11-night Northern Europe: Iceland, Norway & Belgium Cruise

Amsterdam: An Introduction to Amsterdam – 4 hours

Meet your driver at the Port in Amsterdam for a private transfer to the city centre where your guide is waiting to meet you for a walking tour of this beautiful city. Begin at Dam Square, bordered by the Royal Palace and enjoy wonderful views of the canals and gabled houses of the mercantile quarter before visiting the house in which Anne Frank wrote her celebrated diary during the last war*. After your tour, transfer in the comfort of your own private vehicle back to your ship.

*tickets for the Anne Frank House sell out very quickly and are subject to availability. Guides are not allowed to accompany you into the house itself, but will be waiting for you at the end of your visit (approx. 45-90 mins)

Highlights:

• Tour Anne Frank's house

• Private transport by luxury car or minivan
• An expert local guide for 4 hours
• Entrance fees to all sights and museums
• All taxes

• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities

Amsterdam: Highlights of Amsterdam - 8 Hours

Spend the day exploring Amsterdam in the hands of your expert guide. You are met at the port and transferred to Dam Square where your morning’s walking tour includes the notable Royal Palace.  Admire the views of the canals and the gabled houses of the Canal Ring district, where you will visit the house in which Anne Frank wrote her celebrated diary during the last war*.

After lunch explore the beautifully-restored Rijksmuseum, to admire the stunning collection of masterpieces from the seventeenth-century Golden Age, including works by Rembrandt and Vermeer. No visit to Amsterdam would be complete without seeing the delightful Van Gogh Museum, home to many of his famous works as well as those of other Impressionists and Post-Impressionists.

*tickets for the Anne Frank House sell out very quickly and are subject to availability. Guides are not allowed to accompany you into the house itself, but will be waiting for you at the end of your visit (approx. 45-90 mins)

Highlights:

• Visit Anne Frank's House
• Explore the Van Gogh Museum

• Private transport by luxury car or minivan
• An expert local guide for 8 hours
• Entrance fees to all sights and museums
• All taxes

• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities

Amsterdam: The Three Sisters, Delft & Den Haag - 8 Hours

You are met at Amsterdam port for a full-day excursion outside of the city. Head south into the countryside for a photo opportunity at the impressive Three Sisters Windmills in Stompwijk. As over a third of the Netherlands lies below sea level, windmills were initially designed to pump vast amount of water out, thus protecting land from flooding. Today, these silent giants draw many visitors every year for their charming appearances.

From here, you travel on to Delft, world-renowned for its famous blue and white pottery and one of the most beautiful towns in the Netherlands. Take in the town’s architectural gems and charming ambience, which are best appreciated by walking along its small canals with their graceful humpbacked bridges.

Following this, enjoy a privately-guided tour at the Royal Delft Experience, where a painter shares the passion behind the production of this stunning 17th-century earthenware during a special demonstration.

After lunch at leisure, you continue to the Hague, the home of the Dutch Royal Family and the administrative capital of the Netherlands; walk the Inner court past the Government buildings and take the opportunity for a photo stop at the International Court of Justice. You may like to visit the Mauritshuis Museum, which holds one of the world's finest collections of paintings, including Rembrandt, Steen, Hals, Rubens and Van Dyck, or you may choose to visit the Panorama Mesdag, which hosts the Panorama, one of the largest canvas paintings in the world (subject to opening times).

On your return journey, stop at Scheveningen beach for some spectacular views before continuing back. (8 hours, driver and guide)


Highlights:

• Witness the majestic windmills known as the Three Sisters
• Delve into Delft's artistic heritage

• Private transport by luxury car or minivan
• An expert local guide for 8 hours
• Entrance fees to all sights and museums
• All taxes

• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities

Akureyri - Lake Mývatn classic - Nature Baths- FD Tour

The tour starts by driving along the coast of Iceland’s longest fjord, Eyjafjordur, from where you will get an excellent view of Akureyri and its surrounding mountains. After crossing Víkurskard-pass, view the Fnjoskadalur valley, where clear geological remains from glacial and post glacial times can be seen. The first stop is by Godafoss falls - one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Iceland; the water of the river Skjalfandafljot falls from a height of 12 m over a width of 30 m. In 1000 A.D., at the meeting of the Althing, the Icelanders voted to adopt Christianity. The wooden idols of the Norse mythology were thrown into the falls in a symbolic gesture that swept away the old religion. Thus the Godafoss literally means the "Waterfall of the Gods”. From there you will drive directly to the Lake Myvatn area, stopping by the unique craters at Skutustadir before having lunch. After lunch you will visit the Dimmuborgir lava labyrinth, a paradise of towering lava castles, natural arches and countless unexplored grottos.

