3 Star Bike Tour Reviews — 1 to 30 of 186
Jorge T.
1 month ago
Verified Reviewer
Clair de Lune Strasbourg to Nancy
France
There were several memorable parts:
Both Strasbourg and Nancy are beautiful cities with a great deal of medieval charm; the Valley of the Locks with its dried abandoned channels and locks, and of course, the St Louis-Arzviller lock, where lock, water and boats are lifted (or lowered) 42 m, replacing 17 locks we saw abandoned; our boat, the Clair de Lune and its friendly and competent crew, the smallest barge we had ventured in till then, but that it showed us the efficiency of its cabin layouts to remove previous concerns about barge size to the point that we are booking another trip on a similar sized barge next year.
Charlene K.
1 month ago
Verified Reviewer
Harmonia Highlights of Dalmatia E-Bike & Boat
Croatia
The islands and the guides on the boat!
This is a moderate to difficult ride even with e bikes.
Laura H.
1 month ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
Reik welcoming and friendly nature & Omar's cooking.
I learned never to be on the last trip of the season, the exterior of the boat was kinda 'sad' looking.
Guides should actually know where they are going and put safety of riders at the top of their concern. Paul was so careless he was dangerous.
I don't think I would've gone on this trip if I would've known that I wasn't free to ride/stop when I wanted to or even provided the route information. I've been on several trips with Backroads and this did not measure up.
Tripsite staff • 1 month ago Tripsite Staff
Thank you so much for taking the time to write to us, we appreciate it immensely! This season was incredibly difficult for guides and crew, every week it seemed we had to find new personnel because folks were out with COVID. However, the safety and comfort of our guests should be paramount. I'm so sorry to hear about your experience with the guide, I have already inquired about his behavior and will ensure it is dealt with properly.
For nearly all our tours, we provide GPS tracks for independent cycling. However, there are a select few guided trips, such as aboard the Iris, which are still strictly group tours. I am sorry this wasn't to your liking, I do believe the Iris will eventually provide information for self-guided riding but until then, we have other boats offering this service. I hope you were still able to enjoy other aspects of the trip, despite these issues
Judith L.
1 month ago
Verified Reviewer
Ave Maria Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
Dinners on the boat. The pace of biking was not to my liking. Not enough time for pictures. I felt pressured to keep up with the group. Planned stops were longer than needed. Would have liked a slower pace with more, shorter stops. Many of the roads were rough, and roads through cities were scary with traffic.
Appreciated that all on the trip were from USA. Trip leaders and crew were very nice.
Tripsite Staff • 4 weeks ago Tripsite Staff
Thank you so much for your comments. I'm so sorry that you didn't find this tour enjoyable, it is always so difficult to coordinate groups and be attentive to everyone's needs. Our guides do their very best but of course, there is always room for improvement. For those wanting a more individualized experience, this particular tour does offer GPS tracks for self-guided riding. In any event, I will mention your remarks to the guides and we will strive to be better!
Prosper B.
2 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Clair de Lune Strasbourg to Nancy
France
However (and there's always a "however") this tour, which was described on your website as "easy" was anything but.
I am 68 years old and have never used an e-bike on any tour, including the hills of Provence, but the hills encountered on this trip were challenging even for the riders half my age. The tour description was erroneous and misleading. I say misleading because looking at the tour guides' maps, the elevation levels were clearly labeled but not communicated to the guests. So those on e-bikes had a much different experience than those of us (4 out of 10 guests) who did not. Those of us who did not struggled.
The other complaint was a lack of things to see in the middle of the tour, Read More unless churches are your thing and that's all I seemed to see in the form of tours, which got repetitive.
Nothing I have complained about here would prevent me from traveling with Tripsite again, as I am a true believer in this experience. BTW, the crew and the culinary staff were superb, as always.
Tripsite Staff • 1 month ago Tripsite Staff
Thank you so much for taking the time to write this feedback, it is invaluable to us and makes us better! We're so sorry for the issues you experience with the difficulty. Rating the difficulty level of a tour is the hardest aspect because of how subjective it can be. We do our very best but sometimes we miss the mark! I'm so sorry for this. I have already increased the difficulty rating of the tour and hopefully, the terrain will be better represented. I will also be adding the elevation to each day so future travelers are fully informed.
nadia p.
2 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Mallorca
Spain
O percurso de cruzar a ilha, as cidades visitadas e os hotéis propostos foram muito bom e agradáveis. Já fiz outros passeios semelhantes com a Tripsite e achei q o roteiro poderia ser mais sucinto se os caminhos fossem melhor sinalizados. O mapa era confuso e não ajudou. O GPS só serviu pra validar se a rota estava correta. Se nos caminhos houvesse uma marcação, como no passeio que fiz anteriormente, resolveria todas as dificuldades.
