Austria Bike + Boat Tour Reviews — 181 to 210 of 687

The entire crew was fantastic. The ship, Fortuna, is over 20 years old and it had some issues. In particular the air conditioning, The upper deck rooms had adequate a/c but the lower deck rooms, the lounge and the dining area were very uncomfortable. There were several people on this cruise who did not partake in cycling, some had mobility issues, the elevator did not work and it was difficult for them to get from there rooms to the other decks.
The food and the meal selections were excellent. Leslie, the tour director, was also fantastic. He constantly went out of his way, above and beyond, to ensure that all guests were taken care of.
Most of the biking route was scenic and safe, there was one stretch, appox 4km's that was on a very busy highway . The highway was narrow and carried many large buses and trucks. At the captain's party on the last night of the cruise, it was mentioned that the Fortuna was going to be replaced by a newer ship next year and also the routes were going to be changed to avoid that particular stretch of highway. This is a positive sign and I would have rated this trip much higher if it were not for the 2 above mentioned problems.
I would recommend the Budapest by night folklore show, it was very entertaining. Again, the entire crew did a fantastic job.

We just returned last week from the 4 country Danube trip on the MS Fortuna. I have to begin by saying that the entire crew was fantastic. The food was great and the food selections were plentiful. The cruise director, Leslie, was the absolute best. His knowledge of the bike routes, the cities of Vienna, Budapest and all of the small villages in between were very helpful. The optional Budapest by night folklore tour was a lot of fun.
The ship, Fortuna, is 20 years old and it had it's drawbacks. We had upper deck suites and it was well worth the extra cost, the suites were great. Many of the people that we meet were in the lower deck cabins with little air conditioning. The air conditioning on most of the ship was poor, especially the lounge area and dining room. The elevator did not work. There were several people who opted not to cycle and just take the river cruise, some needed assistance and the boat was not at all handicapped friendly. We were told that the ship Fortuna will be replaced by a newer vessel next year.
The bike paths themselves are well marked, and for the most part very scenic and safe. There is one stretch near the end of the trip that requires cycling on a very busy and narrow road. One cyclist was run off the road and spent the next day in a Vienna hospital being treated for a broken foot. At the end of the trip, at the Captain's party, we were all told that in addition to a newer ship next year, that that particular route would be changed to avoid that dangerous road.
Based on this particular trip, I can only give this trip a rating of 3. With the changes schedules for next year, I would rate this much higher. In finishing, I have to say that the ENTIRE crew was fantastic, they did an excellent job!

We loved our trip aboard the Primadonna! The rooms themselves were a little dated and nothing fancy, but the food and the service aboard was fantastic. The time off of the ship was by far the best part. We loved the freedom of being able to wander from port A to port B in our time, but having the comfort of knowing that our luggage and lodging were safely waiting for us at the next location.

We especially loved the town of Melk and a restaurant called Rathauskeller. It had great food and the waiter, Joseph, was very nice and a highlight of our trip. Another suggestion would be in Schlogen, on your first bike day, get off the ship a little early and go for a hike up to viewing point of the Scholgen UNESCO site.

The bike were really good quality. They come with a bike lock and two rear mounted panniers. The saddles are quite hard after a several hour bike ride, so if you're sensitive to that, I would suggest a gel seat cover of some sort. Most of the towns you visit have awesome pedestrian zones, where you can lock up your bike and just wander from shop to shop without having to worry about cars. The bike paths themselves were very nice. They were mostly well labeled and separate from the street. The worst section of bike paths is actually on your first day, from Ottenheim to Linz. In Ottenheim the signs get a little vague as to which way to go, and entering Linz (a large city) you are on a bike path but facing oncoming traffic that is leaving the city, crossing streets that our actively being used by cars. All other paths were wonderful, and scenic. We felt very safe every day. I also highly suggest that someone from your party attend the nightly briefings on the next days bike path. This gave good information on what to expect. English is definitely not the primary language on the boat, but they do a good job of having a separate time to talk with the English speakers about what to expect. They also assign you a table in the dining room based on your primary language, so that was nice too.

