Sailing Home boat/barge tour reviews — 31 to 60 of 112

The barge, service, crew, meals & hospitality all exceeded my expectations. This was a very well planned itinerary and was implemented seamlessly. Riding past tulip fields and the amazing day at Keukenhof Garden is something I will never forget!

Boat and crew were great! Food was very good and overall I would recommend this trip especially if you are a skilled/avid biker. For me I only biked one day of the five, I had trouble managing the e-bike with the number of other bikers, people walking and cars especially in the cities. I would agree that the biking was easy because it was flat, but there are a ton of other people biking and there was lots of starting a stopping and others people, bikes and cars to watch out for. I also think there needs to be two guides, 25 riders is a lot for one person to keep track of and manage. On Multiple days riders got lost.

the holland countryside and the professionalism of the sailing home crew

The barge, the crew, the service, the hospitality were exceptional. The itinerary was well planned. The thrill of cycling by tulip fields and the amazing day at Kuekenhof Garden is something I will never forget.

I found the European bike very heavy to maneuver so I chose to stay with the barge rather than cycle on several days, and the scenery from the deck of the boat as we travelled was spectacular. Watching the houses, farms, tulip fields and other boats go by was something I will always remember. The architecture in Holland is so unique and easily observable while boating by on the canals. Our crew was so nice to spend that extra time with as well. It was a great option and I am glad I made that choice—I saw so much en route and had additional time to tour our destinations.

Cycling through the countryside and then returning to the comfort of our boat. The staff were accommodating and considerate. By far the best cruise that I have experienced. The meals were exceptional and the small group setting provided an opportunity for both socialization and relaxation. The crew also provided a variety of opportunities which enhanced the experience .

The trip was very enjoyable. The scenery and bike paths were great. The staff and cook were excellent.
Suggestions:
The bike groups should be split up into smaller groups (6-8 riders), especially when using busy routes.
The strong bikers should not be grouped with the more leisurely bikers.
The guides should have good skills in GPS navigation and/or riders could use an app such as "Ride with GPS".

Just a great experience. The food and views were wonderful and the guide was excellent.

The wow factor of the trip was riding our bikes in an underground tunnel under the River Sheldt in Antwerp. We took the elevator down. Unfortunately, the elevator to go back up was broken, so we had to take 2 escalators up which was a challenge with our bikes. We later found out that there is a ferry. I’m glad we didn’t know about the ferry!

It was a wonderful trip. The barge accommodations were good, not luxurious. The crew was excellent. They were cheerful and efficient. The food was good. There were no choices for dinner.

The visit to a working grain windmill.

The most memorable part of the trip was creating new relationships and the beautiful canals and gardens!
I would consider booking another bike and barge through tripsite in the future.

Bicycling through the picturesque countryside was magical. We saw beautiful homes and gardens, bridges, small villages, windmills, and night touring the bigger towns to learn a little about the history was a bonus. Staying on a smaller barge gave us an opportunity to get to know the other guests and crew. This too made for a memorable trip. The company is very organized and have a well thought out program. Our tour guide Roseanna was amazing. She had much information to share on our route, kept us together, tremendous patience and lots of fun. Our Chef, Captain and crew made for a comfortable, safe and relaxing trip down the canals after our ride.

The riding was relatively easy given the flat countryside. The rides along country lanes and through farmland was magical. The stops in towns were a great opportunity to experience small town life in the Netherlands. The food on board the sailing home was wonderful, and the staff were great--attentive, available, friendly, enthusiastic. So few people did so much--it was remarkable.

The one thing I forgot to mention in the survey while I was still on the barge ( while still basking in the glow of such a wonderful trip), is regarding the first evening. The plan was for a short "shakedown" bike ride to check out our bikes, and get used to them. By the time we got outside, it was nearly dark. There were some bikes that needed some attention and the short ride through town was difficult in the dark. It was a frustrating and anxiety provoking first outing. I think the solution would be easy---either make dinner that night earlier, and/or, at the least, postpone dessert, head out to the bikes with more daylight remaining, and then have a post-ride dessert available. It could be something simple like pastry, cookies, or fruit so that the chef doesn't need to stay on any later (she works hard enough as it is).
My high ratings overall for the trip are not inclusive of that first evening, which wasn't a good experience, but then faded into the background since everything afterwards went so well. Thank you for taking this into consideration.

The bicycling each day through fabulous scenery led by a wonderful guy and guide - Mark Van Rossom. The leap-frogging of our comfortable barge each day to pick us at at a new spot along the way from Netherlands to Belgium.
Also extremely impressed with our barge’s captain Coba.

Every aspect of the trip was delivered as advertised. Crew and cycling guide were outstanding. Sailing Home was more than comfortable and food was plentiful and delicious.

Meals were delicious. E-bikes turned the trip into sightseeing rather than difficult exercise. Great way to see the countryside. Rooms were clean, comfortable and air conditioned. Bathrooms were clean and big enough. Crew and guide were friendly, open and accommodating.

Given that the climate is warming it is time to air condition the upper deck.

Almost everything. Boat and staff were both wonderfull. Scenery was magnificent, got lucky with great weather.

Biking through the country side in Belgium and the Netherlands. Very beautiful villages, and the open fields in the countryside. And of course the people we shared the trip. with.

The barge crew and the bike guide were fabulous. Friendly, accommodating, informative, flexible, and knowledgeable.

Weather was great! no rain at all. Biking was very easy. I had no idea. I was the sweeper for the group. There were quite a few Americans that really had no clue about the rules of the road for bicycles and how bikes interact with cars and pedestrians. A quick overview at the start would be helpful for them. Especially who has the right of way at intersections. At times the group was too big and therefore the train too long. Also a break-up according to ability might be wise. My bike was really too small for me. It was an "L" frame and it should have been an "XL" frame, which is what I had requested.

Marjan kept a constant cycling pace within the condor level of all riders. Everyone stayed together and the group did not get strung out.
Sharon does not bike bit had a wonderful time on the Sailing Home just watching the beautiful scenery.
Loved taking a walk in the small villages and towns.
want to thank the chef for being creative with a creative cuisine
Also another thank you to Marjan for calling us a taxi and waiting with us to make sure we were OK.

The most memorable part was the biking itself. We had an E bike so the trip was very comfortable. The bikes were in great shape, it seems even the regular bikes. The route chosen was very memorable and scenic. Marjan the guide, was very capable as it was a challenge at times to keep the group all together. And some suggestions: one guide for 24 people really was not enough. Although we had a sweeper in the back this should not be a paying guest responsibility. If there have been a serious accident, not sure what the rest of us would’ve done if Marjan had to take this person to a hospital. Also the speed was very slow probably due to the fact that we had 24 people in one group. Going too slow also increases the chance of accidents. It was also challenging in towns and busy areas like Amsterdam for safety reasons. It also would it be nice to learn more along the route. Marjan gave some titbits of information but more of this would have been appreciated. We stopped at a wooden shoe making factory but no actual tour and it would’ve been nice to have a tour like this included and some other interesting tours. Also all coffee stops we had to pay for ourselves which would’ve been a nice touch to include. Seven full days of biking was also a lot and it would’ve been nice maybe to combine the biking with a couple of interesting outings. We did get to cruise a little bit after a couple of bike days so that was enjoyable. We only saw one other bike tour once so it was nice not to be herded along with a bunch of other tours. The staff were all very friendly and capable, the cabins were comfortable and clean and the public areas had enough space for everyone. We would definitely consider another type of trip again but maybe as mentioned a combination of bike and sightseeing or something else. Thanks very much

The barge was far better then expected; the meals way above expectations; the staff excellent.

The crew on the boat made everything delightful !!

We travelled with our adult children, another couple and my 83 year old dad who did not bike. We had a fabulous time, and still think about the trip even after some time has passed. It was a great way to see the country. Although billed as tulip tour, it was much more of a whole area tour. Yes, the tulips and other flowers were beautiful, even if we were at the end of the season, but being outside every day, riding bikes was a great experience. Our kids probably would have preferred a more high intensity trip, but the balance worked out well. Highlights for me included how the group as a whole gradually became a team. pushing into head winds through the dunes was the most challenging, and the last 2 days including the dunes, a few wrong turns and the amazingly easy bike back into amsterdam we probably my highlights.
suggestions for others: our guide, Pete, did his best to keep everyone happy in terms of difficulty. there were times that were seriously challenging for some of the members(specifically the dunes day). My suggestions include: if you haven't biked before, please do so. An e-bike is not a solution to poor biking skills: they are heavy and hard to start. There is a lot of stop and go in the cities, especially Rotterdam. Especially if vegetarian or vegan, consider bringing/ buying at lunch stops extra food/ more or diverse food. One of the lunch/ coffee stops in particular had fabulous food.
even though he didn't bike, my 83 year old father had a great time hanging out with our captain and crew and still logged something like 12,000 steps/ day.

Pros:
The tulips were gorgeous, Keukenhof was a highlight and a nice break.
The bike paths were easy, fun and relaxing,
Food was plentiful and the chef did a good accommodating various diets and planned varied and delicious menus.
The other guests were friendly, fun, and interesting.
The crew were all kind and patient.
The hybrid bikes were comfortable.
The guide (Piet) was knowledgeable, and gave historic walks almost every night.

Cons:
Riding in the cities was stressful. There was too much urban riding with many treacherous intersections, bike and pedestrian traffic. It seemed very unsafe.
The e-bikes mixed into the group were a problem. Some of the riders couldn't control the e-bikes. Also, riding up and down hills through the dunes, with a strong head wind was gave the e-bike riders an advantage.
The size of the group (24) was too large for a single guide. He struggled to be present for everyone.
The large gap in abilities of the riders was problematic. This tour was rated easy, but some riders were extremely fit and pushed the pace.
Some of the schedule didn't work well. On the hardest riding day, we started the bike tour very late, after shopping in town and museums. We barely had time to eat lunch that day . But the ride through the dunes was difficult. I'm not sorry we went, but I wish we had left earlier and taken some breaks.
We were close to the end of tulip season and so didn't see as many as earlier tours.

1. Kukenhof gardens was our favorite part of the trip- absolutely gorgeous.
2. The staff was awesome- friendly, cheerful, energetic.

The most memorable parts of the tour were the beautiful weather and camaraderie amongst the boat personnel and bike riders ….a pleasure to be around for the week . Very attentive to detail , boat spotless , amazing food and fun activities! Couldn’t ask for a better crew …

The ship "Sailing Home" and it's crew were fantastic. The food each day was 5star healthy and plentiful.

The Tulip Tour aboard Sailing Home was absolutely fabulous!! All members of the crew and the bike tour guide were amazing. The fields of flowers and overall scenery on the route were fantastic. One word of advice - if you’re not an avid biker, rent an e bike. The winds can be quite strong and just a little bit of power provided by the bike goes a long way. It wii help keep the pack together. This tour is highly recommended!!