Signature Cruise 2027: Waterloo, WWI & Band of Brothers

Begin your day with a canal cruise through Amsterdam’s historic waterways. 165 canals thread through the city, past gabled merchant houses, flower markets and centuries-old bridges. After an early afternoon departure, we cruise to the medieval Hanseatic city of Kampen, with its perfectly preserved old town providing a glimpse into the Netherlands’ golden age before the devastation of the 20th century. Explore Kampen’s historic centre with beautiful city gates, Gothic church and traditional Dutch architecture. This peaceful interlude offers a stark contrast to the battlefields we’ll visit in the coming days.

Today I will share stories of Amsterdam’s experience during the German occupation and the tragic fate of its Jewish population, including Anne Frank. And I’ll present a seminar on Operation Market Garden, the largest airborne operation in history that began on 17 September 1944—83 years ago this very week. We’ll examine the ambitious plan to capture the Rhine bridges and end the war by Christmas 1944, and why it ultimately became ‘a bridge too far’.

This morning we cruise to Utrecht, the religious centre of the Netherlands since the 8th century and a strategic crossroads since Roman times. Join a walking tour through the medieval old town with its unique wharf cellars along the canals and visit the fascinating Museum Speelklok, home to a whimsical collection of automatically playing musical instruments—a poignant reminder of Europe’s cultural treasures that survived the wars. Alternatively, bike to Castle de Haar, the largest castle in Holland. Like something from a fairytale with turrets, moats and suspension bridges, this Neo-Gothic masterpiece was rebuilt in the 1890s on medieval foundations—a reminder of how the Netherlands restored its heritage after centuries of conflict. Utrecht’s relatively undamaged medieval centre stands in marked contrast to the cities devastated during Market Garden, providing context for understanding what was lost and what survived WW2.

Today’s presentation will focus on the Western Front of World War I, preparing us for tomorrow’s pilgrimage to the Ypres Salient where Australian and New Zealand forces earned undying glory in the mud of Flanders.

From Ghent, the capital of East Flanders with its magnificent medieval architecture, we journey to the hallowed ground of the Ypres Salient, where the First World War raged for four devastating years and where the Anzac legend was reinforced through courage and sacrifice.

Our comprehensive battlefield tour takes place on the 110^th anniversary of the Battle of Menin Road, one of the key Anzac victories in the Ypres Salient. We begin at the Menin Gate, where the names of 54,896 Commonwealth soldiers with no known grave are inscribed. I’ll share the stories behind these names and explain the significance of the nightly Last Post ceremony that has continued since 1928.

Visit Tyne Cot Cemetery, the largest Commonwealth war cemetery in the world, where nearly 12,000 soldiers rest. Standing among the endless rows of headstones, we’ll discuss the Battle of Passchendaele and the horrific conditions endured by the soldiers who fought here.

At Polygon Wood and Hill 60, explore the preserved trench systems and mine craters that bear witness to the underground war waged by tunnellers from Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Visit the Passchendaele 1917 Museum to understand the hell on earth this battle became.

Throughout the day, I’ll weave together personal accounts from soldiers’ letters and diaries, bringing individual stories to life against the backdrop of industrial warfare that claimed millions of lives.

Those who prefer to remain in Ghent can explore the Castle of the Counts of Flanders, complete with its medieval torture devices, or join a walking tour of this beautifully preserved medieval city.

Today we visit one of history’s most decisive battlefields—Waterloo, where on 18 June 1815, the fate of Europe hung in the balance. Though predating the Anzac story, Waterloo remains crucial to understanding European military history and the rise of the nation-states that would clash a century later in the Great War.

Climb the Lion’s Mound for panoramic views across the battlefield, allowing us to understand Wellington’s defensive position and Napoleon’s repeated attacks. Visit the Wellington Museum in his former headquarters, where we’ll examine the decisions made during that fateful night before the battle.

At Hougoumont Farm, explore the château that became a fortress, its walls still bearing the scars of battle. The fighting here drew in French reserves that Napoleon desperately needed elsewhere. We’ll also visit La Haye Sainte farmhouse, whose capture late in the day nearly gave Napoleon his victory.

The new Waterloo Memorial Museum offers an immersive experience with innovative displays and a spectacular 3D film that puts you in the centre of the battle. Throughout our visit, I’ll explain the tactics, analyse the key decisions and share the human stories that bring this epic confrontation to life.

This week marks the anniversary of Operation Market Garden, and we will commemorate it on the battlefields where it was fought. On this day in 1944, the battle was reaching its crisis point as British and US paratroopers fought desperately to hold the bridges they had captured.

From Antwerp, we travel to Eindhoven, the first major objective captured by the American 101st Airborne Division—the “Screaming Eagles” featured in Band of Brothers. Visit the Airborne Museum, which tells the story of the liberation through personal accounts and artefacts.

Explore “Hell’s Highway,” the crucial supply route that had to be kept open despite constant German attacks. We’ll visit the sites of fierce battles fought by Easy Company and other units of the 101st Airborne to keep this lifeline open.

At the Eindhoven War Cemetery, pay respects to the Allied soldiers who fell during the operation. I’ll share accounts from veterans who survived these battles, providing intimate insights into the courage required to jump into enemy territory with only what you could carry.

Return to Antwerp for dinner on board our ship. Today we’ll discuss how this vital port city, captured just weeks before Market Garden, was essential to Allied supply lines but couldn’t be used while the Germans still controlled the Scheldt Estuary.

On this anniversary of the final day of Market Garden, we visit Arnhem, where the operation met its tragic end. This is where the British 1st Airborne Division fought one of the most heroic actions of the war, holding out for nine days instead of the planned two.

Begin at the Airborne Museum at Oosterbeek, housed in the former Hotel Hartenstein which served as British headquarters during the battle. The museum’s outstanding exhibits include personal effects, weapons and the actual rooms where commanders made desperate decisions as the perimeter shrank.

Visit the John Frost Bridge (formerly Arnhem Road Bridge), the famous ‘Bridge Too Far’ that was the ultimate objective of Market Garden. Standing on the bridge, I’ll describe the heroic stand of Lieutenant Colonel John Frost’s 2nd Battalion, who held the north end against overwhelming German forces.

At Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, pay respects to the 1759 Commonwealth soldiers buried here, most from the airborne division. The inscription on the cemetery Cross of Sacrifice reads: “Their Name Liveth For Evermore”—a fitting tribute to their sacrifice.

We’ll also explore ‘The Island’, the stretch of land between Arnhem and Nijmegen made famous in Band of Brothers, where Easy Company and other American units held the front line for two months after Market Garden failed.

Those preferring to explore locally can discover Dordrecht, Holland’s oldest city, established in 1220, on a walking tour, or visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kinderdijk with its remarkable concentration of 18th-century windmills.

Our journey concludes where it began, in Amsterdam. After breakfast, disembark and bid farewell to your fellow travellers. You leave with a deeper understanding of three pivotal conflicts that shaped modern Europe, from Napoleon’s final defeat through the mud of Flanders to the heroic failure of Market Garden.

Thank you for joining me on this personal exploration of the battlefields I’ve studied and guided for decades. The stories of courage and sacrifice we’ve shared—from Wellington’s steadfast defensive lines to Anzac determination in the Ypres Salient to the extraordinary bravery of Allied paratroopers—remind us that freedom has always come at a price, paid by ordinary people who rose to meet extraordinary circumstances.

Take with you not just memories of battlefields visited, but an understanding of how these events shaped our world and continue to resonate today. Until we meet again on another battlefield, lest we forget.