Merlijn

  Merlijn Würzburg to Nuremberg
Germany

One of the guests arrived on the barge not well. Instead of isolating himself in his cabin until he was better and or testing himself for covid he carried on. Within a few days a number of guests came down with covid.Even though the captain suggested covid is just like having a cold a number of guests were very sick , were unable to cycle, and obviously had a horrible time.

  Merlijn Nuremberg to Passau
Germany

Our trip began in Passau which is a beautiful, scenic town in Bavaria. We were greeted on the Merlijn by the owners, Coen and Christina and our guide, Ilsa. They offered to take our suitcases to our cabins for us. I was immediately impressed. The food was excellent, and Christina made delicious sack lunches for us each day for the ride. I can’t emphasize enough how gracious they were and how well they took care of us. Additionally, the rides were through scenic towns and the quiet countryside, where Ilsa gave us brief descriptions of the towns and the areas of interest in each place. She was a terrific guide. I felt reluctant to get off the ship in Nuremberg because I enjoyed this trip so much that I would do it again in an instant. I highly recommend this trip.

  Merlijn Nuremberg to Passau
Germany

I really liked the bicycle riding. The scenery was beautiful and it's a great way to see the German countryside. Our guide Ilsa was fantastic and the crew of the Merlijn was first rate. The chef on the boat prepared tasty cuisine for us every night.

  Merlijn Nuremberg to Passau
Germany

I really liked the bicycle riding. The scenery was beautiful and it's a great way to see the German countryside. Our guide Ilsa was fantastic and the crew of the Merlijn was first rate. The chef on the boat prepared tasty cuisine for us every night.

  Merlijn Nuremberg to Passau
Germany

This tour was fantastic! To start off, you are on the most beautiful ship out there - the Merlijn. This ship is pure luxury! Also, the crew and owners are the best out there. Ilse, the guide was just awesome. She is full of energy and so much knowledge. I learned so much from her about the area we were biking in and sailing in. Don’t hesitate, book now for 2024 on the Merlijn. You won’t be sorry.

  Merlijn Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
Austria, Germany

The scenery along the Danube River was just spectacular. The little villages along the way were so beautiful to photograph. Traveling on the Merlijn is like being in a 5 star hotel. The ship is just beautiful and the food is downright amazing and delicious. The crew members are like your family. Love the Merlijn!

  Merlijn Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
Austria, Germany

Biking thru the small villages of Austria, enjoying their beautiful, clean lifestyle and the magnificent Danube was memorable. Our guide was quite capable and knowledgeable adding to the experience. Would recommend this trip highly!

  Merlijn Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
Austria, Germany

The crew and our guide were very friendly and knowledgeable. We had a great time biking through beautiful countryside and learned alot about local culture and history. The food was great.

  Merlijn Berlin to Wolfsburg
Germany

The Berlin to Wolfsburg was an amazing experience. This was my second trip on the wonderful boat, Merlijn and it won't be my last. We already have one booked for next year! The pedaling was fun and easy and the historical sites fascinating with a great guide. I highly recommend this trip!

  Merlijn Saarburg to Mainz
Germany

  Merlijn Cologne to Saarburg
Germany

The Merlijn is a fantastic ship. Great to be escorted by the owners themselves. Cabins were perfect and the small size ideal.

  Merlijn Berlin to Wolfsburg
Germany

This was my second trip with the Merlijn and I will travel with them again in the future. The staff made our our living conditions on board very comfortable, the food is always amazing and the biking was outstanding. We had a family emergency which they handled professionally and efficiently. The friendly relaxed atmosphere that this boat/barge provides in a small group setting is exactly what we look for.

  Merlijn Berlin to Wolfsburg
Germany

Lovely biking holiday! So enjoyed the bits of history as we biked through German villages and towns. The The boat was delightful, food delicious, and the hosts went out of their way to ensure a wonderful time.

