Austria Bike + Boat Tour Reviews — 451 to 480 of 613
Kimberly W.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
Austria, Germany
The scenery along the Danube was outstanding and riding thru the vineyards on our last day was beautiful. Would do it all over again!!
Kimberly W.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Normandie Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
Austria, Germany
The MS Normandie took us on a fabulous adventure down the Danube from Passau to Vienna. The last day of biking was the most memorable as we rode thru some gently rolling hillsides and were enveloped by vineyards and orchards. The quiet and the beauty of the scenery was breathtaking!
Because it was all so beautiful we would on a daily basis become distracted and veer off the designated route (or maybe we were lacking in the map-reading skills). Therefore, after the second day we decided to each rent an e-bike so that it wouldn't be a huge deal if we got off the beaten path and put on extra miles. Best decision we made all week! Our new equipment helped us to keep up with some new found(older) friends who were rocking the routes every day.
The evenings were mostly composed of a nice slow 4-course meal (stellar offerings) and catching up with friends and family via the sketchy internet service. I would suggest you bring along a game or two and some books.
Couldn't have imagined a more complete and perfect vacation. We just had to get ourselves to and from the launch and dock sites and the staff of the MS Normandie took care of the rest!
Charlene B.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Carissima Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
The most memorable part of the trip was the wonderful friendships made being a part of the guided tour group. There were six English speakers and seven Germans including the guide. Truly a remarkable experience. Budapest was also a memorable location. One tip we could recommend would be a portable hot spot. Wifi was not very good because it is satellite feed. Which caused issues with paying for some trips with a credit card.
Joella D.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Carissima Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
This trip was an excellent opportunity for travel with our mother who could stay on the boat while my sister and I biked through the countryside - meeting back up for meals and comparing experiences. Tripsite was very helpful and we got to know one of our Tripsite staff as she joined our trip to learn more about the tour and help others in the future. She couldn't have been nicer or more helpful.
Patricia L.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Normandie Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
Austria, Germany
The majority of the Danube cycling routes are truly beautiful. We were worried about the bikes only having 7 speeds, however it was only an issue when we made the climb to the Mauthausen Concentration Camp. Otherwise, they were fine. The staff on the Normandie were fabulous, as was the food. I esp. want to thank Ani and Mikki who were a huge help to us prior to the trip. We had lots of questions and they always answered them quickly and thoroughly. I plan on continuing to book my trips with Tripsite. What a great company!
Cheryl • 6 years ago
Pat, how was the "doing your own navigation? " my friend is afraid to go w/o a guide. Are you literally following the Danube? We're looking at may.
Patricia Leonard • 6 years ago
Hi Cheryl, the tour guide will review routes every evening, so you can bring your tour book to the meetings and take notes. We only got confused once when a route was poorly marked, but even then we ended up on the correct path. Also, most young people in Austria speak perfect English, plus there are always other cyclists around for clarification. This was our first "self-guided" tour too, and it was fabulous!
Laurie S.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Theodor Körner Along the Danube - Passau, Bratislava, and Vienna (old version)
Austria, Germany, Slovakia
The Wachau Valley is breath taking. Austria and Bavaria are absolute gem locations. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone. Tripsite made it easy to book, offer very reasonable prices and answered all our questions.
My only complaint was our German bike guide. We were the only primarily English speaking riders in a group of 14. The rest mostly spoke German. Our guide explained the vast majority of what we were seeing in German. This is somewhat understandable given that we were in the minority, but we felt that we missed out on so much historical explanations. In addition, he admitted that he didn't really know much about all the areas we visited and often deviated from the guide book. We ended up leaving the guided tour and going solo the last 2 days.
We rented e-bikes, which we loved, but had to figure out how to use them as we went along.
Antonina G.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
Loved the ship-the Primadonna. We liked it that the servings were not big and that you could ask for seconds. Appreciated the lunches they prepared. It was a great trip. Staff was helpful and efficient.
Charles H.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
Biking through the Wachau valley and the small towns was most memorable. Staff/guides could be more customer focused and less argumentative with guest/customers. First day of biking was too rushed to complete prior to boat departure ... ride did not accommodate leisurely stops. Guides did not provide enough information on daily routes to assist with historical sites, lunch/rest stops, places to visit or provide assistance on route to ensure guests made it back to the ship. This trip did not meet the standards that previous (5 trips) Tripsite trips offered in the past that we booked.
