Summer sailing holiday on a three-masted schooner

Zeil zetten op een driemaster
Departure
16 August 2026 20:00
Return
23 August 2026 15:00
Days
8
Sailing area
Wadden Sea, IJsselmeer
Port of departure
Stavoren (NL)
Port of arrival
Stavoren (NL)

Welcome aboard this three-masted ship

Welcome to the Nil Desperandum. On this trip, you have the opportunity to explore the Dutch Wadden Sea on this more than 100-year-old traditional sailing ship. Here, you will experience the elements as in almost no other area. The tides and currents constantly challenge us to set the right course. An active sailing trip is guaranteed every day. Experience the mudflats while sailing on the Nil Desperandum and then explore the islands by bike or on foot. The perfect mix to get to know this unique area from different perspectives!

UNESCO World Heritage Wadden Sea

The Wadden Sea was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2009. It is home to more than 10,000 rare plant and animal species. The area has five inhabited islands, some of which we will visit during this trip. The islands share the salty air, beautiful nature and their friendly inhabitants, yet each island has its own charm and special atmosphere:

The islands and their character

Texel – Rugged and authentic

Texel is still very much a true fishing island today, and the locals are proud to show it. In the immediate vicinity of the harbor, you’ll find many fish shops and smokehouses, a charming museum, and of course plenty of wool products from the world-famous Texel sheep. If you really want to explore this large island, you can rent a bike right from the harbor.

Vlieland – Peace and space

Vlieland, the smallest island, offers stunning nature. Here you’ll find peace and open space, beaches and dunes, a unique sky, and wide views over the North Sea and the Wadden Sea.

Terschelling – Lively and cozy

Terschelling is full of life! Every walk through the forests and dunes leads you back to the charming village. Cafés, bars, and restaurants line the streets, each with its own character. Simply cozy! Unfortunately, time always flies by…

Falling dry on the mudflats

Weather permitting, you can also fall dry with the Nil Desperandum. To do this, the ship is anchored on a sandbank after high tide. The water then flows away with the ebb until the ship finally lies dry on the seabed. You can then disembark and take a short walk across the mudflats. Don’t miss this unique experience!

Important: The exact route always depends on wind, weather and tides and is therefore not fixed in advance.

Nil Desperandum

Read more about this ship

Highlights

✔️ Active sailing on the Wadden Sea
✔️ Visit to the Wadden Islands
✔️ Falling dry on the mudflats possible

Frequently asked questions

We still handle your bookings personally and therefore do not have an automatic booking system. This way, we can enable you to reserve individual places for a few days without any obligation. This allows you, for example, to arrange your holiday without someone stealing your place from under your nose. For this reason, we cannot keep track of the exact number of free places on a daily basis. However, we regularly check the availability of our sailing holidays. Therefore, you can generally assume that plenty of free places are still available on all trips that are not marked as ‘fully booked’ or ‘Last Minute’. Call us or use our booking form if you want to know the exact number of places available.

If you are travelling alone and have not booked a private cabin, you will be accommodated in a shared cabin. The shared cabins are usually assigned based on gender.

Exceptions:

  • On the Belle Amie and the Seatrips yachts, there are sometimes mixed-gender cabins as well.
  • There are no shared cabins on the Sir Robert. Are you travelling alone? Then you should book a single cabin.

Yes, vegetarians and allergies/intolerances can be catered for on most ships. On some ships, the menu can also be adapted for vegans. However, there is only one menu per day on the programme. Therefore, please let us know during your booking if you have any special dietary requirements.

In principle, all our trips are suitable for both experienced and novice sailors. The professional crew on board will teach you everything you need to know. In some cases (e.g. on Atlantic crossings) initial sailing experience may be an advantage/requirement. In this case, this will be clearly indicated in the cruise description.

Prices

DescriptionPrice
2- or 4-person cabin
Adult€ 775 p.p.
Child
Single cabin
Adult€ 1.010 p.p.
Child
2- or 4-person cabin
Adult€ 16 p.p.
Child

Included in price

 Accommodation on board the Nil Desperandum
Fitted sheet and pillow with cover
Full board
Port charges and tourist tax
Engine hours
Insolvency insurance (VZR Garant guarantee fund)
Final cleaning

Not included in price

Travel to/from the port of departure
Duvet & towels
Drinks (available on board at fair prices)
Travel / cancellation insurance

Book this trip

Please use the following form if you have any questions about this trip or wish to book. You will receive a confirmation email that your booking request has been successfully received by us. We will then contact you as soon as possible with all the information. We usually respond within a few hours.

Group and trip details

Personal data