YES, THERE'S BLACK HISTORY HERE: AmaWaterway Soulful Experience – Best of Belgium & Holland
By Chilaeya Ezell-Adams
Culture Travels Magazine
Seven days sailing through the Netherlands and Belgium taught me that our stories live everywhere—if you know where to look.
"What was your favorite part?"
It's the question every traveler dreads after returning from a trip that changed them. How do you distill seven days of discovery, laughter, and belonging into a single moment?
I can't.
Not when "favorite" could mean cousin walks to the ship's frosted sundeck for deep conversations with strangers who became family. Or eating frites topped with stoofvleessaus (french fries with meat sauce and mayo) in the snow outside Frituur Number One in Antwerp. Or standing before Marilyn Nance's Spirit, Grace, Faith, Rage exhibit in Rotterdam, tears streaming as her images told stories I'd never heard.
The entire trip was my favorite part.
My husband Leroy and I spent New Year's ringing in 2026 aboard AmaWaterways' Soulful Experience—a seven-day luxury river cruise exploring the lesser-known Black history of the Netherlands and Belgium. What I thought would be a beautiful vacation became a pilgrimage. A reminder that Black history isn't confined to the places we expect. It's woven into the architecture of Amsterdam, the museums of Belgium, the very foundations of European prosperity.
"I didn't know there was any Black history in the Netherlands," my mother said when I told her about the trip.
I responded with what became my mantra for the week: "There's Black history everywhere."
The Soulful Experience: What You Need to Know
Before I take you on this journey, let me answer the practical questions.
Who is AmaWaterways?
Founded in 2002, AmaWaterways is a family-owned river cruise line with over 30 ships that function as "luxury hotels that move with you" through Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. The name comes from the Latin word "ama" (love), and it shows—from elegantly designed staterooms to daily wellness programs (fitness classes, guided bike rides, post-excursion stretching) to locally inspired cuisine at every meal.
We sailed aboard the AmaStella during the holidays. Stepping onto the ship felt like walking into a high-budget Christmas movie: a ceiling-high tree, a five-foot Santa, garland trailing the staircase railings, and glass centerpieces on every lounge table. No detail was missed.
AmaWaterways cruises range from seven to 14 nights with itineraries across continents. Beyond standard sailings, they offer themed experiences—Celebration of Music cruises, wine-focused journeys, even a partnership with Smithsonian Journeys. In AmaWaterways' own words: "There's an itinerary for every passion”.
What is the Soulful Experience?
Created by Jasmine Douse, Senior Director of National Accounts at AmaWaterways, the Soulful Experience is a series of river cruises designed to celebrate Black history and culture. Think: immersive excursions led by Black historians, diaspora-inspired cuisine (including a Juneteenth dinner by James Beard Award-winning Chef Alexander Smalls), and a ship full of Black travelers experiencing Europe through our lens.
How much does it cost?
Our seven-night Best of Belgium & Holland cruise started at $4,200 per person. AmaWaterways cruises range from seven to 14 nights across Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America, with prices starting under $5,000 per person—comparable to mid-tier ocean cruises but infinitely more intimate.
What's included?
All meals, excursions, Wi-Fi, and gratuities. We sailed on the AmaStella, which holds roughly 100 guests. From the moment we stepped aboard—greeted by a ceiling-high Christmas tree and five-foot Santa—we knew: no detail was missed.
When can you go?
Soulful Experience dates run through 2027. Popular itineraries include the Douro River (Portugal), the Mekong (Vietnam and Cambodia), and Egypt. Leroy and I are already planning our next trip.
Why AmaWaterways?
During the cruise, I spoke with Shariat Lynch, a travel advisor, whose response echoed what Black travelers have been demanding: intentional representation. "I looked at many luxury river cruise experiences to offer my clients, and AmaWaterways is the only one telling our stories and experiences," she said. "They've always shown up for us."
We Knucked, We Bucked: My Soulful Experience
First and foremost, I was geeked about being in Europe during the holiday season. It was my first time truly visiting Europe, and Amsterdam had been firmly planted on my bucket list since a four-hour layover at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol a few years prior. It was also the first time either Leroy or I had taken a river cruise. Add on the fact that we would be ringing in the New Year on said cruise—a seven-day luxury experience promising discovery of the lesser-known Black and African past of cities like Amsterdam, Utrecht, and Tervuren, woven into the exploration of historic castles, dams, and bustling city centers in Zierikzee, Ghent, and Antwerp—oh, I was beyond geeked.
Prior to our trip, I had some awareness of Dutch colonization within Africa and the Caribbean. After all, a copy of King Leopold's Ghost sits on the main bookshelf within our home, and I once spent about a week in Aruba celebrating a friend's birthday. Surrounded by Dutch influences, I learned the island—along with Bonaire and Curaçao—remains a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to this day. Admittedly though, like my mother, I too was unsure of what type of Black history and current culture would present itself within the Netherlands and Belgium during the trip. And since this was our first river cruise, I was uncertain of what the guest experience would be like on the ship itself.