Next is a visit to the Myvatn Nature Baths. The Nature Baths offer bathers a completely natural experience - a relaxing dip amidst clouds of steam and a luxurious swim in a pool of geothermal water drawn from depths of up to 2.500 meters. The baths contain a unique blend of minerals, silicates and geothermal micro-organisms. The warm, soothing waters are beneficial to skin and spirit alike, creating a sense of wellbeing and creating a lasting memory of your visit. Facilities include a reception area and cafeteria, changing rooms and showers for up to 120 guests, three natural steam baths accommodating up to 50 bathers at a time, and a 5000m2 outdoor geothermal bathing pool maintained at a constant temperature of 38-40ºC.

Due to its chemical composition, undesired bacteria and vegetation do not thrive in the lagoon making chlorine or any other disinfectant redundant. Following a relaxing bathe, you will then continue to the gurgling purple and yellow sulphur cauldrons at the high temperature thermal field of Namaskard, which are so hot that they actually boil. Following a short walk at Namaskard, enjoy a relaxed return drive to Akureyri.

Tour Duration: 8 hours

Tour can operate: Morning

Wheelchair Accessible: No

Physical Activity Level: Moderate

Included: Private car with driver-guide, entrance fee to Nature Baths. Pick up/drop off at the port. 

Not Included: Meals, swimsuit and towel (swimwear and towel can be rented at the Nature Baths)

Akureyri - Godafoss Waterfall & Laufas Turf Farm - HD Tour

Leaving Akureyri, cross the waters of the fjord and travel along the slopes of Vadlaheidi Mountain, via the Fnjoskadalur Valley to Vaglaskogur Forest - one of Iceland's rare woodlands which is part of an extensive soil and vegetation reclamation project. From Fnjoskadalur, you'll travel to historic Godafoss - waterfall of the heathen gods that figure prominently in Iceland's 12th century Book of Settlement. Legend has it that Thorgeir of Ljosavatn, a chieftain present at the Thingvellir in the year 1000, was given the authority to decide which religion was to be adopted by the Icelanders. He was a pagan himself, but after a period of profound thought, decided that Christianity was to be the religion of Iceland. Upon his return home, he took the statues of the pagan gods he used to worship and threw them unceremoniously into a waterfall near his homestead. From this time, the waterfall has been named Godafoss (Waterfall of the Gods). After enjoying some time at the falls, the tour continues. The areas geological past is clearly visible on the surrounding hillsides and suggests that a once large periglacial lake filled the valley. Onwards to Laufas a 19th-century farmhouse built in the traditional Icelandic style of stone and turf – now one of the last turf farms in the country.  Originally it was a manor farm and vicarage, the farmhouse itself dates back to 1866 and contains many interesting household and agricultural implements used by the gentry at around that time. The nearby church was built in 1865. Following a pleasant scenic drive back to Akureyri, a stop is made at the towns Botanical Gardens famed for its 2,000 species of local and foreign flowers which, incidentally, bloom outside thanks to Akureyri’s warm microclimate.
 

Tour Duration: 3-4 hours

Tour can operate: Morning or Afternoon

Wheelchair Accessible: No

Physical Activity Level: Moderate

Included: Private car with driver-guide from Akureyri,  entrance fee to Laufás turf farm (open 15 May - 15 September. Pick up/drop off at the port. 

Not Included: Meals

Reykjavik - The Golden Circle - FD Tour

Not Included: Meals
 

Reykjavik - Bathing in the Blue Lagoon - HD Tour

Here guests can enjoy a relaxing bathe in the surreal milky waters of Iceland’s most famous of geothermal Spas – The Blue Lagoon. So what exactly IS the Blue Lagoon? Well, it is Iceland's most unique and popular attraction. Guests will enjoy bathing and relaxing in Blue Lagoon geothermal seawater, known for its positive effects on the skin. A visit to the spa promotes harmony between body, mind and spirit, and enables one to soak away the stresses of modern life. The spa's guests rekindle their relationship with nature, soak up the scenic beauty and enjoy breathing the clean, fresh air. In addition to bathing in the lagoon guests have access to a sauna with a view of the lagoon, a sauna with white walls that resemble silica mud and a cozy steam bath carved into a lava cave. Of course, guests bathing in the milky waters of the lagoon have easy access to the famous white silica mud, an essential part of this ultimate in spa experiences.

Tour Duration: 3-4 hours

Tour can operate: Morning or Afternoon

Wheelchair Accessible: Yes

Physical Activy Level: Easy

Included: Private car with driver-guide,  Blue Lagoon Comfort Experience (entrance fee, towel rental, Silica Mud Mask, choice of one drink at the Lagoon.) Pick up/drop off at the port. 

