Tour de Tulipanes - 8 días

Nelleke’s cooking was super and really memorable.
What was also memorable but far from super was our guide.
Maybe I was spoilt by my 3 previous Tripsite Barge/Bike trips with really excellent guides.
The guide lacked any passion about his job. Many felt we were not looked after properly. Cycled up front and hardly ever looked back if we were behind. Half the party would be delayed at red traffic light and guide just carried on. Sometimes lost him as we could not see where he had turned off. Information always minimal and very sketchy.

This tour was very good. The crew and bike leaders were wonderful. The boat was comfortable.. The food was outstanding. I would recommend this tour.

Weather! Gale force winds, rain/hail and cold. Bring warm clothes and rain gear. Tulip fields were amazing.

Tulips. Would have been good to have had more time with tulips than an afternoon at Keukenoff. Maybe a visit to a tulip processor, or other gardens. After all, this was the "tulip" tour and we really only had one day of tulips.

You should alert your clients to the possibility of cold and rainy weather. Our guides did a good job of working around it, and I did have clothing to protect me, but it is an issue. Next to last day, we got into Zaandam too late to adequately visit the nearby attractions. Should have gotten there about two hours earlier.

Other than that, I think that all of the staff did an excellent job. Great food from Ellen; guides provided information and leadership. Boat was clean, spacious and comfortable.

This trip was magical! The crew on the boats are great, the guides were so much fun and I learned a lot. The Netherlands were beautiful ( flower overload)

Koehkenhoff was great as well as the guides. A small boat allowing for lots of personal attention

The trip was fantastic. It was often windy and the ebikes were helpful because different fitness levels could stay at the same pace. The rooms were small so pack light. You will need less than you think. I would do a trip like this again.

Biking through tulip fields and passing the canals. Suggestions…. Could use more hooks on the wall in our cabin to hang items when on the barge. It would have been great if our guide had a bit more knowledge about the history of the area.

Lifelong bucket list desire and was able to ride thru fields of Tulip Farms. The crew on the Barge was truly first class (food, hospitality, and cleanliness). The two guys were knowledgeable of the region (Thomas and Rikko). Always willing to help. Suggestions: separate bike groups by e-bike and non/pedal bikes. The pace was often difficult when mixing the two into relax and very relax. Pace sometime was pushed thru very windy conditions. Also, bottle cages on bikes would be helpful. Lastly, a few of the stops/villages were 'closed' by the time we reached at the end of the tour day. This was disappointing such as Altmaar. It is lovely to walk around a bit after all day cycling. The guides were open to more frequent stops of shorter duration. When pedaling a non ebike, it is often challenges to start riding after a long break. Overall, we would recommend to tour to others and look forward to joining another adventure/journey in the future.

The beauty of the countryside! The Fleur barge was very nice with ample space, the staff was warm and welcoming. Steffie was an amazing chef, absolutely delicious food. Our bike guides were fun, cautious with our safety and brought us to many interesting locations.

The tulips were of course the highlight of the trip. Not really much time in most of the towns to do a lot of exploration.

I would recommend getting an ebike even though terrain is level the strong winds make for harder biking than anticipated.

Cycling past tulip fields and visiting Keukenhof Gardens will leave a colourful memory for us, fulfilling a long awaited bucket list item. The barge and bikes were in excellent condition. The staff were lovely, going out of there way to be helpful. All meals were delicious, although in an effort to minimise waste, quantities were sometimes on the small side. Rides were enjoyable, although the wind made some feel longer than reality. The guides had excellent cornering and sweeping systems, which added to the fun and safety of the rides. We were fortunately prepared for variable weather, every day needing a different concoction of clothing. A thoroughly enjoyable week.

I would recommend this trip 100%. Everything about the experience was top notch. Our tour guides, Thomas and Rikko, were knowledgeable, kind and ALWAYS had safety of us "top of mind"! The food was excellent and the cabins and ship clean. All in all, a fantastic trip.

