When you embark on a cruise called “Tulips and Windmills,” certain mental images naturally form. Sweeping fields of colorful tulips stretching to the horizon. Historic windmills turning lazily against blue skies. This is exactly what Viking promised with their optional Tulips and Windmills excursion during our recent river cruise through the Netherlands and Belgium.
The Anticipation
The excursion was certainly popular – three full buses of eager passengers signed up, likely making it the most sought-after tour of the entire cruise. After enjoying several wonderful days exploring Amsterdam and being charmed by the town of Enkhuizen, we were excited to experience the quintessential Dutch landscape that gave the cruise its name.
We’d been instructed to bring cash for souvenirs as the farm didn’t accept credit cards, which added to the impression we’d be visiting a charming, traditional operation with unique local offerings. The promotional photo used to advertise the excursion showed a vibrant field of tulips with several windmills in the background … exactly the iconic Dutch scene we had traveled to experience.
Tulips and Windmills Excursion: The Reality
Unfortunately, the experience didn’t quite match our expectations. After a pleasant drive through the Dutch countryside, we arrived at the tulip farm… but there wasn’t a tulip in sight. No colorful fields, no blooms preparing to open, just bare fields of dirt stretching into the distance.
While I understand that tulips have a very limited growing season, and nature operates on its own schedule, it was still disheartening to find completely barren fields. Especially since this cruise is specifically marketed and scheduled during tulip season, with promotional images showing vibrant blooms.
The main activity turned out to be watching a PowerPoint presentation about tulips inside one of the farm warehouses. While the farmer’s wife who gave the presentation was genuinely lovely and quite funny, sitting indoors watching slides about tulips rather than seeing actual flowers felt like something we could have done at home. It wasn’t the immersive experience in Dutch tulip culture we had hoped for.
Coffee and cookies were served during the presentation, which was a nice touch, but the only actual tulips we encountered during the entire excursion were flowers arranged on a pallet – a far cry from the fields advertised in the promotional materials.
After the presentation, we were given time to shop in the farm’s store. Despite the emphasis on bringing cash for unique local items, the souvenirs were identical to those available in any tourist shop in Amsterdam. They were the same mass-produced tulip-themed trinkets we’d seen elsewhere on our journey.
And what about the windmills? The second half of the excursion involved our three buses awkwardly navigating through a residential neighborhood to reach a single windmill. We were given about 10 minutes to disembark and snap photos along a narrow stretch of road where we had to be mindful of not stepping in dog waste from local dog-walkers. To add insult to injury, this wasn’t even a historic windmill but a replica with a large banner draped across its side. Far from the charming historic windmills set among tulip fields that were advertised.
Finding the Silver Lining
The excursion wasn’t without its merits. The drive through the Dutch countryside offered pleasant views, and the farm presenter’s humor and knowledge about tulip cultivation was genuinely interesting. The cookies and coffee provided a nice moment to chat with fellow travelers about our various experiences on the cruise so far.
For those interested in the technical and historical aspects of tulip farming rather than the visual spectacle, there was certainly educational value in the presentation. And some passengers did find souvenirs they were happy to bring home to friends and family.
The good news is that we did eventually see gorgeous tulips and multiple authentic windmills – just not on this particular excursion. The Viking excursions to Kinderdijk and Keukenhof Gardens delivered spectacularly on the promise of tulips and windmills in picturesque settings. These alternatives provided the authentic Dutch experience we had been hoping for.
However, for an optional excursion with an additional cost of $119 per person, the “Tulips + Windmills” tour simply didn’t deliver on its promise. If you’re planning a Viking River Cruise through the Netherlands, I’d recommend saving your money and focusing on the Kinderdijk and Keukenhof Gardens excursions instead, which provide a much more authentic and visually stunning experience of Dutch culture and landscapes.
Sometimes travel is about adjusting expectations and finding joy in unexpected places. And fortunately, the rest of our Viking cruise offered plenty of those authentic moments to cherish.
This post is part of our series chronicling our experiences on the Viking Tulips & Windmills cruise.
