Europe Bike + Boat Tour Reviews — 2071 to 2100 of 4949

The Trip met or exceeded all of our expectations. I enjoyed seeing the Netherlands and Belgium from a variety of vantage points. Walking into Antwerp old central square at night was magical.

Our tour director made everything we did fun. Thanks Juergen.

I was very disappointed with this trip! Not only were the cabins very small, they were completely enclosed with no external air flow systems. So, when one person in our group came down with COVID, it quickly spread to 4 more.

Since I had been rooming with one of the persons who tested positive, I offered to leave the trip [so I would not spread the virus to other customers] with the understanding that the ship's crew would pay for my hotel stay in Gent Belgium and the cab fare from the boat to the hotel. Moreover, I expected the crew to give me a refund for the portion of the trip I could not use [not the entire sum, but just what they would save on meals, etc.]. However, after packing my suitcase, isolating from the rest of the customers on board, and preparing to deboard, I was told than not only was the crew not going to pay for the items they said they would, the crew insisted that I pay a surcharge of another 30 Euros for increased fuel costs.

The ship and the food were a very favorable part of the trip, lovely.

The bike tours were boring and ill described by the guide. Less farmland and more quaint villages would have met our expectations. The last day was the best.

A.
The Thalassa, the boat on which we traveled needs immediate repairs to the holding tank/sewage system. The smells emanated into our cabin day and night. To resolve the only thing we could do was open the portholes, run the air-conditioning, and leave our cabin door open all at the same time. We left the boat one night early due to the smell. Two other couples did the same. We were told from day one of the cruise the smell would improve once we began sailing but that was not the case. Our room smelled of sewage fumes the entire trip. Additionally the smell of diesel fumes while in port was excessive. While the captain, crew, and tour guides were good, this boat is not ready for taking people on vacation.
Suggestions:
1. Rework venting systems for ship
2. Leave port the day of embarkation. No need to stay in port and smell diesel fumes from the boats (including the Thalassa) until the next day.

B. The e-bikes we used for this trip were tired and in need of serious repair or new bikes need to be purchased.
Suggestion:
1. Maintenance and repair review of each bike should be undertaken and new equipment installed as needed.

C. We did a tour extension in Athens for 3 days. Tripsite did not send any information about our extension ahead of time. So, while we had a driver pick us up at the airport and we had a nice hotel, there was no tour guide. We had to figure out what was planned for us on our own. Tripsite referred us to our Greek contact of whom there was none.
Suggestion:
Better contact between Tripsite and their overseas vendor to be sure travelers have made appropriate contact with local guides.

This trip was a disappointment compared to our previous week on the De Holland. This barge has no ventilation. The lower rooms were very damp and moldy smelling. We would have to open the door to the hallway after we showered. No fan in the bathroom and no way to eliminate moisture or odors. They were not using a proper disinfectant spray between groups so the virus germs can stay in these damp rooms. One woman entered the barge with Covid. She ended up passing it to 9 people.. They were all asked to leave the barge on their own expense. People need to be aware of this potential expense. Guides were ok but best for experienced riders. They encouraged independent travel but they are in the process of changing from the GPS maps so it was confusing and we frequently were lost and had to look at the map. No serious troubles.

We highly recommend the Rotterdam to Cologne trip. We went early September and the weather was beautiful. Water level worries caused some anxiety but in the end, there was no issue and the boat travelled along just fine. The E-biking was effortless as it is relatively flat. The scenery, especially in Netherlands, wonderful. The staff on our boat were friendly and helpful. The food was very good and our selections for our packed lunches was wonderful. We returned each day to a nice tidy cabin with our bunks pulled up to allow seating. Housekeeping did a great job. One suggestion: the maps need a review and update. In some instances, our group and other members from the boat were all at a particular location, quite confused as to the next step. Eventually we all ended up in the correct place but a few times, it was a large group consultation to solve it! Be sure to have a live smart phone at hand. We resorted to it a couple of times to navigate.