Robert W.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Normandie Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
Austria, Germany
The entire trip was memorable for me. I took lots of video and still shots. My plan is to create some YouTube videos to share the experience. I have wanted to do the ride along the Danube for several years and I finally got my chance. It was everything I expected and more. I am now looking at the choices for my next cycling adventure in Europe.
Clare C.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
Take a day in Passau either before or after the trip to walk around the beautiful historic town. The cathedral is so worth a visit, it's absolutely magnificent with an organ that has more pipes than any other in the world.
The boat was excellent, accommodations better than expected, the food was amazing and the staff friendly and helpful, nothing was too much trouble. Remember to book your spa time as you will have that privately for an hour. There is nothing quite like sitting in the hottub while cruising down the Danube after a days ride.
Visit the Trappist monastery before you ride on your first day and see the reliquaries in the church-pretty weird, and don't forget to stop for refreshments before you take your bike across on the ferry at the Danube bend. Read More The bikes are really comfortable and take your time to enjoy the magnificent scenery on this ride. You will see old castles up on the cliffs and picturesque villages across from the bike path.
In Bratislava we took our time to walk up to the castle which give great views over the city and looks beautiful when lit up at night. Take a slight detour from the route to ride over the "flying saucer" bridge. When you are riding to Bratislava take your time to look at Prince Eugenes palace with its magnificent Baroque gardens.
Go up on deck to take full advantage of the cruise into Budapest. To say that every picture I took here was postcard quality is no lie. Rather than do the guided tour we jumped on the hop on hop off bus so we could make it up to the castle and anywhere else you might want to see. This was actually my favorite City as it was so beautiful and it didn't seem as packed with tourists and it's very walkable. The views at night from our cabin were fantastic with the city lights and the view across the river.
The next day was a beautiful scenic ride by the river with another ferry ride to Esztergom where you really should walk up to the cathedral and the huge statue that overlooks the river.
Vienna was our next stop and we took a tram and subway up to the city center. Tours were offered but we did this one ourselves, and I think that biking this city would be worth it as it is so set up for cyclists. There was a Jesuit church here that was more magnificent than any other church I saw on the trip. I had never seen rainbow colored corkscrew marble columns before. It was truly spectacular. Visit an art museum too if you get the chance. The architecture here was spectacular and we watched people waltzing in one of the central parks.
Our final day was riding through the vineyards of Austria and little villages along the river. Stop for some wine tasting but not too much as this is the day you will probably have to ride against the wind on the final part of the ride.
The rides were so much fun and anyone could do them, electric bikes were available for the less able. There is so much to do and see, and you can make great new friends.
All I can say is sign me up for next year and while I would do this trip again in a heartbeat, I want to try a new one.
Thanks!!!
Beverly C.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
The best part was seeing the countryside by bike.
Steve C.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
While the scenery was wonderful, I don't think that I could recommend this type travel to someone who would like to take more time to see the sites. This tour, just in my opinion, is much better suited for someone prioritizing cycling over site seeing. I (and some others in my group) discussed how there was a "rushed" feeling to the trip. That being said, the itinerary is posted online for all to make an informed decision. Lastly, there was almost a sense that we, the customers, were an inconvenience to many of the staff until the second to last day when there was an announcement that a tipping envelope would be left in each cabin. Staff personalities completely changed for the better on the last day and a half. This opinion was quietly shared by most of us who had done this type of tour numerous times before.
Frank V.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
The most memorable part was cruising down the river during dinner.
Robin T.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
My first Tripsite vacation, first bike/barge trip, first trip to the 4 countries.....loved it. Somewhat poor attitudes of hotel manager, Peter and the guides did not spoil my trip...in fact, became a bit of a joke to us. I would not let it stop from booking another trip.
Jennifer Formolo
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
The food and scenery were magnificent. The boat was better than I had expected. Don't pay extra for the upper deck cabins on the Normandie because they are identical with the exception of being able to open the window on the upper deck. Our tour guide was rude. He spent a lot of time talking to the Germans and very little time talking in English. He scolded us if we asked questions that could be found in our book or were only relevant to the next day's bike trip. Peter at the front desk was also very rude. He made you feel stupid for asking any questions. He is in the tourist business and should expect questions and answer them gracefully. I wouldn't tell someone to avoid this trip, because of the beauty, but don't expect a lot from the staff. The rest of the staff were quite nice, but there were three men that should not be in this business!!
Margaret M.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Normandie Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
Austria, Germany
Walking and biking around Vienna. It is a beautifully restored city with so many historic buildings and places to take your breath away. Our bike guide Bernd added to the experience by translating for us all the history and important information as we were the only English speakers on the trip.