Overall, the trip was wonderful...I never had a huge desire to visit The Netherlands but we were invited to do this tour with friends and it was great. Having done the trip now, bicycling is by far the best way to see The Netherlands. We cycled through and visited smaller towns I would have probably never gone to or stopped at if I was driving a car. They were beautiful, each with something unique and different. The Dutch are very kind people.

Cycling through the Netherlands was wonderful! The tulips were spectacular, whether in gardens, fields, or pots along the route. Our local guides were friendly and genuine. The Magnifique I was spacious in the common areas and the crew helpful in every way. An ebike is great for battling the headwinds.

The Fleur staff was terrific and our guides Japke and Brian were great fun.

All of it!!! Loved bicycling through the beautiful countryside with the never ending flowers, water, green fields full of fowl of all kinds, beautiful historical homes and buildings, delicious food, windmills, cheese markets and the personal friendliness of the attentive and informative crew of the Zwaantje. Honestly, these people made us feel so welcome and were so accommodating to our needs. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and will return again to visit.

Our guide was wonderful. He was flexible and went out of his way to bring us to see things that were of interest to us. Also, the food was delicious and accommodating to special diets.

My highlights were the tulip fields, Keukenhof, the flower auction, and the functioning windmill. I also loved the camaraderie with staff and fellow travellers.

Some improvements:
The rating was easy but I think that pertains to the flatness of the path. biking between 30-65 kms per day wasn't easy with the wind conditions. Some clarification might be useful.

Also, some of the times and plans for the day were fluid and sometimes confusing. Still liked it an awful lot though.

When I read reviews of trips from former guests…I am always a little cautious about the use of hyperboles. However, I have to say that my expectations were far exceeded on this tour and it was thanks to the ship La Mar, the crew, Captain Marnik and especially the tour guides Michiel, Mijntje and Anne. They all worked amazingly well to create the best tour I have been on! I ended up selecting a comfort class level because that was what fit my timeline and availability but I have to say it was delightful and lacked nothing (Marnik your renovation looks great!). Cycling through the countryside and stopping in small towns and farms gives you a very different perspective of what a people and a country are about…and this trip delivered that…I have a new and wonderful impression of the Netherlands and all the wonderful people who live there. Thanks for an amazing adventure!!

Great tours, especially the cheese farm, and of course anything tulip related, and windmill tour. Beautiful boat, excellent bike rides.
Great guide.

Biking through the Netherlands was an unforgettable experience, particularly during the tulip season. The lush green farms, cows mooing, sheep bleating, birds singing and the people were so friendly. The sights we saw were incredible. Quo Vadis did not disappoint! The captain and crew aim to please and they did. Our tour guides were amazing. All set the bar high! The food was great, our rooms were small but cozy and very comfortable and the common area was relaxing. I highly recommend this trip! We can't wait for another trip!

The room on the boat was clean with enough room to get around, the shower had a lip to contain the water and there were hooks and a closet for clothing. The group size of
23 was good to get to know everyone. The cycling in Netherlands was amazing - there were special bicycle lanes everywhere and the scenery was beautiful. We paid extra for special diets and unlike on other bike and barge trips, this one was worth it!

Absolutely beautiful scenery-the best way to see this charming country is on a bike. The bike paths are very well maintained. I would suggest considering an e-bike. I did the first 4 days on a regular bike and this was fine. But after a day of rain and headwinds, I tried an e-bike-it was awesome! Our guides were great (Alice, Wolter and Timothy), were helpful, personable and really helped make the trip the incredible experience that it was. The food was fabulous-thanks to our amazing chef, Jules. Loved Reik (not sure of spelling of her name). Entire crew was great!

The staff and crew on the Iris did everything in their power to give us an enjoyable experience. It was obvious they all enjoyed their jobs and wanted us to share in that joy.

The barge and staff were fantastic! The meals were fabulous. The bicycle was much better than I anticipated. Overall it was a well organized trip. They kept us busy with biking and each night there was a walking tour. I highly recommend this trip and am planning another one on the same boat in the future.

