Amsterdam to Bruges Tour Reviews — 241 to 270 of 349

4.7 out of 5

 


Lisa G.
December 27, 2017

Verified Reviewer

This was our first trip and we weren't sure what to expect. We had a phenomenal time. It was just the right level of difficulty in riding and a perfect amount of time to explore the area. The barge was a good, clean place to stay and the staff did an excellent job keeping it clean and keeping us well fed. We would highly recommend to our friends.

Michael W.
December 21, 2017

Verified Reviewer

Great scenery, easy riding - a very enjoyable week aboard the Fluvius.

Bob T.
December 18, 2017

Verified Reviewer

The on board accommodation exceeded our expectations, the boat exceeded our expectations, the staff were very accommodating, the tour route was excellent and our tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. Great trip!!

Susan H.
December 18, 2017

Verified Reviewer

The chef we had on our barge made the meals memorable. This was an outstanding experience in every way except perhaps a few longer-than-expected bike days. However, we were the oldest and least prepared on the boat, so others likely found the distances just right.

John L.
December 18, 2017

Verified Reviewer

Most Memorable Part: Experiencing the people and landscape of Holland and Belgium. The staff were top notch. But, the June heat wave left us in stifling heat with the ventilation turned off at night. Everyone of our fourteen people missed a day of riding to get some rest, as we couldn’t sleep at night.

Lindsay B.
December 18, 2017

Verified Reviewer

Riding our bikes through the towns and the countryside really get to see everything smell everything meeting new people it was a lot of fun. Been telling everybody about it would love to do it again.

Debbie H.
December 18, 2017

Verified Reviewer

Always have two guides. I can’t imagine having only one for such a diverse level of skills. We had one guide who lacked interpersonal skills. She lost her temper several times at several clients. I was one of those on the receiving end.

Rob & Anne H.
December 6, 2017

Verified Reviewer

Toured with Merlijn on the Nekar and Rhine Rivers to Koblenz. I'd have to say that peddling thru the beautiful forest then entering the awesome vineyards had to of been the best memories of the trip! We were up to speed on the bicycling requirements, I'd suggest that the requirements and maybe a suggestion for pre training be spelled out in better detail for people planning a trip. We enjoyed the trip enough to book our third trip!

Neal P.
December 5, 2017

Verified Reviewer

It was so wonderful to cycle through 2 beautiful countries taking in the scenery and ambiance.

Norval G.
December 5, 2017

Verified Reviewer

Barge food excellent quality, diverse selections and plentiful.

David F.
November 28, 2017

Verified Reviewer

This was our second bike and barge trip. Lenny and her crew were fantastic hosts, making us feel at home on their boat.

Joanne R.
November 28, 2017

Verified Reviewer

We were thrilled with our Bike & Barge from Amsterdam to Brugge! Everything was 5 star! Highly recommend

Suki G.
October 24, 2017

Verified Reviewer

Book from Brugge to Amsterdam to avoid headwinds. Expect riding in country with nothing special to see.

Kathi T.
October 23, 2017

Verified Reviewer

The entire trip was fantastic. I personally could have benefited with a few less km per day but that is my fault for not training as much as I should have. The chef and the guide, Leroy and Alfonse were amazing. The boat was comfortable and elegant. First rate all around!

Peter W.
October 11, 2017

Verified Reviewer

The trip wasn't exactly as I understood it would be. The staff were absolutely great, couldn't be any better. The guide was also very good, knowledgeable and patient. However, it seems to me that the objective of each day's ride was to get from point A to point B; we didn't stop enough to enjoy & explore the sites along the way. Also, I wonder about riding thru farmers' fields. Perhaps that was the only way to reach certain destinations. We needed better introductions in the first meeting. We should have introduced ourselves at that meeting. We were 32 strangers together for 8 days, let's start with introductions.
The food was pretty average. Breakfast was fine; once in a while there was hot food served but you had to be aggressive to get any, there wasn't enough to go around. Food available for lunch was fine, no complaints. Dinners were disappointing. We didn't need gourmet dinners, we needed substantial meals. The best meal was the BBQ, there was enough food. Other meals were inadequate. Dinner on the last night was abysmal and the dessert was a joke, 1/2 a glass of liquid. I would like to see bar prices posted and a statement produced on the last day. I have no idea if I was charged the correct amount or not; not that I don't trust the staff, as I said they were great. In spite of sounding like a chronic complainer, my wife and I are talking about doing another Bike & Barge trip, we really enjoyed this one. Don't take my comments as negative criticism, take them as suggestions for improvement, no one is perfect.

Kathleen H.
October 10, 2017

Verified Reviewer

I loved every minute of it! :) Thank you so much for a great adventure!

Diane B.
October 10, 2017

Verified Reviewer

Every part of this excursion exceeded my expectations. The Magnifique II is a fabulous boat, with very comfortable accommodations. The staff was excellent, all worked very hard and the teamwork was amazing. Cycling routes were fabulous and Thomas was absolutely an excellent guide. The food was first rate, LeRoy did a great job. It was a fabulous trip.

Susan H.
October 10, 2017

Verified Reviewer

Everything about the trip exceeded my expectations. In particular, the dinners were truly gourmet. Keep that chef (Leroy)!

Marcia B.
October 7, 2017

Verified Reviewer

Highlights: Seeing these countries via bike paths. Going through small towns and villages with an excellent guide to highlight the history and out of the way places.
Tip: get in shape! You will enjoy it more if you are fit to bike these distances.