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Netherlands, Belgium

Walking through the Keukenhof Gardens and seeing the blooming fields of tulips, and smelling the fragrant fields of hyacinths as we were riding was amazing, especially as the pouring rain held off until almost the end of the day! But walking around Ghent, and Bruges were equally delightful, if for a different reason. Of course the fabulous meals Christina prepared for us on the Merlijn were memorable. For future riders on this trip, know that the tulip experience is only one day of the entire trip so that you aren’t terribly disappointed, and be sure to have rain gear at that time of year!!

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Netherlands, Belgium

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Netherlands, Belgium

enjoying the beautiful countryside on bikes with friends .

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Netherlands, Belgium

I cannot say enough great things about our trip from Brugge to Amsterdam! The Captain and Crew of the Merlijn were awesome, and our intrepid tour guide, Francien was great!
What a wonderful way to experience Belgium and the Nederlands; riding through the countryside, towns, polders, and along the canals on every manner of bike path.
We were spoiled by the food provided by Christina; a delicious breakfast buffet, tasty sandwiches in our packed lunches for the ride, and gourmet meals for dinner with a little bit of history about the dishes.
Our cabin was comfortable and cozy, and the dining room and lounge were always adorned with fresh flowers.
If you want to experience travel in a unique way, then this is the way to go:)

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Netherlands, Belgium

The cycling was the highlight of the trip for us, we thoroughly enjoyed the pace and travel through small towns and villages along the way. Of course the tulips fields are also quite a sight! Although the weather did not always cooperate - we like the motto “there is no bad weather - only poor clothing choices”. Be prepared.

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Netherlands, Belgium

It was all perfect, a great experience and the Captain along with his wife and crew were superb

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Netherlands, Belgium

The Keukenhof gardens were spectacular. The food was also far above expectations.

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Netherlands, Belgium

Seeing fields of tulips and hyacinths in full bloom and in full fragrance was amazing as was the Keukenhof Gardens. Disappointingly, however, was that tulips were only one day of the entire trip. Ghent and Bruges were also definite highlights. The cuisine presented by Christina each evening on board the Merlijn was gourmet and delicious. Our guide was excellent and very knowledgeable. We were very pleased to have many layers of clothing as we had days of rain, wind, and or cold temps. A few mornings it was only 4C when we started out but did get up to 10C. Although the countryside is flat for easy riding, there were many bridges to cross requiring some decent hill climbing to get up and over! Belgium however was all flat and the much easier portion of the trip. Another tip to keep in mind is that the third week in the Netherlands is a school holiday as it is the King’s birthday. The KG was packed with people.

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Netherlands, Belgium

Coan & Christina own and operate the 50 meter 1930 converted cargo ship Merlijn along with a crew of 3 and a bike guide. The attention to detail , ,new equipment and bikes. The difference is other tour vessels are owned by larger companies and hire a captain a crew with older bikes.
Our guide Francien was very good, had 20 years experience and took us places that you would not see on a self guided tour. In the evenings after our on board gourmet dinner she would take who wanted to go on a tour of the city or town.
The scenery was amazing and a boat canal side tour in Gent was arranged. Our groups average was between 55 and 73 and everyone was able able to keep up a good pass on regular and e bikes.
We will be taking another tour they offer in Germany next year

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - 7 day
Netherlands

The bike rides and the food.

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - 7 day
Netherlands

The scenery was beautiful! The people that we biked with were great companions for the week!

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - 7 day
Netherlands

Fabulous guide, beautiful bike rides, wonderful food on the boat, great boat crew, fun group of travelers....overall it was a fantastic experience!

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - 7 day
Netherlands

My immediate response would be the expert cycling guide (Tamara), who insured we were 1) safe and knew the cycling etiquette in the Netherlands, 2) took the time to stop and educate us at special points of interest and 3) invited any passengers to accompany her on after dinner walks through the towns the barge overnighted at. Equally memorable were the gourmet meals prepared by Christina and her team. Each night she would announce dinner at 6:30 pm sharp and begin her detailed yet brief explanation of what we were about to savour that evening.

