Travel Document Requirements –
If you are a U.S. citizen traveling internationally, you will need a passport valid for six months beyond the completion of your Tauck journey for entry into the Netherlands and Belgium. You are not required to obtain a visa to enter either country for the short duration of this tour.
If you are a citizen of another country traveling internationally, you should contact an embassy or consulate of The Netherlands and of Belgium to determine what travel documentation is required.
Please note that longer stays abroad for any purpose may require additional travel documentation.
You will be issued a boarding card, which you must present before embarking the ship in each port. This security measure also ensures that only Tauck guests are permitted onboard.
We recommend that you make at least two photocopies of all the travel documents that you bring with you. Include copies of the photo page of your passport that contains the date of issuance, the date of expiration and your citizenship, as well as both sides of your driver’s license. Secure one set of copies in the safe in your room while traveling and leave one set behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your documents are misplaced, lost or stolen.
Travel with Children-
Age Recommendations ― Children 5 years of age or older at the time of travel are welcome on this Tauck journey. Based upon our experience with family travelers, we have a minimum recommended age for each journey to encourage comfort and enjoyment for all of our guests. All children must be accompanied on activities by a parent or guardian. At least one guest in the traveling party must be 21 years of age or older in order to make a reservation.
Babysitting ― There are no babysitting services available on the riverboat. Please note that our Tauck Directors are not responsible for providing babysitting services.
Safety and Welfare Responsibility ― We welcome the participation of child travelers on our exciting excursions. If you are traveling with a child on a Tauck journey, you have the sole responsibility for ensuring that that the child with whom you are traveling follows all rules of safety during the cruise. By traveling with us, you release Tauck, Inc. and our partners of all liability for any risks and/or injuries to the child with whom you are traveling.
Special Travel Documentation for Children
Authorization for Travel
If you travel into or out of the U.S. with children under the age of 18, you should be aware of the following: because of increasing incidents of child abductions in disputed custody cases and because children are at risk as possible victims of child pornography, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) strongly recommends that unless the child is accompanied by both parents, you should have a notarized note from the child's other parent (or, in the case of a child traveling with grandparents, uncles or aunts, sisters or brothers, or friends, a note signed by both parents) stating that the parent(s) not traveling acknowledge that the parent(s), family members, etc. who are traveling into or out of the U.S. with the child have permission to do so. While CBP may not ask to see this documentation, if they do ask, and you do not have it, you may be detained until the circumstances of the child traveling without both parents can be fully assessed.
If there is no second parent with legal claims to the child (parent deceased, sole custody, etc.), other relevant paperwork, such as a court decision, birth certificate naming only one parent, or a death certificate, will be useful.
Many other countries also share this concern for children who travel without both parents. To ensure smooth travel, we require you to comply with the travel regulations of each country visited. This information may be obtained from a country’s consulate or embassy.
Authorization for Emergency Medical Treatment
In the unlikely event of a medical emergency, a medical facility will require permission from the child’s parents to provide treatment. Therefore, we strongly suggest that you bring along a letter from both parents (including other pertinent documents as cited above) authorizing emergency medical treatment for their child.
Children who are U.S. citizens must have a passport valid for at least six months beyond the completion of the journey.
We are not responsible for the disruption of travel caused by the improper documentation of any guest, including children traveling without both parents. While there is no definitive format or standard, click here to view a sample letter for guardians or one parent traveling with a child.
Air Conditioning – The hotel, riverboat and motor coaches are air conditioned for your comfort. Several restaurants we use on our itinerary are not air conditioned because of the historic significance of the buildings.
ATM and Credit Cards - We recommend that you contact your bank in advance of departing on your journey to determine whether you will be able to use your ATM and credit cards while traveling. When contacting your bank, notify them of your travel dates so that they will anticipate charges being made outside of your hometown and do not suspend your cards for what may appear to them to be “suspicious” charges. We also recommend that you make a photocopy of the front and back of your ATM and credit cards to leave behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your cards are misplaced, lost or stolen.
Clothing and Packing – Your journey is designed with leisure in mind. Dress for comfort and convenience with a wardrobe that is flexible and allows for layering. Casual, cotton clothing is recommended. Lightweight jackets and sweaters are recommended during springtime when daily high temperatures are still about 60 °F (16 °C). Evenings are very cool as the temperatures fall into the 30’s and 40’s °F overnight (single digits in Celsius). Pack comfortable yet sturdy walking shoes that have already been broken-in, as many of the sites visited were built centuries ago and have uneven surfaces, some steep inclines and many steps. For the welcome and farewell receptions, casual resort wear is appropriate; formal wear is never required for dining with your fellow guests at a Tauck provided dinner. When traveling abroad, you may have the opportunity to dine at an upscale restaurant on your own, which may require men to dress in coat and tie, and women in more elegant eveningwear (not required).
Bathrobes, slippers and hairdryers are provided in each cabin.
