Sailing Home boat/barge tour reviews — 1 to 30 of 117

4.4 out of 5

 


jeff s.
3 weeks ago

Verified Reviewer

· Bruges to Amsterdam

The bike riding was the most enjoyable part for me. The ride to Amsterdam was great. As was the stop by the beach on the way to Veere. Our Guide, Mike was so kind to provide us with evening tours in the beautiful small dutch towns. our chef Paolo was great with delicious dinners each evening. And the captain Paul was excellent and added a touch of humor to the trip.

When did you take this tour?
Sept. 2025
How did the difficulty level compare to your expectations?
It was easy just like the description. But I am an experienced biker so I would have enjoyed going faster. But there were a few people who were not fully capable with the use of an E-bike and that slowed us down.
Do you recommend this tour?
Yes
Countries included in this tour?
Belgium, Netherlands
  • Accommodations 3
  • Included meals 5
  • Bikes + equipment 5
  • Scenery 5
  • Ease of navigation 5
  • Pre-travel information 5
  • Routes 5
  • Difficulty 2

LuAnne N.
3 weeks ago

Verified Reviewer

· Bruges to Amsterdam

scenery
great paths
food
The staff was very friendly and helpful

  •  (photo by LuAnne N.)
  •  (photo by LuAnne N.)
  •  (photo by LuAnne N.)
When did you take this tour?
9/4-11
How did the difficulty level compare to your expectations?
met my expectations
Do you recommend this tour?
Yes
Countries included in this tour?
Belgium, Netherlands
  • Accommodations 5
  • Included meals 5
  • Bikes + equipment 5
  • Scenery 5
  • Ease of navigation 4
  • Pre-travel information 5
  • Routes 4
  • Difficulty 4

Susan T.
3 weeks ago

Verified Reviewer

· Bruges to Amsterdam

Cycling through villages in Belgium and Netherlands.
Enjoying beautifully prepared food from a wonderful Chef. Meeting and travelling with people from all over the world who enjoy an active and social holiday.

  • A pretty water way in Zeeland, Netherlands. (photo by Susan T.)
  • A beautiful morning ride just crossing the border into the Netherlands. (photo by Susan T.)
  • A pretty café in Utrecht as night falls. (photo by Susan T.)
When did you take this tour?
September 2025.
How did the difficulty level compare to your expectations?
Compared to the previous 2 trips we have done with your company, this trip proved to be a lot more arduous. The reason for this was the guide took us (22) into Ghent and expected us to cross tram tracks, ride in heavy traffic and somehow follow the leader when sometimes the group was broken up because of traffic lights etc. Once 5 people got completely left behind and had no way of knowing which road to take. My advice: keep unprepared cyclists out of large towns. We were all very shaken up by that experience. Other advice: give the guide a walkie talkie and the sweeper the same. The mobile phone was virtually useless in this situation. The guide should always be constantly checking the numbers behind him and stopping for rests. We were only given one stop to photograph a windmill when there were lovely places all along the route, but people felt inclined to keep going in case they were left behind.
Do you recommend this tour?
Yes
Countries included in this tour?
Belgium, Netherlands
  • Accommodations 5
  • Included meals 5
  • Bikes + equipment 3
  • Scenery 5
  • Ease of navigation 2
  • Pre-travel information 3
  • Routes 3
  • Difficulty 3

Mary E.
3 weeks ago

Verified Reviewer

· Bruges to Amsterdam

Great boat. The food was exceptional, the guide was very knowledgeable and helpful. The whole staff was accommodating and dedicated.

Countries included in this tour?
Belgium, Netherlands

William M.
1 month ago

Verified Reviewer

· Bruges to Amsterdam

The trip was well run, food was great the tour was amazing look at the country's.

When did you take this tour?
Aug 7th 2025
How did the difficulty level compare to your expectations?
Perfect
Do you recommend this tour?
Yes
Countries included in this tour?
Belgium, Netherlands
  • Accommodations 5
  • Included meals 5
  • Bikes + equipment 4
  • Scenery 5
  • Ease of navigation 5
  • Pre-travel information 3
  • Routes 5
  • Difficulty 5

Ratcliff H.
12 months ago

Verified Reviewer

· Amsterdam to Bruges

The sights were beautiful but would have preferred to arrive in the town and villages earlier so we could have seen them in the daylight.

