Primadonna boat/barge tour reviews — 1 to 30 of 59

4.2 out of 5

 


Bill E.
1 month ago

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

The trip was exactly as promised and more. The chosen bike routes were very scenic, appropriate distances and gave us a great flavour of Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. The bikes were good quality and in excellent shape - top marks. The food was outstanding! Lots of food choices, special menus to highlight local foods and top quality ingredients. The Primadonna is a gorgeous boat, and our room was just as lovely as the advertising showed. One special highlight was using the boat to do a night tour of Budapest - the most beautiful city I have ever seen.

Most people on the trip were German, with a mixture of Dutch, French. There were only a few Americans and Canadians. The boat staff were mostly Serbian. That meant that there were inevitable language issues. For example, we paid 100 Euros to do a night bus tour of Vienna in English. But some German, Duthc and French travellers ended up on the bus too, so our tour guide ended up having to repeat all tour instructions in 4 languages, which was frustrating and inefficient. In the same vein, every evening we had briefings on the following days cycling trip. Our Serbian hotel manager did his best, but the information was often confusing, and the maps provided by Danau Tours were pretty average. This led to a number of wrong turns and navigation mix ups over the week.

In North America, we are used to having water provided free of charge when dining. So it felt cheap that we were asked to pay 7 Euros for a bottle of water at meals. Considering the cost of the trip, that didn't sit right. To be fair, we traveled around Europe after the trip, and we never encountered free water in restaurants, so it appears that is a European norm.

Lastly, although it is called a 4-country tour, you only cycle in 3 countries: Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. The only time you set foot in Germany is in Passau at the start and end of the week. So if you want to tour Germany, plan in time before or after the trip.

  • The Budapest Parliament building from our night tour on the Danube.  Wow! (photo by Bill E.)
  •  (photo by Bill E.)
When did you take this tour?
May 2025
How did the difficulty level compare to your expectations?
The level of difficulty was in keeping with our expectations. However, we used regular bikes and most of the other tour participants chose to use e-bikes. That meant that we were often behind the pack. So we did not have much time to visit at the many suggested stops on our cycing days.
Do you recommend this tour?
Yes
Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
  • Accommodations 5
  • Included meals 5
  • Bikes + equipment 5
  • Scenery 5
  • Ease of navigation 4
  • Pre-travel information 5
  • Routes 4
  • Difficulty 5

Ray Y.
2 months ago

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

Budapest was the best city we visited during this tour. The room and food were great. The staff on the boat were very helpful and nice. The only thing I would recommend would be better bike route maps. The ones they give during the nightly presentation are not very accurate or detailed.

  • Budapest (photo by Ray Y.)
  • Budapest (photo by Ray Y.)
  • main area on boat (photo by Ray Y.)
  • picking up bikes (photo by Ray Y.)
When did you take this tour?
May 2025
How did the difficulty level compare to your expectations?
It meet our expectations. All the bike routes were flat and easy.
Do you recommend this tour?
Yes
Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
  • Accommodations 5
  • Included meals 5
  • Bikes + equipment 5
  • Scenery 5
  • Ease of navigation 4
  • Pre-travel information 4
  • Routes 4
  • Difficulty 5

Diane R.
2 months ago

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

The actual trip was quite enjoyable. The boat was nice and the accommodations were good weight staff and food were excellent. I would not travel with this company again just because they are totally unequipped to handle a bike accident. I only received help by luck.

Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Kathy S.
2 months ago

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

The night cruise around the city of Budapest with everything lit up was glorious.

Our tours in Budapest on the bus was with an exceptional tour leader. She brought the city alive with all the history and beautiful locations we visited. Very passionate about her city. The walking tour in Bratislava was Wonderful. Daca gave a well thought out tour of the city center-absolutely the best.
Our biggest issue was the language, even when bike tours were explained in English we did not always understand certain words.

