MS De Holland

Boat Bike Tours

Boat Bike Tours

Boat Bike Tours

Boat Bike Tours

The MS De Holland was completely renovated in winter 2017/2018. With a length of approx. 78.3 m and a width of approx. 7.3 m, the MS De Holland is a small and cosy cruise ship. There are 33 outside cabins for a maximum of 66 guests. There are a total of 23 cabins on the lower deck and 9 cabins and one suite on the upper deck. The twin cabins on the lower deck are all approx. 10 square metres in size. They are equipped with adjustable air conditioning, a ventilation system, a small wardrobe, digital TV, mini safe, hairdryer, 230 V sockets and a bathroom with washbasin, shower, WC and toiletries. There is a window (approx. 80 x 40 cm), but this cannot be opened for safety reasons. All cabins have two single beds set up as a double bed, although three of the twin cabins have two single beds set up in an L-shape and a folding bed as an optional third bed.

The 9 twin cabins and the suite on the upper deck have the same facilities as the twin cabins on the lower deck, although the suite is significantly larger at approx. 13 square metres. All cabins on the upper deck have a French balcony (floor-to-ceiling glazed sliding door) instead of a window. The beds in all upper deck cabins are set up as double beds (160 x 200 cm), but can also be set up as two single beds on request (please specify when booking). The upper deck offers a spacious saloon with WLAN and large panoramic windows. Here you will find the small restaurant, a bar and the lounge with lovely seating areas. The partially covered sun deck with chairs and loungers invites you to linger. The bicycles are stored on a separate part of the deck.

Boat Bike Tours

Tour

Embarkation on the MS De Holland starts at 1.00 pm in Amsterdam, before casting off for the first time at 2.00 pm. Your ship will take you to Vianen. After dinner, you will take your first test ride on the bikes along the Lek and around the fortified town of Vianen.

After breakfast, you set off on your first cycle tour, which takes you to the silver town of Schoonhoven. You cycle through typical polder landscapes along the Lek and reach Kinderdijk. There you can marvel at the 19 windmills, which are lined up in a row and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From Ablasserdam near Kinderdijk, take the "Waterbus" to Dordrecht, one of Holland's oldest cities. The historic city centre is impressively nestled between mighty rivers. Enjoy the view over the busiest river junction in Europe!

While you are still enjoying your breakfast, the MS De Holland will take you to Tholen. There you get on your bikes and first discover the "Wouwse Plantage" woodland area and then cycle on to the Kreekrak lock. After the visit, you will get back on board and cycle through the port of Antwerp to the centre of the diamond city. Visit the historic city centre, discover the Groote Mark and the cathedral "Onze Lieve Vrouwe". After dinner, a city walk is on the programme.

After breakfast, you cycle along the picturesque Scheldt - one of the most beautiful cycle routes. If you want to cycle shorter, you can disembark in Temse, but the cycle route gets more and more beautiful! Cycle past nice pubs and small ferry harbours to Dendermonde. Here you must visit the medieval market square, the bell tower and the Sint-Alexius-Beginenhof (1288).

Today you continue along the Scheldt until you reach the university city of Ghent. Many old patrician houses, the Belfry, the Castle of the Counts, over 100 churches and more than 400 historic buildings await you there. Your ship is moored at the lock in Merelbeke, a suburb of Ghent, where you will spend the night.

West Flanders is on your programme today: you cycle pleasantly flat from Ghent to Bruges, also known as the Venice of the North. The historic centre of Bruges has a lot to offer and resembles a doll's house. The medieval city centre was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Bruges has a lot to offer: the large market square, the town hall, the Cloth Hall, the Belfry, the Beguinage and the Church of Our Lady with Michelangelo's Madonna.

Today you will take a round trip to the North Sea via the small town of Damme, past the Ter Doest and on to the "most beautiful village in Flanders", Lissewege. Marvel at the whitewashed houses that line both sides of the canal and the imposing village church. In no time at all you will be in the seaside resort of Blankenberge. A 12-kilometre-long sandy beach and numerous cafés tempt you to linger before you cycle back to Bruges.

After breakfast, your journey ends with disembarkation at around 9.30 am.

Itinerary and program changes:

The planned route is always subject to possible changes due to nautical, meteorological or organisational reasons. If, for example, a route cannot be travelled due to low water, high water, bad weather or construction work, the captain reserves the right to change the route for your safety. This is not a legally valid reason for cancelling the trip free of charge. The same applies in the event of officially ordered lock or bridge repairs or in the event of engine or propulsion damage to the ship through no fault of the captain.

As your ship usually sails to the next harbour on the same day, your time frame for your own activities and sightseeing is limited. On some bridges, the clearance height is so low that the sun deck is closed for your safety.

