Bike + Boat Tour Reviews — 241 to 270 of 4295

Great canal cruise to many historic cities….study up on thèse before thé start of thé trip.

The guide, Giorgio, made the trip memorable with excellent stories, helpful translations, and kept the group together with sweepers and corner helpers. He had a good sense of humor. Also we appreciated the intimate tours of a glass blowing place, a cheese factory, carousel, and fire brigade museums in small towns. The flat roads and bike paths were well chosen, and the bicycles, helmets, and saddle bags were excellent quality and made the rides comfortable. We enjoyed all the Italian food made by the cooks, and dinners were very enjoyable in our cozy dining room. The rooms on the barge were small and a bit tight for tall people like someone 6'6". We would do this again.

The daily stops were so fun as we discovered the culture of Italy away from the big cities. The merry go round museum, the cheese factory & the distillery were all so enlightening. Daniela was a perfect guide. Our chef Sylvia had such a creative way of cooking that I ate so many things I never would have & all were wonderful!

The Vivienne is a superb boat with comfortable rooms, excellent meals, amazing staff - from Captain Igor to hotel manager Margot to program director Leslie to restaurant manager Najeh to our wonderful server Nidhal and all the crew who carried bikes, took care of rooms, reception, bar and the like. Everything ran so smoothly. Party events were memorable and fun. The Danube cycling beautiful, as were the cities and towns we visited with so many historic sites. We would recommend this trip and this boat to everyone!

The Merlin ship was extremely impressive. The captain and crew ensured all participants were well taken care of. Breakfast, lunch and dinner were fabulous, and the deserts were lovely! Our bike tour guide shared historical information on most outings, which was quite interesting. Additionally, there were tours along the way of castles and wineries - an added benefit. We highly recommend the trip and the Merlin ship in particular!

First and foremost, the captain, chef and crew were outstanding. The trip would not have been the same without their host of talents & hospitality. The Merlijn itself was pristine with all the comforts of home. The passengers were treated like royalty. The bikes were upright which allowed for comfort and made the scenic views easily accessible. Our biking guide Ilse, was knowledgeable about all the historical sites we visited. She was extremely patient with her 22 riders. The cycling was easy with predominantly paved trails with minimal incline. Moving through large cities (ie:Trier) was often difficult with 22 riders often separated through stop lights. It may have been safer to split the groups.
It was our first trip to Germany and the scenery was stunning along the Saar, Mosel & Rhine rivers and many photo predominantly were included. We were especially impressed by the day we biked from Cochem to the town of Eltz, enjoyed an enchanting hike to the Eltz castle, toured castle and biked on to Koblenz. Another highlight was the tasting tour by the owner of Storck Winery in the town of Traben-Trarbach. The unexpected meeting of Captain Coen’s parents and rafting with their barge on the Rhine was delightful. We always looked forward to the cruises during and after breakfast!
Overall, the bike & barge was more than a bike trip. It was all the experiences of boating, dining, biking, hiking and making new friends from all over the world. We would highly recommend this trip!
Thank you Coen & Christina for making the magic happen on your Merlijn ☺️

Rating this tour is challenging in a way due the the fact we were there during the worst weather condition's in that part of Europe in years. The Danube rising at unprecedented levels along with flooding. I'm sure you are well aware of all of this. The Vivienne crew and Leslie the tour director did an amazing job of keeping all of us on board safe and making every attempt to help us to continue to have the best possible experience we could given the horrendous conditions.
While we missed out on a lot of cycling and seeing and experiencing this part of Europe, we were very fortunate to be able to do what we could, given the conditions.
Again, Chapeau to Leslie and the crew of the Vivienne!

positive note- Professional friendly crew always helpful. The organisation was magnificent and the food was good and plentiful. The bikes were well kept and great to use. The original plans had to be changed due to the bad weather but other options were available. Riding without a guide meant that extra time could be spent taking photos and exploring what we wanted to do. The extra options turned out to be real gems- the castle at Greinberg was fascinating with all the historic ties, the bike tour of Vienna was outstanding (our guide's voice was loud & clear so that the 2 deaf people could hear the local snippets and frank, humorous commentary), Mauthausen memorial was extra kms & uphill but possible to quick visit time wise. The bus to opera & back worked smoothly. The only tour negative was the constant cold rain but proper preparation, clothing & attitude meant riding without crowds was much easier. On the last day one rider with hypothermia was picked up by van. The organisation was excellent and the evening briefings of what to expect the next day were very helpful.

