Bike tour reviews with boat/barge Zwaantje 61 to 78 of 78
Boat/Barge: Zwaantje • REMOVE • About Zwaantje
- 88% 5 star: 67 reviews
- 5% 4 star: 4 reviews
- 3% 3 star: 2 reviews
- 3% 2 star: 2 reviews
- 1% 1 star: 1 review
Bruges to Paris or Paris to Bruges
by Tony Davies 3 years ago Permalink/Reply Verified ReviewerWe did the bike barge trip from Bruges to Paris on the Zwantjie. We would absolutely recommend the trip. Our comments are:
1. While the cabins are small, they are still adequate and good layout in the bathroom ( each cabin has it's own) . They are kept very clean. They all have AC as the porthole does not open.
2. The rides was rated easy to moderate. It was MUCH harder than Bolzano to Venice so be prepared. I would say it should be rated moderate. The second week is easier than the first - perhaps due to improved fitness but also l think there are less hills.
3. Meals were good and wholesome.
4. Staff were incredibly obliging. Nothing was too much trouble. Thank you Martyn ( the Captain ), Michael ( mechanic ), Chris ( chef/cook ), Gosha ( amazingly efficient at serving meals/alcohol and cleaning the cabins ) and our great guides, Christain and Elia.
5. Size of about 24 riders is excellent. For us, better than say 30-40 as on the Ava Maria. You get to Read more… know all the riders are we had a great group of people, Australians, Americans and Poms.
6. When we stayed in Perrone we went to Villers Bretonneux. This is particularly relevant to Australians - whose troops saved the town from the Germans in WW1. A stunning memorial site -very moving. We also rode through a number of memorials to WW1 victims. Also quite moving.Boat: Zwaantje
Amsterdam to Bruges
by Glen W. 3 years ago Permalink/Reply Verified ReviewerBoat and crew were first class as was the bicycles. Lots of fun and enjoyed the evening company. Beautiful scenery and city visits. Most memorable was the 50 km day trip my 86 year old father-in-law did with 7 other family members.
Boat: Zwaantje
Champagne Tour
by Jeff K. 3 years ago Permalink/Reply Verified ReviewerThe boat staff was great. Food, service and cleanliness was excellent.
Boat: Zwaantje
Champagne Tour
by Paul L. 3 years ago Permalink/Reply Verified ReviewerThe Zwaantje barge crew were most excellent - great accommodations, food and customer service!! I would take another bike and barge trip with this group....it was an experience of a lifetime!
Boat: Zwaantje
Champagne Tour
by Fulton A. 3 years ago Permalink/Reply Verified ReviewerMega-kudos to the Zwaanje crew, headed by Martin. They're an extraordinary group.
Our guide, Mintje, was good and well-intentioned, but she sometimes didn't grasp entirely the group's priorities.
The route was fantastic -- scenery, length of rides, etc. The tours (champagne, brie, etc., were excellent, especially the family-owned company, Nowak. We learned things and had a lot of fun.
We appreciated how Martin and Mintje responded to our requests for flexibility in developing distance options for less- and more-eager riders.
Also, availability of electric bikes made it possible for spouses (of both sexes) to accompany on rides they usually wouldn't be able to do. We know electric bikes are controversial in some corners, but they made the trip possible for some of our group.
One last thing ... TripSite's PDF summarizing the ride, proposing packing lists, giving directions and tips, was excellent. Read more… Congratulations.Boat: Zwaantje
Bruges to Amsterdam
by Barbara Kallay 3 years ago Permalink/Reply Verified ReviewerMy husband and I had a great bike trip. Riding through the Belgium/Netherlands was delightful. The staff made the trip most memorable- Jacob (bike guide), Els (boat captain), Thomas (cook).
Boat: Zwaantje
Champagne Tour
by D. Power 3 years ago Permalink/Reply Verified ReviewerThe staff on the Zwaantje made the trip!
Boat: Zwaantje
Champagne Tour
by D. Miller 3 years ago Permalink/Reply Verified ReviewerThe ship, captain and crew were wonderful. Our guide was totally unacceptable!