Jim and Margaret Molineux
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Normandie Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
Austria, Germany
We have just returned from our boat/bike adventure and enjoyed it immensely. Being the only English speaking passengers on the trip, we were in the care of the multilingual SE bike tour guides; Bernd, Andreas and Wolfgang. And look after us they did. With all the tours and information in German, we would have missed so much if it hadn't been for Bernd showing up everywhere to translate for us. The staff on board were helpful, courteous and efficient. Food was gourmet and even with cool and often wet weather, tours were interesting and biking was exhilarating. Bikes were brand new, maps were clear and information given beforehand made navigating easy. Ebikes are the way to go if climbing hills is difficult; although it is mostly flat.
We would absolutely do this again with Trip Site or SE Tours.
Molly S.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
Having a guide for the biking. He was terrific. We had a route change which led to a boring day biking. They do not give you water at the table. Too many people on the boat. Lining up for things to buy tickets. Did not like having to buy a drink package. Too expensive.
Staff was very pleasant. Our guide was fabulous.
Elisabeth P.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Theodor Körner Along the Danube - Passau, Bratislava, and Vienna (old version)
Austria, Germany, Slovakia
It is difficult to say what the most memorable part of the trip was since every bit of it was exceptional: the scenery, the friendly staff, the other guests, the food, all were above expectations. Add to that the fact that we had perfect early Fall weather, sunny but not too hot, we felt like we had spent a week in heaven.
Gordon M.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
The e-bike option really made the trip for me. It allowed me to bicycle each day, get plenty of exercise, and not overdo it. As a result, I was able to enjoy the sites and experience much more.
Susan D.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Theodor Körner Along the Danube - Passau, Bratislava, and Vienna (old version)
Austria, Germany, Slovakia
The Wachau Valley was our favorite!
Our only complaint is that the toilet in our room was backing up sewer gas. Would have really welcomed a bathroom fan to duck it away or an improved sewer trap to prevent this.
Jehiel • 7 years ago Tripsite Staff
Hi Susan,
Thanks for sharing this feedback. Sometimes these things are hard to correct because of the construction of the ship. However, we are working with our local partner to make improvements to this boat for next season based on your feedback.
Thanks again!
Roger H.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
There were many memorable parts of this trip. The vineyard/bike trails around Melk were very nice.
Rollie B.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
The people I was on the trip with we all had a just terrific time. A truly wonderful trip with a great staff great a wonderful trip.
Harry L.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
The trip was very nice. Everything was nice. If I can figure a route will do it again next year!
Rebecca V.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
Biking thru Wachau valley. Our guide, Hugo, was not real informative. We had to drag info from him. He was better later in the week when we kept asking. Wine tasting was fun. Loved quaint villages.
Sandra L.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
Everyone was amazing: Welcoming; friendly; accommodating; delicious food and informative.
Mele M.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
I organized a trip with 20 friends and family to take the boat and bike trip up the Danube. I was a bit concerned because my co-travelers varied in age and fitness. I was delighted to find that with the option of the electric bikes and choices of long or short bike paths, everyone was accommodated. The entire group had a magical time. They loved the boat, the staff, the food, and particularly enjoyed the feeling of accomplishment after cycling through gorgeous towns and scenery.
I have organized many group trips in the past, and this one allowed me to enjoy myself more fully because I knew that the crew was taking care of my friends and family's needs, and I didn't have to be dealing with questions or problems. Because we had such a large group, we could all break up into smaller groups and enjoy the sights, knowing that we would all converge later on the boat and share our stories from the day.
Even though we already had a large group, we all made new friends on the boat.
I take an international adventure trip every year, and I would put this one among the top of my list!
Gordon M.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
The e-bike option really made the trip for me. It allowed me to bicycle each day, get plenty of excercise, and not overdo it. As a result, I was able to enjoy the sites and experience much more.
Shannon P.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
The incredible countryside through which we traveled both by boat and on bike as well as the wonderfully hard-working, pleasant and attentive staff who made my trip so memorable. Lastly, the food was fantastic!
Elizabeth G.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Theodor Körner Along the Danube - Passau, Bratislava, and Vienna (old version)
Austria, Germany, Slovakia
All of it was memorable - the scenic routes through lovely towns, stopping at wine tasting, castles, cathedrals, the day in Vienna. Lovely wait staff, house keeping and front desk!! Top award goes to the extraordinary chef -- who listened attentively to my request for whole foods, plant based and each evening created an extraordinary delight of color and tastes -- wonderful food combinations, spices, herbs.
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