Bike + Boat Tour Reviews — 3631 to 3660 of 4716

Great experience, although a very large group to be riding together. The food was good but not great. Made some friends and really enjoyed the trip.

Jantien was amazing! She was always available, ready to help in anyway, answer questions, run a tidy and very clean ship... in short, do anything to make our stay pleasant and stress free. It was obvious she was genuinely concerned for the happiness of her, as she called us, "Dear Guests". We looked forward every day to her well thought out and wonderfully prepared evening meals. The staff were all highly focused on the same things, a testament to Jantien's leadership. We have no hesitation in recommending Jantien and the Merlijn.

We truly enjoyed this trip, with beautiful flowers in every town and swans everywhere. One night, we had a bevy of swans peaking in at us as we ate dinner!. The bikes are great, with comfortable seats and smooth gearing. The dinners were always a delicious surprise. Sanders and Els were wonderful hosts, and our guide, Seitze, was extremely knowledgeable about the history of the Mosel area, including Roman aqueducts, medieval castles, World War II sites, and, of course, the history of the EU. Nancy was my favorite big city but we also had a night time walking tour of a little town overlooking the Mosel, called Liverdun...where delicious Madelines come from! Very cute town. We went in early September and the cabins were a bit warm even at night. You can open windows, but it could be uncomfortable in the summer. Biking was mostly flat so not difficult but I definitely got some exercise. Another favorite: stopping for coffee and pastry each morning!

The scenery along the Dalmatian Coast was spectacular. A young Croatian guide (Ben) was hired to replace the usual Dutch guide (Bernard) who had broken his hip seven weeks before in a bike accident. Ben was kind, knowledgeable and fun. Bernard and his girlfriend were along on the tour as we only had six members in our group and a cabin was available. Apparently Bernard has some "financial interest" in the boat as well as being the usual tour guide. Bernard seemed to have something to prove from the first day. He had a problem letting go of control and letting Ben do the job he was hired for. When Bernard was along on the days' excursions he was overbearing and sometimes suggested unsafe maneuvers on the bike. I overheard him say American women were wimps. His girlfriend suggested that it was not just American women but men as well who might not be comfortable with a particularly dangerous turn off a road and onto a bath along the sea. By the end of the week he had mellowed somewhat. I suspect mostly due to his American girlfriend.

The captain was loud, drank too much and changed the itinerary to suit his needs. Yes, some of it was weather related. But, we were told the first day by other staff that the captain had a woman at every stop and expect our schedule to reflect it.

The food was awesome!! The gals doing the cooking, Ivana and Antonia were fun, very smart about Croatian history and funny. Without the Croatian staff the trip would have been a bust.

What I enjoyed most about my Boat & Bike trip were the rides through the countryside in the early mornings when it was quiet, and the only sound was the hum of my bicycle. Secondly, were the times we moved the boat during breakfast. I found myself staring out the window at life and business along the canals. Lastly, the new friends we made, from Britain, Australia, and Canada!

Most memorable part: The incredible scenery and the knowledge of our guide.

This was my third bike and barge with Tripsite, but it was not my favorite. The boat, crew and food were terrific. The route however was flat as advertised, but the night stops were not fun or interesting. Zelo had only a cemetery and an Irish pub. If I was asked by a friend which bike and barge to take for possibly a once in a lifetime trip, I would recommend Bruges to Amsterdam and the Mosul River trip first. We had a wonderful time and everyone on the boat and the guests were first rate. I would take another trip on The Ave Maria, but would want a more interesting route.

The country side, the guide was very personable and knowable of the routes, sites with a very positive and safety conscious attitude. More time in some of the major centres (Gent, Antwerp) I would recommend that travelers arrive at least one day preferable two in advance of the bike & barge departure and stay at least 2 days afterwards to enjoy the cities of Bruges and Amsterdam. The availability of e-bikes was essential so that those less experienced in pedalling the distances could enjoy the biking part of the trip.

The Zwaantje and crew are top notch, and present a great value. Some of the routes in northern France had a little too much traffic. Riding in Belgium and Netherlands seems nicer. Once is enough for this tour.

Jantien & Henz were supreme hosts and their barge Merlijn delightful. As for tips just sit back, relax & enjoy the marvelous holiday that they provide.

I really enjoyed the variety of the tour, including bike rides through pastoral countryside and alongside canals, and walking tours through fascinating historical cities and towns. The food and drink were highlights, both on and off the boat, and I really enjoyed traveling with a great group of fellow travelers. The crew and guide were fantastic! The Tripsite guidebook included suggestions for tipping the crew and guide. Our group felt that the suggested tip amounts were not adequate, so we tipped a lot more than what was suggested.

The most memorable parts was the Saar River part of the ride, biking above the River with our guide and riding thru the vineyards. The little towns and the Roman History. Had no idea about the Roman history in this region before this trip. The Levees on the river. Just the general beauty of the area. The grapes growing on the sides of the mountains. Both our barge crew and all the people on the trip. FUN! FUN! FUN!

Croatia is gorgeous and the food was great. The cook, ivanna, and the guide, ben, were amazing with understanding the participants skill level and dietary needs. The cycling was not as described or the descriptions could have been better. One full day we were on a pedestrian path with many people to dodge- not fun and not real cycling. Molat was the best route!
The captain was difficult, drunkenly, egotistical, chauvinist and making lewd comments whenever addressing women.

The total crew got involved in the trip and were always available to assist us with any problems or questions. It helped to break the ice with other bikers and soon we were one cohesive and fun group.

Most memorable are the meals. The daily ports and after dinner walks. 1 issue - directions to the barge were horrible.

