Germany Bike + Boat Tour Reviews — 541 to 570 of 1360

This trip is mostly between towns and villages each day, but with the opportunity to "bookend" the cycling with visits to a number of famous large cities in the area. I stayed several days in Cologne first, and in Strasbourg and Frankfurt at the end. All are easily reachable by high speed train. On the cycle trip, I particularly enjoyed the portion out of Koblenz where we cycled right through the vineyards on the hillside slopes rather than right along the river.

This was my fifth cycle trip and by far the most luxurious boat, the Merlijn. Summer temperatures were HOT but somehow the paths along the meandering Mosel were often in the shade. One unpredictable factor for any trip is the quality of the guide. Lia was top notch. As were the bikes. And the food.

Helpful hints... I choose my trips according to what discounts are offered, as every tour has something worthwhile on offer. Germany is a beer drinking country, and I found non alcohol beer available everywhere.

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.

The Moselle is a storybook beautiful valley with vineyards sloping up the river valleys and quaint towns along the way with castles on the hills. I couldn't ask for a more beautiful location. The Merlijn crew were amazing; the food was wonderful and our tour guide Leia made the trip enjoyable and informative. I really appreciated they took us to visit Berg Elze, I loved the castle. All around, this was a fabulous vacation that I would recommend to anyone who knows how to bike!

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 Mainz to Cologne Bike to Barge trip was an amazing experience. Certainly, the history and beauty of the region was exceptional, but the most memorable part of the trip was meeting and getting to know our fellow travelers. There is nothing I would change about the trip - the staff of the Olympia was attentive and professional; the bikes we rode were well maintained and comfortable to ride; and the food on the Olympia was quite good. We would highly recommend this trip to anyone considering a unique travel experience! Ron and Luann Buchholz

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.

Greetings!
I'm still in "la-la-land" thinking back on all the fabulous crew, adventures, sites, food (Did I say food---delightful), wines, and incredibly beautiful rides along the Mosel and Sar rivers. Day 1: meet the superb crew, fun travelers (11 in our group, 7 others, also fun) and make our home-away-from -home cabin cozy and prepare for our first dinner. Each day began with a hearty, fresh breakfast as well as choices for making our packable lunches. Days were filled with the most beautiful sites of castles, to wineries, to intimate villages as well as the opportunities to stop and have lunch in local restaurants. View, views, views! Yes, bring raingear, enjoy the clean air and winding river bike paths (95% paved) as you are guided (thanks Weiggart!) through each unique village, winery, town, and forest. If you are the "sweep", make sure you remind your riders to "give each other space for slowing" and as you ride, watch for riders who may not be using their ears/eyes/gears effectively. Bike-up, car-back, clear!!!! Now, as you return to the Flora and her fabulous crew, take in all the conversations of the days' adventures and unwind with a drink as you prepare to have incredibly prepared "foods from around the world" from your chef! (Loved your stories of each meal). Thanks again for the best 8 days of true joy! "Coach" Elliott. (Sweep)

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