Harmonia boat/barge tour reviews — 31 to 60 of 182

Experiencing the beauty of Croatia, swimming in the Adriatic, getting to know others from around the world and sharing laughs with our fabulous guides.

I was pleasantly surprised at the comfort and cleanliness of the boat, nice air conditioning (which was critical in August) and the quality of the food. The crew was extremely hard working and did everything to try to make our stay comfortable and enjoyable. Our guides (Filip and Bubi) were fantastic and made our trip extra special. They followed the protocols to make sure we stayed safe but were also flexible when the weather conditions did not cooperate; they were able to switch plans seamlessly and find activities that were fun and enjoyable. They also both had wonderful senses of humor and made us laugh throughout the trip. I give them the highest rating of all!

A couple of suggestions:

1) Allow passengers to bring their own wine/spirits on the boat. I realize that this is a money making venture for the boat company but I would rather be charged more overall and be able to bring on board and share the local wine/spirits with our fellow guests.

2) Have a cappuccino machine (or Nespresso) to use at our leisure on the boat. I saw these on other boats when we were docked up with them. Again, I'm happy to pay extra upfront for this but I hate to be nickled and dimed every time I want to enjoy a cup of coffee.

3) Make time in the daily schedule to swim off the boat. We only enjoyed this opportunity the last two days and it was a highlight. Also, more water toys - floats, kayaks and paddle boards would be appreciated.

4) Develop a more comprehensive packing list - I'd be happy to help with that if someone would like to call me about it.

5) Make sure to advise participants to bring plenty of local currency (in this case Euros) and make sure to bring a cash debit card in case you run out. There were a lot of instances on the islands where vendors did not take credit cards and I was concerned about using all of my cash because I wanted to save it for tips for the crew.

Overall, it was a fantastic trip and I'd be happy to be a reference if anyone has any questions or would like to discuss the trip.

Thanks!

Kari

Our 2 guides, Philip and Bubi were excellent. Always in great moods, funny and receptive. They did everything to ensure our safety while on the bikes and instructing us in where we were going. Very helpful with arranging Ubers at the end of the trip and taking time with us.

What a spectacular trip on the Harmonia starting in the old city of Dubrovnik, thru the Beautiful Dalmatia Islands and ending in Split. The entire Harmonia crew were delightful and very talented/professional. They more than made our home on board comfortable and welcoming. Our cabin was just the right size, and there was plenty of room on the ship to socialize or relax on our own. The food was delicious, and galley staff were wonderful and very accommodating. The ship's captain and crew made the ride through the sea and ports incredibly smooth.
Our Islandhopping bicycle guides, Edi and Tara, were very knowledgeable and made biking thru the hills, coastlines and villages both extremely fun, safe and interesting.The ebikes made it all the more enjoyable, so the hills and distances were exercise, but still felt like vacation!
I would definitely take this type of trip to any destination with the Harmonia, Edi and Tara again :)

The last bike ride on Brac where we made several stops, especially the visit to the olive mill. The guides were awesome and made the rides and time on the boat fun. Making friends with other travelers was also memorable.

We loved our vacation on the Harmonia! The crew was wonderful. The ship was awesome and the food was delicious. Tara and Edi, our tour guides were awesome! They knew the bike tour routes well and let us know what to expect and made it fun. The e-bikes were great. Even though I’m not an avid bicyclist I was able to keep up. The only suggestion I would make is it would have been nice to have coffee available earlier in the morning. We will certainly consider taking another bike and boat tour. Croatia is stunning!

Beautiful scenery! Boat/bike riding is the best way to enjoy Croatia. Our guides Edi and Tara were amazing! Personalized our trip to fit what we wanted to see/do. The Harmonia is a great boat/way to travel!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed my trip on Harmonia. The boat was kept spotless by a hardworking crew. Our lower cabin was very comfortable. Meals were tasty. The tour guides were super friendly, knowledgeable, and very helpful. Be sure to take plenty of cash for water, drinks and tips.

I loves the turbo gear on my bike. I felt like Harry Potter on his broom every time I passed my fellow bikers on the hills. They were all calling me “turbo Nancy”. This is a adventure anyone can do!