2025: SGR Guaranteefund:

For this trip, there is a fee of 5.00 euros per traveller for the SGR guarantee fund. This fee is mandatory in the Netherlands and will be shown separately on the invoice.

Map

Prices / Dates

Prices per person in EUR

Services / Info

Services

7 nights in outside cabins with shower/toilet
Air-conditioned cabin
7 x breakfast, 6 x packed lunch
6 x 3-course-dinner (no dinner in Bruges)
Coffee and tea daily
Welcome talk and welcome drink
Daily cabin cleaning
Bed linen and towels
On-board tour guide and daily route briefing
Maps and detailed route description (1 x per cabin)
GPS tracks

Info

Below you will find specific information about the bike & boat cycle tour from Amsterdam to Bruges. If you have any further questions about this trip, simply give us a call: Tel.: 06421 - 886890.

Train - Arrival
Amsterdam can be easily reached by train from all cities in Germany. The ship's pier is near the Amsterdam Central Station.
Current DB timetable information can be found at www.bahn.de.
train arrival

Car - arrival
The pier of the ship is in Amsterdam near the central station.
If you are arriving by car, we recommend driving to the jetty first and handing in your luggage and bicycles there. We then recommend using one of the specified parking options.
You will receive precise information on the location of the ship and further information with the detailed travel documents two weeks before the start of the trip.

Parking facilities in Amsterdam
If you come to Amsterdam by car, we recommend that you use Centralparking.nl's valet service, which we offer with a pick-up and return service ("Valet Parking"). You will receive a registration form with the travel documents.

Valet Parking:
With valet parking, you drive your own car to the ship, from where your car is driven by a driver to a monitored parking area. A driver will be waiting for you in front of the ship, who will help you with your luggage. The driver, who is familiar with the area and the vehicle, will bring your car to a parking lot where your car will be parked under constant camera surveillance; When you return from your trip, your car will be at the docking station in Amsterdam within about 30 minutes of your call, so you can get in and drive straight away.

Valet Parking offers many advantages such as:
No waiting, no loss of time, no boarding/departing/changing bus journeys, no need to carry luggage. Because you reserve in advance, you have the security that a parking space is available. You are immediately at your destination without having to take a taxi or public transport. Your car is parked safely and guarded. Reliable and responsible drivers with the appropriate papers take care of your vehicle. Centralparking Valet Parking is cheaper than many public car parks in Amsterdam and is accessible 24/7.

How much does valet parking cost from Centralparking?
Valet parking: For around €185.00 you can park your vehicle (car) safely and guarded for a week.

Bruges: Buiten Begijnenvest at Central Station, about 20 minutes walk to the pier. In parking lot costs about €4,00 per day. The parking lots are monitored.

Embarkation
On the day of arrival you can bring your luggage on board from around 11:00 am, but embarkation and check-in do not begin until 1:00 pm.

Lactose-free and gluten-free food
If you require lactose-free or gluten-free food, this is possible on board. There is a surcharge for this, which must be paid on board. Please indicate when booking if you require a lactose-free or gluten-free diet.

Luggage
For reasons of space, we would like to ask you to refrain from carrying hard-shell luggage, the storage space in the cabin is very limited!

Available rental bikes
So-called unisex bikes of the brand "Bikkel" - private label are available as rental bikes (suitable for men and women). They all have the 7-speed gear hub with handbrake and luggage bag and are available in different frame heights.
The e-bikes, also from the "Bikkel" brand - private label, are equipped with 7 gears, 6 support levels, only hand brakes and a pannier bag.

Bring your own bikes
You can take your own bike with you to a limited extent. There is a small amount of space available on the ship "MS De Holland" for a surcharge.
For safety reasons, it is not possible to charge the batteries of your own electric bikes in the cabin.
The crew will inform you about where to charge your battery on deck/onboard. In this case, the ship's crew and the organizer are not liable for any damage, loss or theft of your own bicycle or e-bike.
Pre-registration for taking your own bike is required.

Back transfer to the origin of your tour
There are good train connections between Bruges and Amsterdam and between Amsterdam and Bruges.

Extra costs which are not included in the tour price
Guaranteefund € 5.00 per person, will be shown separately on the invoice (for 2025), 1 Dinner in Bruges, arrival and departure, parking fees, drinks, rental bikes, entrance fees and excursion fees, personal insurance, tips and personal expenses.

7 day Hotline Service
If the bicycle chain has broken, flooding makes it impossible to continue your journey or other nasty surprises await you: we are available for you 7 days a week and will organize help as quickly as possible.

Passport and visa requirements
For EU citizens, there are no special passport or visa requirements and no health formalities to be considered for this trip.

Travel insurance
We recommend that you take out travel cancellation insurance upon receipt of your travel confirmation in order to protect yourself against financial disadvantages in the event of travel cancellation, interruption of travel, illness or accident.

Your travel expert for this tour