Offer Expired
Waiting for Cruiseline update
Aboard a riverboat cruise all decked out with holiday cheer. The ribboned waterscapes of Holland and Belgium take on a special glow in December when storybook villages and fairy tale towns celebrate the joys of the season with holiday traditions centuries old. Experience yuletide spirit onboard and ashore on a river cruise that delights day and night. Enjoy a visit to a town steeped in 17th-century Holland life and historic windmills, and an illuminating Amsterdam canal cruise, while having cheese and stroopwafels in Gouda, in Delft or Rotterdam, as you choose…
Go on sightseeing excursions in Ghent, Bruges, Antwerp dressed in their holiday best… market squares where merry making entices with hot mulled wines, waffles hot off the press, beers locally produced and chocolates laced with care… and at special receptions, dinners and cultural presentations aboard a riverboat decked out with cruising delights that make you feel right at home wherever you roam.
Now Is The Best Time To Plan Your 2023 Christmas Holiday!
Book Now! Limited Availability!
Make It A December To Remember…
Inclusions
- A stroopwafel demonstration and tasting in Gouda
- An evening canal cruise to view the Amsterdam Light Festival
- A walking tour of Rotterdam or a visit to Royal Delft to see pottery making
- Gratuities to ship staff, drivers, local guides, Tauck Directors and Tauck Cruise Director
- Tauck's private shore excursions and distinctive inclusions valued at AUD $2,476
- Holiday market fun in annual markets along the waterways with shopping, music, traditional fare and often ice skating and ferris wheel rides
- Get a sense of 17th-century Holland on a visit to the Zaanse Schans neighborhood & historic windmills
- A private visit inside a beautiful canal house in Amsterdam
- Locally guided sightseeing in Ghent, Bruges Antwerp and Brussels
- Unlimited complimentary beverages aboard ship include regional wine, beer and premium spirits in addition to specialty coffee, water and soft drinks
- Airport & train station transfers as noted upon arrival and departure
- 20 meals; service charges, taxes, porterage and applicable fuel surcharges
Important Terms
- * Rates quoted are in Australian dollars.
- If you cancel within 10 days of initial deposit: Within the first 10 days after you place your initial deposit, you may cancel your reservation for any reason with no cancellation fees.
- If you cancel more than 10 days after initial deposit: Regardless of reason, cancellations of confirmed bookings result in costly penalties and fees from hotels, ship operators and other travel providers. Therefore, the per person fees listed below will apply:
- 120 days or more before departure = Loss of Deposit.
- 60 days before departure = Loss of 50% of tour cost, not including air (if applicable)
- 59-1 day before departure = Loss of 100% of tour cost, not including air (if applicable)
- Prices shown are fully inclusive of taxes unless otherwise stated.
- Advertised price includes any bonus nights, special offers or discounts listed in the inclusions.
- Surcharges may apply due to demand, Christmas & New Year's Eve, school or public holidays, trade shows, special events & other unforeseen circumstances.
- Prices may be based on Dynamic Rates and as such, may fluctuate at anytime without notice, due to matters outside our control, such as adverse currency fluctuations, fuel surcharges, taxes and airfare increases, or at the property's discretion.
Departures & Rates
6th December from $6,620 ms Grace ship, Southbound direction
13th December from $4,990 ms Grace ship, Northbound direction
20th December from $4,920 ms Grace ship, Southbound direction
27th December from $4,920 ms Grace ship, Northbound direction
*Rates are based on per person for two adults sharing. For solo travellers or single person occupancy rates, or other cabin types not listed, please contact our Travel Specialists for a quote.
Itinerary
Day 1
Welcome to Brussels / Embark Riverboat
Tour begins: 4:00 PM, Brussels. A transfer is included from Brussels Airport or Brussels Central Train Station to Tauck’s riverboat where embarkation begins at 4:00 PM. Settle into your cabin and join us tonight for a welcome reception followed by dinner.
Meal(s): Dinner
Accommodation: ms Grace
Day 2
Brussels in Winter
Wake up for a tour of the city that visits the enchanting cobblestoned square, Grand-Place, surrounded by ornately gilded 17th-century guildhouses, and the festive holiday markets of Winterfest, infused with the joys and spirit of the season. Time at leisure this afternoon lets you experience winter’s wonders in Brussels as you wish. Your riverboat cruises to Antwerp tonight.
Meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: ms Grace
Day 3
Gems of Antwerp
Sugar and diamond trading put Antwerp on the map in the mid-16th century when it was one of Europe’s most important cities. Today it is also famous for being the home of Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens, inviting you to walk in the artist’s footsteps and see his masterpieces where he painted them. Traditionally held every December, the Antwerp Christmas Market is spread over different squares of the city, within walking distance of the Grote Markt and other landmarks you’ll see today. Guided sightseeing showcases the highlights of Antwerp this morning before time at leisure to explore on your own. Return to the riverboat by shuttle at your convenience and enjoy musical entertainment onboard ship tonight after dinner.
Meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: ms Grace
Day 4
City Sightseeing in Ghent & Bruges
Your riverboat arrives in Ghent this morning where you can walk off the boat into the heart of history in one of Belgium’s oldest cities. Join a local guide for a city tour followed by free time. Home to gabled guild houses and private mansions and linked by canal bridges, Ghent is a city best enjoyed on foot. Continue on to the fortified medieval city of Bruges for lunch and guided exploration along its meandering canals, magnificent squares, and narrow cobblestone lanes. As you wander in the shadow of its soaring towers, past whitewashed almshouses and historic churches, all remarkably preserved, you will see why it is called a fairy-tale town. Return to your riverboat for a special chef’s signature dinner in the Compass Rose this evening.
Meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: ms Grace
Day 5
A Taste of Rotterdam or a Day in Delft
A choice of shore excursions today includes a locally guided walking tour of Rotterdam or a visit to Delft and its porcelain factory. In Rotterdam, view world-class architecture and urban design, along with outdoor sculptures randomly placed, and as you make your way to the city’s covered Markthal; topped with sought-after glass-walled apartments, the market is lined with some 96 stalls enticing with a taste of Dutch culinary specialties under an arched fruit-and-vegetable muralled ceiling. Little changed since Golden Age artist Johannes Vermeer lived here in the 17th century, the historic center of Delft is a veritable time capsule of medieval treasures and Golden Age glories. Tour the city’s Royal Delft factory to learn more about the distinctive blue and white Delftware pottery first introduced by local artisans in the 17th century. Continue to the royal city of Den Haag for a walking tour that includes a visit to Escher in the Palace; housed in an 18th century palace that was once home to the Dutch royal family and is now a museum, it features a permanent exhibition of works by Dutch graphic artist MC Escher.
Meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: ms Grace
Day 6
Gouda
A leisurely morning cruise brings you to Schoonhaven in south Holland for a drive to historic Gouda, famous for its namesake cheese, but also inviting with its lesser-known candles – and stroopwafels. Join a local guide for a walking tour of its compact canal-ringed city center. Visit 15th-century Sint-Janskerk (the Church of St. John), astonishing with 64 magnificent stained glass windows, many of which date back to the mid-1500s, and see the pride of the town, the monumental 17th-century Waag, (weighing house) and the Town Hall. Credited with inventing stroopwafels, an iconic waffle sandwich with syrup in the center, Gouda was the only city to make them until 1870. Enjoy a demonstration and a tasting during your visit to Gouda today! Set sail for Amsterdam this afternoon.
Meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: ms Grace
Day 7
Amsterdam, historic windmills & a Light Festival
Travel to the Zaanse Schans neighborhood to get an idea of what life was like in 17th- and 18th-century Holland; you’ll see the historic windmills and green wooden houses from the period. After lunch onboard ship, the afternoon is free for you to explore Amsterdam as you please. Illuminated artwork and sculptures lining the canals add a special glow to the city’s winter landscapes at night, and are a highlight of this evening’s festive canal cruise.
Meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: ms Grace
Day 8
Journey Home
Tour ends: Amsterdam. Disembark your riverboat by 9:00 AM this morning and fly home anytime. A transfer is included from the riverboat to Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, or Centraal Train. Allow a minimum of three hours for flight check-in at the airport.
Meal(s): Breakfast
Cruise Line
Tauck Cruising
Go beyond the ordinary and experience cruise travel at its best with Tauck. What makes Tauck’s Small Ship Cruising and River Cruising unique is the focus on the destination. Each scenic ports of call connect you with people and places, which will give you a moving, compelling and heart-warming experience both onboard and ashore.
Time ashore is enriched by in-depth cultural exploration and insider access that ensures up-close-and-personal connections with the locals and daily life. Tauck’s cruise travel adventures include guided sightseeing with local experts such as naturalists, historians, and accomplished lecturers. You’ll dine on regional cuisine on land at aboard ship that showcases specialties of the destination. After a day of extraordinary sightseeing, Tauck welcome you back onboard the hand-picked vessels for warm camaraderie and lively conversation that’s inherent on every Tauck cruise travel experience. The stories are endless, the memories are timeless and the connections priceless.
You can expect to see the sights a bit differently than you would with anyone else. Tauck explores Europe’s great waterways from the Rhine and the Danube to the Rhône and the Seine in France. Their luxurious riverboats are spacious and comfortable, welcoming you to an onboard experience characterized by the Tauck. Discover river cruises that go beyond the ordinary!
Tauck Voted World’s Best River Cruise Line
For the second time in three years, Tauck has been named the “World’s Best River Cruise Line" by the readers of Travel + Leisure, one of the world’s most authoritative and respected publications for travellers. The World’s Best Awards from Travel + Leisure are selected by the magazine’s readers. Every year, T+L holds a survey for readers to fill out on their main website. The survey remains open until April.
Winners are announced in the August/September issues of Travel + Leisure. These awards are given in categories such as hotels, resorts, spas, cruises, airlines, travel companies, tour operators, cities, islands, family travel, and more.
River Cruising
The heart of history meets the art of sophisticated river cruise travel aboard Tauck’s river cruises. Experience the Tauck difference on cruise travel days along great European waterways from the Rhine to the Danube, from the canals of the Netherlands to the Rhône, from the Main to the Danube and the Moselle…
You’ll cruise aboard spacious riverboats that have been custom designed to meet American standards with well appointed outside facing cabins and suites, a choice of on-board dining venues, complimentary wine with dinner, fitness centers and attentive personal service from Tauck’s staff and the ship’s crew.
Ancient civilizations beckon on cruise travel days along the River Nile in Egypt and China’s Yangtze River on Tauck’s Exotic journeys, where 3- and 4-night river cruise travel enhances land journeys.
Small Ship Cruising
The difference in Tauck’s small ship cruise travel lies in the choreography of the total cruise travel experience – the combination of personalized cruising with cultural land exploration. How you spend your days ashore – where you go, what you do, who you meet – that’s the Tauck difference. From the moment you step ashore, with 85 years of expertise on land ensures that on every cruise travel day, every moment of your shore excursions (all included in the price) count! Smaller ships hold fewer passengers, which means more personal attention from the captain and the crew – you’ll find the on-board atmosphere to be both club-like and comfortable. The pace is more relaxed, the conversations are richer, and the day-to-day experiences are shared with like-minded travelers.