The guide and crew were amazing. Views and history were interesting. I loved interacting with the local culture.

I would have liked to have spent more time in the villages and the beach stops. It felt a little rushed. Also, the last day would have been nice to stay on the last island, rather than going to Split and just docking.

The scenery on this trip is absolutely stunning, and the e-bikes make it accessible to anyone. I am 65+ and not a regular cyclist, yet I had no problems at all conquering the hills. I would suggest bringing water shoes -- the beaches in Croatia are rocky, and there are often sea urchins underfoot.

The beautiful boat, the excellent cook and crew.
I would suggest that the bike tour leaders would take a tiny bit more time to allow the bikers to stop at scenic sites to take photos.

Beautiful - not able to bike because of recovering from surgery but everything was pleasing to the eyes. Only downsides was almost all Croatians smoke so the back of the boat that had the best covered seating wasn’t good on the lungs. We had to ask the cook to use less salt.

Biking through the quaint villages and islands on well-planned routes was fantastic.

My wife and I boarded the Harmonica on Friday May 24. We were immediately welcomed by the entire tour and boat crew. The following seven days have provided us with some incredible memories that we will cherish forever. We were expertly guided by the bike crew and professionally nourished (perhaps overly so) by the boat crew. The islands we visited were far beyond our expectations. The minimal car/truck traffic encountered on our rides complemented the entire experience. The bikes are professionally maintained. The bikes provided were just right for our fitness and riding abilities.
The lead guide, Ivan was completely professional. Because of his Croatian heritage his “local knowledge” he was an impressively good fit for this tour. The other bike guides, Laura and Philip, were obviously in training. Their enthusiasm was noted and appreciated. There is no doubt that with Ivan’s guidance they will one day be lead guides also.
The boat crew was fantastic. We have never been on such a well maintained boat anywhere. The Harmonica is truly a gem.
Overall, we would give it a rating of 9.5 on the 10 scale. Holding back .5 because we would have liked longer rides and more chocolate mousse.
The meals provided were fantastic. Smaller portions would have sufficed but then again, no one went hungry.

Jim & Laura Herrick

They did an excellent job of selecting routes that were interesting, beautiful, and the right level of difficulty. The routes go over some steep terrain so it was easy to see why e-bikes were required on this ride. The leaders did an excellent job of keeping us together so we didn't feel like we were being herded, but the slower riders were not feeling rushed. Several days they dropped us at one port and hassled around to the other side of the island to pick us up at a different town. I recommend this ride.

The entire experience was most enjoyable and spectacularly scenic. The guides were fun and professional. They knew the roads, and provided appropriate guidance about the traffic or terrain. E bikes allowed a group of 29 riders to stay together. We had opportunity to swim and explore the ports towns. Rooms and common space aboard was very comfortable,

The day we rode all day was probably the most memorable. The farm stop for lunch was very enjoyable. We would have liked to have more of the longer rides

The trip fell short of what was advertised. Operator over promised and under delivered so expectations were not exceeded, much less met.
The guides were great and did their best but the popularity of the region, even in the off season, resulted in crowds that prevented the boat to access dock space needed to unload and load bikes, required rafting up with as many as 9 other boats, did not allow one “explore on your own opportunities”, resulted in premium priced deck cabins being worse than more private and quieter below deck cabins, and so on.
All-in-all, 4 out of the 7 planned rides were offered and 80 of 143 miles covered.
This type of trip is always subject to change, due to conditions, but this trip fell so far short I blame the operator for the lack of contingency plans.

This trip was amazing! The organization, dedication to Safety, communication and just plain fun made it one of the best trips we have taken. Mirta and Ivan, along with the rest of the crew, were profession and very knowledgeable. The boat was very comfy and clean, and had everything we needed. The bikes were great and if anything went awry (flat tire etc) they were able to fix it right away. We loved the What's App group for communication and sharing of great pics - would definitely recommend using that as a standard.

