Europe Bike + Boat Tour Reviews — 631 to 660 of 4940

We had enjoyed a bike tour on the original QuoVadis 2 years ago and were amazed at the renovation to lengthen the ship into the Magnifique I. Our group had a fun week that was challenged with a variety of weather and the boat needing repair at Trier. Our guides, the captain, chef and staff were very creative to make sure, even though we were quite off schedule we still had our daily cycle and experiences and then some. The bicycles were new and easy to ride.

It was a family reunion with friends whom most have never been on a bike & barge trip…ever! It was fun, exciting, adventurous and EPIC. If you are curious about a bike and barge trip, take the leap and do it. You may see something, meet someone or reinvent yourself that changes your life.

The riding and sights we saw as we rode. Our tour guides we awesome and the boat staff were too.
The food was first class and the new friends unforgettable.

We have 1 complaint. The room and storage were insufficient. It looks like they designed the renovation on looks alone and not practicality.

Unfortunately, we did not travel far because of flooding although our cruise director tried to give us new options. The one thing you should do is maintain the bikes better. The chains were rusted and the tires very low. Some of the gears did not work. The food was fantastic.

Srdan was a great guide. He grew up in Split and had spent a lot of time on the islands visiting grandparents. So he knew all the spots we visited very well. The ride on Korcula was the hardest, but the most spectacular. The sweeping coastal views were great. The rides were very doable with e-bikes, but certainly more challenging if not using an e-bike. Expect a lot of hills, some of which are long and steep. The typical route is up and over to the other side vs. around the exterior of the island. Chances to swim in the Adriatic sea were also great. Croatia doesn't tend to have sandy beaches, but the water is very clean and clear. Beautiful.

We did miss one of the rides on Hvar, due to a weather issue, but were able to do the afternoon ride on the other side of the island. With our guide's knowledge of the islands, he was able to add an extra ride on Brac for us.

Our cabin was above the water line which allowed better airing and easy drying of biking gear on the lines outside. Cabins are small but efficient. Breakfasts were typical European breakfasts and excellent. Would have preferred the ability to make a packed lunch (like we did on the Moselle River trip). Some of our lunches were supplied (instead of dinner) but were dinner sized. A bit too heavy for me, but that might be a Canadian thing. Usually I have a lighter lunch and a bigger dinner. One suggestion, for the operators, would be to add a coffee and tea machine as a complimentary feature. Warm water does not make great tea. Overall this was an excellent trip and I'd recommend it.

We had never been on a bike and barge tour like this, and we LOVED it. Istria is simply an amazing place to start with, made even better by the well-appointed boat and the hospitality of our guides, crew, and fellow travelers. It was a perfect mix of relaxing cruising on the boat, the activity and camaraderie of the bike tours, guided city tours, and exploring the history and towns of Croatia on our own. One unexpected and delightful part of the tour was the food served on the boat. Mario, our chef, created magic in his small galley. People were literally cheering and chanting like they would for a rock star when he came out of the kitchen. The rest of the crew were amazing in their own ways: fun, attentive, interesting, approachable, and excellent at their work. I would advise people to choose the e-bikes for this tour and to be comfortable riding in groups, in some traffic, and on some dirt/rocks/gravel. The guides were great at preparing us for the rides, but some of the sections were difficult for someone who may not be a confident bike rider. More "moderate" than "easy". With that, the experience exceeded our expectations, and I highly recommend it!

Simply put, this bike barge trip was outstanding in so many ways. The cycling was at the perfect pace thanks to the excellent leadership of our two guides, Alv and Anja. The serving and support staff were very attentive. The new bikes were in tip-top shape. The cabin on the Manifique 1 was smaller than our last bike barge, but it had everything we needed, was spotless and was made-up for us when we returned from our ride each day. Our breakfasts offered many choices, the opportunity to pack our own lunches allowed us variety each day and our chef provided gourmet dinners each evening. Our captain Patrick pitched in to help out staff as needed. Our fellow cyclists from three different countries enjoyed themselves and we enjoyed their company. Cycling through Germany, Luxembourg and France was an unforgettable experience.

The most brilliant part of the trip was the cycling of course! Flying along the wonderful cycle paths; getting lost, getting back on track again, enjoying the scenery of fields and windmills and people's beautiful gardens; finding the boat at the end of the day after an exhilarating ride and then really enjoying the sense of achievement at successfully completing a journey. I also just loved the boat (so comfy) and the crew (excellent) and the tasty plentiful food. I should add that the other passengers from all around the world were really nice and we had shared values - positive, energetic intelligent people - so I felt amongst friends. It was definitely one of the best holidays I've ever had and I shall do it again.
Top Tip. Buy padded cycling shorts!!!
And if you're not a practising cyclist hire an e-bike.

