Netherlands Bike + Boat Tour Reviews — 1441 to 1470 of 1671

Exceptional staff, welcoming, friendly, informative, knowledgable. Perhaps on the rides having a buddy system so the guide doesn't need to count all the people to make sure everyone is present would be my only suggestion. I sometimes got the sense that people wanted to stop more often to take pictures and no one told them not to but then it can take time away from getting to visit town at the end of the day. Perhaps that needs to be discussed in more depth. Sometimes some of the breaks were longer than necessary. Again they were fine but took time from visiting a town at the end of the trip.

We have been on 4 barge based bike trips plus 3 hotel based bike trips, all in Europe and this was the best. There are simply not enough superlatives to use to praise this trip. From the guide to the cook to the quality of the bikes and the barge we add the wonderful route and great scenery.

I would recommend this trip but only if a group of friends were going or if there was some way to know the mix of language of fellow travellers. I was the only person who did not speak the German language. I felt very isolated. A number of German people did try to speak English but it was hard work for them and they were on holidays. One English sailor on board as staff was very kind and attentive. The cook made wonderful gluten free dishes for me!! The guide did an excellent job of switching back and forth from German to English. The cycling and countryside was very pleasant. Sometimes the stops were a bit long but perhaps that was because I couldn't chat around with other travellers.

The Merlijn is a very special barge full of character and charm, beautifully appointed and owned and operated by the delightful Jantine and Henk. They along with their crew spoiled us rotten with great food and hospitality. Our bike ride was thru beautiful countryside and expertly guided and interpreted by a delightful Dutch couple, Jack and Marianne. They gave us great local insight. We thoroughly recommend the Merlijn and can't wait to return.

The staff at Tripsite were amazing to deal with and very helpful about everything. I would recommend this company and biking trip to anyone.
Thank you
S. Fryeskul
PS: We loved the new Magnifique II !!!

1) the description of the mileage per day on the itinerary was not the same as the reality. There were two days where it was listed that there would be a choice of riding 42 km or over 50. When we questioned our guide he said there would be no choice and that they keep asking for the itinerary to be changed but it hasn't happened. There were quite a number of people found the over 50 km too long.
2) one guide for 36 people was too big a group. Also the same people rode up front with the guide everyday and they had the benefit of some really interesting information that the rest of us were not.
3) we were assigned tables for dining and they did not change. With such a small number we would have liked the opportunity To move about and sit with different people at meals as we got to know people very well.
4) all in all, we loved the trip and it was a great experience.

Great bike leader. Have name tags for participants or for bikes to help us w names. Would like to have been brave enough to ride on my own! Some participants were not really regular cyclists. Would have been good to have a briefing re group bike rules, including spacing, passing, signaling, warnings, etc.

Loved it! The crew was great, the boat was marvelously beautiful, the food was very good, and the overall atmosphere was perfectly casual and elegant at the same time. But: They should NOT charge for coffee/tea after 4pm. If the Bar Tab could be handled at the end of the trip by credit card it would be a bit more sophisticated, but not a deal breaker.

This is one of the best trips I have ever been on. The boat was very clean, comfortable and new. The steps to the lower level kind of steep but very manageable. The staff was wonderful, especially the chef! and the bike guide! I liked the stops.The bikes were very enjoyable. I think the coffee could have been free all day instead of being charged for it after 4pm. I would love to do another trip!

I really enjoyed this trip. The barge was very spacious and the food was excellent. The staff were friendly and the atmosphere was very relaxing. The biking was just right and our bike guide was wonderful. Felix was knowledgeable and very helpful to all. I will certainly recommend this trip to others and can hardly wait to do another bike and barge trip.

We had a blast on this trip! My first Bike and Barge through Tripsite. Our captains, Hank and Yantine, made us feel like part of the family. The boat was very clean and we loved the table designs at each sitting! Our guide, Francine, made us feel very welcome and really went out of her way to provide us friendly travel tips as we continued on our journey! Thanks for such an awesome time!

It would have been nice to have a group photo at the end. It seemed a little confused at the end. Also, with other trips I have been on the guide circulates an email list and anyone who wants to join it can. That way it is easy to connect with other participants to exchange photos etc. Other than that it was a great trip. I'd definitely like to do another one! I think the Gandalf is the best boat in the fleet (or so I hear from others).

I would have liked for the table assignments to have been mixed up a little bit so we could get to know more people. I also think the sweep should have a walkie talkie so he can let the guide know when he has missed a turn. This was a fabulous trip! The guide, staff, food, tour and accommodations were perfect!

