Beauty in Bloom: A Cycle & Barge Adventure in the Netherlands

After you enroll, we’ll ask you to provide or update your personal information and preferences, which includes your health information, lodging and meal preferences for your program.

None

A passport is required for this program. It must be valid for at least 6 months after your return date.

This information about travel documents pertains to participants holding U.S. passports. Non-U.S. citizens should refer to their country's requirements to ensure they have the necessary documentation for travel.

United States citizens don’t need a visa for any of the countries you’ll be visiting. Non-U.S. citizens should refer to their country's requirements to ensure they have the necessary documentation for travel.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommend that your routine immunizations be up to date.

If Road Scholar is arranging your air travel to and from the program, and you travel on the scheduled start and end dates, you’ll receive free round-trip transfers from the airport to the hotel.

Arrival day is on April 10, 2026

Meet the group at De Holland in Haarlem

Start of Trip:  10:30 a.m. Day 2 transfer from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to de Zaanse Schans; 4:00 p.m. expected arrival time at the ship followed by check-in, Orientation, and 6:30 p.m. Welcome Dinner.

Getting to the site: If you cannot make the 10:30 a.m. meeting time, there are two options for traveling from the airport to the barge BEFORE 2:00 p.m. 1) Take a taxi from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to Oosterdok. Tell the driver you want to go to NEMO; all the barges dock in front of NEMO, look for the De Holland. Travel time is about 25 minutes and taxi will cost approximately €70. 2) Take a train from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam Centraal Station. From Amsterdam Centraal Station, walk to NEMO, which is about a 15-minute walk. Travel time is about 30 minutes and fare will cost approximately €7. If you arrive AFTER 2:00 p.m. you will have to meet the barge in Haarlem. From Schiphol Airport take bus 300 (Direction Haarlem Station). Price approximately €6. From Haarlem you can take a taxi to the ship or walk 20 minutes. Address: Spaarndamseweg 376 2022 EA Haarlem. Please call our Netherlands Coordinator +31 207 235 454 to inform them of your arrival. If you are departing the U.S. prior to the group departure and plan to connect with the group at the airport on the day the program commences, be sure to be at the meeting point at the time indicated. If you plan to meet the group at the De Holland, please notify our office prior to your departure: 203-814-1249 or email roadscholar@boatbiketours.com.

Getting to the site by train or bus: Taxi, bus and train available. Review schedules and fares online: Amsterdam Municipal Public Transport (GVB) http://www.gvb.nl/ or Dutch Railways (NS) http://www.ns.nl/.

Your trip ends on: Friday, April 17, 2026 in Amsterdam at De Holland

End of Trip: 9:00 a.m. after breakfast; 9:00 a.m. ship check-out. (okay to check out earlier).

Getting to the airport: Please refer to the following instructions for traveling from the ship to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport:

Information if you are purchasing your own airfare: Participants who have not purchased airfare through Road Scholar are responsible for making their own transfer arrangements to the first site at the beginning of the program, as well as from the last site at the end of the program. The Information Packet Road Scholar sends in advance of the program includes details needed to make your transfer arrangements. If you wish to purchase airfare through Road Scholar, please call (800) 241-1404. Please note: In the unlikely event Road Scholar must make changes to the program's arrival or departure details, we will notify all participants as soon as possible. Participants who have purchased Road Scholar airfare are protected against airline change fees; however, anyone who has not purchased Road Scholar airfare will be required to make their own adjustments and may incur fees imposed by the airline.