Tulips, Chocolates & Mom: Our Dutch & Belgium Adventure on AmaWaterways

Before setting sail, we kicked off with two days at the gorgeous Pulitzer hotel (seriously, treat yourself!). We did all the must-dos: Rijksmuseum, canal tours, and stuffing our faces with bitterballen (Dutch croquettes that are basically little balls of happiness). Amsterdam highlights included incredible drinks at Bar Gui, and a foodie-heaven tour through the Jordaan district. Pro tip: The 9 Streets area is shopping paradise, and you haven’t lived until you’ve tried bitterballen with a cold Heineken or a Dutch apple pie from Café Hegeraad.

Ship life: AmaWaterways vs Viking

Let’s talk ships! Some key differences:

• AmaWaterways has a gym (hello, guilt-free chocolate sampling!) and a rooftop pool.

• Complimentary cocktails during “sip and sail” hour (Viking, take notes!).

• Lower ceilings than Viking, but super-comfy beds with twin configuration options.

• Food was fancy with multiple courses, though honestly, the chef’s table experience wasn’t as spectacular as hyped.

• Definitely felt more “mature” than our Viking Christmas cruise—less after-hours partying and more garden enthusiasts (it was a tulip cruise, after all!).

Our ship!

AmawaterWays room

Day-by-day adventures

• Day 1: Set sail from Amsterdam at 3 am (slept like babies!). Some people got up to watch the ship go through the locks.

• Day 2: Woke up in Kampen for our first adventure: Giethoorn (Dutch Venice). Picture postcard-perfect canals and bridges everywhere. No cars allowed—just boats and dreams! It was incredibly busy due to the season, but I still think it was totally worth a day trip.

• Day 3: Explored the charming Zierkzee (surprise find: they’re famous for lobster!). Found this amazing local spot—sometimes the unplanned meals are the best ones. It was called Brassiere Maritime. We even ran into one of the tour guides there who was a local, so we knew it was legit. Very good lobster and oysters!

• Day 4: Ghent stole our hearts! We did a chocolate-making workshop (I went a bit overboard with "quality control" sampling). We also had an incredible lunch at Mémé Gusta—the bone marrow was to die for! We wandered around town and enjoyed the beautiful city of Ghent.

• Day 5: Antwerp day was EPIC. In the morning, we went on a walking tour, visited a cathedral, and went shopping. In the afternoon, we saw the show-stopping Kasteel van Groot-Bijgaarden (ONE MILLION hand-planted tulip bulbs across 14 hectares!). In the evening, we had dinner at Nage—an incredible multi-course meal with fantastic wines that didn’t break the bank.

• Day 6: Rotterdam/Delft during Kings Day! We explored adorable Delft during their orange-crazy celebrations, lots of markets, and shops selling things around town. The town was one large thrift market. We also took a fascinating tour of the Royal Delft porcelain factory (love ceramics!) before spending the afternoon at the UNESCO Kinderdijk windmills—pure Dutch magic! A bucket list to-do and it was so fun!

• Final day: We went back to Amsterdam and visited the Keukenhof Gardens grand finale—yes, it was crowded, but the seven million tulips didn’t disappoint!

Tulips!

River cruise tips

• Perfect if you hate unpacking multiple times.

• Pack orange for Kings Day celebrations.

• Try the bike excursions—they’re a great way to balance all those Belgian chocolates.

• Book independent dinners in port sometimes. Nage in Antwerp was a highlight.

• The cruise director makes or breaks the experience (our Viking Christmas market cruise director was outstanding).

AmaWaterways vs Viking

Both have their strengths! AmaWaterways wins for:

• Included drinks during happy hour.

• Fitness options.

• Variety of excursions (especially active ones).

Viking shined with:

• More lively evening atmosphere.

• Higher ceilings.

• Our particular cruise director.

Would I do it again? Absolutely! Next time, though, I might try their Provence cruise—I hear the French wine regions are calling...

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Europe page.