Ámsterdam a Brujas

The Magnifique 11 promised luxury, and they most certainly delivered every step of the way! The welcome from the captain, chef, tour guides and assistants was outstanding. They established a comraderie among the guests who were sharing the experience. Our rooms were immaculate, the food tasty and beautifully presented, fantastic 24hour coffee machine too. The first two days of biking were brutal with the head winds, but getting an e-bike was a saver, one I would recommend, even as a seasoned biker! We’ve come home with new friendships - so how rich is that! Thank you so much for another grand experience tripsite! (My 4th)

We had a wonderful time on our trip. The Boat ,room, staff, and meals were excellent. All the staff work very hard to make sure all have a great trip.
One thing I would recommend to others is to bring light rain gear and gloves for riding

The people on board. And the food. Stella was great, too. I liked the open windows in the upstairs rooms. Also, coffee or cappuccino, espresso 24/7.

The overall organised week-the daily presentation of our next days excursions. On top of biking through beautiful routes , we also benefited from nightly activities and presentations of local cultural products such as chocolaterie,beer and cuisine.
The warm and welcoming reception of the whole crew, especially our two experienced and knowledgeable guides : Peter Van Avermaet & Tom Stout ,their camaraderie and sense of humor made the whole group feel at ease !
The chef was very accommodating as I had requested a gluten and lactose free diet. Many thanks !!!
Tips - In order to fully enjoy this wonderful adventure ,when booking a Bike & Barge ,you should be ready ,comfortable and expecting to be biking !!!!

Excellent staff, from the Captain on down through the chef, support personnel and the two knowledgeable tour guides on the very comfortable and well appointed Magnifique 11.

Tip: the pendulum has swung strongly towards the use of E bikes on this tour. Suggest you put the miles in ahead of time, if you plan to go with a hybrid bike so as to comfortably keep up with the e bikers.

The quality of the boat's amenities, the cuisine and the areas travelled through were exceptional.
My last bike and barge was more than a decade ago. Since then the growth of e-bikes has accelerated. On this tour, 24 of 34 riders were using e-bikes. I'm not convinced that mixing e-bikes and regular bikes is viable.

The whole trip was amazing!! But the one thing that sticks out is when we we stopped at the Canadian war cemetery…. And after touring around… Peter our guide stood proud in front of us and read the Poem “Flanders Field”. It brought tears to most of eyes.
Tips& suggestions… please make sure you know how to ride a bike! Being a bike tour… this is very important, as our tour guides did have to make the decision to have one couple stay back as they were not confident on the bikes. It is an easy ride but we did ride in towns and over cobble stone road ways. But they had to make that decision for the safety for them and others and I know it was a hard decision, but for that we thank them.

The whole trip was memorable and the guides made it even more special. They was so funny and very informative. Always wanting to help you if you needed it and always so approachable.

The tour guides, the boat captain, the chef and the kitchen manager were all extremely friendly and helpful. They made the trip a pleasure. My only suggestion is for the tour guides to pay attention to rush hour bicycle travel times and not have out group on the road in and around cities during rush hour.

All of it was memorable- cycling by farms and canals, how old the towns are, and how beautiful the cathedral of Ghent is inside, Bruge at night…

Good trails, good food and the app “Ride with gps” was the best.
The bikes were good, seats comfortable.
The bar on the ship had reasonable prices.
The Fluvius boat needed updating. The room smelt musty and the air conditioning didn’t always work.
The first day something made us late so we were given our bikes at dusk to try them out and get adjustments made. Not enough time before it was dark.
It was pretty bad to run out of water numerous times.
The ice machine didn’t work so occasionally they bought ice.
The staff turn over was incredible. None of the staff seemed to be with the company very long.
The guides were excellent. We did self guided and we think that had GPS on us as everytime when we weren’t sure which way to go a guide would show up and help us out. The app was very good to tell you when you were off course.
This was my first bike and barge trip so I can’t compare it to another.

It was a amazing trip, the crew of Liza Marleen was a great crew. The guide for our trip (Sietse) was the main reason that the trip was exceptional for us all as he was a very hard working member that tour with us all day and then led a tour each evening ashore. His knowledge of the Netherlands was very informative and entertaining. Each day he always had a plan of the day on where we were going and plans of what we would visit.

