Bike + Boat Tour Reviews — 4471 to 4500 of 4712

Scenery would have been a bit better if we'd gone two weeks earlier. Mid October was a bit late.

Had a wonderful time. Only problem was the weather, very very cold.

We enjoyed this trip very much. This was our first bike and barge trip and we would do it again. The entire staff was great and the guides were super. I did not hear one complaint about anything from any of the guests on board. That is testimony to a job well done in seeing to the comfort of the passengers and the enjoyability of the bike ride.

The guides are young and very athletic. People who sign up for this level of bicycling aren't usually top bikers, unless they are doing it to be with friends or spouse. I think a bit more thought could be put into the introductory ride the first day, bridge crossings, sudden merging into traffic, sudden turns to go steeply uphill. I've done much longer bike rides, but at this age, I didn't want that much challenge.

Aside from all the other wonderful parts of the experience, I cannot say enough about our guides and vessel staff. My good experience began with the Tripsite contacts well before the trip was ever made.

We had a lady guide, who was very quiet and we had a large group (20) which made her job difficult as the people at the back could not hear her. Some of her instructions were not clear and maybe there should have been an instruction on road usage in Europe eg keep to the right hand side of the road (coming from Australia) . Understanding the various traffic lights was also a bit of an issue as we come from a relatively small country town with NO traffic lights and no cycle paths we had to be extremely careful negotiation some of the busier roads as there were 2 sets of traffic lights to negotiate while crossing the roads. It was a wonderful trip and greatly enjoyed by all. The only thing that marred the experience was an unfortunate accident on the very first day which resulted in a serious leg injury.

Our 1st guide was not quite as good as our 2nd. She wasn't as clear on her instructions as she could have been.
On the barge we had to ask for our sheets to be changed after 2 weeks. Everything else was clean and well run. Ours may have been an oversight. This in no way stopped us from having a great holiday. Loved everything from start to finish. Would love another trip on the same boat.

This was a fun, easy ride. Our 2 guides made the trip into a party, even when it was raining. This was the first time I had a really good bed to sleep in - just like at home. The rooms were a good size as were the showers. The crew was fun and we made pasta for our dinner one night. The food was fresh and excellent, and there was plenty of it. These are also the best bikes I have had on my trips. Super, easy and fun trip.

The guide Mr. Leslie was extremely eficiente, the routes very thoughtful and well signposted. I considered it a fascinating experience!

We really enjoyed our trip, our guide Thomas was excellent. As always with group travel, the mix was interesting and generally older than us and less fit. We have travelled with a group before but usually we are the oldest so this was different dynamics and did set the tone somewhat. Would look at a trip again when we are older or with our own group to fill the barge.
Thanks,
Lynn

Barge Quo Vadis was intimate and comfortable. Although small, our cabin had sufficient shelving available to store our clothes (we used ebags pouches to keep biking stuff and hanging out later stuff organized). Our very large roller duffels collapsed enough to store under the beds. The bathroom was fine and we eventually realized the shower squeegee was for the floor - to bring the water towards the drain in middle. Wifi was very limited as the captain made his hotspot available to us but that only seemed to work at the end if the dining room closest to his quarters. We would have liked more seating areas as you had a small sofa/ chairs seating area bordering the dining tables but once filled you would have to sit at a dining table to read etc. The outside seating area actually would seat twenty but appeared smaller....would have liked a bigger outside area too. The staff was wonderful. The bikes were great and i loved my ebike (you have to pedal every bit as much as on a regular bike but you are always "assisted" so you never break a sweat or have to huff puff if encountering an incline or a headwind. In truth i probably would have liked some kind of arrangement where we had the option to do a bit more touring on foot/ time in cute little towns, vs all the time on the bike. We did see things I never would have seen on my own and Belgium is fascinating....hence the wish to actually have had a bit more time in towns like Mechelen where we had a one hour lunch stop and then were on our way. For my next trip i would also invest in a pair of rain pants. I did not know about them but all the Swiss ladies jumped into them as well as their rain jackets when clouds opened up three times as we cycled. One other wardrobe tip...we were spending four weeks in Europe and packing was an issue. I did not bring sneakers which i would only have used while biking, then having to lug for three weeks through fashionable France. Instead my black Sketchers, GO WALK line, did the trick for both a great bike shoe and a walking shoe in France.
We really enjoyed the trip in general and would just search out a barge with a bit more public space were we to do a future trip. "

Our group had the misfortune of 25mph+ headwinds for 4 consecutive days through barren landscape. My hesitation to recommend this trip is not however based on the weather but rather the lack of interesting terrain. I liken this biking to a trip thru Nebraska. Our stops in the villages were poorly timed, shops were closed and our short stop precluded investigating any historical attraction. The charming aspects of European villages, exploring the local cuisine were non existent. Every day we were advised to bring a sandwich. In complete contrast, the bike/barge trip in France visited medieval villages and provided enough time to enjoy a meal in a bistro. Understandably this trip along the Po might be selected by those not willing to bike the hills but biking for hours on an elevated levee and looking at clods of freshly tilled earth is hardly a huge endorsement for this option.

This tour delivers excellent value, service and amenities. In addition to excellent cycling, we were treated to three guided historic city tours, a 5-Star picnic in a historic, rural pavilion, and refreshing swim stops in the Adriatic. Every meal featured a unique salad and entree made with fresh ingredients. The staff are professional, accommodating and the service superb.

