Europe Bike + Boat Tour Reviews — 4711 to 4740 of 4930

I was pleased with the points of interest on the tour (Strasbourg, Heidelberg, Colmar, Breisach), however, the route was very industrial at times and there was just nothing special about it. The maps and route descriptions were terrible and I'd say that was the number one complaint of fellow passengers. I talked to the guide and he said they will redo the route for next year so hopefully with some changes, it will be much better.

I had a good time on this trip, however, there was not enough time on the bicycle. As well, compared to the other biking trips we have taken, this one was very dependent on time. We did not have all day to get to the next spot. I felt rushed on three of the days, and we only biked on four. Also you lose the sense of discovery when every spot is picked out for you ahead of time, as to where to eat, shop, etc. The cruise staff were wonderful, but it seems to me that they think people only want to see cities, whereas I love the countryside and the villages. I would not do a combined boat and bike again.

Great way to do an active vacation. Will definitely book again!!

The boat itself is nothing remarkable, but quite comfortable and clean. The staff was amazingly friendly. Route descriptions were sparse in some sections so there was some guessing involved. The maps themselves didn't have any road names on them if you did get lost they were of no use. We honestly didn't rely on the maps/route descriptions as much as the info from our daily meetings with the tour guide. There were good and bad days as far as scenery on the rides, a few days were pretty boring with not a lot to look at, while others were quite beautiful. We docked within walking distance to town on all days except one (where you had the option of one lonely restaurant). On board you are provided with maps and flyers for each overnight town. The bikes were super heavy and cumbersome (not bikes I am used to) but this is the norm in Europe. The food on board was excellent. I would recommend this trip as I know the routes are being reviewed and descriptions/maps updated.

The Bike and Barge cycling trip was a great way to experience new countries. The cycling paths along the Danube are excellent and the riding was very enjoyable. We will be looking at other bike and barge options through Tripsite.

Marcel is a great guide/tour leader.

The Wadden (Frisian) Sea Netherlands sail/bike trip was tops. From the initial greet to the end of trip farewell to "old friends", my only recommendation for improvement could only be that one uncontrollable element - weather. Most days were punctuated with moisture but this did little to dampen the spirits of all who took advantage of this wonderful excursion.

There was some disconnect in passing along information. For example the barge had to leave earlier than 6:30 but info was not passed on. Fortunately my friends and I arrived and boarded the sister ship and got the info that the Angela Esmee was instructed to leave the port due to some Dutch holiday celebration. Good thing we took the initiative. There was no one waiting on the dock to give us this info.
Info about running a tab for drinks was false. We had to purchase tokens from a machine to use at bar. Bikes were somewhat rickety, having seen their 2nd season (according to a mechanic I talked to). Mine and some others made a grinding noise the entire time. The mechanic tried to fix it, but eventually I just tolerated it. I heard one mech say the bikes had a couple more trips this season. Good luck to the next owner.
Food was very good and the staff were very friendly. I would recommend a Bike and Barge trip to friends, but we ran into another group on a similar tour riding green bikes...they LOVED their bikes. We couldn't come close to saying that about ours. The green bike tour paid similar costs.

They need to provide better maps or route sheets. Manager of the boat (Peter) was very unfriendly and sometimes rude.

Staff was incredible. Only change I would make is in the dining room. To be allocated to a table with the same people for every meal was restrictive. We go on trips to meet people from different countries and to make new friends. On speaking with other travellers they mentioned that open seating would have made the whole experience that much more enjoyable. We thoroughly enjoyed our dining companions, but what if you didn't you were stuck all week.

Can't say enough about how accommodating the staff were, especially in the dining room. Many thanks! Want to do the trip again next year add bring my siblings.

I found the conditions of the bikes quite poor. They were obviously wearing out after a season of use. The food was adequate but not spectacular. The information about how to get clean towels was given 5 days into the trip.
The routes were well described but I would have liked further information about the towns we were passing through and where we were staying the night. Our group happened upon a cemetery with Canadian war dead but it was just luck. That type of information should be included I the route description of the day. Despite the things mentioned I did enjoy the trip and would recommend it to others.

I had a lot of trouble with the bike seat. That created pain/discomfort for the whole week. We saw other barges participants en route with much better bikes than we had. Ours were quite old and clunky but they worked OK when you got used to them. The bike mechanics were great. The seven gears were adequate for the terrain.

We should each have our own maps and route descriptions, not just one per cabin. You don't necessarily cycle with your cabin mate and sometimes people get separated from cycling partners during the day.

Our guide Marcel appeared to have a very arrogant attitude towards guests, particularly those who asked for clarification of various things. He was rude to me when I asked a question about the availability of public washrooms along the way - and what was customary in Holland. He snapped "So you think Dutch people don't go to the toilet?" He seemed to make a lot more effort as the week went on and was quite knowledgeable about a variety of things. He got off to a bad start with quite a few people however.