The staff—Marco, Dick, Jenn, and Catalina—were wonderful, professional, knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly! The trip through the French countryside was awesome! The Clair de Lune Barge was comfortable, and clean! The food was delicious! It was a marvelous journey!

So, how about adventuring and pedaling along the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia?!

WHAT is there not to like?!
My week aboard was incredible!

We thrived on our well-appointed, gorgeous yacht, with other Salty Dogs and Intrepid Travelers, who knew how to cruise on a two-wheeler, share their stories, several even danced in our dining room!

We could stroll each evening while docked at a new and charming island quay. This Adriatic Sea adventure had plenty to write home about! However that could wait….

Add E-assist bikes, I was in two-wheeled heaven! Our bike guides were fun, creative, careful, and loved to story-tell!

We swam in comfy ocean temps, breathtakingly clear, turquoise ocean,YES and YES!

Our sailors knew their ropes, the chefs had ThatTouch, dining room staff warm and welcoming, handsome dynamic duo, our Captain and Chief Engineer set the scene for thoughtfulness and harmony between crew and visitors aboard M/V Harmonia last month, I will definitely be back for more!

Other highlights: dice a’rolling, cards a’snapping: one choice of an evening activity, aside a night cap or warm cuppa’ in our classy dining room.

Our yummy culinary delights? OMG!

My group of 8 Oregon baby-boomers were well cared for, and all of us are now inspired to journey again, somewhere, sometime with our Trip-Site hosts
Gratitude to all,
Cathy Ellis
September 2024
Eugene, Oregon, USA

The biking, sailing, and staff were great. We really enjoyed the Zuiderzee Museum in Enkhuizen and the Eise Eisinga Planetarium in Franeker.

We really enjoyed our cycling adventure in South Holland however, what was not mentioned was that the entire boat; staff and guests spoke German. This was not in the information that I read when booking this adventure. We did not understand the people at our table nor when we were cycling. The itinerary said the trip was September 21-29, so I was surprised when our trip was over on the 28th. I then needed to secure a hotel room that evening. Finally, I booked a room on the upper floor to have a view of the water and a window that opened. I did not read anywhere that the boat was in port each evening and I paid a premium to look at people sitting on a bench. We did not open the curtains or window for this very reason. I do feel that I should be reimbursed the extra fee that was charged for being on the upper floor.
Our guide Wolfgang tried his best to help us in English but he was difficult to understand. The food was great, and having coffee and cakes when we arrived back each day was fabulous.

We had a wonderful week on the Clair de Lune. The barge is small and the cabins tiny but when we went through the locks with less than an inch to spare, the width was understandable. The captain, Marco, was delightful. He spent time with us every evening and improved the quality of our trip with his presence. Dick, our guide, has excellent and has a great sense of humour!
Food was good. Highlights included visiting the Abbey de Fontmorigny and meeting its owner, Dominique, and visiting le Château de Meauce. A special experience was being taken inside the private and beautifully renovated living space of Cèdric & Séverine Mignon! The crew adapted well the the changes necessitated by damage to the canal near Briare. The bike paths as well designed and maintained and I felt very safe travelling on them. I’d highly recommend this type of a holiday.

How helpful the on board staff were. With the exception of Arie, the tour guide, I found everyone helpful and fun. The guys who managed our bikes were awesome, even wiping down our seats in the rain.

Wow! Hands down, one of our best vacations ever!! Everything was memorable . . . gorgeous landscapes (new eye candy every day!), beautiful weather (Sept. 20 - 27) - 70's and sunny, challenging exercise, exquisite meals, dipping in the crystal clear Adriatic . . . and, best of all, getting to know our terrific guides, Romantica staff, and travel mates from all around the globe (Iceland, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Canada, and the U.S.).
My husband (70) and I (64) love to bike ride, but we weren't quite sure what to expect on this trip in regards to elevation. The rides were tough, but so rewarding when finishing. I rode a regular bike 4 out of the 6 days; My husband rode a regular bike 5 out of the 6 days - it was so great that extra e-bikes were available so we had a choice on the most difficult days. Only 3 riders (out of the 26) rode regular bikes all 6 days.
We love adventure and active vacations . . . this trip was the best!!

