":

• 7 nights aboard in your chosen category
• full board (7 x breakfast, 6 packed lunches, 7 x dinner)
• complimentary coffee/tea until 4 pm daily
• cabins are cleaned daily
• bed linen and towels supplied
• welcome drink and chat where we will provide you with all the relevant information
• on-board tour guide that is also doing all the cycling
• daily cycling stage briefings
• detailed travel documents in english
• GPS tracks
• bridges-, harbour- and lock dutie
• optional rental bike

Accomodation:

• outside cabins, approx. 8 sqm/85 sq ft, with ensuite WC and shower
• air condition unit
• cabins with permanently closed windows
• beds with level access

Rental bicycles:

• We offer comfortable unisex-bikes with 7-speed coaster break or freewheel, equipped with a bike bag and a bike lock. We also offer e-bikes if desired.

Travel time 2021:

• Arrival on saturdays
  08.05. + 03.07. + 11.09.

Prices:

All prices are per person.

•   899 EUR 2-bed cabin 08.05.
•   999 EUR 2-bed cabin
• 1349 EUR 2-bed cabin, single occupancy 08.05.
• 1499 EUR 2-bed cabin, single occupancy

•     75 EUR rental bike
•   165 EUR e-bike

• booking code "Holland & Belgium on MS Mecklenburg":
  RS-HFM-7M
• how you can save some money

The booking process

Arrival:

• Arrival by car:
  There are three options of parking your car for the duration of the trip. In any case, please drive to the quay first and bring your luggage and (if applicable) personal bike aboard. Then
  - Drive to the car park Oosterdok near Amsterdam Centraal station. Costs are approx. EUR 140 / week.
  - Make use of our parking service from Centralparking. We will arrange for your car to be picked up from the quay, stored safely and returned to the ship. Your vehicle is insured against all types of damage or theft and will be parked in a protected underground facility. Cost: approx. EUR 150 / week.
  - Make use of the free parking space P&R at the train station in Weesp. Back to Amsterdam Centraal station by train, duration approx. 15 minutes, cost approx. EUR 4.
  You will find further information regarding parking in your travel documents.

• Arrival by train:
  Amsterdam Centraal station, get the 48 bus to the quay, duration approx. 10 minutes, cost approx EUR 3.

• Arrival by plane:
  Shiphol Airport, take the train to Amsterdam Centraal station (approx. 20 minutes, approx. EUR 5), followed by the 48 bus to the quay (approx. 10 minutes / EUR 3)
  Alternatively, get a taxi from the airport to the quay, cost: approx. EUR 45 per vehicle.

Personal bikes:
In principle, you can bring your own bike along. However, please note that your bike will be loaded on and off the boat twice a day along with several others and therefore slight cosmetic damage to individual bikes cannot be ruled out, which is why we do not take responsibility or liability for such damage. We recommend reserving one the excellent rental bikes we offer.

Return transfer:
Individual return journey by train from Brugge SNCB to Amsterdam Centraal (3 changes, duration approx. 4,5 hours, price approx. EUR 50). Alternatively you can take the Thalys from Brussels (1 change, duration approx. 3,5 hours price approx. EUR 90). You can find additional information regarding parking and your return transfer in your travel documents.

Perfectly looked after:
During your tour, we are available between 8 am and 8 pm, 7 days a week. We are happy to help with any kind of problems you might be having. You will find this emergency number in your travel documents.

Please note:

• As is the case with all boat trips, changes in travel itineraries due to the weather, the rivers’ water levels or technical issues can be undertaken at any time.