Vadim B.
2 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Romantic Road & the Bavarian Lakes
Germany
I liked the app showing the tracks, it would be even better if it automatically zoomed in around intersections. The bicycles are good (we used the non-electric enhanced ones), smooth gear switching, adequate gear ratio.
I am not sure if this is obvious to others, but a large part of this route (60km give or take) goes over gravel trails, which is not fun to say the least.
While hotels along the route are generally good, one night accommodation was a real dump, I did not expect that, and it was very disappointing.
A couple of suggestions:
- bring your own phone holder to make sure the phone with the map is mounted properly
- sometimes the luggage is left in the reception area, and sometimes put away in a storage room. Ask the receptionist if the luggage arrived to be sure, to avoid wasted time.
Christopher B.
2 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Clair de Lune Strasbourg to Nancy
France
The boat elevator.
Carol W.
2 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Zwaan Mosel & Saar
Germany
The reason we booked this trip was the I wanted to see a European rail-trail. It for us, was the highlight of the whole week.
Gail C.
2 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Harmonia Highlights of Dalmatia E-Bike & Boat
Croatia
The beauty of Croatia is breathe taking! The boat was comfortable and roomy. We found that we didn’t do as much biking as we had hoped. The rides had numerous long breaks with often nothing to do. One thing we were very upset with was the guides wouldn’t phone for a taxi or other means of transportation at the end. There was something about the boat having a transfer company which was extremely expensive but they weren’t allowed to provide anything else! Never experienced anything like this before. The food was ok, but far too much cheap fish for my liking.
Corinne l.
2 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Puglia Food & Wine
Italy
Making it up the hills. Make sure to pack extra water and snacks for yourself
Tom N.
2 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Vita Pugna Mantova to Venice or Venice to Mantova
Italy
The boat breaking down (and the way the crew accommodated the changes).
Patricia H.
2 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Alva Douro River E-Bike & Boat
Portugal
The biking experience was ok but not great.
The most disappointing part was having a German ship and guides. Maybe we didn’t do our research but we had not expected this. As we would not want a bike ride in Germany by Portuguese guides. Also, totally unsustainable practice to bring the van and bikes back and forth from Germany.
Gregory F.
2 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Portugal Atlantic Route
Portugal
First 2 days along the Atlantic beaches is great.
Lorne E.
2 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Classic Tuscany E-Bike tour
Italy
The routes were good and the right length each day. I would have like to have received the route information details in advance as requested so that stops could have been planned. We received the route details only a few days prior to the trip. In addition the GSP provides was somewhat difficult to use and didn’t always provide good directions. Ended up using my cellphone GSP which provided better directions. Without the cellphone we would have wasted much more time with the GPS provided. Upgrading to a newer GPS is needed.
JV • 2 months ago Tripsite Staff
Thanks for your business and feedback. Rebooting our business (and the tourism industry in general) has resulted in more delays (including route information) that we would have liked. These issues have been addressed for the 2023 season and your GPS feedback has been noted as well. Have a wonderful fall!
Joe S.
2 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Panagiota Ionian Islands
Greece
Biking the various islands is always a delight. The views can be magnificent and the riding a lot of fun.
The boat, however left a lot to be desired. Their was a significant amount of black mold in our bathroom. Several of the cabins leaked in the rain. There is no reason for this except for poor maintenance. Wood requires varnish and that was sorely lacking on this boat. On other trips (4) that we have been on the crew was always busy working on the boat. Not so with this boat. The crew sat around and did not do a good job of looking after the customers. I would never recommend this boat to anyone.
On the other hand, the two bike staff members were outstanding. They were able to react quickly to changing weather conditions and provided an outstanding experience.
Tripsite Staff • 1 month ago Tripsite Staff
Thank you so much for writing to us and helping us be better! I'm so sorry for you had a negative experience aboard the Panagiota. It is one thing for an older boat to have wear and tear, it is something else entirely for a boat to be poorly cleaned and maintained. It is especially infuriating that the crew was not attentive to the guests. Rest assured, your comments have been forwarded to the boat and necessary changes will be made.
Michelle M.
2 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Fluvius Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands
Visiting the windmills
Victoria A.
2 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Panagiota Ionian Islands
Greece
Two weeks before our departure, we were notified that a negative Covid test was required to board the boat. This was after the date for cancelation. Two of the members in our party tested positive and could not board the boat. Neither one was symptomatic.
