Bike and boat: Golden Holland

Your trip

Discover the Golden Holland on your own by bike and boat!

On this tour you will experience the rivers, canals, the vastness, the wind and the old Nordic trading and fishing towns of Holland in the most beautiful way imaginable.

You cycle the ‘land of all bicycle dreams’ – and the ship takes you from port to port through waterways and old lifelines of the Netherlands.

Well-developed cycling paths and an extensive network of waterways guarantee an unforgettable vacation.

During the day, you can explore the scenic beauty of the land of Rembrandt and van Gogh under your own steam. In the later afternoon, the MS NORMANDIE is again at your disposal as a “floating hotel”.

Hardly any other province is more varied and has as many faces as South Holland.
City life and unspoiled nature lie side by side here. The waterways offer many opportunities to discover the beautiful landscapes and cultural and historical highlights of the province of “Zuid-Holland”.

Experience cities as diverse as Dordrecht and Utrecht and of course Rotterdam, also known as “Manhattan on the Meuse”, vast polder country, the famous row of windmills at Kinderdijk and not forgetting the “porcelain stronghold” of Delft with its “Delft Blue”.

Your ship

On board the cozy middle class ship MS Normandie you can expect a personal and familiar atmosphere. All cabins were completely renovated in 2020. On the upper deck is the friendly panoramic salon with bar, on the main deck is the tasteful restaurant.

The heart and head of the ship is the large sundeck with its seating areas and deck chairs.

Length of the ship: 91,2 m, width: 10,50 m, draught: 1,60 m, capacity: 100 passengers.

On-board language: German & English

Currency on board: EUR; Credit cards: Mastercard and Visacard

Your cabins

MS NORMANDIE has a total of forty-nine 2-bed cabins and two 1-bed cabins.

All 2-bed cabins on the main and upper deck are about 10-11 sqm. They are equipped with two level hotel beds, shower/WC, flat screen TV, safe, hairdryer, centrally controlled air conditioning and a panoramic window. The windows on the upper deck can be opened.

The 1-bed cabins are smaller (about 7 sqm) and have a level hotel bed.

Ausflugsprogramm, Fahrplan- und Programmänderungen

Die Crew bietet Ihnen ein kleines Ausflugsprogramm an. Die Vorschläge werden tagtäglich vorgestellt und sind ausschließlich an Bord buchbar. You will receive a brief description with your travel documents. Depending on the composition of the participants, the excursions may be offered bilingually German-English.

Timetable

Timetables and programs are subject to change without notice. Wenn z.B. wegen Niedrig-, Hochwasser oder Schlechtwetter eine Strecke nicht befahren werden kann, behält sich der Kapitän das Recht vor, die Route zu Ihrer Sicherheit zu ändern (dies ist kein kostenloser Rücktrittsgrund). The same applies to lock and/or bridge repairs ordered by the authorities and not announced in advance.

Rental bikes

7-speed unisex touring bikes and 8-speed e-bikes from Velo de Ville with handbrake, freewheel or coaster brake (please specify as a non-binding customer request when booking). The bikes are equipped with a pannier bag and rental bike insurance.

E-Bikes sind nur begrenzt verfügbar. Please indicate your height when booking.

Mitnahme eigener Räder

Sie können Ihre eigenen Fahrräder oder E-Bikes mitnehmen. Only e-bikes with removable, not permanently installed battery can be taken along. Please note that this is done at your own risk. The shipping company excludes any liability for loss, theft, damage. This also applies to transport damage from ship to shore and back. The shipping company charges a small additional fee for taking your bikes with you. Please book the option“own bike” with.

Arrival

We recommend that you arrive by train. Rotterdam is easily accessible by train. You can find connections e.g. at www.bahn.de.

Get in on the vacation at home. Enjoy your journey – and look forward to the punctuality of Dutch Railways. Book our rental bikes and come aboard completely relaxed.

If you arrive by car, please use the valet parking at a guarded parking lot in Rotterdam (Holiday Extras). You will receive a registration form for the parking garage with the booking confirmation. On the day of arrival your car will be picked up at the pier and on the day of departure it will be brought back to the ship. The reservation is made directly through the company Holiday Extras. Costs: up to approx. 190,- € / week, rate depending on occupancy.

Alternatively, you can park not far from the jetty, approx. 10 minutes on foot, approx. € 25 per 24 hours.

Important notes:

The minimum number of participants on the ship is 60. If we do not reach the minimum number of participants, we must cancel the trip up to 21 days before the start of the trip. In practice, this restriction is hardly relevant, as the ships are almost always overbooked. We are not aware that a tour has ever not taken place due to the minimum number of participants.

Please note: In the 2-bed cabins at the rear of the upper deck, engine and generator noise is perceptible.

We recommend that you take out travel cancellation insurance.

Please refer to the country notes and entry information for the Netherlands on the Country Information page. Please also note our Notes on package tours.