Ended up being a Two-Country Tour due to high Danube water levels. It got a bit chaotic at times trying to understand where we were headed, when/where we would be riding, etc. While I think the onboard crew did a decent job of trying to adapt to the situation, I think boat operator should have had better contingency plans in place before ever leaving port. Watching/reading news reports the day the boat left Passau, water conditions were not unknown and it was predictable that the boat wouldn't make it to Budapest.

The bike rides we did get in were beautiful and the Danube area is definitely worth seeing. We were fortunate that most of the bike paths that had been affected by the flooding had been cleared and so only a few routes were detoured due to silt/debris on path. The bus rides we took to see a couple of the destinations we couldn't reach by water were longer than the time at the destination, but the time at the destinations was enjoyable.

Since we had anticipated it being the highlight of our trip, I wish we had made it to Budapest!!

The best part of the trip was seeing the different towns with their beautiful historic buildings. Unfortunately because of the prior week's rains which caused high water along the river, we weren't able to visit Budapest.

The scenery we passed through. It was beautiful. I definitely recommend going on the side excursion to the flower auction. Crazy scale.

The entire trip was stunningly beautiful, to the Adriatic Sea, biking on the numerous islands and the views of the mountains while traveling on the boat and riding our bikes. The tour guides were knowledgeable and attentive as well as the entire crew on our boat. The bike trips were full of interesting sites and easy to complete. If you’re looking for a relaxing trip that includes biking on numerous islands, swimming at some of the some most gorgeous beaches around then this trip is for you. Book it now, you won’t regret it.

The fun interaction with all the other people on the barge. Also, the fantastic guides and crew - all were great. Food terrific as evidenced by the 5 lbs. I gained!
While the terrain was flat, there was a couple of days when we had gravel and tree roots which made the going a little tougher and hard on the butt and lower back. An additional cushioned seat cover would have helped. Many people had Emile’s which were helpful over the rougher terrain. I never thought I would need one but I am almost 85 and have a broken down lower back. I really struggled on the second day when we did 50 km and some lengthy rough patches. People with e-bikes felt they were very good bikes, heavier than a regular bike but expected. The regular bikes were excellent other than a little more cushioning would help. The scenery along the way is not very interesting.
but earlier reviews mentioned that. It’s more about the fun of the group. This is likely my last bike trip but it was a great one. All of the bike & barge trips are terrific.

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!

It's impossible for me to name a single most memorable part of this trip; it was the total package- beautiful scenery, beautiful boat, delicious gourmet food, excellent cycling equipment, excellent fun guides and ship crew. The size of the group was good and happily we all got along great. We were also lucky with the weather as shoulder season brought some rain we dodged with a slight itinerary adjustment. Despite an initial snag due to a couple of cabins not being what people had reserved via Tripsite, the trip guides managed to sort things out to everyone's satisfaction thanks to kindness and generosity within the group and I am confident in writing that every single person aboard had a wonderful time.

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

This was the seventh bike/barge tour, in Europe, which I have taken. It was a wonderful tour. The boat, the crew and the guides were among if not the best. In particular the quality and the presentation of the food was outstanding,. I have three suggestions that in my opinion would have made the trip more comfortable. The first is quite minor but most North Americans use a facecloth in the bathrooms, I would prefer this to the two handtowels which were provided for each guest, Secondly, on each of my earlier trips better accommodations were made for guests to dry out light laundry or wet clothing. A clothesline set up on upper patio could work well for this, Finally, my experience is that cycling in a group of 31 is awkward and potentially dangerous. Our two guides worked together very well to control the traffic and allow the whole group to cross major roads safely but two smaller groups would mean shorter traffic delays.
Overall a great trip which I will gladly recommend yo others

The lack of communication on the lack of planning for weather. There should have been plans in place for us to visit all 4 countries that we paid for, or compensation for missing Budapest.

The scenery was beautiful, very memorable. The staff was excellent, accommodating and professional. Thank you for that. The e-bikes were great, and definately made riding fun. Unfortunately, due to flooding on the Danube, we did not get to experience important parts of the trip. The staff did their best to make up for this, but we did miss out on anticipated stops and excursions.

The riding was fabulous. The routes were challenging, yet doable for me (on e-bike,) and the towns and views were just breathtaking. My husband is a strong rider, but opted for an ebike, and enjoyed challenging himself by keeping it at the lowest level.

Beautiful sites but people need to know that even with E-bikes, it was challenging due to hills. Only complaint was due to noise level , dining experience on board was unpleasant