The Bike and Barge was one of the Highlights of our tour of Holland. The boat is comfortable and the food is great! Yes the room are small but that is no worry since there is so much to do. You can sit on the bow of the barge in comfortable chairs after a day of biking. Everything is planned out well. The meals, bike tours, city walks etc all start on time like clockwork. The guides are informed and you learn bits of history as you pedal. Really a great way to see and learn about a country. I would highly recommend this trip to the bike enthusiast.

Due to the length of the cycling routes, there should have been better quality bikes. All gears should have been in working order.

This is a great route and the cycling areas are excellent in so many ways. Scenic paths through forests, parks, graphic small towns and with well defined directions given daily by the guide. The barge cabins were quite adequate in size and even though the bathroom was small it served the purpose for the week long trip. Having porthole windows that we were able to open was great in order to bring in fresh air. The disappointment was that the barge was not very clean overall (dust and cobwebs), there was very little deck space to enjoy the views during cruising and having two large dogs on board did not help matters.
The food quantity was good but hardly any quality in it. Four out of seven meals were rice oriented, little meat substance and overall not comparable to other similar meals on other barge and bike trips we have taken and the first time we have ever had "fish" lasagna!
Breakfasts were by far the best meals and there was always plenty to go around and to prepare for your take away lunch. The crew were friendly and welcoming. I would most definitely recommend this trip if done on a better ship. The trip gets 5 out of 5 stars, the ship hardly 3 out of five.

Some wait staff could have been more accommodating. We seemed burdensome at times. Running out of food & then having to wait for more or not refilled at all was an annoyance.

The trip was nothing short of Fantastic! The towns we went through on the Hanseatic Route were so charming. Captain Hans on the Gandalf was so generous to me...he knows what he did! ;-) I will specifically seek out trips on the Gandalf. Fred the guide was superb...ensuring everyone got the biking experience they wanted and just a lovely guy all around!! This was my first Bike & Barge but it won't be my last...I've got friends lined up wanting to join me on my next trip...they didn't know such trips exist, but they do now!!

The Bruges to Amsterdam Bike Barge trip starting May 7, 2016 on the Fluvius was fantastic from the minute we step on the barge in Bruges until the day it was over and departed the barge to take the foot ferry to Central Station in Amsterdam. Our guide Guus and the boat's crew were friendly and helpful 24/7. Loved all our fellow travelers too. The bike trips each day were through beautiful countryside and centuries old cities. The food on the boat was great. The bunks were comfy and the showers always had plenty of hot water. The bikes worked well. Our guide and our maps got us where we needed to go everyday. Even the weather was perfect! Can't wait to do another trip like this!

Fabulous trip. The guide and staff were great. The biking was perfect. I would recommend highly and without reservation. Great trip. Great biking and guide and wonderful staff. The boat was very comfortable and the country was beautiful. I recommend this trip highly and without reservation.

Some of the other people that came on the trip were not prepared to ride a bike 20-25 miles per day. They said that they had not ridden a bicycle since they were a youth. Consequently, this significantly held up the entire group. I would recommend emphasizing the importance of being in good riding condition for the bike/barge trips. Thank you.
The staff of the Merlijn absolutely made the entire trip a pure delight! We would definitely sail with them again in the future!

This was a fabulous trip! The best way to see the Netherlands is by boat and barge. This cruise far exceeded my expectations. The barge was homey and warm, the crew was so special. They took care of our every need, and did it in a friendly and caring manner. The chef was phenomenal! The value for your money was great. I would do this again in a heartbeat!

The boat, the crew, the bikes, the food....all great. The bike guide was on her first tour and on several occasions, we had to stop, wait while guide asked for directions. In her defense, route markers were often confusing or hard to locate, making it difficult to take off on our own, or to pause along the way without group consensus. As the farewell meeting on the boat, the entire group voiced positive comments and satisfaction with the experience.

The Magnifique II ship was beautiful and very comfortable. The ship's crew were outstanding and very friendly. We especially enjoyed touring with tour guide Tom. We would love to take another trip similar to this in other regions and countries.

The entire trip for all 13 of us was superb !!! From the quality of the boat, the skipper, the chef, the cycle route, the guide, the food on board, all excellen !! A must do!! The quality of the cycles were excellent ! Which made the experience memorable! I did get a chance to compare it with other boat and bicycle tours, ours was far superior, practically new bicycles.

Second time on the Merjlin. We would definitely book a third. Bike/Barge trips are so much fun!

Highly recommend this trip!

We loved the entire trip. The bikes trips were great - always lots to see with just the right amount of time in the saddle. My sister (who is not used to much cycling) loved her electric bike.

I would have appreciated written directions each day of the turns so that we could do a self guided trip. Also, it would help to have a staff as a sweeper to make sure the group urging in the correct direction .

It was a wonderful trip. The hostess is exceptional, the food fabulous, the guide very good and all the passengers were nice to be with.