History

Industrial herritage sails as classical luxurious cruise ship

Build in 1930 by shipyard Boot in Leiden, Netherlands and named 'de Adelaar' (Eagle)

It was one of the first freight ships with a build-in engine, the model name is 'luxe motor'. The ship has been sold a few times and changed names several times as well. The last years as a freighter it sailed with the name 'Frisica 2'.

The main transported cargo was sand & stones through the Netherlands & Germany.

 

A new future for this ship was designed in 2001 when the previous owners Henk & Jantien bought the freighter and coverted it into cruise ship Merlijn the magic of water. One of the most successful Bike & barge ships was born, many satisfied customers can confirm!

03 october 2025

I cant speak highly enough of the tour my sister and I did in Sept 2025! The ship was perfect, with well appointed staterooms and great public spaces. The meals were truly gourmet, including wine pairings and scrumptious desserts. The company, including the other guests and the staff, was delightful (many of us guests exchanged contact info). What made the tour, however, was the biking. The weather was challenging with lots of rain, but Captain Coen and our guide Thomas worked together to modify the routes, add stops, and make sure that we still got to enjoy ourselves. My calendar is marked for the release of the 2027 tours!