A couple suggestions:

The meals, especially lunch were delicious but very heavy. With such an active tour no need for potatoes and a big piece of meat for lunch. Even the 3 courses at dinner could have been brought down to 2 - a nice salad and pasta or meat, not necessary for both. Breakfasts were great.
The lunch at the Vineyard on our trip was fantastic! Loved the atmosphere and also supporting a local business. Would love to have a couple more of these experiences as opposed to meals on the boat.
We did not have experience in Croatia before so were a bit surprised how much they want cash (seems every country is a bit different). Adding this to the pre-trip brief will help everyone bring enough cash for shopping and restaurants.
We were very happy with this trip and hope to see you again with a bunch of our friends for another adventure!

Too many highlights to list! Our guides and the rest of the boat crew were incredible. They are proud to show off their beautiful country of Croatia and truly love their jobs. There is not a better way to see the spectacular scenery and learn about the history of the country than with this tour.

The most memorable part of the trip is the views from the top of the hills of the Adriatic Coast of Croatia. The e-bikes help a lot in reaching these summits, from which you get to swish along on switchbacks as fast as you care to go, into the destination harbor towns.

The views from the bike ride over the hills and the color of the water
I was expecting more seafood on the boat menu and less heavy meals

We had a wonderful time. Croatia is one of the most beautiful places we have visited! Our guides Marko and Edie were great, they took great care of us and were full of info about Croatia. They were fun and entertaining. As for bringing helmets, they are hard to pack and only 4 people brought them. The boat had plenty. The food was outstanding! I occasionally get seasick but had no problem on this boat. The wine was only sold by the bottle and beer by the glass. Our bar bill was $150 and has to be paid in cash (Euros) at the end of the trip. We did not drink much. Uber was much better than taxis and Dubrovnik buses worked great. The fast ferries from Split were cheap and easy beside the boat in the port. Cabins on board are small with upper berths noisier and more light at night. We are looking forward to another trip!!

The tour director, Eddie along with the other guides, made the entire trip a wonderful experience. The guides were a great deal of fun and very knowledgeable about the area. Their expertise and safety measures were invaluable while we were on the daily rides. In addition, the on-board life was very pleasant, particularly the dining. Matthew, the dining room manager, was perfection at its highest—a jack of all trades, managing the dinner services and the bar service flawlessly with a constant smile.
Overall - a fantastic trip which we keep reminiscing about!!

This was an amazing journey. We were well taken care of from the moment we stepped on the boat. All of our guides, Marco, Edi, Bubbi and Filip, were experienced, kind and helpful. They were available and willing to answer any questions. The chefs were incredible. My husband had an issue with his bike and a solution was found immediately. The bike routes took us on beautiful islands, each unique in their challenges and vistas seen. The e-bikes enabled us to ride places we’d have never been able to see. Neither of us had ever ridden an e-bike and we learned quickly.

The overall experience was beyond our expectations! The Harmonia boat was spotless and well maintained and the crew and kitchen staff were superb. One highlight was the long bike ride of 38 miles through the beautiful countryside of little villages, small farms and lavender fields. Croatia has to be the rising star throughout all of Europe. With crystal clear waters, beautiful views and wonderful food that is very reasonably priced combined with extremely friendly people you have the perfect vacation destination.
This trip is a MUST do experience!

This was a 5 star trip for me! (Can’t click the stars above). We had fabulous guides (Edi, Marco). The crew was also wonderful. Boat was clean and comfortable, food was great. Scenery was amazing. Bikes were good. Our group on this boat were also wonderful. No wonder it was a five star trip for me! Thank you!

The most awesome part of the trip was the whole staff!! They definitely made the trip memorable and fun!

We had the most amazing trip. The boat was beautiful, clean, and well equipped. Our guides were phenomenal. They were fun, flexible and knowledgeable.

Oh the harmony on Harmonia! Our guides Kresho and Mirta were exceptional. Their knowledge and love of their country was passed on to us in so many beautiful places. The cultural experiences and stunning views will give us lasting memories.
Although many of us were avid road cyclers we all chose to get e-bikes, and so glad we did. We had 16 couples aboard the Harmonia, mostly from our hometown. The boat never felt crowded. The staff were friendly and courteous. The only things that could be improved on are; availability of coffee in the morning for early risers, having a corking fee for liquor and wine brought on board, an additional towel change. All in all, this trip was one for the books. We absolutely loved it and would do it again if we didn’t have more places to explore.