5 Star Along the Danube - Four Country Tour Tour Reviews — 121 to 150 of 367

This trip was special because I was celebrating my 65th birthday and the anniversary of my husband's passing. I wanted it it to be something that I would always remember and it certainly will be!! My husband was scheduled to join us on this trip -- I'm sure he would have loved it as much as I did. The accommodations were wonderful, the food was great and the biking routes were fun, scenic and easy to follow. But what really added to the experience was the staff. Leslie is an outstanding tour director - he makes sure that everyone is taken care of down to the last want or need of every passenger. I want to give a special shout out to Cristian the bar tender who always kept us laughing and to Milos (from Montenegro) who made sure our group of thirsty Americans always had lots of ice cubes and cold water. There is no question that we will be booking another trip very soon!!

If you seek an active vacation with fabulous landscapes, a safe environment, and good $ value, this trip should be on top of the list. Besides great value, good pace on the activities, good people, and a lot of fun. This was our second bike tour and the most enjoyable one. The group of 13 had similar skill levels in cycling, 10 - 12 mph, and a mindset of enjoying the cities, towns, and panoramas. The e-bikes were top quality and a breeze to use; we never felt discomfort. The crew was very hospitable, modest, clean cabins; dinner was the best meal of the day.

Of the 168 passengers, 140 were biking, and 13 were on a guided tour. The passengers at Fortuna will benefit from watching a video on bike etiquette, whether riding solo or as a group. Before taking off on the first tour, reinforce group riding behavior for safety for all.

We had a fabulous trip down the Danube on the Fortuna. The staff was excellent-attentive, friendly and knowledgeable. The biking was amazing, I am so glad I signed up for an e-bike, it made a big difference.
The one thing that I would caution to future bikers is that the time to get from drop-off to pickup is often tight and it can be difficult to get too far off the designated path to explore (which is something I expected more of).
My group of 10 all had an excellent time and I highly recommend this tour group and boat.

My favorite ride was through the Wachau Valley in Austria. We really enjoyed all the rides, but riding between the Danube and the vineyards, seeing the small towns speckled along the way, tasting wine and ending at the Abbey in Melk was the ultimate.

Easy and Wonderful. Amazing destinations on a comfortable ship. There is no need to think. The staff does all the thinking for you so you can enjoy your visits and bike rides. The bike routes are well planned and explained, both in the guidebook and by the cruise director in his daily briefings. I highly recommend downloading the route for google maps so that you can trace your progress and find your location easily on your phone. The distances are reasonable and the sights beautiful. I rented a standard bike from the boat, and felt comfortable and secure. My travel companions rented an e-bike from a private vendor in Passau, and loved them (the ship ran out of e-bike rentals). Dinner was delicious. The ship clearly had a first-rate chef on board. The air conditioner in the suite worked very well (we like our rooms to get very cool at night)--so we loved the temperature in the room. The organized shore excursions were great, especially the city tours by bike. We had a suite, which was very comfortable. It came with a mini-fridge, a spacious bathroom with great water pressure and lighting, and plenty of storage space in the cabin.

My most important suggestions:
Dinner took a bit too long: on some evenings, almost as long as 2.5 hours.
I wish we had stayed a bit longer in some places (e.g., Melk, Vienna, Aschach).
For passengers with walking challenges, more assistance finding easy-to-board taxis or tuk tuks when docking.
Guide book could show where WC facilities can be found along the route (pls note, no WC facility at the ferry station in Szob, Hungary).
A supplementary, shorter bike route could be offered for the Devin-Bratislava day. The one offered is very long and most of it a bit boring and bit challenging (too many turns along with long bridge that is intimidating to cross if windy). The offered option is great for those interested in doing long-distance biking, but for those who want to spend a bit more time in Bratislava, a shorter route could be offered as an alternative, maybe a short trip to the the Schlosshof and back to Bratislava without doing the full loop.

We loved our boat/bike tour but the absolute highlight was the day cycling in the Wachau valley. We just wish the day had started and ended later so we could have sampled more wine!

The boat staff were fantastic - they really went out of their way to make our trip easy, fun and memorable.

Most memorable part: Waking up to different cities. Tour director Leslie was very helpful and knowledgeable.

Our first bike and barge and we are already looking forward to many more. We are two 60 yr old couple who all love the outdoors, adventure and travel. Our cabins were on the top deck of the Carissma, roomy enough, turn down service each night and big picture windows. Excellent food, especially the dinners. Albert was the tour guide on board and he was organized, knowledgeable and patient! No problems with the bikes or directions - we were self guiding, 21 speed bikes. Easy terrain. We highly recommend the city bike tour of Budapest and Vienna as you otherwise may miss great hidden gems, interesting stories and local guides. We stayed at Hotel Residenz in Passau for one night before departure and highly recommend the visit to this beautiful port city and the hotel! We could not recommend trying this style of vacation more. The staff on the Carissma did everything to make the week comfortable, easy and well organized. Wonderful way to see cities in 4 countries in a week.

We really enjoyed the diversity on the ship. English was definitely the second language, but people did their best to be welcoming and accommodating. It’s important that people understand and are willing to go with the flow! The paths weren’t always as clear as they were supposed to be, so be prepared. We were thankful that all paths eventually went to the Danube!

