Europe Bike + Boat Tour Reviews — 871 to 900 of 5219

I have to admit the best part of the trip was the people that we met on board. Everyone got along extremely well for the entire trip.

Our previous Bic & Barge was a better experience than this trip for the following reasons:

- Food: Breakfast was very consistent and good. Lunch & Supper, when served, was less than good.
- Accommodations: The rooms and associated washroom was small, tired and in need of repair and/or updating.
- Staff: The ship's crew liked to congregate at the stern of the ship every night and talk in loud voices until 10PM. We didn't complain but it something that the tour organizer should communicate to the boat that needs to be addressed.
- The ride group was too big. 35 cyclists, of varying abilities and age, should have been split into two groups. Many times, the distance between the front end and the back of the group was too far. This was not good for the good riders or for the lesser riders. In fact, one day the members of the group got separated because the front group was so far ahead. Spit the groups. Assign a sweeper from the cyclist group and one guide to each group.
- Guides were good
- Crew was unfriendly and never looked at you eye to eye. Noisey after hours. (See above)
- Crew was inappropriate with three (3) young women in our group. I realize it takes two to tago but they should have kept their distance
- Bartender was unfriendly. Maybe it was a language issue. If it was, then he was assigned the wrong task and should not have been the bar tender.
- Captain of the vessel was good, friendly and made you feel at ease when we were at sea.
- The guides in Rab and Zadar were really good.
- Cycling was really good. A lot of variety.
- Scenery was spectacular. Croatia is a beautiful country like no other

Going forward we are going to stick to flatter terrain. My wife didn't like riding along stretches of hillside/mountains with vertical drops on the outside lane or barreling down hills at speeds over 40km/hr with hairpin turns. Me, I loved that. All about finding a compatible ride for us both.

Our trip was absolute perfection, from beginning to end. Harmonia is a beautiful, well-appointed boat and was a comfy home. There were 32 of us aboard, and it seemed like the perfect group size. The staff were all warm, friendly and eager to please. The chefs, Dante and Stanko, made beautiful and abundant meals and accommodated my pescatarian diet. Our guides, Bubi and Nikki, were THE BEST! They spoke flawless English and were funny, charming, capable, fun and patient. The bikes were very comfortable and easy to learn and to steer. The rides were varied in terms of scenery and terrain, and all were stunningly beautiful. We enjoyed swimming in the warm, clear Adriatic right off the boat, and some even used Harmonia’s SUP and kayak.

All in all, it was a dreamy and very easy vacation. It was a perfect way to see a gorgeous part of our planet while indulging our love of physical activity. We highly recommend!

Laurie and Steve

1st I have to complement Claudia for all her help! The crew of the Vita Pugna were exceptional, particularly George our guide. This was our 4th boat bike tour in Europe. I would not recommend anyone cruising on the Vita Pugna. The walls were paper thing and we got one good night's sleep. We asked the people next to us 2x to be quiet. They kept talking to late in the night and we felt we were in the room with them. The meals and chef were excellent. Captain was the hardest working one I have ever seen. I definitely would go with this crew on another boat in the future. Bikes were good. Touring/ sites were special. Some people should have rented ebikes as we had to wait up to as 1/2 hour at times for them to catch up and we were not going fast. Crew was extremely helpful both at the beginning during and at the end of our tour. Back to Claudia. she answered all of my questions. Help us get on the right transportation from the airport to the island of Quidecca, where we stayed in a hotel the night before the trip. We met 4 other couples at the hotel. Only difficulty we had was finding the boat on the date of departure. I was unable to load the map for direction. We were finally able to find the boat. I would recommend a separate email at the end with the necessary directions/ map to the boat. One more time I need to mention how much I appreciated Claudia's and the other tour specialists. You were the best I/ we ever have had! Thank you. Steve and Barbara Ferrin.

The overall experience was great. Our guides were fantastic, the scenery was beautiful and the boat and rooms were super clean.

Perfect trip from the ship, the Merlijn, and its crew headed by Coen and Cristina, to the dining, our guide, Thomas to the location along the Neckar and Rhine rivers with the little towns (and bakeries and cafés). It was like spending a holiday inside a magical storybook.

We loved our bike and barge trip from Venice to Mantova. The guides were helpful and friendly, the barge was extremely comfortable, the chefs were masterful and the scenery was gorgeous! It was one of the best bike and barge experiences we've had.

I have been on five bike and barge trips before, and this one was very special due to the crew on the Estello… Georgio, Our bike guide was full of history, fun and knowledge of the area. Sarah, our chef was absolutely amazing… We rode our bikes through some beautiful countryside as well as on many well paved paths…. Met so many nice people. Highly recommend this trip… I prefer the small or intimate bike and barge trips in this certainly met that criteria!

What a great way to explore several cities by bike! If you're seeking fun, exercise, meeting other like minded cyclists, this is a must do!

Biking riding component.

The gluten free option was absolutely not satisfactory. When arriving it was not noted. The chef said we had to come see him. We paid 120 euros and we only received two pasta meals and bread for lunch and a cookie jar. The bread put out was 2 slices for each gf person. The rest could have as much as they wanted. The shopping should have been done before hand in Paris where there are gf bakeries not the same stuff we can buy. We got what was in the pantry.
One meal we got baked apples for dessert. How are 2 pastas, 2 slices of bread per day and a baked apple worth 120E? It is totally not appropriate to charge so much after already paying a lot for the trip. It seems like a cash grab as there were three of us. Whomever makes this decision should be ashamed of themselves. Fair $ for fair service. We should all be reimbursed!