Budapest and Vienna were fabulous cities to see. I would suggest that more info, printed the day before on bike routes be given out to everyone. The info meetings were hard to get all of the details and minimal route information changes. Also, bike routes for each day should be based on temperature and wind direction with advisories about how much water to bring along, where to get more. The bike route that was suggested for Bratislava was terrible: prior information on the 30 mph wind gusts that we headed back towards the boat in and 90 degree temperatures made the trip difficult and dangerous: my husband almost suffered from heat stroke and we could not find any place on route to get water after making the return after the bridge crossing.

The most memorable part of the trip was leaving Budapest after dark and floating past the lighted buildings and monuments along the Danube. The biking along the River was beautiful and diverse; wine country from Krems to Marbach was very pretty. Most of the routes were along bike paths though some intermittently were on rural roads and through the cities of Vienna and Budapest. Some days biking were very warm, but there were a couple of cold days with temperatures less than 10 degrees C. Its a good idea to come prepared for cool and rainy days both biking and sightseeing; layers with a hooded raincoat was essential. My wife and I are fit bikers riding often in the Colorado mountains, but opted for eBikes on the boat cruise. No regrets on this decision, we road with minimal eAssistance most of the time, but when the winds, and sometimes rain, came up on long rides, or we wanted to catch sites off the main route we had the ability to extend our rides and still make the timing to meet the boat at the next city.

Annita is a great tour guide! She made special arrangements to get us into chateau that weren't open when we were in the area. Most of the small towns we went through on our rides were closed up during the hours we were there (12-2) making it a challenge to find points of interest beyond the scenery. We did go to a lovely Goat Cheese Shop and did a great cheese tasting. It would be good to add a wine tasting in Sanserre to the itinerary of this trip.

The Lycian Coast is absolutely beautiful. The water is the most gorgeous color of blue and so clear!
The bike riding was very hilly, so E-Bikes really made the difference.
The Admiral (ship) needs attention to detail. The crew worked day and night to correct issues: sewage smells, a/c, non functioning lights, plus much, much more. Until the boat is overhauled, I would not recommend it.
We also took the Extension to Istanbul. The Faros Hotel was amazingly helpful; truly service oriented!!

Loved it! We went as a couple and met wonderful people. Two things to suggest
1. Better app navigation
2. Lighter e-bikes ( other companies like VBT and backroads have lighter, safer bikes

Staff couldn’t be nicer and we had a flood emergency which was handled professionally and compassionately

.The trip was well managed by Lesley.He was great. The boat staff were not very helpful so that was a bit frustrating at times.Food was good. Lots of activites. Biking was fabulous.

The bikes, the ship, the crew and the food! All were fantastic! We definitely feel that our experience aboard the Vivienne was a value commensurate with the cost. The upgrade to a Superior room was worth that little extra cost as the views were beautiful. The bikes were in great repair, the e-bike controls were easy. None stop scenery as we rolled through woods, urban roads, country trails and picturesque towns. Even the weather did not disrupt our enjoyment as Captain Igor and all crew worked to keep us safe and entertained during three days of nonstop rain and 30-year record flooding on the river. We have great stories to share!

The staff on the Clair de Lune were fantastic, funny and hard working. The food was beautifully prepared, nutritious and delicious. I enjoyed the visit to goat cheese farm, moving through the locks, exploring beautiful old towns and traveling in a bridge canal over the Loire River. A couple of days were less interesting. Don’t forget your rain jacket.

The beautiful landscape,the bike ride, the points of interest. Our tour guide George was excellent and the crew did a great job.

Disappointing trip. Our only day in Potsdam nearly every museum was closed. Countryside and small towns just were not very interesting. I don’t believe this same itinerary is being offered next year. Food on Merlijn was just ok and we were given small sandwiches for lunch.

OMG amazing!!
We were trying to settle on one word along this journey to describe this trip. Part way through we chose "Stunning" however, on completion
this had changed to "Epic". Its difficult to zero in on a memorable part of the trip when it offered so many. the Harmonia was
a beautiful and spotlessly clean motor yacht. Our cabin on the main deck was a good size and very comfortable. The crew was hard working, courteous
and very professional who always made us feel special and safe. This along with wonderful meals, knowledgeable guides and gorgeous scenery made a trip we will talk about for years. Also, booking with TRIPsite was a pleasurable, professional and seamless experience - thus "EPIC"!
This will be the word going forward when we discuss this trip with our many friends and those we casually meet along the way.
Hennie, it was such a joy to have you join us on the trip and share your many travel experiences...