Not Included: Meals

Reykjavik - Langjökull Glacier & the Ice Tunnel

Not Included: Meals

Reykjavik Highlights - HD Tour

Reykjavík is the world's most northerly capital, with more than one third of Iceland’s population.  Today Reykjavík is a modern city with a variety of restaurants, museums, galleries and theatres.  Visit the most important sights of the city, including the  Old Town, the city cathedral, Hallgrimskirkja church and the “Pearl” (no entrance fees included in this tour).

Add ons:

• A visit to the open-air museum of Arbaer Travel back to Reykjavik’s past with a visit to a fascinating collection of town and farm buildings from the last few centuries.   
• A visit to the Pearl vantage point. The new Perlan is an exciting interactive exhibition about Iceland’s nature and geology.  Entrance includes the “Wonders of  Iceland Exhibit  (including Glaciers and Ice Cave) and the 360° Observation Deck.
• Hallgrimskirkja Church Climb the tower of this iconic church for a beautiful view over the city and sea.   (Tower access closed during church services and some events)
• A visit to the National museum The National Museum of Iceland’s permanent exhibition, Making of a Nation - Heritage and History in Iceland, provides insight into the history of the Icelandic nation from the Norse Settlement to the present day. The exhibition includes about 2.000 objects.

Tour Duration: 3-4 hours

Tour can operate: Morning or Afternoon

Wheelchair Accessible: No - Arbaer museum is not accessible

Physical Activity Level: Easy

Included: Private car with driver-guide,  Pick up/drop off at the port. 

Not Included: Meals and entrance fees (optional)

Reykjavik - The Golden Circle - FD Tour

Not Included: Meals
 

Reykjavik - Bathing in the Blue Lagoon - HD Tour

Here guests can enjoy a relaxing bathe in the surreal milky waters of Iceland’s most famous of geothermal Spas – The Blue Lagoon. So what exactly IS the Blue Lagoon? Well, it is Iceland's most unique and popular attraction. Guests will enjoy bathing and relaxing in Blue Lagoon geothermal seawater, known for its positive effects on the skin. A visit to the spa promotes harmony between body, mind and spirit, and enables one to soak away the stresses of modern life. The spa's guests rekindle their relationship with nature, soak up the scenic beauty and enjoy breathing the clean, fresh air. In addition to bathing in the lagoon guests have access to a sauna with a view of the lagoon, a sauna with white walls that resemble silica mud and a cozy steam bath carved into a lava cave. Of course, guests bathing in the milky waters of the lagoon have easy access to the famous white silica mud, an essential part of this ultimate in spa experiences.

Tour Duration: 3-4 hours

Tour can operate: Morning or Afternoon

Wheelchair Accessible: Yes

Physical Activy Level: Easy

Included: Private car with driver-guide,  Blue Lagoon Comfort Experience (entrance fee, towel rental, Silica Mud Mask, choice of one drink at the Lagoon.) Pick up/drop off at the port. 

Not Included: Meals

Reykjavik - Langjökull Glacier & the Ice Tunnel

Not Included: Meals

Reykjavik Highlights - HD Tour

Reykjavík is the world's most northerly capital, with more than one third of Iceland’s population.  Today Reykjavík is a modern city with a variety of restaurants, museums, galleries and theatres.  Visit the most important sights of the city, including the  Old Town, the city cathedral, Hallgrimskirkja church and the “Pearl” (no entrance fees included in this tour).

Add ons:

• A visit to the open-air museum of Arbaer Travel back to Reykjavik’s past with a visit to a fascinating collection of town and farm buildings from the last few centuries.   
• A visit to the Pearl vantage point. The new Perlan is an exciting interactive exhibition about Iceland’s nature and geology.  Entrance includes the “Wonders of  Iceland Exhibit  (including Glaciers and Ice Cave) and the 360° Observation Deck.
• Hallgrimskirkja Church Climb the tower of this iconic church for a beautiful view over the city and sea.   (Tower access closed during church services and some events)
• A visit to the National museum The National Museum of Iceland’s permanent exhibition, Making of a Nation - Heritage and History in Iceland, provides insight into the history of the Icelandic nation from the Norse Settlement to the present day. The exhibition includes about 2.000 objects.

Tour Duration: 3-4 hours

Tour can operate: Morning or Afternoon

Wheelchair Accessible: No - Arbaer museum is not accessible

Physical Activity Level: Easy

Included: Private car with driver-guide,  Pick up/drop off at the port. 

Not Included: Meals and entrance fees (optional)