Join your host, Joanie Madden for an unforgettable springtime journey through Holland, Belgium and the Netherlands, blending world-class Irish music, breathtaking scenery, and the warm camaraderie that makes all of Joanie’s trips so special.
As the countryside awakens from its winter slumber, we’ll sail along the tranquil waterways of Holland and Belgium, drifting past lazily turning windmills, vibrant blossoms, and charming towns that feel lifted from a painting. Explore Amsterdam— “the Venice of the North”—along with the storybook streets and medieval treasures of Ghent, Antwerp, and Bruges.
Savor Dutch cheeses and world-famous Belgian chocolates, admire the masterpieces of the Dutch and Flemish Golden Age, and immerse yourself in centuries of culture at every stop. A highlight of the journey is the opportunity to visit the magnificent Keukenhof Gardens—79 acres of dazzling spring blooms, open only for a few short weeks each year. It’s a riot of color, fragrance, and wonder you’ll never forget.
Combined with nightly Irish music concerts and sessions along with the friendship and fun that define Joanie’s tours, her Tulip Waltz promises to be a magical week of beauty, culture, and music.
Single Occupancy Cabin Requests
- Due to limited amount of space we have on the ship, we are unable to offer special single occupancy cabin rates. Any single occupancy cabins will be charged the same price as two people in the cabin. When booking a single occupancy cabin, please just add single cabin as the name for passenger #2.
Triple & Quad Occupancy Cabin Requests
-Due to room configuration and Amadeus' policy we are unable to accommodate any triple or quad occupancy for our river cruises. Children under the age of 18 are also not allowed to sail with us on the ship.
Cancellation Policy For This Package:
Time of Booking -December 18, 2026: $200.00 Cancellation Fee
December 19, 2026 - January 17, 2027: $400.00 Cancellation Fee
January 18, 2027 - February 6, 2027: 35% Cancellation Fee Cruise & Land Costs
February 7, 2027 - February 26, 2027: 50% Cancellation Fee of Cruise & Land Costs
February 27, 2027 - March 18, 2027: 75% Cancellation Fee of Cruise & Land Costs
March 19, 2027 - 0 Days: No Refund
Entertainer Lineup
Entertainment and performer lineup is subject to change without notice. While we make every effort to deliver the scheduled entertainment, unforeseen circumstances may result in changes to the lineup, including the cancellation of one or more performers. Such changes will not constitute grounds for a refund or credit, either in whole or in part. The cruise experience includes a variety of amenities and entertainment beyond any specific performer or act, and the event will proceed as planned.
Ports of Call & Daily Itinerary
Due to unforeseen circumstances, our ports of call may be subject to change without notice. Such changes will not constitute grounds for a refund or credit, either in whole or in part.
Entered into service in 2018, the AMADEUS Queen cruises the beloved and historic rivers of Europe in the same well-appointed style as her sister vessels have done for nearly a decade.
History and adventure unfold along the Danube, Rhine, and Dutch and Belgian Waterways. Like royalty itself, the AMADEUS Queen shines her own light. Her crown jewel is the blue mosaic indoor pool which transforms into a sky pool when the glass atrium opens. Indulge in an afternoon cocktail at the Amadeus Club, meeting new people while enjoying sweeping river views. Wherever you choose to spend time, you’ll experience the signature elegance and spacious style synonymous with the AMADEUS fleet. From the privacy of your cabin’s balcony where you can watch the ever changing landscapes to the lively Panorama Restaurant with sumptuous four-course dinners, discover a new pace to life. Is it luxury or simply living at its finest.
Onboard Facilities Include:
Suites & Staterooms
Luxury accommodation in an outside river-view stateroom of your choice: Spacious Mozart Suites with a walk-out balcony, stateroom cabins on Mozart and Strauss Decks with drop-down Panorama Retractable Windows offering a wide-open view (except Amadeus Brilliant)
Individual climate control and in-room safe
Choice of bed configuration in all categories (double or twin bedding)
Bottled water in every stateroom
Gourmet Dining
Gourmet dining featuring breakfast, multi-course lunches and dinners with menu choices (including vegetarian options), afternoon tea and late-night snack
Free-flowing hand-selected wines from the best wine regions, draft beer, soda as well as coffee and tea with every lunch and dinner
Coffee and tea available 24 hours a day in the Amadeus Club
Welcome Cocktail Reception & Dinner and Gala Dinner
An Array of Amenities
Complimentary Wi-Fi onboard
Onboard fitness center open 24 hours a day
All gratuities on board are included in your cruise fare
Voyage of Discovery
Personalized service of an experienced, multilingual AMADEUS Cruise Director
AMADEUS digital audio system for all guided excursions
Please note that port stops are subject to change.
Variety of enriching onboard programs, including fascinating lectures, cooking demonstrations, local cultural performances, and music by our onboard musicians
Complimentary use of onboard bicycles for independent exploration
All port taxes, embarkation, disembarkation and lock fees included in your cruise fare
Onboard MS Amadeus Queen
Evening concerts with Joanie Madden's stellar lineup of entertainment as well as the Amadeus Duo, the ships talented onboard performers. We'll have lots of fun with music sessions and sing-a-longs!