The hotel provides valet laundry and dry cleaning services. Valet laundry service is available on the riverboat for a fee. There is no valet dry cleaning available on the riverboat. Ironing facilities on the riverboat are available by request to the front desk. Category 6 cabins feature their own irons and ironing boards.
We recommend that you pack an adequate supply of your prescription medication in its original container to last through your entire journey, together with a copy of your doctor’s prescription or a letter from your health-care provider on office stationery explaining that the medication has been prescribed for you, a list of the generic names of your medication, your travel documents and a change of clothing in your carry-on bag to avoid any inconvenience in the event that your flight or luggage is delayed. No medications are sold on board the riverboat.
We suggest that you pack the following items for your cruise on the waterways of Holland and Belgium:
Elevation - The maximum elevation on this tour is 190 ft (58 m) in Brussels.
Health – While a cruise from Brussels to Amsterdam is very relaxing and the pace leisurely, to enjoy all the tour has to offer, you should be in good health and able to walk reasonable distances, as some of the most memorable sightseeing can only be accomplished on foot. There is a moderate to significant amount of walking during our excursions, often along cobblestone streets. For the most part, however, the amount of walking you do is at your discretion.
Your riverboat has four decks: Sun, Diamond, Ruby and Emerald. The elevator runs between the Diamond Deck and the Dining room, which includes stops at the Lounge and the Ruby Deck. There is no chair lift between any of the decks. On the Emerald deck, you will find a Wellness Center, which is complimentary and available on a sign-up basis by obtaining a key from the Font Desk. The center includes a tanning bed, a Jacuzzi, a steam bath, a sauna and a restroom.
Because you will be cruising on a river and not on the open sea, you are never far from land and, therefore, there is no doctor on board. In case of emergency, we can easily dock the boat and call for an ambulance or medical assistance.
We regret that we cannot accommodate wheelchairs on this cruise. We also cannot provide you with individual assistance for walking, dining or other personal needs. If you need such assistance, you must be accompanied by an able companion who will assist you.
On board the riverboat, smoking is permitted in a limited area of the Sun deck. Smoking is not permitted in any cabin, the restaurant, the lounge or any other interior space.
Your riverboat is registered in Basel, Switzerland. Please check with your health insurance provider to determine whether you are covered while traveling. If you will not be covered under your current policy, we strongly suggest that you arrange for adequate coverage while on tour. You may also purchase the Tauck Travel Protection, please see details in the section above entitled Tauck Travel Protection Product.
If you have a medical condition that might limit your participation in activities, please consult your physician for pre-departure health advice and notify us as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. We will advise your Tauck Director accordingly.
If you are a resident of the U.S., no vaccinations are currently required for travel to Holland or Belgium. For complete vaccination and inoculation information, contact your physician, the public health service in your area, or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia. The Travelers' Health Section of the CDC operates a 24-hour "Travelers' Health Hotline" at 800-232-4636 (toll-free in the U.S.). You may also log on to the CDC website by clicking here.
If you are a resident of another country, please contact an embassy or consulate of The Netherlands and of Belgium to determine whether vaccinations are required for your travel.
Luggage Restrictions —
Checked Luggage – General
While it is common for airlines to allow passengers to check more than one piece of luggage per person, space constraints during your Tauck journey make it difficult to accommodate extra luggage. We ask that you limit your checked luggage to one average size suitcase per person.
Recently, airlines have adopted policies enforcing strict number, size and weight limits. Luggage exceeding maximum restrictions may require expensive overage fees, frustrating and hurried re-packing at the ticket counter, or even risk being left behind.
Many carriers require that checked luggage not exceed a weight of 50 lbs (22.7 kg) per piece. Airlines revise luggage policies frequently and often without notice; therefore, we cannot be held liable for the accuracy of the weight limit listed above. We urge you to check with your airline before traveling to determine current number, weight and size restrictions. It is also important to note that restrictions for luggage number, weight and size may vary with the same airline based on the class of service you select. First and Business Class ticket holders may have different restrictions than Coach Class travelers. You may wish to consult luggagelimits.com by clicking here.
We cannot be held liable for additional fees or inconveniences imposed by the airline due to luggage number, weight and size policies.
Please be sure to attach your Tauck luggage tag to your suitcase before leaving home!
Carry-on Luggage - General
Although oversize bags and wheeled, carry-on luggage are popular for airline travel, they are often not convenient or appropriate for motor coach travel. Most modern sightseeing motor coaches offer limited space for numerous or larger items. Space under seats or in the overhead rack is typically small, and designed to accommodate items like coats, hats, purses, and small camera bags, etc.
For your day-to-day travel while on tour, we recommend that you limit your hand luggage to a small, soft-sided carry-on piece, and that you bring only those items you need handy during the day such as make-up, medications, cameras, film, etc. Items too large to fit under the motor coach seat or on the overhead rack must be stored in the luggage bays beneath the motor coach, and may be inaccessible during daytime travel.