All in all this was probably the best trip my wife and I have ever been on, and will do another one like it in the future.

the staff onboard the Swiss Crown provided excellent service

Wonderful trip. The crew of the Fortuna was wonderful along with the 5 course meal every night. Our guide, Axel, was a treasure. I cannot recommend this trip enough. The biking was lovely and not too hard. The countryside was beautiful. Most amazingly, the trip went off without a flaw, especially when you consider how many moving parts were involved to make this work. We were constantly going through locks, which was always interesting, while sipping beer or wine on the top deck after a day's ride. I just want to thank everyone who made this unique and luxurious experience possible.

Great tour. Helpful crew, accommodation and meals.

Lovely trip. Great accommodation, meals and helpful crew.

We had a wonderful time, and will go again on yet another (our third) Tripsite tour! The staff was Friendly, creative, and responsive. . . There were so many interesting people from all over, which enriched our travel experience. The scenery was uniformly beautiful and full of history, whether watching it as we sailed, biking through it, or taking a tour of one of the cities. . Our room was very comfortable -- we enjoyed sitting on our "balcony" and watching the Danube flow by . . . The chefs did an outstanding job in terms of quality, variety, and presentation and we enjoyed every meal.
I would advise future travelers to read the itinerary carefully and to plot it on a map so they would be clear how much time is available for sightseeing in certain cities. We spent longer traveling on the boat than we realized. The upside is that we did a lot of reading!

The guided bicycle tour was the most memorable part of the trip. Our guide, Thomas, was so knowledgeable about local history and culture and made sure we never got lost. The staff were remarkably friendly and helpful, and the food was varied, fresh, and delicious. From our point of view, join the guided bike tour to catch all of the local highlights and be efficient with your ride. Our fellow bike tour members were fun, energetic and competent even though our ages ranged from 29-71. Relax and don't worry about when and where you'll meet your group and what you'll need to bring. There is always someone available to clarify logistics. Take advantage of the extra activities like bus tours and concerts. They add even more richness to the experience. Finally, though we don't speak German, we always felt "in the know" because all communication was offered bilingually. Truly a great experience. We're looking to book our next one!

We just returned from this cruise less than a week ago. I cannot express how wonderful it was. The scenery was breathtaking, the staff outstanding. The Swiss Crown was a beautiful boat to call home for a week. The staff on board were delightfully pleasant and accommodating. They made every effort to make it a positive experience for everyone. The dining room was beautiful, and our table had a great location. It wasn't too loud, we could easily hold a conversation with our fellow travelers. We had previously taken this trip on the Charissima and found the dining room was too noisy. The food was tastefully prepared with many regional dishes. At 1600 hr everyday they had a dessert / coffee hour that was very special, the staff were readily available for more coffee.
Though there were only a handful of English speaking travelers, Jergen was an enthusiastic program director. He was very accommodating to locate a bicycle that would fit our very petite daughter, even getting extra bikes just in the event that one didn't fit. He went out of his way to obtain a concert ticket for my husband when he didn't sign up in the required time frame. He did give us good directions and if we had questions he was available to answer them. I enjoyed this trip more because of the staff, boat and riding. Overall better than our previous trip, and I thought that trip was awesome. We constantly talked about the beauty of the river, the birds chirping in the forest, the food and the staff. I would love to travel on this boat again.

The excursion cycling around Budapest was very memorable and our tour guide was excellent! The park on the island was definitely the highlight. We made some wonderful new English speaking friends and really enjoyed meal times with them.

The final night's celebration party was super fun and everyone enjoyed the 70's theme. Dinner on the upper deck was amazing! The restaurant manger was so kind and helpful at every meal. He made the dining experience top notch. Hopefully, the air-conditioning in the dining room is fixed for next time.

Another suggestion would be to streamline the briefings for the cycling routes by using prerecorded media and then allow Leslie to answer questions in person at a later time.