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - 7 day
Netherlands

This was my first barge trip. Everyone on the trip who had been on other barges informed me that I had started at the top! The crew was amazing and provide first class service. The chef is the captain's wife and cooked us 5 star meals. The lunch she packed for the bike trips was wonderful each day. She accommodated the gluten-free passengers. Our tour guide, Tamy was knowledgeable and friendly. I learned so much about the cities where we docked and the countryside where we rode. This was my first bike trip and the description was accurate. The ride was flat and easy which made looking around at everything pleasurable. I loved that there were only 24 passengers on the boat. I got to know them all and enjoy their company at meals and during the rides. Since this was the first tulip tour of the season, the tulips were not yet blooming in the fields. However, there were many other flowers blooming to see on our ride. We saw many many tulips and other flowers at the Keukenhof where we spent several hours. I am looking forward to traveling on the Merlijn again in the future!

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - 7 day
Netherlands

Was the wonderful guide and the beautiful scenery we encountered every day. Peaceful countryside.The boat was top notch and the hosts went out of their way to make things nice . Food was well presented with lovely courses. I would recommend this tour to others.

  Merlijn Mainz to Merzig
Germany

This was our first Bike & Barge, but it won't be our last! The whole trip was fabulous, the biking, the crew, the food, the other passengers and Tripsite for organizing it all!

  Merlijn Berlin to Malchin
Germany, Poland

Riding the trails through the beautiful forests!

  Merlijn Mainz to Merzig
Germany

Biking with family, romantic views from the river, the friendliness of the boat puppy and crew, wonderful dinner , and the stadt tours

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Netherlands, Belgium

The staff on the Merjlin were fantastic
The bike seats were a bit uncomfortable but overall the trip was great. The tour guides were were great unfortunately they did not explain the route prior each day

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Netherlands, Belgium

Outstanding trip. The Merlijn is a first class ship. The owners and the crew were just out of this world accommodating. The food was delicious, maybe too delicious. My bike was fantastic. Can’t say enough good things about the ship and the people that own it. Liked it so much, I’m going back on it for three weeks next year in Germany.

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Netherlands, Belgium

The Merlijn and their staff were excellent! The food was fabulous too! The only reason I am giving this trip a 4 out of 5 stars is the tulips were on somewhat dying on May 11th. We booked this trip in 2019 for April 2020 and then COVID took over all of our lives. Then we rebooked for 2021 and had to change 1 week later. Then 2021 was still not safe to travel so when booking again for 2022, we had to switch to start May 3 in Bruges with the tulip part at the end of the trip. I loved Bruges and thoroughly enjoyed biking in Belgium. I developed a cough so unfortunately I missed a lot of biking in The Netherlands. But I did enjoy the river views while on the boat and got to experience locks also. When cruising into Rotterdam, I saw one of the super yacht builders' ship yard (Oceanco) and that was exciting for me as we sell to the super yachts.

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Netherlands, Belgium

Great meals, excellent organization.
More substantial lunches would be good.
The tulips were finished by the time we got to the fields. I don’t think the May 2 trip should be advertised as a tulip tour.

  Merlijn Berlin to Malchin
Germany, Poland

  Merlijn Berlin to Malchin
Germany, Poland

Going to Poland. This trip was too rural and remote. Very few stops and few points of interest. Mainly dirt paths or cobblestone paths that were very difficult to ride a bike on. The farm fields we drove our bikes through were awful, some were full of holes and quite dangerous. I do not recommend this trip for those who have back and neck problems or those who never have rode a mountain bike.

  Merlijn Nuremberg to Passau
Germany

The boat was awesome and the crew was outstanding. We didn’t bike two days because of the weather and we wanted to see Nuremberg.

