Merlijn boat/barge tour reviews — 1 to 30 of 158

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Netherlands, Belgium

The attentiveness of Christina and Koen and all the rest of the staff on the boat. The only comment i have is that with 24 riders and quite a varying degree of riding abilities, I think two guides and divide the group into two would have been better.

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 11 day
Netherlands, Belgium

The Merlijn, the captain, chef, crew and guides were absolutely fantastic - our third bike and barge with Tripsite and by far the best. The most memorable part for us was riding into Ghent where we lived 15 years ago as a family for a year - spent the afternoon with the group showing off our home away from home.

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - 7 day
Netherlands

Trying to identify the most memorable part of my trip Is really quite difficult. Initially, I thought seeing the tulips in Kuekenhof was the best. The colors were so vibrant that it was like a sensory overload. Thankfully, there are some things you can't un-see. However, bicycle riding for a week through bucolic settings, windmills, and picturesque Dutch cities was also most memorable. Finally, the time I spent on the Merlijn can't really be relegated to second place. The ship was lovely and clean. The captain and crew were warm and hospitable. The meals were expertly prepared and presented. Ultimately, the time I shared with the other 20 passengers was unforgettable. Yes, I have failed dismally to single out a single most memorable part of a fantastic trip.

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - 7 day
Netherlands

There were many memorable parts including the wonderful people on the boat, the boat crew, the comfort of the boat, fabulous food and of course the beautiful scenery we biked through. The tulip fields were spectacular! Our tour guide was a gem! My only complaint was not having enough time in each port but our cruise was only 7 days and if you take a longer tour there is more for relaxation.

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - 7 day
Netherlands

It was so smooth. The small size of the group, the fact that the owners of the barge live on board and their love for the vessel is shown on every part. This barge is loved and the people running it and working on it care about what they do and have welcomed you into their home as guests (an over-used word in the hospitality industry but accurate in this case). The Merlijn is comfortable and lovely. The meals were hearty and good. The bikes were in great shape and Thomas, who lead our tour, was engaging and very knowledgeable (and patient with the less keen cyclists and fanatics alike). He knows his way around the paths and he is very knowledgeable about the Netherlands and every town, village and city we stopped in. He adjusted the route when needed and even made excellent suggestions for after the tour. The beauty of the Netherlands and the Tulips is documented in millions of photos and paintings but to actually cycle through it, day after day revealing something new and seeing the beauty of each new town and field was marvellous.

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - 7 day
Netherlands

There were two main memorable parts of this trip. First, the Dutch countryside and cycling infrastructure are amazing. We were fortunate to have clear weather and lovely, cool riding temperatures for our trip through the Green Heart of the country. The route planning was excellent, giving us opportunities to see farmland, cities, beautiful small communities, polders, and of course, picturesque windmills. Second, the Merlijn is a memorable ship: beautiful, comfortable, hospitable, and first class, no one could ask for a better barge/cruise experience.

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - 7 day
Netherlands

We had a wonderful trip. No down time to relax but this trip was about biking and seeing the sights. The trip is rated easy and I am a healthy 65 year old woman and in pretty decent shape and the rides challenged me every day. The guide was incredible and so was the boat and staff.

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - 7 day
Netherlands

Our trip was fantastic!
Our guide Hugo was the highlight of the trip!!
The food was excellent ..
The drinks were reasonable priced..
The crew was so nice!!
Can’t say enough great things about our trip!!

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - 7 day
Netherlands

The crew members were outstanding hosts. They never got tired of answering questions or making suggestions to make it a great week....even though the weather was awful. Cold/ windy/dreary. I missed a couple of days on the bike and the cruising part of the trip was wonderful.

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - 7 day
Netherlands

The boat, the crew, the guide, were all fabulous. Traveling alone, I never felt alone. It was the perfect way to see the country, learning the tulip trade, about the culture and cycling in all kinds of weather made this a very memorable trip. I must say, there was more than one experience as a florist I enjoyed the flowers and learning about their farms, the windmills and how they irrigate the canals, and the windmill keeper who gave us an extensive tour of his windmill and how it operates.

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - 7 day
Netherlands

I would recommend this trip for people of all ages. The staff on the Merlijn was wonderful. As were the scenery, biking, and the people of the Netherlands. Be aware that the weather fluctuates in the spring and come prepared. All of the water ways cause it to be windy as well. But it is well worth it!

  Merlijn Frankfurt to Ludwigsburg
Germany

The Merlijn was the best way to see Germany! It's a clean beautiful haven to come back to after touring the countryside on our bikes with our fabulous guide! The crew made sure we were always prepared and ready to go, and made sure that our return was relaxing and fulfilling. We all enjoyed interacting and learning from them, and the food was delicious. I cannot say enough about the experience!

