Have you ever experienced a boating vacation in Belgium? A holiday on the water is incomparable to anything else… It is a very special experience, to which you will remember fondly for years to come.

You only have to unpack once, because your holiday accommodation cruises with you from place to place. You decide whether you want to experience the barging up close and literally watch Captain Maurits on his fingers in the large wheelhouse. Or you settle down on the sun deck with a drink and a good book and enjoy the ever-changing view. Or you opt for an active day of cycling: with a packed lunch and a mapped-out route, you cycle to the next place of accommodation…

Just about anything is possible! That is the big advantage of this small-scale cruiseship in Belgium!

The barge cruise takes you very close to interesting places. Belgium is surprisingly beautiful seen from the water.

You travel with your own company of max. 8 guests. Or you book 1 cabin and meet the other (international) guests on board.

Feel free to choose how long your cruise should last and which route you prefer!

Read more about the many different routes…

This video gives you a short introduction to the leisure ship De 4 Vaargetijden and its crew.

Best wishes from Olga & Maurits and big paw from Noty

The year 2023 is coming to an end and the new year is already eagerly awaiting. It’s high time for a new end-of-year video with, of course, our best wishes.

Because 2024 is a very special year for us, this video is also different from the usual.

Yes, of course there is also a gift for you. You will love it!

Want to watch the video with subtitles? Then turn them on via CC at the bottom of the playbar!

Plenty of room on our terrace!

… small-scaled and safe on a journey with our hotel ship!

Are you looking for a nice vacation after this long lock down period that is surprisingly different, but also:

• close to home and yet a completely different world
• a large terrace, with shade or sun as desired,
• a spacious wheelhouse with comfortable seats and plenty of ventilation
• only 8 guests or less around you
• a ship 30m long and 5m wide and also 2 floors… That’s a lot of space!
• cycling or walking à volonté… Long live freedom and tranquillity!
• a room with its own sanitary facilities and a large french window
• safe meals offered to the highest standards

Now you have found all that and much more…

Welcome to an enjoyable boating vacation, a special cruise experience!

The barge “De 4 Vaargetijden” started its career in 1924 as a barge for freight. For more than 50 years it was used mainly for transporting sand and gravel. Taking 184 tons of freight per trip, the ship’s owning family earned good money. Since 1998: after complete renovation, main purpose of the ship is to carry passengers. →

See here the different barge tours, with the descriptions an travel schedules of the different cruises and google maps of the voyages.

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Why book a barge cruise in Belgium?
The biggest advantage of a boat journey is that you only have to unpack once. Your cabin sails with you day after day!
And why exactly in Belgium?
We sail about 60 km per day. Belgium has so much variation within a short distance that every day seems like a new country…
Belgium is situated in the heart of Europe. There is a centuries-old tradition of trade. For the transport of both goods and passengers, water transport was the most comfortable option. Around these rivers and canals, the historical cultural cities arose.
Nowadays, we sail almost right into the city centre of Lier, Ghent and Bruges or the Walloon pearls Tournai, Namur & Liège. You can walk straight to the sights! Tired of walking, then the hotel ship De 4 Vaargetijden is nearby to take a breather…
Belgium has a lot of ribbon development along the streets. Our guests, both from Belgium and abroad, are always surprised how green the landscape is along the waterways. During the cruise, there is a nice mix of tranquillity and greenery with the, for many guests, unfamiliar activity of shipping, bridges and locks.
The Belgian chefs have also looked beyond borders and combined the best of their neighbours’ performances: “the quality of France, the quantity of Germany for the price of the Netherlands”… So, expect “ship’s food” from the Belgian kitchen with a surprising twist from your chef Olga.