  Merlijn Nuremberg to Passau
Germany

The entire trip was a trip of a lifetime! We booked the entire barge and took a large group of friends. Everything, from the ship, to the staff, to the food, and to the incredible bike scenery was just fantastic. There was absolutely nothing that could have been better.

  Merlijn Nuremberg to Passau
Germany

The beautiful views from the boat and from the bike trail, the amazing food, the knowledge of all the crew. Definitely would consider this type of trip again earlier in the year.

  Merlijn Nuremberg to Passau
Germany

very organized and well run - nice breakfast every day, great dinners - best was the individually packed lunches for the bike trips (it's the little things)

  Merlijn Nuremberg to Passau
Germany

The journey was more than expected. The vessel, the food, and the friendship extended far exceeded my wildest dreams. This trip will go down as a lifetime memory that will be hard to exceed.

The good Captain, his wife, and their crew will always hold a special place in our hearts.

  Merlijn Nuremberg to Passau
Germany

Such a fun way to see Germany, by bike and boat! Loved the Merlin and its' crew. Everybody was so nice and helpful.

  Merlijn Würzburg to Nuremberg
Germany

All was wonderful: the barge, the crew, the food, and the guide - the biking, the beauty that surrounded us every day along the bike trails/paths, exploring the small towns, and the feeling of fulfillment at the end of each daily ride.
It is a must do trip!!

  Merlijn Nuremberg to Passau
Germany

Riding through beautiful countryside and picturesque towns. Guide was informative about Bavarian history.

  Merlijn Cologne to Saarburg
Germany

This trip is mostly between towns and villages each day, but with the opportunity to "bookend" the cycling with visits to a number of famous large cities in the area. I stayed several days in Cologne first, and in Strasbourg and Frankfurt at the end. All are easily reachable by high speed train. On the cycle trip, I particularly enjoyed the portion out of Koblenz where we cycled right through the vineyards on the hillside slopes rather than right along the river.

This was my fifth cycle trip and by far the most luxurious boat, the Merlijn. Summer temperatures were HOT but somehow the paths along the meandering Mosel were often in the shade. One unpredictable factor for any trip is the quality of the guide. Lia was top notch. As were the bikes. And the food.

Helpful hints... I choose my trips according to what discounts are offered, as every tour has something worthwhile on offer. Germany is a beer drinking country, and I found non alcohol beer available everywhere.

  Merlijn Cologne to Saarburg
Germany

The Moselle is a storybook beautiful valley with vineyards sloping up the river valleys and quaint towns along the way with castles on the hills. I couldn't ask for a more beautiful location. The Merlijn crew were amazing; the food was wonderful and our tour guide Leia made the trip enjoyable and informative. I really appreciated they took us to visit Berg Elze, I loved the castle. All around, this was a fabulous vacation that I would recommend to anyone who knows how to bike!

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Netherlands, Belgium

The attentiveness of Christina and Koen and all the rest of the staff on the boat. The only comment i have is that with 24 riders and quite a varying degree of riding abilities, I think two guides and divide the group into two would have been better.

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Netherlands, Belgium

The Merlijn, the captain, chef, crew and guides were absolutely fantastic - our third bike and barge with Tripsite and by far the best. The most memorable part for us was riding into Ghent where we lived 15 years ago as a family for a year - spent the afternoon with the group showing off our home away from home.

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - 7 day
Netherlands

Trying to identify the most memorable part of my trip Is really quite difficult. Initially, I thought seeing the tulips in Kuekenhof was the best. The colors were so vibrant that it was like a sensory overload. Thankfully, there are some things you can't un-see. However, bicycle riding for a week through bucolic settings, windmills, and picturesque Dutch cities was also most memorable. Finally, the time I spent on the Merlijn can't really be relegated to second place. The ship was lovely and clean. The captain and crew were warm and hospitable. The meals were expertly prepared and presented. Ultimately, the time I shared with the other 20 passengers was unforgettable. Yes, I have failed dismally to single out a single most memorable part of a fantastic trip.