We experienced rain on the second night of the trip and two cabins leaked… a lot. Beds and clothes were soaked. No one offered to clean the clothes or dry them, and the leak was patched. It leaked again the next night.
The trip was cut short due to weather and we were loaded onto a bus and sent back to Corfu.
There were def opportunities to continue with some biking, but it was not a consideration.
Disappointed to say the least
Tripsite Staff • 1 month ago Tripsite Staff
We are so sorry to hear about your experience on the Panagiota, your disappointment is totally understandable. The Greek harbor authorities implemented mandatory testing for all boats and we were required to comply; the rule caught us by surprise and we would have loved to give our travelers more advanced notice had that been possible.
The situation with the leak in your cabin was very unfortunate, we can imagine how uncomfortable that was for you. I'm glad we were able to come to a resolution with you and would like to again express how sorry we are!
It is also quite unfortunate that the weather disrupted your tour the way it did. Any boat is ultimately at the mercy of mother nature and the captains sometimes have to make tough calls in order to keep our travelers safe. We appreciate your feedback immensely, we are constantly striving to be better and you help us do that!
Judy P.
2 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Love Boat South Greek Aegean Sea
Greece, Turkey
Beautiful scenery on some of the islands.
Robert B.
2 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Olympia Mainz to Strasbourg
Germany, France
The boat was wonderful as was the staff. Food too was excellent. There were two central problems with the trip. The first is the route. We had anticipated that the trip down the Rhine would be in beautiful sections building t instead we spent a week in heavily industrial areas where there was little along the river that was beautiful at all.
The second problem was that it appeared that no one from the company had checked out the route of the biking since it was first established since roads had closed and there were continuous diversions. As a consequence we (and when I say we i mean many of the bikers) were lost within 15 minutes of departing every day. While the trip was billed as "self guiding" clear and accurate maps are needed
Tripsite • 2 months ago Tripsite Staff
Thank you so much for taking the time to write to us.
We're so sorry your experience was less than stellar. The Rhine river is quite beautiful but there are certainly some sections that are more scenic than others. It seems this route needs some heavy updating, especially considering all the closures you have mentioned. Getting lost is no fun, and again I offer our apologies for the lack of proper direction. We will be making changes for the coming departures to ensure this route is as beautiful and scenic as our travelers expect.
Linda K.
2 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Zwaan Mosel & Saar
Germany
Biking through the vinyatds.
Donald K.
2 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Swiss Crown Along the Danube-Iron Gates
Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia
The ship and the food were a very favorable part of the trip, lovely.
The bike tours were boring and ill described by the guide. Less farmland and more quaint villages would have met our expectations. The last day was the best.
William W.
2 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Primadonna Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
Ship was very nice and staff were friendly and helpful. Everything was spotless clean and bed was comfortable. Dinner meals were pretty mediocre and some of sack lunches included greasy deep fried items. Bikes were in excellent condition and the bike routes were fine, but the written descriptions for navigating the routes were indadequate.
Tripsite Team • 2 months ago Tripsite Staff
Thank you so much for your comments! I'm sorry to hear about the route descriptions, the ability to navigate is essential on our tours and so this issue will definitely be addressed for the 2023 season. We supply GPS tracks as well, which definitely make the riding easier.
Harrison and Sharene K.
2 months ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Authentic Holland
Netherlands
Regarding the tour itself, biking from town to town was well designed and wonderful -- beautiful countryside, lovely towns. We used the Ride With GPS app, which had a few route errors but in general was an excellent, well-executed tool. (Without the app, there were a number of signage errors or absences along the routes that could have caused problems.) The evening tour of Deventer was very well done; the local tour guide was excellent and the evening was perfect for it. We rented e-bikes and they were in great condition. The staff on the boat were all kind and helpful and friendly and the boat was exceptionally clean.
We thought Frans, the bike tour guide, could have done a better job. He was nice, but despite having many years of experience doing this, his evening talks were not always very clear, and he did not mention a number of places along the bike routes that would have been nice for people to know about, most importantly the Airborne Museum in Oosterbeek, which was on the map if you knew where to look but was not highlighted by Frans. We did enjoy the evening Frans played the keyboard in the dining room.
The biggest disappointment was that we had to sit with the same people at dinner every night. We understand there are logistics involved that make it much easier for the staff, but this requirement eliminated what could have been a prime opportunity to get to know others. We happened to be assigned the same table as our best friend, whom we obviously already know very well. We had little in common with the other three and were stuck with them (and they with us) for the whole week. There must be some way (perhaps a buffet a couple of times during the week, or a dinner in town one night) where we could have a chance to meet others, which would have made the trip much more rewarding.
