g double a
s we twist and turn down narrow side streets, I sway from side to side in the passenger seat of a vintage beer delivery van as it hurtles
through Antwerp. The next minute, I’m walking through a room with a ceiling covered in upside-down glasses, watching portraits on a wall come to life and animatedly chat to each other. Admittedly, my small glass of Bolleke beer is empty, but I’m not imagining things. I’m on the interactive tour of Belgium’s De Koninck
brewery, which recently toasted its 190th anniversary and is now the last remaining brewery in the city. In a country producing about 1,500 different beers, often served in special glasses such as the goldfish bowl-esque goblet used for Bolleke, it would be rude not to try some. The tour, including the virtually simulated van ride, is an immersive experience in more ways than one and I even get to try my hand at pouring beer – badly. Antwerp is usually associated with city breaks, but I arrive on an Ambassador cruise; a hybrid sailing that’s a
travelweekly.co.uk 4 APRIL 2024
DESTINATIONS RIVER AND SEA | CRUISE
Ambassador Cruise Line’s ships are agile enough to sail on both rivers and oceans, offering a two-fold sailing experience, says Jeannine Williamson
fascinating mix of sea and river journey. Indeed, this culture- packed city owes its extensive prosperity – seen in grand buildings, museums filled with old masters, and the glittering jewellery quarter that’s the capital of the world’s diamond trade – to the water. Antwerp’s port is the second largest in Europe, but only smaller ships such as Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambition can sail up the River Scheldt to reach it.
FLIGHT-FREE CRUISING The 1,200-passenger vessel, the line’s second ship, joined the fleet last year. Ambassador’s no-fly itineraries, primarily aimed at the 50-plus UK market, take advantage of the ship’s diminutive size. I joined a pre-Christmas festive sailing that stopped only in Antwerp, but it will run again this December, this time with an extended itinerary. The 2024 ‘Festive Getaway’ will combine sailing into Antwerp with a cruise along the River Seine to Rouen, the capital of Normandy, plus a stop at the pretty French fishing village of Honfleur - all on the same ship. ²
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PICTURE: DEWA BAGUS PUTU
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