Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna Tour Reviews — 1 to 30 of 100

I loved everything about the trip except the hot tub was not very hot and the steam shower wasn't working. The food was presented so beautifully and staff were professional and lovely. The 2 night of karaoke and 70 and 80's night were good tobinteractvwith other guests.

There are so many choices out there when planning a bike and barge. I looked at numerous options and narrowed it down to two companies. I emailed the two companies and Tripsite responded immediately with a list of questions and suggestions. With a Trip Site Tour Specialist’s help (shout out to Claudia), we selected the bike/boat trip we just completed. Our Trip Site Tour Specialist answered our many questions as our group from Canada grew to being 17 individuals. Most of the Tour Specialist’s help was needed during the booking and payment process but even just prior to the trip, we had a couple of questions and Tripsite was just as committed to customer service at that point. Our experience from the planning to the actual trip was phenomenal. We were treated like royalty during the entire cruise. The rooms, food, entertainment, bike support….all exceeded our expectations. We will be repeat customers…many thanks to Tripsite.

We loved every part of this tour! The scenery along the Danube was incredible to bike through. Our rides through beautiful towns, villages and countryside were so picturesque and generally easy to follow.

The accommodations were luxurious - spotlessly clean and included everything we needed and the meals were delicious culinary delights.

But above all, the crew on board were fantastic from housekeeping to the ship musician. The crew was tireless in making sure we were comfortable and were so friendly and fun!

The only negative was that the wifi was non-existent to poor which had an impact on planning the next leg of our trip.

I would highly recommend and am looking forward to our next one!

We loved biking and seeing the breathtaking scenery of Austria, loved coming back to the Swiss Crown every afternoon for cake and coffee. The whole crew were wonderful - especially our waiters Ivo, Sonia, and Damjen. And the food was excellent!

The cycling paths along the Danube are superb . The crew of the Merlyn were excellent and hospitable.

We went on The Merlijn which was amazing. We can't say enough about the wonderful service, accommodations, and staff on the ship. The staff felt like family and got to know the passengers within the first hour of the tour. The tour guide on the bike was excellent, very knowledgeable, and personal. He really made the trip for us. And it was wonderful to come back from a long day of riding and have drinks and snacks ready when you came on the ship. Every detail was attended to and everything was perfect. I highly recommend a tour on The Merlijn with Coen and Christina!

All of it. The Merlijn is small, cozy and a lot of character. All staff including the owners made me and my husband feel so welcomed, like family. This is something you will not find on big boats/ships. The meals that were prepared by Christina were fabulous, and they were very accommodating to my husband who has a picky palate.
The bike trails were easy and beautiful! The little towns in Austria that we rode through were breath taking.

This was my third trip with Tripsite, and third aboard the Merlijn. This section of the Danube seemed quieter than other trips I’ve taken giving us a different experience. We saw the palaces and monasteries along the way, rode through sleepy villages, passed the occasional fishermen along the river front. The biking was easy and along the river for the most part. We took a wonderful hike one day, saw some giant mushrooms along the trail. The last day of riding we had the option of riding extra or swimming off the barge, I took the swim, definitely a highlight for me.

This was my first trip on the Merlijn Bike & Barge. I was with a group of 3 couples that had done this trip before on the Merlijn. I found it outstanding, the equipment was excellent,( my wife and I rented electric bikes ) the cabins were very nice and roomy. Our meals were breakfast and dinner, the breakfast was good but I believe it could have been better, The dinners were first class....The barge also had a nice coffee bar and Bar that were excellent too. The trip was memoriable and I highly recommend the Merjin...

This was our fourth and BEST trip on the Merlijn! As usual the Capitan and Christina were marvelous hosts and Kat our bartender and greeter made the trip so fun! The bikes and our guide Thomas were excellent, the routes were lovely and the stops were interesting and informative. I plan to visit the Merlijn again and enjoy another tour.

This was a very scenic trip along the Danube river. The Merlijn is a hidden gem of the river. There is no compatible ship like the Merlijn. The interior of the ship and cabins have all been remodeled and are top notch. The chef and staff are all amazing and welcome you with open arms. If you want an active vacation, you are in the right direction.

Merlijn is top notch service and food. All staff including Thomas, the bike guide, were very friendly and funny.

The scenery was beautiful! The Merlijn was beautiful and very comfortable. But, the standout for the trip was the staff. Coen and Christina made our week so wonderful and kept us well informed. “Cat” at the bar and serving was very charming and fun! He knew all our names by day 2! Simone kept our cabins tidy and did a great job on our laundry. June was always tidying up the ship and keeping it looking great. Ilsa was a really good tour guide and was very knowledgeable about the history of Austria.

Everything was good. The staff who kept our room did an excellent job. The food was great. Director gave good information. Desk staff were very helpful. Because all of this was good
I am certain that all the behind the scene staff were phenominal.