Using Tripsite to book our bike/barge trip took a lot of stress off of our trip planning especially during the pandemic. Whenever I emailed, I got a quick response and I was able to rebook easily more than once. The boat, Princess Katherina, was well run. We met many new people and even though we were the only USA participants, we were seated with other English speakers who became quick friends and travel mates. I was always pleased with the vegetarian options for dining and all food choices overall were exceptional. The 34 staff onboard contributed to efficiency and support whenever we had questions or needs. The bike routes were well marked and the panniers and front pack for holding the map worked perfectly. I would definitely get an e-bike next time as I struggled a bit with rainy weather but as seventy and seventy-two year olds exploring a new country, the trip was flawless. If you like castles, abbeys, river trails, this trip is perfect! Don't miss the pear cider at the small farmhouse on day two or the Mauthausen Memorial if you go. The Memorial and the Abbey in Melk were highlights of the trip even though they were a bit off the beaten path. Also, having an upper deck cabin was essential for me as I had never slept in a boat before and I preferred to have access to fresh air. Book this trip and have fun!

Vienna and Budapest were definite highlights as well as the bike ride from Krems to Melk which was fabulous!

Crew and guide were fantastic.
Our dinners were amazing. Chef put much thought into selecting and preparing our evening meal always paired with a fabulous wine.
Enjoyed recapping our day’s ride after dinner with our guide, Mickey.
Each day brought a new adventure of riding. Lots of variety.
Might include a walking tour of Avignon as part of the trip.

We loved riding through the beautiful countryside and stopping to see the important landmarks along the way.

The entire experience was wonderful aboard the boat and biking the islands. The crew ensured we were fed healthy delicious food and we safe biking the hilly terrain.
The only bad experience was poor communication prior to the trip about COVID requirements.

Arles (Van Gogh & Roman buildings), Barbegal Acqueduct, Les Baux, olive oil mill visit, Pont du Gard. Camaraderie on board the Caprice and while riding. The hospitality and warmth of the Caprice crew. So many other great sites and experiences too. Our guide Miki was great; bike routes were pleasant and relatively free of traffic interference. I felt safe while riding and saw a lot little things along the ride that interested and pleased me - things you don't see from a car, train, or bus.
One area needing improvement: Poor WIFI aboard the Caprice. Higher capacity and more reliable WIFI would have been appreciated.

The route, the people we met

Wonderful. This was our 4th ride of the islands. Beautiful as ever. Great crew and great companions from all over on the boat.

Ship was very nice and staff were friendly and helpful. Everything was spotless clean and bed was comfortable. Dinner meals were pretty mediocre and some of sack lunches included greasy deep fried items. Bikes were in excellent condition and the bike routes were fine, but the written descriptions for navigating the routes were indadequate.

Great biking on an iconic river through the major cities in grand luxury.

Most memorable was riding atop the dikes in the Netherlands. The meals and lunch prep was a highlight of the trip. While my bike was adequate, I feel the preparation wasn’t adequate. I had to have the rear brake adjusted prior to use and the rear derailleur would jump gears. They should have been inspected prior to use. The maps and directions were not as clear as they should have and instructions in English were limited

Our staff. Hans and Wilfred were exceptional.

The dinners were fantastic.

Riding in our bike entourage through the scenic Flemish and Dutch countryside, from one hamlet to the next village with the beautiful backdrop of peaceful fields will be seared into our memories forever. We did encounter some blustery rain, which makes us regret not having packed better rain gear.

A wonderful experience! Good food, lots of fun. Leslie the cruise director was phenomenal! I'm not sure its possible, but it would have been nice to have a little more time in the major cities. The bus trips were a great introduction for a return trip.

The wow factor of the trip was riding our bikes in an underground tunnel under the River Sheldt in Antwerp. We took the elevator down. Unfortunately, the elevator to go back up was broken, so we had to take 2 escalators up which was a challenge with our bikes. We later found out that there is a ferry. I’m glad we didn’t know about the ferry!

It was a wonderful trip. The barge accommodations were good, not luxurious. The crew was excellent. They were cheerful and efficient. The food was good. There were no choices for dinner.

Enjoyed everyone on the boat, great staff and food. Good bikes, some of the paths and roads were a bit on the rough side.

Highlights: Beautiful scenery along the Danube whether you are on the boat or riding your bike. The staff was extremely friendly & helpful. The food offered was excellent along with the service.
Biking: I’m a regular cyclist (Road & Mountain) so I chose to ride a standard (non ebike) bike. The bikes are heavy and geared way too high. Fortunately, the terrain is relatively flat so the number of times needing lower gears were few.