Events - Event View

Road Scholar

  
 
  
   


A Learning Adventure Charter Trip for Members of the Cincinnati Ski Club

Program # 22231 – Bountiful Holland:

Tulips & Gardens By Riverboat plus Amsterdam

Wednesday, April 24 to Friday, May 3, 2019

  Full – Taking a Wait List

Sign up at a CSC meeting or contact Trip Leader Mary Jo Jansen at jansenmaryjo@gmail.com. Make sure before you sign up that you can walk up to 4 hours a day on cobblestones and stairs. After signing up with CSC you will be sent full instructions how to directly sign up with RS. 

Program Prices: (Does not include airfare. Prices listed are per person)

Accommodation Upper: Cabin on the upper deck with two twin beds, approximately 75 sq. ft. with a large picture window, TV, hair dryer, safe and air-conditioning.

• Accommodation Double Occupancy: $3,199

• Accommodation Single: $4,499

Accommodation Main: Cabin on the main deck with two twin beds, approximately 75 sq. ft. with a smaller picture window, TV, hair dryer, safe and air-conditioning.

• Accommodation Double Occupancy: $2,999

• Accommodation Single: $4,299

Upon enrollment, airfare from Cincinnati is available through Road Scholar Travel Services for approximately $950. You will receive an e-mail with proposed flights. You can wait and purchase later.

After you purchase airfare and if later you decide to extend your trip there is no charge to make changes to your reservation up to the point of ticketing. You can also purchase your own airfare.

Cancellation Schedule

Final Payment Due: 1/14/2019

Road Scholar strongly suggests purchasing trip cancellation insurance to cover an unexpected need to transfer or withdraw. You can purchase through Road Scholar or other travel insurance companies.

Daily Schedule:

Day 1: Wednesday, April 24 – In Transit to Program

Day 2: Thursday, April 25 - Arrivals, Welcome Reception, Program Introduction

Day 3: Friday, April 26 - The Architecture and History of Amsterdam, Embarkation

Enjoy a guided walk through Amsterdam that focuses on the various styles of architecture. You will see the Floating Flower Market, Dam Square with the National Monument, the Royal Palace, and the New Church. Following lunch on your own, enjoy some free time to explore.

Day 4: Saturday, April 27 - Canal Cruise, Sailing

This morning, explore the canals during a guided cruise followed by lunch on the ship. Spend the afternoon cruising along the city's canals and joining the network of Dutch waterways before reaching Alphen-on-the-Rhine. While onboard, take in a lecture focusing on Dutch History.

Day 5: Sunday, April 28 - Keukenhof, Gouda

Today we'll spend the day at the Keukenhof Gardens. Admire the wide variety of tulips, narcissi, and daffodils. Enjoy some free time at the gardens. Following lunch on your own, transfer to Gouda for a guided walk through this charming town, made famous for its cheese.

Day 6: Monday, April 29 - Sailing, Rotterdam

This morning, we are at sea taking in the sights from the ship as you sail from Gouda to Rotterdam. Upon arrival in Rotterdam, discover the city's architecture during an expert-led bus and walking excursion. You will see the Cube House, the Erasmus Bridge, and the Market Hall, among others. Later, explore the Delft Blue Factory, home to iconic pottery. Tonight, we will enjoy a Gala Dinner with the Captain and crew on the ship.

Day 7: Tuesday, April 30 - Disembarkation, Flower Auction, Bulb Farm

Disembarkation. After loading luggage onto a bus, drive to Aalsmeer. Then, visit the Aalsmeer Historic Garden, where you will learn about the history of flower production in the Netherlands. Later, enjoy a visit to a Dutch greenhouse and learn about the growing of plants and flowers in the Netherlands. This afternoon, enjoy a visit with a bulb-farmer.

Day 8: Wednesday, May 1 - Rijksmuseum

This morning, attend a lecture on the Golden Age and Van Gogh followed up by an expert-led excursion through the Rijksmuseum to see masterpieces by Rembrandt and Vermeer. This afternoon enjoy some free time to explore on your own.

Day 9: Thursday, May 2 - Leiden, Clusius University Garden

This morning, drive to Leiden. This city hosts the oldest university in the Netherlands and is the place where the Pilgrim Fathers lived for 11 years before they moved to the U.S.A. In this fascinating city, take a guided walk with a local expert. Following lunch on your own, explore the Hortus University Garden in Leiden where the first tulips in Europe were brought from Turkey by Carolus Clusius and visit the Clusius Garden established by him in 1594.

Day 10: Friday, May 3 – Program Concludes

Overview:

Imported from Turkey in 1593, tulips were once so prized that the Dutch used flower bulbs as currency. On this voyage through Holland, learn about the history of tulips while delighting in their vibrant splendor. Walk amid a vivid palette of colors in one of the world’s largest flower gardens, learn about tulips with a bulb farmer and explore the grounds where these now bountiful blooms first arrived in the Netherlands.

Program Highlights: We will be there when the tulips look their best!

• Experience the world-famous Keukenhof Garden, where more than 7 million bulbs bloom each spring.

• Learn about the history and impact of Delft Blue Pottery.

• Meet a tulip-bulb farmer and explore a bustling flower auction.

Program Price Includes:

• 8 Nights of accommodations

• 18 Meals: 8 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 7 dinners

• 2 Expert-led lectures

• 10 Field trips

• Group ground travel and transfers throughout the program

• A Group Leader to accompany you throughout the program to handle all logistics

• Modest gratuities, taxes and destination fees

• RS Emergency & Travel Assistance Plan, including 24-hr assistance for medical and other emergencies

Accommodations:

Hotel Park Plaza Victoria, 4 nights

• Four-Star hotel located in the heart of Amsterdam’s city center, near to shopping and business districts and opposite Central Station.

MS Mona Lisa, 4 nights,

• The MS Mona Lisa is a two-deck river ship that was built in 2000 and refurbished in 2010. The ship's amenities and facilities include a lounge (with a dance floor and its own bar), a dining room and a sundeck relaxation area.