My sister and I bike and barge once a year on smaller barges with only about 12 staterooms. We opted to try a true, large river boat on this trip. Our trip was on the Swiss Crown. It started and ended in Passau Germany, with a destination of Vienna. We were impressed by the beauty of the boat and by our room, which had every amenity we could have asked for. The Danube bike trail was amazing despite epic flooding that had occurred little over a week prior. Our guide Carl was a delight. The meals were exceptional and well executed. The staff worked as a well oiled machine...always on cue. For those that are used to larger ships and river boats, this cruise is for you! It will not disappoint. As for my sister and I, although we loved this experience, we found we missed the intimacy that smaller barges provide. But the Swiss Crown was an elegant and lovely experience we will never forget!

We were paired with a fun couple at mealtime. They ended up cycling with us most days and we shared stories and laughter.

The scenery was out of this world. Path was mostly flat and well marked. Wife was glad she had rented an e-bike. Ship was comfortable and staff was friendly. A few cold rainy days we chose to just stay on boat and watch scenery. Places we stoped at were wonderful to visit. There was slight impression we might run short of time to make it to some of the destinations but it all worked out fine. Only issue- while hand sanitizer was very available at restaurant, many guests seemed to bypass it. We came home with mild case of Covid.

positive note- Professional friendly crew always helpful. The organisation was magnificent and the food was good and plentiful. The bikes were well kept and great to use. The original plans had to be changed due to the bad weather but other options were available. Riding without a guide meant that extra time could be spent taking photos and exploring what we wanted to do. The extra options turned out to be real gems- the castle at Greinberg was fascinating with all the historic ties, the bike tour of Vienna was outstanding (our guide's voice was loud & clear so that the 2 deaf people could hear the local snippets and frank, humorous commentary), Mauthausen memorial was extra kms & uphill but possible to quick visit time wise. The bus to opera & back worked smoothly. The only tour negative was the constant cold rain but proper preparation, clothing & attitude meant riding without crowds was much easier. On the last day one rider with hypothermia was picked up by van. The organisation was excellent and the evening briefings of what to expect the next day were very helpful.

Unfortunately, the most memorable part was the weather--10 degrees, 25kph winds and rain for a goodly portion of the tour. Suggestion? Never believe the long-term weather forecast.

The staff were uniformly friendly and eager to serve, the food was excellent and the quarters very nice. Places we visited were lovely.

A few of the routes were shared with motor vehicles, and this wasn't clear. While it was not an issue for me, my wife was uncomfortable with it. Drivers in Europe are generally much more polite and tolerant than those in the USA. I would not have liked the experience as much in the US.

The buildings in the towns, castles, and fortresses along the way were marvelous.

Almost missing it! You failed to keep in contact with Rad and Reisen - plans were shifting due to flooding and you did not keep us informed! Thanks to our hotel manager, we discovered the changes and got on the tour. Your lack of communication was unacceptable to me.

My most memorable part of the trip was the biking route each day; riding along the Danube, passing through old towns filled with rich history. The scenery was incredible. Austria was so peaceful, lush green surrounding our ride. I appreciated how the guides made sure we were ready and they were always available to assist if needed. It was fun to take the ferries across the river. The guides were very patient and knowledgeable.

Biking in the Wachau Valley was the most memorable part of the trip.

Suggestions - instructions on bike etiquette and traffic rules in Germany and Austria would have been useful.
There were numerous intersections on the five biking days when it was unclear the direction to take. During the briefing for the next day's ride it would have been helpful to have a powerpoint presentation or some other method of detailing the next day's route.
It would also have been helpful to know that ferries were not included in the cost of the trip. It was also a surprise that renting a bike helmet was 45 euros. It was a surprise that helmets were included in the cost of the trip. Finally, I also was a surprise that WIFI cost $15. All of these things should have been communicated to the riders before the trip.

The Danube River and scenery around it was spectacular. Seeing it from the bike paths, or on board the ship was very special. My husband didn’t cycle, but was well taken care of by the wonderful staff aboard the Swiss Crown, and enjoyed the trip as much as we did on the bikes.
Food, accommodations and service was first class.

Tripsite gives you an opportunity to explore a new region by bicycle, meet new people who share the same goals, a chance to be physically active, and have lots of fun.

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!

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!

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.

The crew was absolutly great the bikes were of good quality the food was also. We had a great time. The reason I gave a 4 was the fact that you couldn't drink the tap water and they charged you for bottled water. Water is a basic necessity and should be free.

The route and itinerary were perfect. It was a great balance of visiting small villages and seeing highlights of Vienna and Linz. The crew on PK were very friendly and helpful. The buffet Bfast had plentiful selection and dinner options were delicious. The Chef met my gluten free and lactose free requirements

the Route Maps were Very good but confusing for day 7. daily programs very informative and kept everyone on schedule

PK had a lot of charm and although dated it was clean, functional and great floor plan.
PK did not provide free water and Coffee n Tea. It was very hot during our week so buying water on board got expensive. Or buying on shore very cumbersome and not easy to carry after long day cycling.

Overall excellent trip. Highly recommend it.