The most memorable part was biking with new friends we made on this trip, also the 80s dance night was very very fun. I would suggest to not include every lunch in the package as usually we are out no need for sandwiches, and give the option to have dinner out when we dock in a city. The organization was great, the self biking part very easy as the cruise director was amazing. We felt safe and taking care off very well. I would recommend a longer time in Vienna.

The Barge and Ride tour of the Danube was outstanding. Providing more detailed directions to the demarcation point in Passat would have helped. The staff were excellent as were the meals and the scenery.

It was fantastic. The tour guide was amazing and really connected with you so much that he would bike with you and converse with you on each bike excursion. the scenery was so beautiful and was the best trip experience we have every had hands down!

I loved cycling through the Wachau valley. The boat staff was so attentive and everything ran smoothly, in spite of a few minor hiccups. The scenery and the daily stops were great. I loved spending time in the big notable cities.

Traveling on the Danube was the most beautiful and fun experience we’ve ever had as a couple. Starting the day biking and being active, having great food, meeting lots of interesting people and seeing amazing countries and the culture was Incredible. I hope I can travel on Tripsite again for another bike and boat tour soon!!

The trip was amazing, the biking was very scenic and not difficult at all. The boat staff was very friendly and very upbeat. The food was to die for. I would recommend doing this trip you will really enjoy it.

This was the most amazing bike tour that I have been on. We had a guide, Axel, and that made the trip so relaxing because we didn't need to worry about where to meet the boat or language issues. Axel had lots of extra information along the trip. The boat was very relaxing. Dinner was excellent with choices for entrees every night. The staff were all very friendly and helpful. I would recommend this trip for families with children 12 or so, and seniors (an E bike can make a big difference.)

We very much enjoyed the trip. The staff/crew were very accommodating, and the biking was great. The only drawback was the problem with the rudder system, which led to our tour being altered, and us not being able to go to Budapest.

We had a great time exploring Austria, Germany, Hungary and Slovakia. The boat was comfortable. The staff was super fun. Food was great. Excursions were top notch. Truly no complaints.

This trip was amazing...so much to see and do. Great shore excursions. Food on the Carrissima was so good!

Every day was beautiful and different from each other. The first day we rode through forests and plenty of shade with wildflowers such as columbine. Other days were fun with stops at hidden cafes or using unique bike ferries that crossed from one side of the river to the other. One morning I opened the curtains & we were docked under the ruins of a castle. Every day held surprises such as Hapsburg palaces, groomed gardens or rolling vineyards with stops to sample wine and brandy. Ancient monasteries beckoned. Artisan shops required our attention. After touring, we returned to the ship for perhaps a swim and cocktails before unique dinners offering a taste from local cuisine.

The most memorable part was travelling through small Austrian villages! The bakeries and the little cafe’s were awesome!
The food on the ship was delicious and plentiful. I would suggest mentioning to participants that they must bring their own helmets. We had unfortunately assumed we could rent some onboard and were stuck scrambling at the last minute having to go to a local bike shop to purchase some.

The most memorable part of the trip was that we could ride our bikes everyday in the countryside while being guided by Liacha. Then back to the barge where the captain, chef and steward were so lovely to us. They went beyond their duties and always with a smile.

Biking along the river was absolutely beautiful. We were able to do some site seeing in Bratislava, Budapest and Vienna. Highlight was the bus trip back from the Hungarian dancers in Budapest, we went up to a beautiful view of the city with all the city lights, it was after a day fighting the rain, so the rain had let up and we could enjoy then view.

This trip was amazing. It was my first time to Europe and to say now that I was in 4 countries!!
The talks that we had each night with the information on our next day trip were very helpful. We had some bad weather, (rain), but we got by. I cannot complain at all.
We did the off days on our own, walking around Vienna and Budapest. I took so many photos. It is great to have them now to look back on.
I cannot pick one thing that I really enjoyed. Everyday was better than the day before.
I am planning on doing another trip with Tripsite in 2020.

Such varied but scenic bike riding!

Loved the day by day review of what was to happen. On board entertainment was spectacular.

Must See: The excursion to the Clam Castle. Authentic Castle owned by the Clam family since the 1500's to the present.
If you take this excursion or the concentration camp, inexperienced riders should rent an electric bike.

This was an amazing trip. The MS Carissima was very comfortable, the people were lovely, very helpful and friendly . The food was very varied to fit in with the countries and was always delicious . The cycle routes were leisurely and the scenery beautiful . We made life- long friends and had a wonderful time .

I can't really choose one memory as the whole trip was absolutely wonderful on and off the barge. The food, accommodations, and staff were absolutely top-notch, they didn't miss a beat. Loved cycling through the beautiful scenery of the rural, small-town areas, and the opportunity to visit several of the larger cities with the added excursions. I wish I had researched the area of the tour beforehand to familiarize myself with its history.
I would have liked a more detailed daily map of the route with distances between landmarks noted. We missed several turns but were able to get back on track. Also one of our bikes in our group of ten did not shift properly even after being replaced, making for a frustrating experience. All that being said we will definitely do another bike and barge trip.

Excellent cruise director, wonderful bike trails with good instructions as to how to follow them, excellent food. It was a great trip.