Re Food: The food was good and varied. We had a lot of salads/vegetables (generally overcooked) which I appreciated. Tea, coffee and water should be available for free all the time, not just till 4. A euro for hot water and a tea bag is chintzy.

I enjoyed the trip and the route. The route was quite varied in a lot of ways and very beautiful. Luckily the weather was reasonably cooperative and our group had a great time. The barge is a fun experience, and I would recommend it and consider another trip for myself as well.

Marcel was a very good guide-Johnan helped keep our bikes in very good order.

Would be helpful if bikes had water cages

There seemed to be tension between the owners of the barge and guy doing the cooking, cleaning and maintenance. The guy was trying to do the job of more than 2 people by himself. One day when he needed help with a cranky generator the captain was in a bar. We did not get clean towels half way through as promised. I have been on 2 bike and barge trips and this had the worst staff. The guide was good but left slower riders at several critical junctures. It did not happen often. Seems the system works best when the owner is captain. Means he is present and accountable.

Thanks for providing us with a lifetime of memories.

I already have, but warned them about the wind! Which I personally found made the cycling very difficult. I will opt for an electric bike next time.

Overall we had an outstanding trip. The boat was a little better than we expected but very well maintained and managed by the staff and crew. Leslie, our cruise director, was fabulous. I think we overwhelmed the boat with our large group and American ways. Leslie did a great job of balancing our fun trip and the ship's need to do their jobs in a certain way. We will definitely look to Tripsite for another boat/bike adventure in the years to come.

I loved every moment. The guides and crew were outstanding. My fellow cyclists a delight. A top drawer experience. Can't say enough positive.

Main reasons for not recommending: Too many people. I would prefer a smaller group especially for lunches and stops along the way. Too much time needed for logistics with such a large group. (That being said, Leslie and the crew did a great job being as efficient as possible with this given the numbers involved.) The trip was marketed as meals all included. However, it was clear that we were "expected" to eat lunch at restaurants during our biking days. That would have been okay except we were always at the same place as dozens of other people (mostly people from our own boat who had not elected to take the guided trip option) so that the experience was not at all enjoyable. The restaurant staff were obviously harried at having to deal with such a large group at one time.
We always seemed to be in a rush to get back to the boat before its departure. I hadn't realized that the boat would have such a tight schedule to get from one docking point to another. I would have paid slightly more to have better food. There was way too much pork served; I felt starved for good quality, fresh vegetables by the time the tour ended.

The crew on My Story were amazing! Lesley the cruise director did a great job as did the entire staff. Five star service!

Food was only average. Breakfast buffet was good, but the dinners were mixed. If you could find a way to upgrade the dinners, that would be great and worth more money. For biking trips, given it is a healthy, active crowd, even more healthy meal preparations would likely be welcomed. We did appreciate the vegetarian options though Vegan would also be nice. Overall a wonderful trip though, we enjoyed it very much.

I know you know this, but the My Story is an old boat. Our bathroom smelled really bad. The food was average. The staff was incredible. The biking was spectacular. Leslie, our tour manager could not have been better. This was an incredible trip and it was a great value because the boat was old it wasn't very expensive. The folks at tripsite we excellent as well.

We were to have 1 rest day in Vienna but had 2 rest days. The second being Budapest. We liked the city but would have preferred to see more of Hungary from our bikes. My husband is not an historic buff so was bored with sight seeing.

We highly recommend the Paris to Bruges bike and barge on the Elodie but one must be a strong cyclist as there are hills. The food was really excellent. Comradery among the group was high, and that's one of the great aspects of the trip.

Information provided by tour guide about towns and attractions very limited, and sometimes inaccurate, compromising planning and enjoyment of the daily ride.

Besides information on the bike routes, I enjoyed the information on side trips.

This was the first trip of this type that we have ever done and my first time to France. It was a great way to experience the country and it was nice to see rural areas, historic small towns, castles and the big city of Paris. The crew was wonderful-- friendly, accommodating, knowledgeable and thoughtful. The trip price was a great value for all that we received and experienced. It was great to get so much exercise while on vacation-- walking and biking makes it possible to see and do so much in the fresh air and to burn off the great food and wine we enjoyed. I highly recommend this trip!

Barge part of it was excellent, riding for 2 of the days got to be long and monotonous, scenery always the same, but staff did great job. I'm probably critical a bit because I did a Holland bike ride that was so scenic.

One of the best holidays we have ever experienced. Great cycling along the Moselle with excellent and knowledgeable guides and then returning tired but exhilarated to an most welcoming environment on the barge - the IRIS. Meals were excellent and entire crew and owner went out of their way to ensure we enjoyed the total experience. Would recommend this trip to anyone. We will be back for more.