We did a bike/barge tour several years ago in the Netherlands on a small 20 guest boat so we weren’t sure what to expect on a larger ship. We loved the ship and the larger group wasn’t a problem. We had some special dietary needs which the crew handled seamlessly. Our room was pleasant and comfortable. The crew had our bikes ready to go in the morning and reloaded on the ship after we completed out ride. The rides were beautiful. We enjoying cycling through villages, natural areas and the wine region. A lovely special trip!

Having experienced and enjoyed bike and barge vacations for over 10 years, I can say, without a doubt, that the Clair the de Lune's crew were the most attentive, professional, and charismatic. Like most, we select our tours based on destination, daily tour activity, and pleasant docking locations. Those factors are easily researched. The wild cards are often the barge condition, crew personality, and of course, the dining experience. Marco resolved all those concerns by keeping an impeccable barge, bringing on chef Jenny, housekeeper Catalina and tour guide Dick. Our rooms were clean and include both heat and A/C. The dining was inventive and locally sourced. Daily tours were perfectly planned and well managed to optimize our group members. The adage that you must sacrifice amenities if you choose smaller comfort barges over the larger boats did not hold up. We had uncooperative weather (they dried our clothes), flat tire, chain issues (rapidly addressed), difficulties getting to the Briare train (they loaded up personal vehicles and drove their bikes to ensure our timely departures). Bravo Clare de Lune!

The ship we were on was quite amazing at 220 feet long! The landscapes while bicycling were so gorgeous. Brain games for rainy days.

This was a wonderful trip. It was our first bike and barge trip but it won’t be our last one.
Biking through the fields and countryside of Belgium and the Netherlands was beautiful. We were on a self guided tip but each evening a guide went over the next days tour and pointed out interesting places to stop and visit. Staff was lovely and meals were great.
The vest we received from Tripsite were the best. Everyone commented on them. They made us so visible. Would definitely recommend them to all who are doing these trips.
Most took electric bikes but it was very flat and always paved so very easy to bike on.
Definitely would recommend this trip.

No control re. weather, the rest was first rate. Perhaps the cabins leave a little to be desired but what do expect from the a boat bike experience. In this case the trip still exceeded all expectations and we have sailed with a few boat groups. I may also add that Frank, our cook was worth the price of admission alone.

An excellent way to visit Belgium and Netherlands. The food was delicious. Rooms were comfortable. We will definitely be doing another bike and barge trip.

The people on the trip (boat staff included) and THE FOOD where the best part of the barge part of the trip

The scenery was stunning ! The cycling, rated easy was an appropriate rating

A fabulous trip

Biking through the country was unforgettable. Truly enjoyable.

We had the best of many worlds on our trip. Patient, helpful and friendly guides; outstanding chefs; competent and patient captain and crew. The scenery was gorgeous and we especially loved the areas around Venice and Murano. Our cabin was super clean and comfortable. And our fellow travelers were so easy to be with. We noticed the shower was actually the biggest shower we used during our three weeks in Italy! A little rain towards the end of the trip, but nothing anyone can do about that.

The tour is a great way to see the charm and beauty of both the Adriatic sea and small historic ports of the Croation Islands.

Venice back canals. Swimming in adriatic sea. Feedback bikes should have mirrors or tell people to bring them.

Great trip! Despite flooding on the Danube that did not allow us to dock at some locations, we got to all advertised locations. The bike ride through the Austrian vineyards was absolutely stunning!

The cruise was interesting and extremely well organized. The tour guide, Hugo, was exceptionally good and well informed. He was a very good riding guide and for tours of the cities we visited, and he adapted to changes in weather very well.

This was an excellent trip with amazing scenery during bike rides. I would highly recommend this trip as a great way to add to your experience of the Duoro valley. The tour guide was excellent and added to the experience.

For me it was the time in Athens BEFORE the trip, to be honest.

Amsterdam is always a great place to start and finish. The evening walking tour was very nice.

Enjoyed riding and visiting the islands, they were just beautiful. The crew of the Romantica were very attentive and friendly. The food was fantastic at every meal.

The bike rides and the night view of Budapest.

Please improve the GPS file for the last day of biking as the end doesn’t agree with the new ending at Marbach from Melk. We used the Danube river crossing at the power plant and damn from Melk to Marbach at Wehr Melk Damn.

The crew and guide were fantastic! They did a great job—friendly, knowledgeable and they had a good sense of humor. The “Sarah” has issues with cleanliness—for the entire trip, each room was infested with dozens of drain flies and had a strong smell of sewage. The carpet smelled like dirty socks. The owner happened to be on the boat for the first leg and he said that he was going to install new bathrooms and take care of drainage issues (flies/sewage smell). However, when we docked in Amsterdam, the boat was being cleaned so it could be used as a floating hotel. Therefore, it seems unlikely that the problems will be fixed. For the 2025 season, please encourage the owners to fix the problem so others do not have a similar experience. I would not go on the “Sarah” again without this being addressed.

The sights were beautiful but would have preferred to arrive in the town and villages earlier so we could have seen them in the daylight.

Every part of the trip was memorable.
Although the weather didn't always cooperate we had an amazing time and when the skies opened up we managed to keep dry in a winery... Could be worse :)
The breakfasts were excellent, lots of selection cold and hot and nutritious, lunches were packed by the crew and again excellent. Dinners were three course meals and our last was a four course meal, absolutely delicious.

The boat and bikes were in perfect condition and always clean.

The staff was courteous and helpful, our guide Thomas knowledgeable and always watchful of the group.

The locations we stopped at were beautiful.

I had never ridden an e-bike before the trip but it was easy to learn and a lot of fun. No struggling to get up any hills :)

I would recommend this trip to anyone of all ages, as long as you can ride a bike.

I will go on more of these bike / ship trips!