At a glance
- Options range from affordable short breaks to ultra-luxury sailings
- Solo travellers, couples, families and groups will all find something that suits
- Cruises run across the four seasons, from tulip-filled spring to winter with its twinkling markets
- Many itineraries include overnight stays, giving you a chance to explore after dark
- Excursions range from windmills and flower farms to oyster tastings and WWII landmarks
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World of Cruising, along with our sister publication Cruise Trade News, has one of the UK’s most experienced teams of cruise journalists and contributors. Our experts have racked up hundreds of nights at sea and sailed with most cruise lines. Most weeks, one of our writers will be at sea or on a river. We don’t just write about cruising, we experience it.
About the Dutch Waterways
What are they?
A vast and intricate network of rivers, canals and lakes across the Netherlands. Many cruises also extend into neighbouring Belgium.
Length: Around 3,700 miles (more than twice the length of the Danube).
Key waterways: Lek, Waal, Maas (Meuse), Scheldt, IJssel, Amsterdam’s Canal Belt and many more.
Highlights: Beyond the classic windmills and wooden shoes, expect Golden Age masterpieces, tulip fields, medieval castles, World War II landmarks, breathtaking cycle routes and atmospheric festive markets.
Best for affordability: CroisiEurope
Why this cruise line?
If you’re after a cruise that keeps costs down without cutting corners, CroisiEurope is a name worth knowing. Over nearly 50 years, this family-run line has refined its focus on good-value itineraries across European rivers and beyond.
It has a particularly strong appeal for young families. As standard, children under two cruise for free, while those under nine receive a 20 per cent discount, including on Dutch Waterways sailings.
What are the itineraries like?
CroisiEurope has a good mix of shorter sailings and longer journeys on the Dutch and Belgian Waterways. These range from four-day mini cruises to multi-river adventures that last nearly four weeks.
Many of their itineraries focus on the region’s best-loved cities, so expect a line-up of cultural heavyweights, such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Brussels and Antwerp. You won’t find many off-the-beaten-track ports, but what you do get is time. Several sailings include overnight stays, giving you the chance to see these intriguing cities in a different light – whether that’s golden hour by a canal or the glow of a Christmas market after dark.
Price: From just over £700 per person for five days, excluding flights and excursions.
Browse offers:CroisiEurope
Best for luxury: Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
Why this cruise line?
Uniworld’s ships are often compared to boutique hotels, with each one individually styled and thoughtfully designed. Expect fresh flowers, original artwork and a strong sense of place throughout the public spaces. The same attention to detail carries through to the cabins and suites, where Egyptian cotton sheets, a pillow menu and marble bathrooms come as standard.
Bicycles are also available for use on a complimentary basis, which are particularly handy for exploring the pancake-flat, cycle-friendly landscapes of the Low Countries.
What are the itineraries like?
Alongside marquee ports like Antwerp and Rotterdam, itineraries include smaller Dutch cities such as Harlingen and Gorinchem, which are rarely featured on other cruise routes.
At each stop, guests can typically choose between two or three complimentary excursions – a real strength of Uniworld’s approach. This variety allows for experiences that go beyond the standard landmarks. For example, you might take a private tour of a working windmill, walk through flower fields with a local farmer who explains how the blooms are cultivated, or visit Europe’s largest underground Christmas market, held in the centuries-old caves of Valkenburg.
Price: From around £2,500 per person for an 11-day cruise, including flights.
Browse offers:Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
Best for seniors: Saga
Why this cruise line?
This boutique cruise line is designed for guests aged 50 and above, though companions over 40 are also welcome. Onboard, you’ll be met with seasoned travellers who know what they want: well-considered itineraries and a comfortable, seamless experience.
Saga delivers on both counts. While many cruise lines describe themselves as ‘all-inclusive’, this one stands out for how much is genuinely covered. Expect inclusions like a nationwide chauffeur service, travel insurance, onboard gratuities and regional return flights.
What are the itineraries like?
Saga offers a strong selection of Dutch Waterways cruises across all four seasons. Spring departures are ideal for visiting the tulip fields of Keukenhof, while winter sailings focus on festive highlights, such as a Christmas concert in Maastricht with André Rieu and the Johann Strauss Orchestra.