Leslie the cruise director was awesome. He was always at the ready to help out with any questions or problems.

Everything on the boat was great except the smoking policies were not enforced. People smoked everywhere on the top deck and took away from the experience. No one stopped them and as a result my wife's asthma was triggered.

The trip provided an excellent introduction to the countries and cities visited - the bike tour guide, and some of the extra options, we’re very worthwhile. However communication between Tripsite and the contractor, Rad and Reissen, was poor and marked by numerous breakdowns. Most significant was that the Covid protocol we were told would be followed wasn’t, at all, and several people, including both of us, contracted Covid during the trip. Between us we missed seven days of activities while confined to our cabin.

Most Memorable Part: The extensive bike trails along the river and in the larger cities

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!!

We boarded the Primadonna on Friday & started our biking the following day. It was a little hectic & we didn't get any tips about the e-bike since we hadn't ridden one before. We got a briefing the night before about where to go but we had to wait until the German was completed before the English started. We were all very tired by then from traveling. The first day of biking went well as we got used to the e-bike. The second day we began our ride from Tulin to Vienna. The bike trail was crowded today and as we were coming up to a curve I had to move out of the way for on- coming traffic & I hit the gravel and crashed to the ground. My husband was behind me & had to stop fast so he also tipped over on his bike. I hit my face & landed on my left knee & my knee was bleeding heavily. My husband had multiple abrasions on his arms & legs. We continued our ride back to the boat so we could figure out what to do next. I checked my knee & I had a wide, deep cut that I knew would have to be sutured. The boat provided bandages & advised us to see a doctor in the next town. The following morning Terezka from reception took us by taxi to a near by hospital but they would not see us. We got into another taxi & went to a private doctors office where I had 6 sutures put in my knee. I was not allowed to bike so we stayed on the boat for the remainder of the trip. It took 3 days for us to get flights to return to S. Carolina. Bruce & Phyllis Ehlers

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.

It was amazing biking through the country side of Hungary and Austria. It is not your typical USA tourist destination but I am so glad we were able to experience it.

Biking through the amazing Wachau alley wine region of Austria was a highlight, but the lesser-known towns of Krems and Melk were amazing, too. I just wish there had been more time to explore, but the 7-day tour needs to keep moving, so we understand. Great crew, if obviously overworked (7 days per week for 21 weeks straight?!), made the trip.

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.

The biking! Loved being able to be mainly on a proper bike path and not on roads. Freedom to explore along the way and take your time getting to the next destination by bike.
Last bike day through Wachau valley was very rushed to have to make it to the boat before 3:30pm. So much to see we were scared to miss the boat and skipped a lot of experiences. That section would be better down downstream than upstream!
Better, detailed maps would have been nice.
Wi-fi on the boat was terrible or no-existent!
Food was acceptable but not fantastic.
Thank you for always having vegetarian option!

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.

Most memorable part of trip was seeing the Lippizon horses in Vienna.

I loved the Clam Castle we toured.
Amazing that a count and countess actually live there with their children!
One disappointment was that the cruise director spent most of his time giving cycling directions in German and very little time in English.
I found the route difficult to navigate but fortunately one of our friends was able to figure it out.

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.

The trip was all memorable--the scenery from the boat, the biking in Austria, the cities of Vienna and Budapest. The staff and crew were outstanding, especially the tour director. Our only complaint was that a vegan menu option was promised and the kitchen struggled to deliver the quality and variety we expected.

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.

I really enjoyed the cycling outsy of the cities. Cycling in the cities was not so great.

The food on board was excellent. Everything about the ship was great.

Dennis ft Collins Colorado

Not the cities but the cycling outside of the cities. Perhaps cycling the Wachau Valley was our favorite but we enjoyed all of the pre-planned cycle routes.

There were no complications due to COVID-related issues on the tour. The only frustrating steps were the Denver to Frankfurt flight and the return. We never seemed to have the right forms and in the end, no one ever checked the forms except at the airplane check-in.