Individual Climate Control & In-Room Safe with twin or double bed configurations
Featuring breakfast, multi-course lunches and dinners with menu choices (including vegetarian options), afternoon tea and late-night snack.
Free-flowing hand-selected wines from the best wine regions, draft beer, soda as well as coffee and tea with every lunch and dinner onboard the ship.
While onboard, complimentary Wi-Fi will be available to all passengers during our voyage.
Available in your cabin daily
Open 24 hours a day
We've included your onboard gratuities in the price of your ticket.
Port taxes, embarkation, disembarkation, and lock fees are also included in your package.
Complimentary use for independent exploration while in Port.
To avoid all service fees, utilize your checking account (ACH) information for your deposit & final payments.
Available for an additional cost. Will be announced soon!
Not included in your package price.
If you have any questions or need assistance please reach out to Elite Cruisers
Pre-cruise or post-cruise hotel package coming soon.
Any shore excursions you choose to book, please be sure to tip our drivers for excellent service. Three Euros per day is recommended.
Travel insurance is not included but is available for an additional cost for US citizens. You will need to inform us of the credit card you'd like to use.
Your Dutch adventure begins in Amsterdam, where you will embark in the afternoon. Following a Welcome Cocktail and a celebratory Welcome Dinner, you will be treated to a performance on board by a traditional shanty choir, setting the perfect mood for the days ahead.
Voted “greenest city in Europe“, Arnhem rebuilt itself after the famed 1944 battle immortalized in the film “A Bridge Too Far“, and is now a thriving artists‘ town with fine museums and beautiful parks. Choose to join the morning city tour to appreciate its beautiful sights and delve deeper into the history of World War II at the War Museum. Later in the day, choose between a trip to the Open Air Museum with views of charming Dutch buildings, industries and crafts of bygone times and the Kröller-Müller-Museum, housing the second-largest collection of Van Gogh paintings in the world. Relax on board in the evening, enjoying a delicious dinner as your vessel cruises onwards to Middelburg.
Your watch shows relaxation—and late morning. It's time for the charming capital of Zeeland province. Nearly 400 years ago, it was also a seat of the Dutch East India Company. 1,200 listed buildings tell the story of this and other fascinating histories. A journey through time is well worth it.
Join us on an exciting city tour. In the afternoon, embark on a culinary tour through the historic trading town of Veere or take a bike ride to Vlissingen, where you'll explore the picturesque Zeeland coastline on two wheels, enjoying the fresh sea breeze.
In the early evening, we set off for Belgium.
At night, your vessel will dock in Ghent, the ultimate medieval city, which you can explore in the morning. Admire architecture preserved since the late Middle Ages and visit 13th century residence of the Counts of Flanders, the Gravensteen or “Castle of the Counts“.
In the afternoon, join the excursion to Bruges, the capital of the province of West Flanders and enchanting its visitors with its cobbled streets, crooked bridges, meandering canals and World Heritage-listed medieval buildings. Bruges is famous for its brews, boutique chocolate-makers and canal-side bars. There’s also the Basilica of the Holy Blood, a double-decker chapel which has a Romanesque church down below and a neo-Gothic church up above.
Antwerp, the second-largest city in Belgium, welcomes you today. After breakfast, join the excursion to the politically and culturally significant city of Brussels. View the iconic Atomium, which was created for the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair and, thanks to its popularity, was not torn down as originally planned.Visit the Cinquantenaire Park with its triumphal arch, built to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Belgium’s independence.
In the afternoon, explore Antwerp in a comfortable coach. Famous for its diamond trade, the city also boasts many cultural highlights such as the Cathedral of Our Lady with paintings by the famous Baroque artist Peter Paul Rubens. In the evening, enjoy dinner, while your vessel returns to the Netherlands.
Early morning, your ship will arrive in Rotterdam, the second largest city in the Netherlands. After breakfast, you can pay a visit to Kinderdijk, which houses the most unique windmill complex in the world. Built to drain water from the soil, these windmills are now protected by UNESCO and are one of the Netherlands’ most popular tourist destinations. After lunch, explore the world–famous Keukenhof gardens fields of flowers. During dinner, the ship departs for the final leg of the cruise back to Amsterdam.
Amsterdam welcomes you with its enchanting blend of old-world charm and contemporary allure. In the morning, cruise through the lovely, verdant canals of Amsterdam while learning more about the city’s history and significance.
After lunch, you can visit Waterland in North Holland, where you will stop in the charming fishing village of Volendam and the equally picturesque town of Edam. Renowned for its cheeses, this is the perfect spot for a cheese tasting (included in the excursion). Alternatively, you can actively explore the Dutch countryside on a bike tour through the idyllic surroundings of Amsterdam.
Following breakfast, we are sad that our journey has ended. We will bid you "tot ziens" and wish you safe travels with the hope that you join us again on another one of Joanie Madden's Adventures! Thank you for adding your magic to the trip and trusting us with your vacation! Safe Travels Home!