Stephen and Kathleen
London. Ontario, Canada

The staterooms smell very heavily of sewage, which is nauseating and makes sleep very difficult and unpleasant. The boat has significant deferred maintenance and needed cleaning. The captain seemed pensive and the crew and tour leader, although kind and friendly, somewhat disorganized and untrained.

The scenery, food and historic ruins were amazing. The eBikes were in good condition.

Unfortunately, the most memorable part was the weather--10 degrees, 25kph winds and rain for a goodly portion of the tour. Suggestion? Never believe the long-term weather forecast.

The staff were uniformly friendly and eager to serve, the food was excellent and the quarters very nice. Places we visited were lovely.

A few of the routes were shared with motor vehicles, and this wasn't clear. While it was not an issue for me, my wife was uncomfortable with it. Drivers in Europe are generally much more polite and tolerant than those in the USA. I would not have liked the experience as much in the US.

The meals were delicious, staff professional and knowledgeable!

The most memorable part of the trip was the scenery and the tour guides that TripSite arranged to give us challenging routes which allowed for gaping at and stopping for photo opportunities. My tip is to have sleeveless biking tops as well as a true waterproof jacket, so you are prepared for any weather. We had e-bikes with comfortable seats, but I would suggest bike shorts with a pad for the longer rides.
The second most memorable part was the food, local favorites and 3-course meals and olive oil sampling with cheese and tomatoes and bread!
Last, I signed up as a single and appreciated TripSite encouraging everyone to alternate what table they sat at; therefore, we met so many new people from all over the world.

Vienna and Budapest at night. Coffee and cake at 1600. Breakfast buffet. Large lager.

Unfortunately, I tested positive for Covid 19 the evening after the first ride. Nevertheless, the trip was very enjoyable, especially because of the kind attention of the staff on the IRIS, especially our hostess, Kim. I have to say, sitting on the deck of the IRIS, cruising along the Main in Bavaria, is not such a bad way to go! I did get in two days rides at the end so also got to enjoy the biking.

I was a last minute addition to the tour and the staff was extremely helpful in getting me oriented as I had 2 weeks to prepare. In looking back after a couple weeks and in sharing highlights with friends and family I think of the food on board, the beautiful scenery along the bike paths in the countryside's, the comfortable pace of the guide, the stops along the way to learn more about some of the little towns and the support I felt from the staff on board as well as the group of new friends I made as barge mates. Daniela was the perfect guide. There was a choice for self-guided but everyone chose the guided tour. We learned so much from her. From tips on riding in a group, to how to catch a water bus and ferry in the Venice lagoons. As well as the history of the places we visited. She was an awesome teacher, care-giver when riders needed assistance, patient leader when some weren't on schedule and just a great person. Everyone in our group of friends raved about our experiences. I had read reviews and many mentioned the food. Well they were on point. Sylvia prepared some very high quality meals that you might find in a fancy restaurant. Exquisite! All in all, I would highly recommend this trip.

Great experience. Would definitely recommend it to anyone looking at a small group biking excursion. The crew and our guide were all great, the food was wonderful, the bikes were all in good condition. So much to see, and a good way to meet people.

Thank You

Magical trip thru the villages and vineyards of northern France and eastern Germany. This trip has a great pace for getting to feel the atmosphere of the region. Definitely would suggest anyone coming from a far distance give themselves a couple of days to acclimate before starting the trip!

This bike and boat tour of the Istrian Peninsula was fantastic. We cruised through the beautiful Adriatic Sea. On our daily bike rides, we experienced both lovely smalll villages, the Croatian countryside, and larger port cities with history and buildings going back thousands of years. The walking tours of these cities by local guides were outstanding. Our bike tour guides were excellent. The boat crew was excellent. The food and drink were outstanding. Kudos and thanks to the entire biking and boating staff on our trip! Our boat cabin was small but comfortable, and the public areas of the boat were also beautiful and comfortable and enabled us to experience the gorgeous Adriatic as we cruised through it. Highlights for me were the city of Rovinj and the excellent tour we had through it, and the village of Groznjan with its artists. And the scenic rides. We road quite a bit on gravel roads to avoid cars. These were a bit bumpy at times, but the bikes did fine. There were some steep hills; the ebikes made riding easy. The trip was a good value.

This was my first cycle trip. I rented an e-bike just in case I found it to difficult. I probably used it about half the time in minimal power assist. Quite flat for most of it but when travelling by north sea alot of headwind so the e-bike was terrific.
I loved the barge. The small group was great as we got to know one another! Food was good. I look forward to doing another cycle trip.