Uncs, Aunties, and Cousins
One of the best things about traveling is the people you meet. Crew, other travelers, locals—you never know who you'll meet. Our Soulful Experience was a particular delight because in addition to the excellent crew aboard the AmaStella, the cruise was also co-chartered by actress Kim Fields and her Refresh by KF group. As a result, the guests were a diverse demographic with regards to age, socioeconomic status, and gender. The Refresh by KF itinerary was incorporated into the Soulful Experience, so in addition to excursions and standard ship-based activities, we also participated in Refresh by KF events—champagne yoga and sound healing. All of this, combined with the intimate guest size of roughly 100, culminated in us spending significant time with and getting to know our fellow guests.
There was the auntie in her mid-fifties, divorced after over 30 years of marriage, who on the trip created an Instagram page documenting her experience and sharing motivation. At any given time she could be found asking and answering questions into her camera phone, smiling, and genuinely enjoying life. I partnered up with an unc during a castle tour and alternated between roasting and encouraging one another as we walked up too many damn steps to count. I taught THE Carla Hall, Food Network royalty, how to do the Bikers Shuffle during one of the many nights we danced away. Us young folk (I use "young" loosely because while we were the youngest on the ship, I'm pretty sure all of us are in our mid-to-late thirties) performed the Negro spiritual "Knuck If You Buck" with the conviction of the ancestors—immediately turning what was supposed to be the last song of the night into the first song in a several-hour session of singing, dancing, and fellowship. It felt like a family reunion where the only barrier to entry was learning the names of the people to your left and right.
And the crew was equal parts professional and down. They danced with us, celebrated multiple birthdays by rapping 50 Cent's "In Da Club" and 2 Chainz's "Birthday Song", and exchanged stories about family life and home—all while providing top-notch customer service. An entire article could be dedicated to Flor and Crystal and Virgil and every other member of the crew who not only took phenomenal care of us but also embraced and celebrated Black culture with us every day.
The Ports and Excursions
Amsterdam: Black Heritage Canal Cruise
The Amsterdam Black Heritage Canal Cruise was the first excursion of the trip. In a covered boat, we traveled the canal past 17th-century merchant houses and countless bridges (including the famous Seven Bridges). The canal was lined with boathouses on either side; a mixture of commerce and residences graced the streets above. As we took in the visual harmony of old and new, our tour guide offered a unique perspective on the city's history—recounting impacts of colonial trade and contributions of the African diaspora which remain present in the current day.
A Black woman of Curaçao descent whose family migrated to Amsterdam when she was barely a toddler, our tour guide pointed out houses where enslaved people lived under the guise of being "servants." She drew our attention to racist sculptures of Black people, affixed high upon buildings—a conflicting reminder that the city's rich history is stained with the exploitation and denigration of people once seen as property and their owners who were celebrated because of it.
Utrecht: Hidden History Walking Tour
That afternoon, after a short cruise down the Rhine River to Utrecht (one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands), our second excursion was the Hidden History Walking Tour. As the cold evening quickly rolled in—emphasis on quickly because the sun set well before 5 p.m. every day—we walked through Utrecht's historic city center as Frank, our guide, pointed out government buildings, churches, and houses "exposing the layered histories and lasting legacies of slavery and resistance."
Though not Black himself, Frank shared stories of resistance and uprising with a level of care and compassion that I have rarely encountered with someone who didn't look like me. He was honest about the ease at which the Dutch have seemingly been able to distance themselves from the damage colonialism wrought throughout the African diaspora and the role it played in the prosperity of Europe. His curiosity for and commitment to telling the full story of Black people in the Netherlands resulted in an experience which easily made this one of my personal favorites. When I returned to my cabin aboard the ship, I reflected on the question Frank asked us after introducing himself: Who are you and why are you here?
Tervuren, Belgium: The Africa Museum
The answer to that question revealed itself a few days later during our trip to the Africa Museum in Tervuren, Belgium. As we approached the iron gate which surrounds the grounds, an installation of eight headless figures (composed of men, women, and children) with their hands in the air above where their heads would be appeared. My breath caught in my throat, tears welled up in my eyes, and a moment of regret arose as I realized this would be a heavy tour.
The installation, made in 2016 by Freddy Tsimba during his time as an artist-in-residence at the museum, pays tribute to the millions of refugees who are frisked, questioned, and often refused entry. This installation and the Africa Museum itself sit on grounds originally given to King Leopold II in 1897 as a tool of colonial propaganda, through which he celebrated his brutal colonization of Congo with an exhibition and human zoo of 267 Congolese, seven of whom died on the grounds. Once within the museum, our guide attempted to explain the process the museum undertook to transform the space from one which celebrated colonialism to one in which African stories could be reclaimed and told honestly.
