Europe Tour Reviews — 6301 to 6330 of 6836

Would have been nice to have a guide but our trip was the last of the season so no guide was available.

We have been on seven or eight bike and barge trips in the past and this one was, by far, the best. From the greeting upon arriving, to the spacious and comfortable accommodations and exquisite food. The guide was pleasant and very informative ( great sense of humor, too ) Our hotel reservations in Venice were cancelled at the last minute, but he was able to get us a room. The Ave Maria is a beautiful boat with everything you need. We can't say enough about every crew member. Part of the scenery was not as nice as on other trips, but that couldn't be helped. People at Tripsite were always very helpful and quick to respond. We had a wonderful time. We will highly recommend this Tripsite adventure!

Food was great, would have liked more flexibility on cycling.

We were a bit late in the season so weather not great. Food brilliant.

Had a wonderful time. The crew were amazing. Fred the guide was very attentive, knowledgeable, and always willing to help. Well organized with unique side trips. The food was great and the crew were all very friendly and helpful. What a beautiful country and lovely way to experience it. I will definitely recommend it to my friends.

The trip was organised very well. The international crew made the trip more interesting. We were glad that Peter had some flexibility in what we experienced. He was an excellent guide. We would have liked to stop at a few more wineries. Also we always seemed to be pulling into villages as they closed for lunch.

We loved everything about this trip. The bikes were in excellent condition, the cruise director was very helpful, the boat's staff was super attentive. The boat is definitely older but it was very clean and we loved having drinks on the top deck every night under the stars. My two teens had a great time as well and the staff was wonderful to them. The scenery was incredible and the tour excursions were a great value and well worth it.

Though not a 'delux' trip the staff and other passengers made it such a memorable trip! It might not suit everyone but we loved it!

Even with the age of the boat (1970's!!), we totally enjoyed the cruise. The staff was great and the food was wonderful. The bikes were comfortable and in good repair.

This was an excellent trip. We were well taken care of on The Merjlin. The cabin was set up well, their attention to detail, everything was designed to ensure we had the best vacation experience -right down to fresh flowers on board. I have recommended The Merjlin to everyone who asks about my trip.

During my trip I didn't obtain the maps and associated documents which made parts of my trip extremely frustrating.

Wonderful trip through the vineyards on the wine wagon!

My last trip cycling experience with the Dory Hotel in Riccioni Italy was splendid and one of the best ever!!

Our Amsterdam to Bruges 7 days bike and barge was the highlight of our 90 day trip! Loved it all, and many people have viewed my travelpod and also our coffee table book of photos. It is a long way to come from NZ but I have been drooling over the Croatia bike and barge trips for 2016.....

Thought I'd find it hard, not really being a biker, and I got a sore backside on occasion, especially when we got lost and pedalled a few extra kms, but just loved the whole experience. (even piked out on the last rainy day and motored into Bruges, felt I earned it!)

Great accommodations and the food was excellent. Quality and condition of bikes could have been better.

Would be nice to sit with other people at meals. Everyone was great and it felt like we were on a camping trip.

Excellent staff, excellent food. Very professional.

It was a great trip, thank you.

It was a great way to see the countryside.

We were not able to bike because I broke my arm 2 weeks before our trip but nevertheless had a wonderful time. The accommodations were first rate, as well as the food, matched by the friendliness of the inn keepers. We found plenty of things to do other then biking; hiking along the bike path as well as hikes in the countryside, museums and train trips to interesting towns.

Route guides(arrows)could in some areas(particularly in the Bolzano to barge section when riders on their own) be more clearly marked and better positioned.
Steph,our guide,and the boat crew combined to make this a special experience.

The scenery was spectacular, the challenge was invigorating, the people were interesting, the guides were ever helpful and informative. Loved everything.

The trip included wonderful biking-many bike paths, trails and traffic-free lanes. It was made special -even inspiring- by following the route of St James--the Camino -- a historic pilgrimage route.
Having tour guides made the trip stress-free thus more enjoyable. Their knowledge covered all aspects of the trip: best routes,history of the area, the best places to eat, out-of-the way special sites, translation and more.

Holland is beautiful. The bike route goes through too many urban areas and not enough countryside. The groups are too large. Our group had 28 people and only 1 guide. It was impossible for him to keep an eye on all the people. As an example, it would take 3 or 4 light changes for the group to all cross a main road. Sometimes the group would be spread out as much as 1 kilometer. My wife fell off her bike and broke her hand because the group was always speeding up and slowing down. One day we even lost a rider for a while. The tour guide seemed very informative, but did not explain much, and seemed cold most of the time. That is my honest opinion. Thank you.

1. Food was mediocre - not great...lots of canned or frozen vegetables. Meat was consistently over cooked and dry. There was lots of choices for breakfast and we especially liked the variety to make our lunches. Had to pay for hot water, tea & coffee after 4:00 pm was a ridiculous and cheap policy which angered many.
2. Room service - towels were not replenished each day as expected until the guide told us to put them in the shower to indicate we wanted towels refreshed each day. This was a problem of no signage to indicate this practice and that the guide forgot to tell us until day 4 when someone complained.
3. Maps and route descriptions - we always marvel at the signage for cycling in the Netherlands. Our country should adopt this method. But we were only given one map/booklet per room. Again, a very cheap practice as all travelers are paying cyclists and each want their own maps. Can't guarantee that those who room together actually cycle together. This again angered many in our group all of whom are avid cyclists who have traveled extensively by bike in Europe.
4. Route - Wonderful! Northern Netherlands is so beautiful, the route selected was varied and very picturesque, and towns we visited were charming.
5. Staff - Every staff person, but one, was extremely polite, helpful and courteous, from the kitchen staff, the captain, servers, and bike support fellas. The one exception was our guide who was rigid, rude, impatient and grumpy. He warmed up as the week progressed but his welcoming manner was less than desirable. He didn't seem to like to deal with women or English clients, as we saw that he got along very well with the German clients. It could have been a factor of language and fatigue due the fact that it was the end of the season.

We had a great time, the staff worked very hard to please, and it was a very good trip.

We loved the size of the group. We are now ready for a self guided trip.

We were plagued by hot weather in early June. It was pleasant before and after our trip. Not your fault. The rest was great.

Everything was great. The only thing we didn't like was the guide we had for our guided tour. All other staff were fantastic.