Merlijn boat/barge tour reviews — 121 to 150 of 272

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.

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!!

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.

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.

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!

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!

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

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.

The views were amazing and the staff was great!

More biking per day would have made the trip perfect!

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.

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

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.

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

I always love the Merlijn and the new owners were great! However, this is the least favorite of my Tripsite tours I didn't find the stops very interesting and when we did have an interesting place to visit, our time was very limited. Fun group, great food and pleasant weather but very short days of cycling. I will do another trip next year but do suggest some changes to this itinerary.

Make sure you buy trip insurance. My father died unexpectedly and it reimbursed me to go home from the embarkment site before I even got on the barge.

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!

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Most Memorable Part: Cycling the Dutch countryside

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!

I loved the Kuekenhof gardens, I did not do the bike part as I was not able to but enjoyed my time on the barge and the food and service was great.

Our guide Cornel was great with fun stories and historic information provided throughout our trip. Loved the digestive walks after dinner of the various towns we were docked at. The staff of the Merlijn couldn't have been nicer or more professional and the boat was very clean and comfortable. Food was pretty basic and could be improved, but that was not a high priority to me. Overall great trip and have already recommended it to many people.

"It is difficult to say what the most memorable part of the trip was as each and every day brought wonderful new sights and experiences. Biking along fields filled with tulips and a stop at the Keukenhof Gardens would certainly rate as one of the highlights of the trip. The staff and bike guide definitely made the trip special as they went above and beyond to ensure we were satisfied. Food was great with a plentiful breakfast buffet and a different menu each night. Our lunches were made and packed each day and boy, theses sandwiches and treats sure tasted great after putting some miles in. The dining/lounge was large and spacious and made for a great place to interact with the other guests. Bedrooms/bathrooms were nor overly spacious but were very clean and the beds were comfortable.
This was our first trip of this kind and also our first trip to Europe and the Crew of the Merlijn made it a wonderful experience we will never forget. Thank you Coen, Cristina, Klara, Luliana, Lili and our tour guide Cornel. Memories to last forever.

I highly recommend this trip. We were on the Merlijn. It was a charming barge with a very friendly and helpful staff. I was amazed just how comfortable the beds were and how roomy the bathrooms were.
Our guide was very informative and had a great sense of humor. The guests, even though all so different , became friends. Leaving the barge was bittersweet. I cannot wait to go on another. The only thing I wish was a bit better, was the food. But then I consider myself a bit of a foody and so my expectations might be too high.

The biking was wonderful, the digestive walks in the evening were great and the camaraderie of the group was fantastic.

A wonderful way to experience the Netherlands. Our guide Cornell was informed and professional. Captain, mates and staff provided all the conveniences of home.

Best part: Biking through the Dutch countryside and being exposed to the Dutch people and their wonderful culture, history, and way of life.