Carla • 2 months ago Tripsite Staff
Hi Harrison,
I am so sorry the ship had to move at the last minute. Unfortunately I was not notified of this either, but sometimes these last minute changes can be made by docking authorities without much notice. Please note, all of our tours include emergency phone numbers, including directly to the ship and also my personal cell phone, in case there are ever any kind of problems we can help you with!
Carla • 2 months ago Tripsite Staff
Hi Harrison,
I am so sorry the ship had to move at the last minute. Unfortunately I was not notified of this either, but sometimes these last minute changes can be made by docking authorities without much notice. Please note, all of our tours include emergency phone numbers, including directly to the ship and also my personal cell phone, in case there are ever any kind of problems we can help you with!
Carla • 2 months ago Tripsite Staff
Hi Harrison,
I am so sorry the ship had to move at the last minute. Unfortunately I was not notified of this either, but sometimes these last minute changes can be made by docking authorities without much notice. Please note, all of our tours include emergency phone numbers, including directly to the ship and also my personal cell phone, in case there are ever any kind of problems we can help you with!
Carla • 2 months ago Tripsite Staff
Hi Harrison,
I am so sorry the ship had to move at the last minute. Unfortunately I was not notified of this either, but sometimes these last minute changes can be made by docking authorities without much notice. Please note, all of our tours include emergency phone numbers, including directly to the ship and also my personal cell phone, in case there are ever any kind of problems we can help you with!
Alan B.
3 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Fortuna Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
Different city tours were the memborable part both positive and negative. We loved our tour with Peter in Vienna on bikes we did not like our tour with a different Peter in Budapest, he was rude to one of our rides, very opinionated against the West defense of Ukraine, and then left us in the middle of town since he had another tour to go to.
the communication about the departure from the very beginning was a fiasco and then throughout the German presenations were about 50% longer than the English ones. BUt Leslie the Tour Director did a great job overall.
Kathleen M.
3 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Caprice Provence - Wilderness of Camargue
France
The guide, the itinerary and the chefs were superb!! 5 stars for them!! But the boat, and specifically the boat owners, get a 1 star. How cheap can they be??!! They didn't even provide a plastic bike water bottle. And they charged a hefty fuel surcharge, even after the price of fuel had plummeted. This was my third bike and barge, and I will never go on another barge owned by this company.
anna • 3 months ago Tripsite Staff
Thank you so much for your feedback. We always recommend bringing your own reusable water bottle as most boats are looking to limit their plastic usage. I understand the fuel surcharge is super inconvenient, no one enjoys charging this! Unfortunately, gas prices in France continue to be historically high. We look forward to eliminating this surcharge in the near future. I do hope you were able to enjoy the tour despite your negative experience with the boat, if we can do anything else for you don't hesitate to reach out!
Susan C.
3 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Zwaan Mosel & Saar
Germany
The Moselle-Maar Cycling Trail offered a lovely change of scenery from the also beautiful Mosel River paths we followed most days.
Jennifer R.
3 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Zwaan Mosel & Saar
Germany
See the beauty of the country and spending time with wonderful co-travelers. I was moved to realize the deep history of Germany, see vineyards EVERYWHERE, castles in nearly every view of the mountains, the lovely quaint villages and the friendliness of the people.
Darcy and Debbie D.
3 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Romantica National Parks of Dalmatia
Croatia
The crew were great and meals above average. Unfortunately there were not enough ebikes and the ride is very tough. The e bike riders were always way ahead and it was almost a race instead of enjoying the country side. Only stopped to swim twice, the captain seemed more concerned with rushing to the next port to get a spot on the dock. We were below deck and the ship stayed running when parked which made it very noisy to sleep. Wifi was very limited on the boat and most cabins did not have wifi. We had a great trip with friends but would suggest looking at all cruise line options for your trip needs. The Dalmatian Coast is beautiful.
anna • 3 months ago Tripsite Staff
Thank you for taking the time to write this feedback, it is invaluable to us! I'm so sorry the ebikes were sold out at the time you reserved, you are correct that it is very difficult to keep up with ebike riders while on a regular bike. We do have an ebike-only version of this tour for anyone wanting a guarantee of this option.
Being rushed around is no way to experience a destination so I'm sorry to hear you didn't get the time you wanted to swim and enjoy. We have already discussed this issue with the boat which will be rectified for future departures. Croatia is too gorgeous to rush through!
Barbara W.
3 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Connemara
Ireland
The people we traveled with and the shared adventures as well as the beauty of Ireland