If you are looking to do a biking trip of the Netherlands, look no further than the Amsterdam to Brugge you will thoroughly enjoy the whole trip and have a wonderful time

Biking in the Netherlands is any cyclist's dream. There are numerous paths that are in excellent condition and well marked. Plan to bring layers to adjust to the climate. The few motorists in the countryside are respectful of cyclists which makes for safe and fun ride.

Our tour guides, Jeroen, Hilco and Linda did an excellent job. I loved the countryside riding.
I did not enjoy riding through the large cities to get to our destination. It is important that when the paths are narrow walking is necessary for safety.

Peaceful transit through canals and rivers.

The most memorable part of the trip for me was the interpretation the trip leaders gave of their culture. It felt very personal and caring. The food was very good and the onboard staff were excellent. The ship is sound but needs refurbishing. Be aware that the Dutch and Belgians make their beds with a bottom sheet and a duvet only. You may want to bring a top sheet and a wash cloth or two.

Really enjoyed the camaraderie with other participants & the captain & crew members & our tour guides. Some suggestions would be a few more stops to drink water & take photos on the rides. Also, the gluten free accommodations were very much appreciated.

Antwerp, Ghent and Brugge were our favourite towns/cities. The tour leaders were fun and informative and our experience on the boat - food, accommodation and relaxed atmosphere - was wonderful. Would recommend to anyone.

This is a beautiful and scenic ride, along canals, through farm lands, and picture perfect villages. This is flat ride for - those who do not like hills!
The Fluvius was a comfortable boat with a very friendly staff and excellent dinners.
Our tour guides were fun, efficient and always there when needed.

This was a great trip for our family of 5 with 3 teenagers. How great to have a vacation filled with activity that we could do together, meals made and planned for us, and time to relax together and meet new people! We also loved seeing so many great places in the Netherlands and Belgium.

Crew and meals were awesome. Would be great if they introduced everyone at the first meeting or meal. Also would be great if they had a signup sheet for emails to keep the group connected.

Riding through the beautiful countryside as well as riding through wonderful cities. Stopping for coffee or a drink at a local spot. Really getting to see the neighborhoods and towns of Holland and Belgium. In addition, getting to know the other people on the ship, which were from all over the world. The staff is excellent, the food was excellent, the trip exceeded my expectations. If you decide to do this trip, you will not be disappointed.

The whole experience was amazing!

Riding through the countryside and neighborhoods seeing how people lived & getting the history of areas we passed through. Most memorable would be the Windmills and learning the reason for being & their purpose.
Enjoyed the guides, Haans & Brian, they were informative and attentive to all our needs on the rides. The rides through the countryside were relaxing, interesting to see how the people lived as we rode through neighborhoods, visiting the Towns after our lunch & coffee breaks. The whole staff on the cruise were excellent. Chef Michael outdid himself with the meals every night. The servers, Marja & Meca were pleasant and looked after all our needs. And of course Captain Michael did an excellent job maneuvering the Canals and got us back safe & sound.

Muito Obrigado pelo passeio!!!
Superou todas as minhas expectativas, os guias ofereceram conhecimento e entretenimento e a equipe de bordo muito entusiasmada, a alimentação sensacional. E o tamanho do barco proporciona interação entre os passageiros.
Agradecemos a toda equipe do návio em especial ao Ronald, Steve e Jolene.
Luciana e Giovanni

Até Breve!!!

We enjoyed the immersive experience of biking through beautiful countryside, villages, and forests as the method of sightseeing - an activity that was entirely new to us.

What a wonderful trip! We found the biking very enjoyable- the scenery was BEAUTIFUL and the daily routes mostly flat. It was nice to stop after riding awhile for a beer/drink or snack while enjoying the sights and history of local villages. The Magnifique II had welcoming staff, nice accommodations, and great food. Would highly recommend this trip!!

The Barge, Crew and Captain were all so welcoming and accommodating. The Guides were knowledgeable and the biking was easy for all levels. The combination of guests was the magical part, we all blended extremely well which made the experience all the more Memorable.

Time spent in Bruges. Bruges is a beautiful small city.
Suggestions: More information for unguided bikers, e.g. places to stop, places of interest

The excellent mix of people on the boat from at least 8 different countries. Everyone was very friendly and interesting. We ate dinner with different people every night. A very fun group! My advice to other is to step outside of your own group and talk with your fellow travelers, the crew and the guides. Struggle through using your high school French or German. It's well worth it.