  Merlijn Highlights of Germany
Germany

This was our first bike and barge tour and it was great. The Merlijn is a beautiful barge that is extremely comfortable and well maintained by the owners. The food was sooooo good and the atmosphere, even in the midst of Covid, was friendly. Our trip leader, Lia, was absolutely the best. Her upbeat demeanor, her competence in handling all the “little things” that could have interrupted the pleasant days of biking was amazing. I’d highly recommend this trip but folks should realize an “easy” tour is still 30-50 km/day

  Merlijn Highlights of Germany
Germany

The boat, staff and tour guide were all absolutely amazing. The boat was clean and the food was great, having dinner on the boat each night was a blessing after a long day of biking and sightseeing. Biking through the small towns and along the river was very scenic. The tour guide was very prepared and handled any small hiccup along the way. I've never really biked or did a tour like this before and most days were fine, but I was glad to have been able to switch to an E-bike for the day we had to do more of a uphill climb.

  Merlijn Highlights of Germany
Germany

The views were amazing and the staff was great!

More biking per day would have made the trip perfect!

  Merlijn Merlijn’s Magical Christmas Cruise in Germany
Germany

Our tour on the Merlijn was a wonderful trip, a great way to get in the Christmas spirit! My favorite part was relaxing on the boat and the delicious meals prepared by our hosts, and visiting all the Christmas markets in the cities along the way.

  Merlijn Berlin to Malchin
Germany, Poland

Loved the buffet meal in Poland-delicious food, great sitting outside by the water, great band & fun dancing!

  Merlijn Merlijn’s Magical Christmas Cruise in Germany
Germany

Christmas Tour was a wonderful experience. The boat was beautiful, the beds were super comfortable, the rooms were spotless, the food was the best I have ever had on a barge trip, and the crew were all sweet, helpful and fun. As is typical on a trip like this, all the travelers became friends and we became quite fond of each other in just four days. Sad to leave but made for such a lovely time.
I thought the cadence of the trip was vey nice and I enjoyed the tours. The tour in Dortmund wasn't overly exciting but perhaps there was just not that much to say about the area we were in. I did think it was valuable though because we needed to know where to go to see the markets, etc.
I really liked Munster, I wish we could have had more time there. Maybe plan to arrive earlier and have a few more hours before Captain's dinner?
Our captain took very good care of us, we felt safe and in good hands.

  Merlijn Berlin to Malchin
Germany, Poland

The hosts and tour guides were wonderful. The cabins were superb. The air beds were a treat. Everything was clean.

  Merlijn Berlin to Malchin
Germany, Poland

The trip was great! The food was prepared by the wife of the captain and it was delicious. The tours were well planned and excellent. We rode 170 miles in 6-days and this is the first time I actually lost weight on a vacation trip. They preferred the tips for the crew to be paid in cash (Euros). Would definitely do another bike and barge again. The attitude, experience and knowledge of the captain and crew of the bike and barge definitely makes or breaks a vacation like this one, but the captain and crew of the Merlin were excellent!

  Merlijn Merzig to Cochem
Germany

Relaxing cycling through vineyards, watching the grapes being harvested and visiting the villages and castles aling the way

  Merlijn Merzig to Cochem
Germany

The entire trip was memorable , all 6 days of it , right from the moment we boarded till we disembarked everything was perfect, absolutely no complaints.
The Barge Merlijn, the owners, Coen and Christina and their entire team were par excellence ! Our guide , Lia was fantastic, with great sense of Humour and was prompt in taking care of any bike related issues . The food was exquisite, the most delectable vegetarian food we ate lovingly prepared by Christina. The bike paths thru the Vineyards and the varied landscapes were perfect along the river Saar and Mosel. It was in reality doing a leisurely tour on a bike. The hike up the mountain to view the Saar Loop was awesome , a perfect picture postcard scene . will definitely recommend this tour on the merlijn.

  Merlijn Mainz to Merzig
Germany

The most memorable part of the trip was spending time with my family. Eight of the eleven siblings went on the trip. We really enjoyed the Merlijn. The Captain and crew were excellent.

  Merlijn Mainz to Merzig
Germany

The owners and staff were fabulous. The boat was beautiful with very comfortable bedrooms and bathrooms. The common areas were comfortable, flexible, and nicely decorated. The food was delicious. Unfortunately the bikes weren't in very good condition, and that impacted the whole group since we stayed together with our tour guide (flat tires, locked gears, bad brakes). We had lots of rain, so we didn't see much of the beautiful scenery.

  Merlijn Wolfsburg to Koblenz
Germany

Our experience was simply exceptional! The shared experience and fellowship created new friendships. The Merlijn was an exceptional venue for seeing Germany and our hosts took great care of us. We got great value for our travel dollar and created terrific memories that will bring lasting joy.

  Merlijn Heart of Holland
Netherlands

Most Memorable Part: Cycling the Dutch countryside

  Merlijn Tulip Tour - Bruges to Amsterdam - 8 day
Netherlands, Belgium

The whole trip was great. The bikes were great 27 speed bikes with disc brakes, the guide showed us things you wouldn't find on your own, the barge was clean and comfortable. But the best thing was the food on the barge, especially the garlic butter. I could eat that with a spoon!