If I'm honest, initially this fell flat. Perhaps the gravity of the space and its history felt too familiar to similar spaces at home here in the US. Perhaps with our current political climate of deceptive erasure, I had little grace to extend to anyone who wasn't as overcome with anger as I was. Whatever the reason, I had limited patience for our guide who admitted that while he was a historian, his expertise did not lie in Black history—and that lack of patience became a lack of grace which became a lack of appreciation for the time and genuine effort our guide made to lead us through what is truly a beautiful museum.
About halfway through I realized, this is one of the gifts of the Soulful Experience. It provides an avenue for us to discover the vastness that is Black history and culture, the world over, but it also challenges us to dissect our own perspectives.
I realized as a Black American woman I was projecting my expectation onto a European man, someone with a very different lived experience and heritage than myself, to feel what I felt—and it was hindering my ability to be open to learning from that person's perspective. I wasn't open to listening to his interpretation and understanding of history, quick to judge and assume based only on his lack of approaching the subject how I would. Being open to listening and learning does not equate to agreement nor acceptance; however, it is the only way to open the door for dialogue and the possibility that both parties can gain insight and, hopefully, be better for it.
Walking back through the museum with that shift in mindset reaffirmed who I was and why I was eager to be there. And because of that I was able to embrace the Africa Museum for what it was: acknowledgement of exploitation of Africa and her people, a celebration of African cultures and impact, and a reclamation of truth.
Beyond the Black History Excursions
In total I participated in eight excursions across the seven ports. We took a walking tour through the charming town of Zierikzee, where Leroy and I talked about US politics with a record shop owner and his wife while enjoying coffee and cookies (we purchased the dopest screen-print tees, including our matching Outkast shirts). I explored the medieval Gravensteen Castle in Ghent and had warm cherry wine in the Ukrainian Village in the center of Brussels.
And even as I explored areas which weren't explicitly tied to Black or African culture, I carried that lesson—I am a Black woman who is curious and compassionate; I am here to learn from history and the present.
What You Actually Want to Know
Are AmaWaterways luxury river cruises worth your hard-earned coins?
Absolutely. We sailed on the AmaStella, and her accommodations as well as staff lived up to the expectation of luxury. And while their ships, itineraries, and service are luxurious, many of their cruises boast mid-point pricing with several starting at less than $5,000 per person.
Sea cruise on a large ship or a river cruise on a smaller ship?
I think that depends largely on your personal preference. This was my first river cruise; however, I have previously gone on several ocean cruises (with Carnival and Princess). While ocean cruise lines certainly have their place, a river cruise is more intimate due to the small guest count and smoother sailing experience. I enjoyed getting to know the other guests and crew and was comforted by not having to navigate a ship that felt like a floating city.
Girl, how was the food?
Look, I was worried the food would be bland (I acknowledge my blatant biased ignorance)—though I had high hopes for our Juneteenth celebration dinner as it was curated by James Beard Award-winning Chef Alexander Smalls, which exceeded all of our expectations. Overall, the food was delicious and satiating. Breakfast and lunch were generally multi-course buffets, with formal five-course dinners each night. The dessert was also on point, and I personally enjoyed the broths and soups offered prior to the entrée. Much to my delight, there were snacks available daily in the lounge and a late-night bite option.
What should I pack?
That largely depends on what time of year and where you decide to cruise. We did the Europe cruise over winter, so naturally warm clothes, coats, and boots were in order. However, AmaWaterways cruises range from seven to 14 nights across Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America, offering different experiences during different seasons of the year. My recommendation? Determine which destinations and climates you're interested in and pay attention to AmaWaterways' packing recommendations, which they give you in your onboarding materials before the cruise. That said, comfortable walking shoes are always non-negotiable—castle tours and excursions involve many stairs. And bring at least one nice outfit for formal dinners.
Why does a Soulful Experience matter beyond typical tourism?
In a word—Us. Black stories are often overlooked or commodified, but a Soulful Experience cruise provides a space where culture, history, and identity are not just side notes but intentionally centered. Intentionally curated itineraries, which center community connection and shared heritage, allow travelers—Black or otherwise—to engage with meaningful narratives and experience cultural pride in environments designed for affirmation versus assimilation or dismissal.
Your Soulful Experience
Jasmine, whom I will lovingly refer to as Jazz henceforth and forevermore, deserves the best flowers in the largest bouquet for curating an experience that educates, celebrates, and embraces all that is Black. Every single moment of the Soulful Experience—from ship to crew to excursions to guests—was phenomenal. She did her BIG ONE on this, and I had a terrible time condensing everything down to this single article as leaving anything out would be a disservice to how full my spirit was upon completion of this trip.
So, are you ready to book? Dates are available through 2027—Leroy and I are already planning our next trip. Find the itinerary that is right for you at https://www.amawaterways.com/river-cruises/interests/soulful-experience#dec-27; maybe we'll see you there!