The food, crew, and guides were top-notch. It was our first barge trip. It was a very relaxing yet active way to explore historic cities and the roads and waterways connecting them.

The staff was absolutely tremendous. I have nothing but praise for them. The boat was very well appointed and meticulously maintained. Thank you all so much for fabulous trip and memories that will last a lifetime!

The boat and staff were amazing, really informative and couldn't have been more helpful. Boat and rooms were beautiful, food was amazing, cycling was easy if you are used to do any level of cycling but still varied and interesting with different options.

Our boat, crew, tour guides, food, accomodations and overall experience was exceptional. The Magnifique II is a great boat. The small size of the group and the alternative mileages each day with two guides allowed everyone to find a pace and distance that suited them. A gluten free meal plan was available for a small additional cost and for the most part was as good as gluten free food can be. Everything was run on time but without hurry.

The trip guides were great and the ship was very comfortable, with friendly and welcoming staff. We also loved the areas we visited. Beautiful countryside that we probably wouldn’t have seen any other way. Amsterdam was interesting, but be careful of all the bikes, which rule the streets. Bruges was smaller and older. We had a fun time.

We loved all of our trip! The barge was lovely, the food first class and the 2 guides were excellent. We enjoyed meeting new people, the relaxed atmosphere and our daily rides.

Daily countryside rides were wonderful. Our guide Marianne was great.
Suggestions- staff should wait until all courses are served and tables cleaned before eating. Waiting half an hour between servings not good and takes too long. Should make enough for seconds! Missed out on visit sites due to timing. Everything was closed by the time we were done with dinner. Notwithstanding the above, was a wonderful trip.

This was our 3rd. Bike and Boat trip and by far the best. The smaller boat experience on the Magnifique III was wonderful, it gave everyone on board an opportunity to meet each other and become friends. Our tour guides, Arnold and Marie-Jose, were excellent. Both gave informative narratives on various cities and local stops, Arnold's witty sense of humor added an extra touch of enjoyment. The entire crew; Captain Hank, Emily and others, whose names I cannot recall, were all above and beyond. Now for the meals, absolutely delicious! Every dinner was wonderful with a different flavor each day, his "presentation" of the meals was outstanding. We had a suite, which was comfortable and slightly larger than the standard rooms. I'm not sure if the extra $$$ was worth the cost of the suite, but having a sliding glass door that opened was a nice feature. We are planning next years vacation on the Metz to Cochem trip, which the Magnifique III will be featured. I would highly recommend spending an extra 2-3 days in Bruge at the end of your journey..................amazing city!

The staff and guide were wonderful. My only criticism is regarding the food: put out some snacks when returning to the barge after riding. One small bowl of chips for 22 people is insufficient. Secondly, the time from start to finish dinner talked too long ( 1 1/2 hours). While of course the staff must eat as well, they shouldn’t be eating after putting our plates down. Our dirty plates sit in front of us for 30 minutes while they eat. The food is very good though.

We had a great trip. The magnifique lll was a perfect boat and the crew was terrific. They all worked as a team to give us a good experience. Our bicycle guides, Corrie and Marie Jose were patient ant good humoured. They gave us choices and good length of rides. The bicycles were in good condition and easy to use. We enjoyed touring the countryside and the cities of Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges.The food was delicious onboard. I would definitely recommend this trip.

It was an active adventure where you got to see so much of the country not just the tourist attractions.

The barge route was very nice and the food was excellent.
The Fluvius is an old barge and had several maintenance issues including; no hot water for 3 days, electrical problems and other maintenance issues. In their defense, the captain did his best to make it up to us with reduced bar bills and a free canal ride.
Bettina was superb particularly since it was her first time on this tour. Tom seemed to want to be elsewhere. His communication issues were almost nonexistent and attitude gruff.
Ride with GPS was very good though those of us who chose self guided were pretty much on our own.
The patch kit provided did not include a wrench so fixing a flat would have been tough for a bike mechanic and impossible for any other.
We did have wonderful entertainment one evening. I would have loved more history as it is such an important part of these countries.
All in all, if the Fluvius had been in better shape and Tom not so gruff, it would have been a wonderful tour.