Best time for Tulip Time River Cruise

[YoungDubFan]

I'm looking to book a 2023 Tulip time cruise. From what I've read, mid to end of April seems to be the preferred time to go. Obviously the earlier you go, the lower the costs are but I'm sure that the weather can be a bit up in the air as well. I'm trying to convince my mom to go with me. She'll be 82 on April 13 so if she decides to go  we'll probably incorporate her birthday into our trip. I'm looking at Avalon because I've done 2 prior river cruises with them (Basel to Amsterdam) and Paris to Normandy. I want to make sure that the cruise does Keukenhof gardens. 

 

Any one have any suggestions about when to book? I'd love to hear feedback from anyone who has done one of Avalon's Tulip Time cruises. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

We have just done AMA's Tulip Time cruise, from April 17-25.  The tulips at Keukenhof and Floralia [an estate outside Brussels that the ship took us to on April 22] were at their peak.  [We went to Keukenhof on our own on April 17, between Schiphol and the ship, and then the cruise took us there again on April 24.  We could see the difference that a week makes, and I'm guessing that April 10 would have been too early and May 1 too late.]

 

If you're taking a Tulip Time cruise, it isn't the weather that you worry about:  it's the blooming of the tulips!

[Second seating]

I saw Keukenhof in 2011 mid April, the suggested date by a Dutch colleague of my husband. I went again this year before a Castles Along the Rhine cruise.  I was on my on and saw the gardens on May 6th, I thought the tulips were better in early May, no hyacinths or a few other flowers but some of the shrubs were blooming!  The gardens at Keukenhof are planted to remain beautiful the entire time they are open (closed May 15).  Very weather dependent!  Before mid April most of what you will see blooming is hyacinths, daffodils and early tulips.

 

Second eating

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[Canal archive]

Careful selection and arrangement of words I notice Jazz!