Countries included in this tour?
Netherlands, Belgium

Blake M.
September 30, 2024

Verified Reviewer

· Amsterdam to Bruges

Meals and staff were amazing! Serving 25 people individually was really done well,

Countries included in this tour?
Netherlands, Belgium

Deborah M.
September 24, 2024

Verified Reviewer

· Amsterdam to Bruges

My husband and I loved this trip! It was an amazing combination of cycling and sometimes more difficult cycling due to weather and an incredible opportunity to see some beautiful country! The crew aboard Sailibg Home worked hard to make this trip go off without a hitch and they were successful! We were spoiled rotten! The meals were tasty and satisfying without being over the top or too much food! Lunches for the day were tasty and satisfying. The crew provided a sense of comfort and safety and much fun and laughter.

Countries included in this tour?
Netherlands, Belgium

Ratcliff H.
September 24, 2024

Verified Reviewer

· Amsterdam to Bruges

The crew were super friendly and worked tirelessly to keep us comfortable and happy. The meals were delicious and beautifully plated. Our cycle guide Kitty was patient and friendly in spite of an unexpected reroute. Unfortunately this reroute had us cycling 50-60km each day with very little to see other than country side. Cycling shorter days would have allowed more time to explore the towns & villages. When we docked, our suppers took 2 hrs which prevented us from seeing some villages in the daytime. One final observation: we felt that the cyclers should have been split into two groups each with their own guide. One faster group and one slower group. The faster group often had to wait for the slower group to catch up.

Overall, it was an amazing experience. A huge thank you to Paul, Pim, Inma, Karin & Kitty for making us feel so welcome on the lovely “Sailing Home” barge.

Countries included in this tour?
Netherlands, Belgium

Steven L.
September 16, 2024

Verified Reviewer

· Amsterdam to Bruges

Scenery and the food was delicious every meal. Rooms were better than expected.

Countries included in this tour?
Netherlands, Belgium

Michelle C.
September 11, 2024

Verified Reviewer

· Amsterdam to Bruges

Meeting other ship mates, seeing the country side of The Netherlands and Belgium, relaxing after a great day of riding.

Countries included in this tour?
Netherlands, Belgium

Susan H.
August 27, 2024

Verified Reviewer

· Amsterdam to Bruges

What a wonderful adventure! The barge was lovely. It was so nice after a day of riding to sip on a tasty adult beverage and watch the world go by. You could tell the staff really enjoyed working with each other and their joy and sense of fun was contagious. Our meals were varied, filling and done with attention to detail. Thank you Inma for the recipe of one dish! The walks into town lead by our bike guide were very informative and gave you a real taste for the life. The biking was not difficult (especially with an e-bike) and the terrain was amazing. The landscape of the Netherlands was so peaceful. I especially loved cruising thru the small villages. I look forward to doing another Bike and Barge trip with Tripsite and Cycle Tours soon. What a great active, but not too active vacation.

Tips: No need to bring your own helmet. Bring an Allen wrench for small adjustments for your bike to customize it to your ride. I brought my own padded seat cover and was happy to have it but with padded bike shorts others did just fine. Bring patience. There were a few things out of the companies control such as weather and broken bridges. Roll with it. Pack lightly. Pulling a heavy suitcase over the cobblestone streets is challenging. In Bruges, there is a free electric van that will take you into the town near many popular hotels and then take you from your hotel to the train station for free.

Countries included in this tour?
Netherlands, Belgium

Peter G.
August 6, 2024

Verified Reviewer

· Bruges to Amsterdam

Cycling through the dutch countryside.
The guide/support crew.
The personal relationships developed between the passengers (that are continuing through social media)

Countries included in this tour?
Belgium, Netherlands

Richard B.
July 17, 2024

Verified Reviewer

· Amsterdam to Bruges

The entire trip was just so wonderful, the food, the accommodations, the guide, the staff and the places visited. The food was probably the biggest surprise. Each and everyday we had a delectable 3 course dinner. Everything was fresh and tasty. The beds were very comfortable and each stop was so peaceful and quiet, it was easy to get a good night's rest. We opted for e-bikes, more so for the wind than hills. We were fortunate to have only one ride with extreme rain (so have good rain gear or opt to stay on the boat if you know the weather is going to be really bad). After the trip, we have put this vacation as our best ever!

Countries included in this tour?
Netherlands, Belgium

Betty G.
June 11, 2024

Verified Reviewer

· Bruges to Amsterdam

We were on the boat "Sailing Home" and we went from Bruges to Amsterdam. We've never done a Bike & Barge trip before and this trip far exceeded our expectations. From the moment we stepped on board, there was a warm welcome from the 5 fantastic crew members. These 5 could not do enough for you to make your trip a trip to remember. There were 22 travelers on board and having breakfast and dinners with them was so much fun. The food was 5 star every night, the captain was awesome with our boat... smooth and easy travel. Our bike guide was outstanding. We went to so many different places, learned about the history in the villages, she personalized the trip by taking us to a cheese farm and was calm under pressure! The biking was incredible... it was so beautiful everywhere! The rooms were cozy and it was so nice having a bathroom in each room! I highly recommend this trip. It was spectacular!

Countries included in this tour?
Belgium, Netherlands

Lorie W.
May 25, 2024

Verified Reviewer

· Amsterdam to Bruges

This was the most wonderful trip I have ever taken. The scenery was beautiful, the weather was perfect and the trip was very well organized. We met some wonderful people who were also on our barge and the ebikes we used made the trip delightfully doable (we did bring along extra gel seat pads for the bikes which were welcomed after a few days of riding!) Our guide was knowledgable and funny and kept our group on target. Our group was pretty large and it would have be nice to have had an extra guide as our sweep but our guide Maryann did an excellent job of handling mishaps when they occurred.This will go down as one of the most wonderful trips I have taken and I would encourage everyone to sign have this adventure!

Countries included in this tour?
Netherlands, Belgium

Christine P.
May 25, 2024

Verified Reviewer

· Amsterdam to Bruges

Everything. Loved the idea of biking through the country and spending time on the barge with the guests. The boat crew were very friendly and helpful. The food was excellent and the accommodations were great. I would do this again and have recommended it to my friends.

Countries included in this tour?
Netherlands, Belgium

Tiffany D.
May 25, 2024

Verified Reviewer

· Amsterdam to Bruges

Well most memorable was the people who rode into the canal. Fortunately they were ok. And there was the man who hit the tunnel wall and took out another cyclist. It was rumored he was drinking vodka in his water bottle. Besides these incidents the best part was the daily riding through idyllic towns and pastoral areas where birds had their young, fields of flowers abound and people were so friendly.

Countries included in this tour?
Netherlands, Belgium

ROSE C.
May 21, 2024

Verified Reviewer

· Amsterdam to Bruges

We had an absolutely amazing trip on the Sailing Home! The crew was outstanding and the experience memorable. I would love to do it again. The only complaint that I have is that for such a large group, we should have a rear guide that is part of the team.

Countries included in this tour?
Netherlands, Belgium

David B.
September 6, 2023

Verified Reviewer

· Bruges to Amsterdam

Most of the route was post-card perfect and the camaraderie felt as the group worked together moving across the land was satisfying. Joining the captain in the wheel house in the morning as we passed through the locks and ports was fascinating.

Countries included in this tour?
Belgium, Netherlands

Alexandra G.
August 21, 2023

Verified Reviewer

· Amsterdam to Bruges

The whole experience was amazing!