I thought we would bike every day, not a problem, but it would have been nice to know.

Upon boarding, there was confusion regarding our room assignments. All 12 of us in our party were assigned different rooms than our vouchers indicated, even on different decks. Fortunately, the cruise director was able to sort everything out, but not without some angst on the part of the hotel manager, who was in the midst of boarding all the passengers at the start of the trip.

I felt bad the employees hadn't had a break since the beginning of the season. Leslie the tour director was burnt out. He was a little defensive when we mentioned some of the route was poorly signed. Many people missed some turns. Other than that we loved the tour, food, staff and have recommended this to many friends!

Excellent trip. Look forward to trying another one.

Only hitch in the whole experience was confusion when we arrived at the boat for check in. In our group of twelve, those who had paid extra for upper deck rooms were assigned lower deck rooms and vice versa, causing a few flared tempers and a less than welcoming start to our excursion. After that was sorted out everything went smoothly. We liked some of the extra excursions more than others but the biking was really the highlight of the trip. Biking through the Wachau Valley with vineyards climbing the mountains on either side, many with castles on top, through charming villages - priceless!

Our first bike and barge experience made unforgettable by creative, delicious and healthy meals, an outstanding guide with a great sense of humour, extensive knowledge of the areas we cycled through, and much patience and warmth. We arrived as nervous neophytes and left feeling we were part of the family....and cycling athletes to boot!

Best trip ever.

With 100 passengers & half German speaking/half English speaking I would recommend 2 guides instead of one. At times our guide seemed overwhelmed with questions, assistance, etc....

The whole experience was awesome! Mantova is a great little place to visit. Lots of history, architecture, fine people, good restaurants. The barge was comfortable, spacious, clean. Food excellent. Staff extremely courteous, helpful, upbeat. Bikes were adequate for the terrain, sturdy, in excellent condition. Some of the trails were uneven, even rocky, but I personally had no issues. Some of the less experienced riders felt a little uneasy on them. The city of Venice was a disappointment (crowded, polluted and dirty) but Venice is Venice... The whole bike 'barge adventure was, plain and simple, unforgettable. Highly recommended. Thanks to everyone for making it so special!!!

I was pleased with the points of interest on the tour (Strasbourg, Heidelberg, Colmar, Breisach), however, the route was very industrial at times and there was just nothing special about it. The maps and route descriptions were terrible and I'd say that was the number one complaint of fellow passengers. I talked to the guide and he said they will redo the route for next year so hopefully with some changes, it will be much better.

I had a good time on this trip, however, there was not enough time on the bicycle. As well, compared to the other biking trips we have taken, this one was very dependent on time. We did not have all day to get to the next spot. I felt rushed on three of the days, and we only biked on four. Also you lose the sense of discovery when every spot is picked out for you ahead of time, as to where to eat, shop, etc. The cruise staff were wonderful, but it seems to me that they think people only want to see cities, whereas I love the countryside and the villages. I would not do a combined boat and bike again.

Great way to do an active vacation. Will definitely book again!!

The boat itself is nothing remarkable, but quite comfortable and clean. The staff was amazingly friendly. Route descriptions were sparse in some sections so there was some guessing involved. The maps themselves didn't have any road names on them if you did get lost they were of no use. We honestly didn't rely on the maps/route descriptions as much as the info from our daily meetings with the tour guide. There were good and bad days as far as scenery on the rides, a few days were pretty boring with not a lot to look at, while others were quite beautiful. We docked within walking distance to town on all days except one (where you had the option of one lonely restaurant). On board you are provided with maps and flyers for each overnight town. The bikes were super heavy and cumbersome (not bikes I am used to) but this is the norm in Europe. The food on board was excellent. I would recommend this trip as I know the routes are being reviewed and descriptions/maps updated.

The Bike and Barge cycling trip was a great way to experience new countries. The cycling paths along the Danube are excellent and the riding was very enjoyable. We will be looking at other bike and barge options through Tripsite.

Marcel is a great guide/tour leader.

The Wadden (Frisian) Sea Netherlands sail/bike trip was tops. From the initial greet to the end of trip farewell to "old friends", my only recommendation for improvement could only be that one uncontrollable element - weather. Most days were punctuated with moisture but this did little to dampen the spirits of all who took advantage of this wonderful excursion.

There was some disconnect in passing along information. For example the barge had to leave earlier than 6:30 but info was not passed on. Fortunately my friends and I arrived and boarded the sister ship and got the info that the Angela Esmee was instructed to leave the port due to some Dutch holiday celebration. Good thing we took the initiative. There was no one waiting on the dock to give us this info.
Info about running a tab for drinks was false. We had to purchase tokens from a machine to use at bar. Bikes were somewhat rickety, having seen their 2nd season (according to a mechanic I talked to). Mine and some others made a grinding noise the entire time. The mechanic tried to fix it, but eventually I just tolerated it. I heard one mech say the bikes had a couple more trips this season. Good luck to the next owner.
Food was very good and the staff were very friendly. I would recommend a Bike and Barge trip to friends, but we ran into another group on a similar tour riding green bikes...they LOVED their bikes. We couldn't come close to saying that about ours. The green bike tour paid similar costs.