Most memorable part? There were so many, but Chantilly Castle and the Montmontre area of Paris that we had a tour of immediately come to mind. Make sure that you can ride a bike and can manage at least 30 miles on a route with the same level of climbing, otherwise use an e-bike to help you along. Bring 2 pairs of street shoes, as some days they might get wet. Remember that there will be an opportunity to leave a tip at the end, and it should be about 5-6% of the booked price. Drink wine and beer, talk to people, don't be shy about anything and remember to have fun.

It is very hard to say what was the best, as everything was so great, beautiful, and interesting. The staff and bike guide went above our expectations, we would recommend this trip to all.

So many memorable parts it's hard to pick just one. On this trip, I'll say the warmth of the chef and captain, the meals were outstanding, and I loved meeting and cycling with people from all over!

We thoroughly enjoyed the whole trip but the weather was a bit average - no rain but lots of cloud and a bit cool.
The food was great as were the crew, the bikes, the other passengers and the boat. We thought Wouter (the guide) needs to "loosen up" a bit and learn more of the history etc. of the region. We also found the first couple of days on the bikes a bit boring, too much forest and not enough villages etc.
All in all very good!!

The whole trip exceeded our expectations but the barge Iris and the crew were outstanding.

This was our first time at a bike & barge trip and it was a great adventure! Staff was amazing and the other guests all gelled - we all worked together to have a fun experience. Getting to see various areas in Northern Holland up close was amazing. Be prepared for weather changes! Layer and bring clothes for rain! But most of all be prepared for a great vacation!

The most memorable part of the trip? Everything: the boat, staff, accommodations, food, cycling director, bicycles were far better than I expected. The daily orientations by the cycling director were very informative, not only about cycling conditions, but also about refreshment stops and sightseeing. This trip could not have been better.

Friendly knowledgeable staff, delicious food, great bikes! It truly was the vacation of a lifetime, and we can't wait for the next one!

I really enjoyed everything about the trip: the scenery, towns and villages, camaraderie, guide, food , music evening. All was wonderful!

Wow, our trip was phenomenal! The barge was excellent, the food was gourmet (seriously) and the riding was great! Although rain was predicted everyday, we never rode in the rain. The weather improved and we saw rain twice while on the barge. The Magnifique II and the crew could not have been better. We are already looking forward to a trip next year!!!

The most memorable part of our trip was people we met, we made some fantastic new friends. The Dutch countryside was especially beautiful, just like out of a fairy tale. Lots of other great countryside and small villages as well, quaint and old European.
The rooms on the Fluvius were poorly ventilated, and the A/C was extremely noisy. The dining room, lounge, bar and upper deck were great.
One of our rides included having to take a short ferry ride. We were all asked to pay .70 cents for this. Many of us felt that was being extremely cheap, and should have been included. Really...70 cents!!!!
For each day of cycling we were only given 1-500ml bottle of water. This is not even close to daily requirements, especially given that on several days we were riding in 30 degrees C. It should have been at least 2L/person/day.
Our guide lacked enthusiasm. He told us to fill our empty water bottles in the bathrooms, he talked about bathroom breaks in the pre-ride briefing but despite being told (during the ride) that we'd need a break, he just kept going. Rarely did he stop for photos; there was some beautiful countryside that many of us would liked to have captured. For the most part, the only time he stopped was for coffee and lunch. He did not seem overly concerned about safety; when there was a car coming from behind the riders would shout "CAR" and that kept getting shouted up the line. One time I was behind the guide, so we both heard it at the same time...the guide then very flippantly said "Good for the car". Crossing major intersections was dicey; many times he would cross despite the traffic, while the group would then wait on the other side until it was CLEARLY safe to go. This seemed to frustrate him.
My bike was great, but it would have been nice to have a water bottle holder mounted on the frame, and include a cycling water bottle for it, which people could then take home. Not all bikes were the same; some had 2 hand brakes, while others had a hand brake and a foot brake, which took some getting used to for those that were assigned that type of bike. There was no option to swap.
The Fluvius crew were amazing. Very, very hard working, yet personable and great senses of humor! Shout outs to Alex, Nadia, Marianna, David & Captain Arno!!! (PS, we hope everything is okay with Nadia's mom).
Despite the negatives, we had a great time, met some amazing people, saw stunningly beautiful countryside, had lots of fun & laughter. And, we would go again!!

Everything was memorable. I took this trip with my sister not having any expectations. Besides the great accommodations, food & scenery, there were strangers from 8 different countries that became a bike family for 8 days. It was a wonderful trip.

I am not a bike rider and was very concerned about how difficult it really would be. Well, it wasn't that difficult and was very enjoyable. The bike trails are amazing and stunning. This was the first Bike Barge experience and it was fantastic. There is no better way to experience Germany. The staff on the Merlijn are amazing. The food was delicious and plentiful. The experience on a smaller vessel was as good or even better than on a cruise ship and I have been on over 25 cruises all over the world. I highly recommend this adventure.

We had a wonderful time. The accommodation was above expectations, very clean and more roomy than expected. The food was excellent, plentiful, diverse and attractively presented. The staff was welcoming, helpful and made the trip extremely enjoyable. There were extras above what we expected...guided trips into the various cities in the evening and even entertainment with Music and dancing. We stayed with the guide every day and appreciated his expertise at choosing routes that were scenic and avoiding as much of the traffic when we did have to go through the cities.

Enjoyed the trip immensely. Scenery was fantastic. Ship and staff were excellent. Food was accommodating for vegetarians, non fish eaters and was plentiful. Would like to see an additional excursion included with the tour. Beer tasting night and castle tour were excellent.