TULIP TIME!

The Netherlands and Belgium are known for their amazing springtime tulip season along with their tulip festival. Here are some tips about river cruising during tulip season.

Best Time

The best time to catch the tulip season is in the spring. River cruises that begin the end of March through until early May are the best ones to choose for tulip season. Depending on the winter, you may want to wait until late April. The longer it’s cold out the later you will have to wait for the tulips. You want your itinerary to start and end in Amsterdam typically so you can get the most out of the tulip season.

River Cruise Lines

The cruise lines that offer river cruises along the tulip season are; AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways, Emerald Waterways, Grand Circle Cruise Line, Tauck, Uniworld, Viking Cruises and Vantage Deluxe World Travel.

Port Options

Antwerp: Famous for their city shopping, and especially their chocolates and diamonds. Another main attraction is the Red Star Museum featuring immigration from Europe to the US over the past 200 years.

Amsterdam: Since the city hasn’t changed much since the 17^th century, Amsterdam has a cute charm to the city. Amsterdam is notorious for their Anne Frank Museum, a hot commodity there as well as their historical buildings.

Brugge: Brugge is located in Belgium, and is the most visited city in Belgium. A great thing to do in Brugge is to walk around and visit the markets with the amazing flowers and produce options from the locals.

Rotterdam: During World War II, Rotterdam was demolished by bombings. The city has completely rebuilt and is a great modern spot to visit. A great tour to take in Delft, just outside of Rotterdam is the Delft porcelain factory.

Tips

Bring an umbrella: Europe is famous for its constant rain. Since you would be traveling in the spring, you are more than likely going to experience rain. Make sure you pack appropriately and bring your umbrella.

Medicine: Since you will be traveling in the spring, it can sometimes be cold and wet. Packing cold medicine is always a good idea to keep you away from the sickness.

Chip Card: Most European retailers only accept credit cards with a pin. Make sure to take a trip to your bank to let them know that you are traveling so they don’t hold your card, but make sure you have a pin on your card as well.