Family sailing in the Wadden Sea

05.04.2026 20:00 clock
Harlingen
10.04.2026 16:00 clock
Harlingen

Adventure, fresh air, new friends and endless things to discover: Flying a kite, playing pirate, setting sail, collecting shells or simply feeling the wind in your face – that’s exactly what you’ll experience on our family sailing trip in the Wadden Sea.

This vacation is ideal for families with children of all ages – grandparents, uncles and aunts are also welcome! Together with other families, you will sail through the Wadden Sea UNESCO World Heritage Site on a traditional tall ship. You don’t need any sailing experience – just a desire for the sea and shared experiences.

Your adventure starts in the port of Harlingen. On Sunday evening, you will board the ship, move into your cabin and get to know the crew and fellow passengers. After breakfast on Monday, it’s time to cast off! The course depends on the wind and tides – perhaps to Terschelling or Vlieland.

If you like, you can actively help with setting the sails or steering. Children discover the ship, play or relax in the jib net. After a day at sea, you can explore the islands: take a walk on the beach, collect shells or stroll through the small stores. In the evening, you can enjoy a freshly prepared meal on board and round off the day in comfort.

A special highlight: falling dry on a sandbank. When the tide comes in, the ship lies in the middle of the mudflats – and you can walk barefoot across the seabed. Shells, crabs, silence and vastness – a real nature adventure!

You enjoy full board with freshly cooked meals, water, tea, coffee and milk included. Other drinks are available cheaply on board. You are welcome to help with cooking or washing up – sailing is teamwork.

Your cabins are comfortably furnished and fully equipped with bed linen and towels. Showers and toilets are shared. There are books, games and space to sit together in the lounge.

Whether setting sail, playing on deck or watching the sunset – on this family sailing vacation in the Wadden Sea you will experience nature, community and freedom. Memories that last.

Included services: Full board, bed linen, final cleaning, harbor fees, tourist tax.
Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are available from the crew at the bar at fair prices for a fee.

Option Availability Price Quantity
Adult4675 €
Adolescent (13 - 16 years)4520 €
Child (0-12 years)4420 €
Single occupancy1925 €

Included services:

  • 5 nights on board
  • Full board
  • Coffee, tea, water
  • Port fees
  • Final cleaning
  • Bed linen
  • Towel set

Exclusive services:

  • other drinks (available on board at fair prices)

Worth knowing:

  • no sailing skills required
  • experienced & German-speaking crew
  • all ships are TÜV certified
The GROOTVORST was built in 1896 as a river clipper and served as a cargo ship until the 1930s. In 1985, she finally met the fate of many sailing ships: she was no longer profitable as a cargo ship. In the same year, the GROOTVORST was completely rebuilt and put into service as an exclusive passenger sailing ship. She was given three masts with a sail area of 520 m². The special feature of this sailing ship is its luxurious interior, which offers plenty of space for all types of groups on board. When they first step aboard the GROOTVORST, our guests always have the feeling that they are standing in a spacious vacation home and not on a tall ship. With four seating areas and a very large, directly connected kitchen, the day room offers the perfect opportunity for cooking, sitting together and socializing. The galley equipment leaves nothing to be desired: you will find a gastro stove, oven, warming cabinet, dishwasher and a beer dispenser. A large cold room turns the galley into a professional restaurant kitchen. From the day room and the deck of the ship, you can access an additional deckhouse, which is equipped with tables and benches for up to 30 people. This is a unique feature on this type of sailing ship. Outside, a seating area right by the companionways and many other places to linger on the middle and foredeck invite you to enjoy a day of sailing to the full. Skipper and owner Dominik started sailing at a very young age in a steel Optimist in the roadstead of Brest (FR). But he came to Harlingen to turn his passion into a profession. After sailing on various ships in the Wadden Sea, the Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean, he ended up as a sailor on the GROOTVORST in the summer of 2014. From 2015 he sailed as skipper on this three-masted clipper and since November 2022 Dominik and his wife Lisa have been the proud owners of the GROOTVORST.

Your

Ship

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05.04.2026 20:00 Clock
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19.05.2026 12:00 Clock
20.05.2026 12:00 Clock
Departure & Arrival
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11.08.2026 09:00 Clock
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Datum
11.08.2026 09:00 Clock
11.08.2026 20:00 Clock
Departure & Arrival
Harlingen
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Duration
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