My only complaint regarding the boat was due to the small cabins. The French locks are narrow, so the boat is narrow, making the rooms a bit to small for my comfort.
Our main concern was the unprepared tour group leader. She was constantly undecided on how to proceed. I think it was more trying to please the group than not knowing what to do. There should have been a route guide for each person (all we received was a large map with no route shown on it). She needed to be a leader rather than a friend!
Boat: Zwaantje
Champagne Tour
by M. Dumestre 3 years ago Permalink/Reply Verified ReviewerI highly recommend the Swaantje barge. The captain is both technically experienced and oriented toward customer satisfaction. The staff was very attentive to passenger needs.
The bike guide was competent, but needed a bit more familiarity with the routes.Boat: Zwaantje
Champagne Tour
by C. Robinson 3 years ago Permalink/Reply Verified ReviewerRooms really small; Guide was lost a lot; Staffers not very good with knowledge of E bikes;
But food was great..staff was kind..trip was pretty.Boat: Zwaantje
Champagne Tour
by D. Quigley 3 years ago Permalink/Reply Verified ReviewerYour tour was so damn good l find l'm getting naught done cause l want to go again - tomorrow. Seriously, l received courteous service that was pertinent and addressed any of the issues that l might have experienced. Personally, l think the whole Bike and Barge tour was run to the highest professional standards under what were adverse weather conditions. You can't plan for the tidal wave like flood of water that swept down the rivers and the very fact that you were able to 'tap-dance in the snow' and continue to operate at all does you no amount of credit. So from me, a big thank you to all the staff and keep up the good work. it was indeed a distinct pleasure for me to bear witness as other professionals surmounted adversity and came out on top.
D. Quigley - Melbourne, Australia.Boat: Zwaantje
Champagne Tour
by D. Uram 3 years ago Permalink/Reply Verified ReviewerFor the most part the trip was wonderful, I would like to put most of my answers right in the middle of satisfied and not satisfied, I just thought the scenery and the landscape etc. was not what I expected. That is not your fault, enjoyed my trips to Italy and Germany were much more scenic
Boat: Zwaantje
Champagne Tour
by C. Bauer 3 years ago Permalink/Reply Verified ReviewerThe guide seemed lost most of the time. He didn't know where to stop for a picnic and one day we ate our lunches at a bus stop. I realize cafes mostly close in France between 12 and 2, but his lack of knowledge of where to find a toilet after lunch was a problem. He chastised us for being slow to re-organize, but then later we'd stop for no reason and wait for up to a half hour with no info from him. He was good at describing architecture.
Boat: Zwaantje
Champagne Tour
by Jehiel 3 years ago Permalink/Reply StaffHi C. Bauer,
Thank you so much for your comment. We have contacted our local partner and assure you we are working very hard to improve this tour based on your feedback. Thanks again for sharing!Boat: Zwaantje
Amsterdam to Bruges
by M. Ford 3 years ago Permalink/Reply Verified ReviewerThe boat, the crew, the bikes, the food....all great. The bike guide was on her first tour and on several occasions, we had to stop, wait while guide asked for directions. In her defense, route markers were often confusing or hard to locate, making it difficult to take off on our own, or to pause along the way without group consensus. As the farewell meeting on the boat, the entire group voiced positive comments and satisfaction with the experience.
Boat: Zwaantje
Bruges to Amsterdam
by Mary Knapp 4 years ago Permalink/Reply Verified ReviewerThe trip was great as were the hosts of the boat. Everything was exceptional even though it rained daily, that was not a detriment as everything made up for it.
Boat: Zwaantje
Bruges to Amsterdam
by Mary Knapp 4 years ago Permalink/Reply Verified ReviewerThe trip was great as were the hosts of the boat. Everything was exceptional even though it rained daily, that was not a detriment as everything made up for it.
Boat: Zwaantje
Amsterdam to Bruges
by Alan Searle 4 years ago Permalink/Reply Verified ReviewerWe had a great time and plan on another bike-and-barge trip sometime. We loved the mix of passengers from different countries. Some of the other passengers, using other tour companies, had a few more details of the ports of call, and this would have been helpful for us, and may be a useful selling point for Tripsite.
Boat: Zwaantje