Kurt W.
October 7, 2017

Verified Reviewer

This was our first bike and barge trip, and we loved every aspect of it. Yes, the weather was a challenge, but even that was rewarding in retrospect. The guide and crew were great, the food was wonderful, and the boat was very comfortable (and a good size). We got to know all our fellow passengers and that was the icing on the cake. Now I'm spending way too much time, probably, reading about where to take our next trip!

Timothy S.
October 2, 2017

Verified Reviewer

Our guide was very knowledgeable and engaging. A suggestion for others would be to prepare for wind if going during that time of year. The route may be very flat but the possibility of a constant headwind can make it feel uphill. Knowing this, some guests may opt for using an eBike.

Kathy B.
September 18, 2017

Verified Reviewer

I really enjoyed everything about the trip: the scenery, towns and villages, camaraderie, guide, food , music evening. All was wonderful!

Sue N.
September 18, 2017

Verified Reviewer

The most memorable part of our trip was people we met, we made some fantastic new friends. The Dutch countryside was especially beautiful, just like out of a fairy tale. Lots of other great countryside and small villages as well, quaint and old European.
The rooms on the Fluvius were poorly ventilated, and the A/C was extremely noisy. The dining room, lounge, bar and upper deck were great.
One of our rides included having to take a short ferry ride. We were all asked to pay .70 cents for this. Many of us felt that was being extremely cheap, and should have been included. Really...70 cents!!!!
For each day of cycling we were only given 1-500ml bottle of water. This is not even close to daily requirements, especially given that on several days we were riding in 30 degrees C. It should have been at least 2L/person/day.
Our guide lacked enthusiasm. He told us to fill our empty water bottles in the bathrooms, he talked about bathroom breaks in the pre-ride briefing but despite being told (during the ride) that we'd need a break, he just kept going. Rarely did he stop for photos; there was some beautiful countryside that many of us would liked to have captured. For the most part, the only time he stopped was for coffee and lunch. He did not seem overly concerned about safety; when there was a car coming from behind the riders would shout "CAR" and that kept getting shouted up the line. One time I was behind the guide, so we both heard it at the same time...the guide then very flippantly said "Good for the car". Crossing major intersections was dicey; many times he would cross despite the traffic, while the group would then wait on the other side until it was CLEARLY safe to go. This seemed to frustrate him.
My bike was great, but it would have been nice to have a water bottle holder mounted on the frame, and include a cycling water bottle for it, which people could then take home. Not all bikes were the same; some had 2 hand brakes, while others had a hand brake and a foot brake, which took some getting used to for those that were assigned that type of bike. There was no option to swap.
The Fluvius crew were amazing. Very, very hard working, yet personable and great senses of humor! Shout outs to Alex, Nadia, Marianna, David & Captain Arno!!! (PS, we hope everything is okay with Nadia's mom).
Despite the negatives, we had a great time, met some amazing people, saw stunningly beautiful countryside, had lots of fun & laughter. And, we would go again!!

Lynda R.
September 18, 2017

Verified Reviewer

We had a wonderful time. The accommodation was above expectations, very clean and more roomy than expected. The food was excellent, plentiful, diverse and attractively presented. The staff was welcoming, helpful and made the trip extremely enjoyable. There were extras above what we expected...guided trips into the various cities in the evening and even entertainment with Music and dancing. We stayed with the guide every day and appreciated his expertise at choosing routes that were scenic and avoiding as much of the traffic when we did have to go through the cities.

Mik L.
September 12, 2017

Verified Reviewer

Most Memorable Part: Amsterdam and a week of perfect weather

Darryl White
August 31, 2017

Verified Reviewer

My wife and two other couples did this trip in August 2017. The crew was great the boat is very well appointed, the rooms are small but function well. The evening meals were great, breakfast was limited most days to bread cheese and cereal.
Now the bad part:
The crew turns off the air conditioning at 10:30 at night and does not come back on until the morning. So one would wake up in the middle of the night sweating and not be able to go back to sleep, The bedding, our clothes and all other items in the room would get moist and moldy from condensation.
The Bicycles were not the best, they were quite used and most of the seats were loose and could not be tightened which made for long days of riding...

Karen K.
August 29, 2017

Verified Reviewer

Most memorable Part: The crew on the boat, dinners and the tour on canals throughout the Netherlands and Belgium. The cheese shop was the best and also the small cafe's.

Joan H.
August 27, 2017

Verified Reviewer

Riding through the Dutch countryside on dedicated bicycle paths was most enjoyable. The system of numbered paths is ingenious! Keeping up with the front of the group was a challenge, not always a welcome one. It's best to be a strong rider even on the "easy" tours.

Neal P.
August 25, 2017

Verified Reviewer

Certainly it was a wonderful trip and I would recommend it to anyone HOWEVER our chef was fired on the 3rd day (the regular chef was on vacation), our stressed out guide was less than patient with passengers and we had 3 kids, 8 years old and younger who were poorly behaved and due to the insensitivity of their parents interfered greatly with the enjoyment of our trip. This created unnecessary tension for the the guide, captain and for the passengers. This family caused great delay in the itinerary starting on the very first day. I think in future children under the age of 16 should be prohibited from these biking trips. These kids, even their parents, were incapable of riding a bike for the distances required in the itinerary. All that aside we would book a bike and barge trip again but would be certain to inquire about age requirements. Thank you.

Patrick S.
August 22, 2017

Verified Reviewer

The meals onboard were great! Sander was an expert chef, Eric a well informed and pleasant captain, and Nico was a constant source of entertainment. The general attitude of the he crew was above and beyond.