The biking guides were personable, knowledgeable, well organized. The staff on board the Iris were top rate, helpful, interactive. The itinerary/biking paths followed/led were varied and quite interesting - loved biking through the villages and countryside. Most memorable: Keukenhof, biking past all the tulip fields, past the windmills, receiving tidbits of historical info from the guides.

The tours were very educational & informative. We only had 1 guide and he was pretty cranky & could be insulting to several of the ladies. To be honest the women were not prepared either.

Overall, a great trip. The crew and guides on the Iris were wonderful and helped to make the trip a memorable experience. Thought the tour itinerary was a great balance of Dutch culture, historic towns and places, canals, dikes and locks, windmills, and fields of flowers. Fun seeing the Netherlands on a bike. Chef was amazing and the Food was superb. Made good friends and enjoyed everyone on the bike tour. I would recommend this trip to anyone who wants to experience the beauty of springtime in Holland.

What a wonderful experience I had never been to Europe or out of the country, and it did not disappoint

The boat, crew, food were wonderful. It was apparent that a second cycling guide would have been an advantage as it was difficult for some riders to keep the pace.

Wonderful holiday. Barge is very clean spacious and the food is outstanding. Snacks were always available after a ride and the crew is extremely accommodating. Each day our bikes were ready and off the barge, our guide was knowledgeable of the history, area and always showed us some hidden gems. We were a very large group 23 riders, I think the guide could have used another guide for assistance. The scenery speaks for itself

The most memorable part of the trip was bicycling to see the tulip fields, the parade of flowers, and one of the largest flower auctions in the world.

Oh wow, what an awesome trip!! From the scenery and sights to the food on the Fleur, everything was wonderful! The staff on the boat was welcoming and took good care of us. Our guides, Patrick and Karin, were great fun and knowledgeable.

This was my 4th Tripsite tour and was by far the best. The Fleur was delightful: clean and beautifully decorated. The food prepared by the amazing chef, Steffie, was amazing. Each day she presented a culinary treat that was on par with the finest restaurants. Our guides, Karin and Patrick, were knowledgeable and fun. We cycled past small villages, pastures of sheep and cows, saw amazing birds, and charming canals. Of course, the tulips were gorgeous every way you turned. We became friends with the other passengers, and the camaraderie made the trip even more fun. If you take this tour, you will not be disappointed. Just be prepared for all types of weather conditions and cold temperatures. An ebike made the cycling against the wind manageable. The entire trip will be a lifetime memory for me.

Tulip exchange

It was a great time of year in the Netherlands. Caught the flower parade, 4-20 day, Kings day and the tulips in bloom!

The most memorable part of our trip was keukenhof gardens. It was amazing. We also liked Aalsmeer which was fascinating and the North Sea. The bike ride there was beautiful and different from any of the other biking we did. The neighborhoods and homes were beautiful as well as the forests we rode through. Then it was just a treat to be on a beach when we got there. Our week was cool windy and rainy at times. My best suggestion would be to have layers to dress in. The panniers for the bikes are very spacious to hold layers and jackets if you need to remove any. Gloves were very helpful as well as gators for our heads/necks. Another suggestion would be to be practiced up on your bikes in some crowded conditions as Amsterdam biking was brief but a little hairy. Use an Ebike if you’re out of shape. The wind was brutal.

We took this trip obviously for the tulips but what a pleasant surprise to have such an amazing crew and guide team. The meals were gourmet, the lunches amazing, snacks waiting on our return and a friendly face welcoming us back. The captain mingled with us when not driving the ship to its next location. And the guides..Wim and Brian did a fabulous job Wims knowledge is amazing. And then there were the little towns we biked through that we would have never seen any other way! A total experience that well exceeded my expectations! Bravo!

This trip exceeded our expectations. EVERYTHING was well done.... We would highly recommend....

This trip was amazing. The pre-planning info, the easy to follow arrival, and the overall organization made my first trip an enticement for future excursions. The crew iof the Iris and our guides were engaging and easily created a family-like experience. Every day was greeted with smiles and experiences which made all of us feel the excitement of the voyage. Thank you for the great memories!