Whichever dates you choose, every itinerary is elevated by well-curated shore excursions, including a complimentary one at each port of call. These range from visits to De Hoge Veluwe National Park, known for its deer and wild boar, to the open-air Zuiderzee Museum, home to 140 historic buildings. Every outing is graded for the amount of walking required, so you’ll know in advance how much ground you’ll be covering.
Price: From around £1,500 per person for a five-night sailing, including regional flights.
Browse offers:Saga
Best for solo travellers: Riviera Travel
Why this cruise line?
Riviera Travel won a raft of accolades at the 2023 and 2024 Wave Awards, including best river cruise line and, crucially, best cruise line for solo travellers.
The brand offers a wide range of sailings exclusively for solo cruisers, including on the Dutch Waterways. On these, you’ll have a cabin or suite to yourself without the burden of an astronomical solo supplement.
Plus, an expert tour manager who specialises in solo travel is on hand throughout your voyage. For example, they’ll meet you at your departure airport or train station and make thoughtful introductions at the welcome dinner and drinks.
What are the itineraries like?
Solo sailings on the Dutch Waterways typically take place in spring. Expect a mix of maritime cities, medieval towns, brightly coloured bulb fields and poignant historical sites. Sailings usually begin and end in Amsterdam or Rotterdam, which are easily accessible by plane or train (both included in your fare).
From there, you might visit the windmills of Kinderdijk or explore Golden Age cities like Enkhuizen. Shore excursions might include a visit to Airbourne Museum Hartenstein, to learn more about the Battle of Arnhem, or a walking tour of the Flemish city of Ghent.
Price: Fares start at £1,800 per person for five days, including flights, based on solo occupancy.
Browse offers:Riviera Travel
Best for groups: Avalon Waterways
Why this cruise line?
Whether you’re planning a long-awaited family reunion, travelling with close friends or taking the wine club on tour, Avalon Waterways is a savvy choice for cruising with a group. The dedicated Groups Department helps with logistics, and special pricing is available for parties of eight or more.
The relaxed, unpretentious onboard atmosphere on Avalon ships also makes it easy for a wide mix of personalities to feel at home.
What are the itineraries like?
Avalon Waterways has one of the most extensive selections of Dutch Waterways cruises, which is a real advantage when attempting to coordinate multiple diaries.
Another key strength is the flexibility of shore excursions. At most ports, you can choose from several options, including experiences from the ‘Active’ and ‘Discovery’ collections. As a result, everyone will likely find something that suits them.
In Middelburg, for example, some guests might hike through the dunes to Castle Westhove, while others visit a family-owned oyster farm or explore the city’s gothic architecture on a guided walk. In Amsterdam, meanwhile, some members of the cohort could paddle through the canals on a kayak tour, while others explore the street art museum with a hands-on workshop or join a local-led walk that takes you beyond the usual tourist spots.
Price: Fares start at around £1,700 per person for a week-long cruise, excluding flights (which can be added for about £300).
Browse offers:Avalon Waterways
Best for couples: Viking Cruises
Why this cruise line?
This adults-only cruise line offers a relaxed, minimalist setting that’s well suited to couples. Expect expansive outdoor decks and serene, Scandi-inspired interiors that make it easy to settle in and switch off.
That sense of ease extends beyond the surroundings. Viking is designed to take the hassle out of travel, with flights, select shore excursions, onboard gratuities and enrichment lectures all taken care of and bundled into the fare. It removes the stress of one half of the couple having to be the lead passenger.
What are the itineraries like?
Cruises along the Dutch Waterways typically last around 10 days and include a mix of well-known cities and smaller ports. You might sail to Amsterdam and Antwerp, but also Nijmegen, the oldest city in the Netherlands, or visit Golden Age cities like Hoorn. Sailings run primarily from spring to autumn.
Many excursions are also ideal for couples. You could go oyster shucking in Zeeland, tiptoe through the tulips in a flower farm’s greenhouse, or step aboard a restored 125-year-old cargo vessel to see the oldest working windmill in Kinderdijk.
There’s also a pre-cruise recommended reading list, designed to help you both get excited over a shared interest, whether that’s the art of Vermeer or the real-life drama of Tulipmania.
Price: Fares begin from around £2,600 per person, including flights.
Browse offers:Viking Cruises
Here's what else you should know before booking:
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