Our waiter Uros, gave us exemplary service. Very professional, friendly, helpful. Always looking out for us
All crew members were top notch

  • Uros-last night (photo by Kathy S.)
  • Milo’s-wine tasting (photo by Kathy S.)
  • Don last Nike trip from Krems to Marbach (photo by Kathy S.)
  • Budapest River cruise to view the lights (photo by Kathy S.)
  • Budapest - Musik (photo by Kathy S.)
  •  (photo by Kathy S.)
When did you take this tour?
May 2–May 9
How did the difficulty level compare to your expectations?
The length of a few of the rides was a bit too long but worth it. The biking in the city of Budapest was somewhat challenging but Margaret Island was breathtaking
Do you recommend this tour?
Yes
Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
  • Accommodations 5
  • Included meals 5
  • Bikes + equipment 5
  • Scenery 5
  • Ease of navigation 4
  • Pre-travel information 4
  • Routes 4
  • Difficulty 5

Johann P.
6 months ago

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

Being able to see the country side at a leisurely pace with our friends. Stopped to visit the goats and trail side coffee shops. One of the most memorable of any of our trips was the boat leaving Budapest at night. A sight we will never forget. Food on board was very good and service was great. The only issue we had was we were a large group of 18 that sat at 3 tables and we were asked to not change places but we missed out visiting with our other friends. We liked it so much we came home and booked another trip with Tripsite

Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Sheila S.
9 months ago

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

The biking was scenic and beautiful. The best biking was in Budapest and then in Austria on the last day. It was an experience I will never forget.

Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Sally D.
9 months ago

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

While some of the routes were challenging at times because they weren’t marked well, the biking part of the trip was phenomenal.
The ship food was excellent!

Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Martin S.
9 months ago

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

The entry into Budapest with the sun setting on the Parliament building was a once in a lifetime experience.

Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Ric B.
9 months ago

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

The bike rides and the night view of Budapest.

Please improve the GPS file for the last day of biking as the end doesn’t agree with the new ending at Marbach from Melk. We used the Danube river crossing at the power plant and damn from Melk to Marbach at Wehr Melk Damn.

Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Brad S.
10 months ago

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

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.

Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Penny S.
10 months ago

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

We had a great time on our bike & boat trip down the Danube! We were aboard the Primadonna. The highlight of the trip was Budapest. What an amazing city! It was a rest day so we had all day to explore. We left by night when all those incredible buildings were lit up and reflected in the Danube.
Optional city tours were available when we weren’t cycling. I recommend them because we learned history & facts about where we were. The organ concert in Linz was a wonderful experience too.
The boat was great. The staff was helpful and friendly, the meals were good, reflecting the region and our lowest deck room was comfortable. It did surprise us the first morning how close to the water level our window was!
The last day, cycling through vineyards and villages in Austria was delightful.
We would recommend this trip to others. The terrain is easy so you can enjoy your surroundings. We were glad we opted for the e-bikes. The Primadonna doesn’t provide helmets though but sold them in their little bike shop on board for €35, so we bought them.
Most of the people on the trip are retirees. Not many young people. They still have to work! They would enjoy it too though.

Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Penny S.
10 months ago

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

We had a great time on our bike & boat trip down the Danube! We were aboard the Primadonna. The highlight of the trip was Budapest. What an amazing city! It was a rest day so we had all day to explore. We left by night when all those incredible buildings were lit up and reflected in the Danube.
Optional city tours were available when we weren’t cycling. I recommend them because we learned history & facts about where we were. The organ concert in Linz was a wonderful experience too.
The boat was great. The staff was helpful and friendly, the meals were good, reflecting the region and our lowest deck room was comfortable. It did surprise us the first morning how close to the water level our window was!
The last day, cycling through vineyards and villages in Austria was delightful.
We would recommend this trip to others. The terrain is easy so you can enjoy your surroundings. We were glad we opted for the e-bikes. The Primadonna doesn’t provide helmets though but sold them in their little bike shop on board for €35, so we bought them.
Most of the people on the trip are retirees. Not many young people. They still have to work! They would enjoy it too though.

Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Laura Leanne S.
10 months ago

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

The evening cruise out of Budapest with all the illuminated building was so amazing.
Take your time in the smaller towns and cities as you bike to the larger cities. Most of the big cities are more difficult to get around. With the exception of Vienna, the guided tours were superb.

Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Heidi A.
October 7, 2023

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

We enjoyed biking off the route to visit some small towns. Google maps worked great to get us back on track to meet the boat. Really appreciated the knowledgeable guides on the Vienna and Budapest bus tours.

Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Gunnlaugur B H.
October 2, 2023

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

The spectacle surrounding along the river, the cycling part, the good service on board.

Tips : It could be a good idea to arrange some stops for tasting visits, local wine, other local indigence, in the cycling tour.

Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Deborah H.
October 1, 2023

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

The Danube is one of the top places to bike in Europe – and I’ve done it many times over the last eight years. However, I did not enjoy the Primadonna. I wish that Tripsite would’ve told me that it was a “bargain” cruise. The staff was not very professional, and although breakfast was very good, dinner was somewhere between OK and unacceptable. Worst thing was the bike route description briefing. The cruise Director talked in circles and you never had a clear understanding of what you were doing. We had to ask a lot of questions and make notes to be clear. Many people in my group struggled - and the printed hand out they gave us was worthless.
Very disappointed in Tripsite for letting me book this for my group. I feel it was their responsibility to tell me that the Primadonna and it’s staff were the bottom of the barrel on the Danube boat and bike list, compared to others they offer.
In sales, they call that: managing expectations.
I wish we would’ve taken the Manon (which I did last Summer) – far better in every sense.

Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Michael K.
September 29, 2023

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

It was an amazing trip, only issue was getting an e-bike as a tall person. I was able to get one from a local bike shop in town who were great, but if It was something that caused a little more work on my part and considerable worry that it would be there.

Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Michael K.
September 27, 2023

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

Everything was amazing. Great trip. If you need to rent a bike in Passau for taller ebike riders the shops in passau are great.

Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

timothy c.
September 26, 2023

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

Good trip. I knew of 2 people who complained of having a "cold" toward the end of the tour. 3 days after returning home I tested positive for covid having minor symptoms. Not the fault of Tripsite but I think you should be aware.

Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Kathryn V.
September 26, 2023

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

This is the BEST Vacation!!
I’ve had a lot of great adventures-but the Bike & Barge 4 Countries Tour topped the list.
Riding everyday was my favypart o

Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Helen C.
September 19, 2023

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

Bicycling along the Danube cycling trail was such a great experience! The route maps were good for following our daily ride.

Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Margaret F.
September 19, 2023

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

The food on this ship was amazing - tasted good and also was amazingly presented. The staff was really terrific also. I would go on this trip again, on a different river though. The Primadonna is a first class ship, well-appointed and very comfortable.

Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Leslie D.
September 13, 2023

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

Waking up to a new adventure every day. So easy to get on and off the boat and enjoy the various stops while biking.

Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Lynette B.
August 27, 2023

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna aboard the Primadonna

It was 8 days of awe! From the moment that we stepped on the boat the magic began. Biking along the Danube is something that we will never forget. Every town and the landscape is absolutely breathe taking.

The only suggestion I would have is to ensure that it is made very clear where the pick-up is for the bus transfer. We almost missed our pick-up.

Countries included in this tour?
Austria

Melinda A.
August 1, 2023

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

The Primadonna was comfortable, well-organized, had good food and created a good tour of beautiful parts of Europe. The bikes were easy to ride and very high quality. My biggest concern is that without GPS, the routes were impossible. Even the few German speakers had trouble with the routes. I would not recommend this trip to anyone who does not know how to use it. I believe you have to have a specific plan for your phone ( and/or a European SIM card. The ship claims to have wi-fi but it is erratic. I could not text or email most of the trip. The tv’s in each room had no English channels so we were not able to track the news. We were the only Americans on the ship so we good friends of other nationalities and that was great.

Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Virginia D.
June 30, 2023

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

It would have nice to have access to a tire repair kit or at the very least, a way to contact bike repair shops that are open. It would have been nice to be able to order water and not have to pay $7 for a bottle. It would have been nice to have shorter rides so that we'd have time to stop and see the sights along the way.

Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

William W.
September 30, 2022

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

Ship was very nice and staff were friendly and helpful. Everything was spotless clean and bed was comfortable. Dinner meals were pretty mediocre and some of sack lunches included greasy deep fried items. Bikes were in excellent condition and the bike routes were fine, but the written descriptions for navigating the routes were indadequate.

Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Frederick J A.
September 30, 2022

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

Great biking on an iconic river through the major cities in grand luxury.

Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Denise P.
September 9, 2022

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

Overall the trip was enjoyable. But the food was quite bland. Also they asked about food restrictions/ preferences, but did NOT accommodate them in any way. The directions for the biking were lacking in detail and the maps could be more zoomed in, especially on the days with many turns and route marker variations. It should also be made clear that many of the routes were directly beside busy roads. It is a great itinerary.

Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Sara K.
September 2, 2022

Verified Reviewer

· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour

Very well organized
Suggestions: make coffee available before breakfast.
Food was great and we loved the 4 course dinners, but the wait between courses was consistently a bit too long.

Countries included in this tour?
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary