5 Star Sailing Home boat/barge tour reviews — 31 to 60 of 84

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.

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

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 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.

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!!

The most memorable was biking through the low lands, seeing the difference in water / land level, local animals and how /where they built their homes. Riding through and around the Keukenhof was great for us tulip lovers. Also Windmills and more windmills at the Kinderdijk...fantastic scenic. This trip was well orchestrated and executed we had an unforgettable time.

Sailing Home was a lovely barge, extremely clean, and the staff was delightful. Truly a wonderful experience.

The rides through the countryside were memorable, with the freedom of movement, the vibrant spring colours and the sight of waterfowl going about their nesting tasks, while cycling through some pretty challenging spring weather. Then we got back to the boat, welcomed again on board by a crew also glad to be back after two yeas of covid restrictions. The meals were very good, the guide always helpful and my travel companions friendly and interesting.
After two years of emails and trying to salvage something of a planning disaster during covid, I found the actual trip well organized and I could trust it would turn out well. I would do it again.
I had a medical issue re an allergic reaction on my face and the guide and crew handled it well, making me a doctor appointment and certainly following my recovery closely. For a person travelling alone it was reassuring and comforting.

Windmills, cycling and millions of tulips. What could be more wonderful? The barge, Sailing Home, was by far the nicest vessel we have stayed on for a bike and barge. The food was amazing, the Captain very welcoming, and the staff efficient and friendly. The itinerary was interesting and well planned. Do be sure to dress for the changeable weather!

This was a most excellent way to explore the county, with most excellent service on the boat, Sailing Home. We liked the small size of the group (23 riders, 1 tour guide, the captain, the chef, and 2 assistants). And the chef was amazing. She served superb dinners from different regions or counties, each with a guided explanation of what the foods represent. After dinner we had well paced guided tours of the cities we were docked at. Ghent, Belgium was my favorite. The guest quarters were top notch and we’ll maintained. I would love to sail with them again.

Sailing on the barge through Rotterdam harbour. This bike and barge tour was amazing. The barge was so comfortable,the crew were wonderful,food was absolutely first class.Our guide did a fabulous job,and was so nice.We would urge anyone thinking about travelling in Holland to consider doing a bike and barge tour with this company.We are in the upper age group,and had no trouble keeping up.

A perfect experience - great staff - very flexible - excellent meals

I cannot say enough about this trip. The entire experience was amazing. We were on the Sailing Home which is beautifully appointed and the rooms are small but quite comfortable. The crew made sure that our every need was met. We got caught in a bad rain storm one afternoon and when we arrived back at the boat we were greeted by the crew with baskets for our wet shoes and jackets to dry everything for us before the next day. The food was amazing, every meal was 5 stars and the chef was not only talented, but charming! Our tour guide, Seitse, was a true scholar who loves his country and is proud to share his knowledge of the land, the people and the rich history. Every night he offered walking tours through the town for anyone who was interested. We saw the country up close and personal, riding through the fields, towns and neighborhoods in a way we we could not have done without the bikes and our guide. We will definitely do another trip, however the next one will have a lot to live up to!

The Sailing Home exceeded my expectations! The crew was excellent, the scenery magnificant, and I totally didn't expect a French-trained gourmet chef to prepare our meals complete with nightly explanation of each dish and it's country of origin. This is an intimate cruise ship experience for only 24 persons.

The food on the barge was amazing! We had strong winds for the bike but our leader made modifications to give people options for shorter routes. Amazing trip!!

My wife and I had never done a bike trip before, let alone a boat and bike one. Our South Holland Tour turned out be fabulous that way exceeded expectations. The Dutch landscape was beautiful. Our boat, Sailing Home, was charming and immaculate. A daily highlight was getting to know our fellow shipmates over dinner. And what dinners! They were of varying cuisines lovingly prepared by Eline, our Cordon Bleu-trained chef. Some random thoughts: 1) we brought our own helmets, but it was unnecessary as the boat had helmets of varying sizes, 2) I was anxious about the quality of the bicycles on board which turned out to be needless worry; our 24-speed bikes were in great condition, 3) we had no idea who our fellow travelers might be, and strangers became friends who shared email addresses at trip’s end. We’ve had multiple vacations in Asia and Europe; our South Holland Tour was one of the memorable.

We really enjoyed the rural countryside for our biking tour. We would bike past horses, cows, swans and goats and stop in very quaint towns. I rented a regular bike because I thought the Netherlands was very flat, there was more incline and distance than I was prepared for. I was able to borrow another guest e-bike a few days and in retrospect I should have rented one. But it also made me realize I can go to other countries that are more of a challenge, I would just rent an e-bike. We also brought our own helmets, but the ones they had on the boat looked fine. My husband brought his cycle computer which was a good idea to see our distance etc. We really enjoyed the biking tour!

The whole barge experience with fellow bikers was awesome. There were only 23 of us and we all connected. The dining was exceptional. Our guide lacked knowledge of the tour and did not provide enough cultural experience.

The mighty River Rhine was very memorable

This trip was fabulous! The biking in the countryside was beautiful! I especially enjoyed seeing the bounding hares, swans, sheep, flowers and lovely homes. The tulip, daffodil and hyacinth fields were spectacular and an experience I will never forget. The traditional Dutch dinners were delicious and the stories about the food were entertaining and fun. I did find the city biking frightening at times with the crowds. One tip is be prepared for this and stay near the guide in the heavy traffic areas. I thoroughly enjoyed the sites especially the factory in Delft, Harlem, biking through the Sand Dunes and Keukenhof gardens. A lovely country with so much to experience.
I think this trip is an incredible value for the price. I can’t wait to take another bike and barge trip.

Great staff making us feel very welcomed and well cared for, from our guide Pete to the lady captain. I would highly recommend this company.

Best part of trip traveling with friends old and new. Beautiful scenery. Great food. A great challenge. Looking forward to my next trip