Countries included in this tour?
Netherlands, Belgium

Ron L.
July 27, 2023

Verified Reviewer

· Bruges to Amsterdam

Our bike tour from Bruges to Amsterdam was stellar in every way possible! First, the boat: It was awesome! Our cabin had plenty of room for the two of us and the shower was unexpectedly nice. Second, the crew: AMAZING! All of the crew on our boat were just excellent. The food was so good! Koen made sure that we were all well fed in preparation for our rides everyday and well fed when we got back with lots of snacks and a yummy dinner. Marianne and Tessie were so nice and very helpful around the boat (Marianne is a great dancer too!). The captain of the boat, Xander, was great and very funny. Last, and definitely not least, is our tour guide Wieger. He was such a nice man and so much fun. I really can't say enough about him. Third, dealing with Tripsite: In a word... Easy! They were very helpful and answered all our questions (no matter how silly) without delay. Fourth. the bikes: They were perfect. We used electric bikes and even though there were days that we rode with the power off to get some extra exercise, we were glad that we got them. Sometimes it's nice to get a helping hand once and a while. Some in our group got the normal bikes and they struggled more than we did on certain days. We had planned to ride on our own with the maps supplied by the boat. We're very glad that we didn't because there were lots of detours due to construction and trail closures and we would've never been able to find our way like Wieger was able to. Plus the group dynamic was so much fun. Our group had 23 people in it from Canada, the US, Italy, France, and Germany. It was so nice getting to know them all.
We thoroughly enjoyed our trip and would absolutely do it again!

Countries included in this tour?
Belgium, Netherlands

Elia H.
July 20, 2023

Verified Reviewer

· Amsterdam to Bruges

Best way to see the countryside, Unesco heritage sites ( Kinderdijk and Delta Works) of the Netherlands and Belgium (Bruges). An added bonus were the evening tour guided walks through each town where we met our docked barge. The dinners were always 3 courses- much tastier than expected and breakfast offered healthy options. As a senior traveller, I was happy to have rented an e-bike for the couple of days where we biked into the wind. The crew was warm & friendly and the accommodations on the Sailing Home barge were cozy and comfortable. The sun deck with cover was an additional gathering space. After a week together, felt like I was leaving family.

Countries included in this tour?
Netherlands, Belgium

Bryce C.
June 28, 2023

Verified Reviewer

· Bruges to Amsterdam

Loved all the beautiful scenery and being able to see it by bike. We particularly liked being in a small group (9 couples) who we got to know quite well and had fun socializing with. The crew and guide were very attentive and made the trip extra fun.

Countries included in this tour?
Belgium, Netherlands

Deirdre D.
June 28, 2023

Verified Reviewer

· Bruges to Amsterdam

I appreciated all of our stops in small towns or villages and getting to patronize some local businesses. Each day was a different type of experience in terms of scenery as well as the type of paths we rode on and the distances traveled which I thought made it wonderful. I loved getting to ride near different people each day and getting to know all the members of my trip. Our guide Anita was great at modifying our route as needed based on issues with the barge and weather.

Countries included in this tour?
Belgium, Netherlands

Janette K.
June 17, 2023

Verified Reviewer

· Bruges to Amsterdam

The daily bike rides! With our group of 26 it would have been nice to have had 2 guides for 2 groups.

Countries included in this tour?
Belgium, Netherlands

Robert S.
June 5, 2023

Verified Reviewer

· Amsterdam to Bruges

Daily countryside rides were wonderful. Our guide Marianne was great.
Suggestions- staff should wait until all courses are served and tables cleaned before eating. Waiting half an hour between servings not good and takes too long. Should make enough for seconds! Missed out on visit sites due to timing. Everything was closed by the time we were done with dinner. Notwithstanding the above, was a wonderful trip.

Countries included in this tour?
Netherlands, Belgium

Pamela G.
May 31, 2023

Verified Reviewer

· Bruges to Amsterdam

This was such a special experience to visit small towns and areas we would never see otherwise. Using e bikes was a breeze and allowed us to focus on the scenery.

Countries included in this tour?
Belgium, Netherlands

David W.
May 24, 2023

Verified Reviewer

· Amsterdam to Bruges

The staff and guide were wonderful. My only criticism is regarding the food: put out some snacks when returning to the barge after riding. One small bowl of chips for 22 people is insufficient. Secondly, the time from start to finish dinner talked too long ( 1 1/2 hours). While of course the staff must eat as well, they shouldn’t be eating after putting our plates down. Our dirty plates sit in front of us for 30 minutes while they eat. The food is very good though.

Countries included in this tour?
Netherlands, Belgium

Kristina A.
May 22, 2023

Verified Reviewer

· Holland Southern Tulip Tour

Bike tour through the fields of tulips was life changing. Our amazing tour guide took us through farmland so we could enjoy the tulips up close as well as see all the baby farm animals. Every aspect of the trip was fabulous. I highly recommend this trip to those who love being active outdoors.

Countries included in this tour?
Netherlands