Avalon Waterways – save yourself £1000………..

I’m really excited to have bagged a fantastic offer from Avalon Waterways this morning. No other agent has this offer, so only we can save you £1000 on one particular cruise – Tulips of Northern Holland sailing on the Avalon Visionary on 24th April 2013, a peak time to see the Netherlands in full bloom.
Avalon offers river cruising at its best, with excellent accomodation, food and service – I know, I’ve sailed with them! They include all excursions, gratuities and drinks with meals in the price too, so its a win win really.

The cruise in question is on one of their new longships, the Visionary, sailing around Northern Holland as follows:

Day 1 Amsterdam – Haarlem. Travel to Amsterdam where you will met and transferred to your cruise ship in Haarlem for seven nights. Before dinner, meet your crew at a welcome reception.
Day 2 North Holland. Wake up this morning in northern Holland. After breakfast, you have a choice of optional excursions: perhaps join the journey along the ‘Tulip Road’ or visit the town of Alkmaar. Tulip fields abound in this northern part of the country. Learn more about these flowers and how they were introduced into Holland from the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) in the 17th century. Alternatively, why not visit the town of Alkmaar? A Local Guide will take you on a walking tour of the most beautiful parts of the city. Drive on the Afsluitdijk, a major causeway 20 miles in length, which separates the saltwater Waddenzee (part of the North Sea) on one side from the freshwater Ijsselmeer on the other. Midway across the dike is the tiny community of Breezanddijk, established to house workers during the construction of the Afsluitsdijk. Rejoin your ship for lunch. This afternoon, enjoy a guided tour of Makkum, a traditional fishing village that still maintains a small fishing fleet yet is now a popular holiday destination with an emphasis on water sports.
Day 3 Excursion to Friesland – Enkhuizen. Today’s excursion explores the province of Friesland, a picturesque agricultural region with a rich history. Famed for its black and white Friesian cattle and black Friesian horses, this historic area was also recorded in local legends such as the tale of ‘The Lady of Stavoren’. During lunch, cruise across the Ijsselmeer, formerly known as the Zuider Zee, to Enkuizen, set on the most easterly point of North Holland. Enkhuizen owes its prosperity to the Zuider Zee during the ‘Golden Age’ and this afternoon you’ll visit the Zuiderzee Museum, dedicated to the culture and history of this area. The museum focuses on the past and present of the Ijsselmeer and features living history, heritage and crafts combining works from the past with works from the present.

Day 4 Hoorn – Lelystad – Kampen. After breakfast, join a Local Guide for a stroll around the charming town of Hoorn, the town that gave its name to Cape Horn on the southernmost point of South America. Blending traditional and modern, the historic town centre remians largely intact and traditional architecture has been maintained in its original form. The monumental façades are a testament to Hoorn’s former status as a Dutch East India Company town. After time at leisure, return to your ship for lunch and sail to Lelystad for a guided visit of the Batavia Shipyard, where ships that were important to the Netherland’s maritime industry during the ‘Golden Age’ have been faithfully reconstructed. Later, board the Batavia itself, a reconstruction of a 1628 Amserdam-built Dutch East India Company ship that sailed from Texel to Batavia (now Jakarta, Indonesia). This afternoon, enjoy a local cheese and genever (gin) tasting on board whilst cruising to Kampen.
Day 5 Gelderse Ijssel – Arnhem. This morning, relax on board as you cruise a branch of the Rhine known as the Gelderse Ijssel, which flows from just east of Arnhem into the Ijsselmeer. This afternoon, choose from a selection of activities in Arnhem, famous for the Battle of Arnhem – one of the major tragedies of WWII. Perhaps join the guided city sightseeing tour, visit the Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo with its world-renowned collection of mainly 19th and 20th century visual art; or visit the Palace of Het Loo, a symmetrical Dutch baroque building with a formal 17th century garden, in nearby Apeldoorn. Later, rejoin your ship in Arnhem.
Day 6 Rotterdam – Utrecht. After breakfast, cruise through the harbour of Rotterdam, said to be the world’s busiest port. A bustling port city, Rotterdam was levelled by German bombs in WWII and rebuilt in a modern, high-tech style. Join a local expert for a guided city tour or perhaps opt for an all-day visit to the world-renowned Keukenhof Gardens, near Lisse, which encompasses over 70 acres of parkland dotted with lakes, glorious sculpted gardens, greenhouses and a windmill. Millions of flower bulbs are grown here annually and are presented in bright and spectacularly colourful displays throughout the year. This afternoon a guided excursion to the city of Utrecht is available for those who choose not to visit Keukenhof.
Day 7 Volendam – Excursion to Edam – Amsterdam. This morning, wake up in Volendam, a picturesque fishing town with an unique open harbour and a small, timbered church dating back to 1658. Today’s excursion takes you to Edam, whose cheese of the same name has become famous worldwide and where cheese markets are still held in the summer months. The old town centre, especially the Kwakelsteeg, still has lovely characteristic Waterland houses. On the way back to your ship, visit a windmill near Volendam. During lunch, cruise to Amsterdam, where sightseeing this afternoon is by canal boat, cruising along elegant grachten lined by stately homes dating back to Amsterdam’s Golden Age.
Day 8 Amsterdam. Transfer to the airport or station for your journey to the UK.

I’m lucky enough to have visited many of these places over the last few years and I can highly recommend this cruise to you. Holland is just wonderful at this time of year.
Prices start from £1435 per person, which includes all of the above and UK flights/transfers. Avalon also offers free home pick up/drop off in executive vehicles if you live within 75 miles of your chosen airport.
I can only offer this deal between now and 31st October so time is of the essence – give me a call if you would like more details 0800 408 6084