2 Star Germany Tour Reviews — 1 to 23 of 23
Marcia V.
3 months ago
Verified Reviewer
· Around Lake Constance
We picked up our bikes and tested them. Everything was fine. When we set out the next day. We were cruising right along. Some of the markers were hard to find as there are so many cyclists and trails and bike routes. We did get lost but there was always someone to help us. The next day my friends bike would not go into peddle assist mode. We stopped at a bike shop and were told that the problem was in the wiring of the bike. Upon calling our outfitters we were told that they would bring us a bike at 10:00 the next morning, 11 hours later. We ended up having to take a fare boat at our expense , to get to the next town. The replacement bike did show up at 10:00 the next day but that hardly gave us enough time to make it to our next destination. We lost a lot of biking time in those two days. Trip site has yet to reimburse us for any of the inconvenience and does not respond to our emails. I would highly advise going through a different company.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
Edward C.
4 months ago
Verified Reviewer
· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
The lack of communication on the lack of planning for weather. There should have been plans in place for us to visit all 4 countries that we paid for, or compensation for missing Budapest.
Carolyn W.
5 months ago
Verified Reviewer
· Berlin to Wolfsburg
Disappointing trip. Our only day in Potsdam nearly every museum was closed. Countryside and small towns just were not very interesting. I don’t believe this same itinerary is being offered next year. Food on Merlijn was just ok and we were given small sandwiches for lunch.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
Deborah H.
October 1, 2023
Verified Reviewer
· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
The Danube is one of the top places to bike in Europe – and I’ve done it many times over the last eight years. However, I did not enjoy the Primadonna. I wish that Tripsite would’ve told me that it was a “bargain” cruise. The staff was not very professional, and although breakfast was very good, dinner was somewhere between OK and unacceptable. Worst thing was the bike route description briefing. The cruise Director talked in circles and you never had a clear understanding of what you were doing. We had to ask a lot of questions and make notes to be clear. Many people in my group struggled - and the printed hand out they gave us was worthless.
Very disappointed in Tripsite for letting me book this for my group. I feel it was their responsibility to tell me that the Primadonna and it’s staff were the bottom of the barrel on the Danube boat and bike list, compared to others they offer.
In sales, they call that: managing expectations.
I wish we would’ve taken the Manon (which I did last Summer) – far better in every sense.
Timothy V.
September 27, 2023
Verified Reviewer
· Koblenz to Merzig
Stopping at local towns to sight see and hit a cafe mid-morning and for a glass of wine or beer in the afternoon. Allure barge never made enough food for our group, rarely made stops while biking at cafe’s or towns for coffee or drinks in the mornings or afternoons. Felt rushed to get from point A to B and not enjoying the ride.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
Timothy R.
April 25, 2023
Verified Reviewer
· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
More of a boat trip than a ride. Lots of time stuck on the boat, minimal time at each location. Many rides cancelled or shorter than the advertised tour.
Diane P.
October 18, 2022
Verified Reviewer
· Berlin to Malchin
Going to Poland. This trip was too rural and remote. Very few stops and few points of interest. Mainly dirt paths or cobblestone paths that were very difficult to ride a bike on. The farm fields we drove our bikes through were awful, some were full of holes and quite dangerous. I do not recommend this trip for those who have back and neck problems or those who never have rode a mountain bike.
Margaret W.
October 8, 2022
Verified Reviewer
· Mosel & Saar
Think twice before booking a bike and barge tour along the Mosel & Saar rivers in Germany on the Zwaan boat. It was infested with BED BUGS...cabins 1 & 2. My tour embarked Sept 19, 2022. I ended up with over 50 bites that were nearly unbearable! My last three nights of the tour I slept in on-shore accommodations but continued riding with the group. There are other larger boats that are available. Maybe a little more money, but worth the safety of your health. The fiasco that one has to go through to rid your clothes and luggage from bed bugs is difficult when on vacation. Save yourself and book on another boat!
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
Terry h.
August 29, 2022
Verified Reviewer
· Danube Bike Path - Passau to Budapest
The challenge of finding our way and doing it successfully despite the guide books being almost useless. The guide book for the Passau to Vienna book was slightly better but that was mostly because the paths were self evident. The book for the Vienna to Budapest leg was quite useless.
Bruce E.
June 10, 2022
Verified Reviewer
· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
We boarded the Primadonna on Friday & started our biking the following day. It was a little hectic & we didn't get any tips about the e-bike since we hadn't ridden one before. We got a briefing the night before about where to go but we had to wait until the German was completed before the English started. We were all very tired by then from traveling. The first day of biking went well as we got used to the e-bike. The second day we began our ride from Tulin to Vienna. The bike trail was crowded today and as we were coming up to a curve I had to move out of the way for on- coming traffic & I hit the gravel and crashed to the ground. My husband was behind me & had to stop fast so he also tipped over on his bike. I hit my face & landed on my left knee & my knee was bleeding heavily. My husband had multiple abrasions on his arms & legs. We continued our ride back to the boat so we could figure out what to do next. I checked my knee & I had a wide, deep cut that I knew would have to be sutured. The boat provided bandages & advised us to see a doctor in the next town. The following morning Terezka from reception took us by taxi to a near by hospital but they would not see us. We got into another taxi & went to a private doctors office where I had 6 sutures put in my knee. I was not allowed to bike so we stayed on the boat for the remainder of the trip. It took 3 days for us to get flights to return to S. Carolina. Bruce & Phyllis Ehlers
David W.
October 1, 2021
Verified Reviewer
· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
I understand the latitudes taken in promotion and advertising. That being said, I highly resent being intentionally deceived. We were “warned” prior to leaving that there might be last minute changes in where the ship docked in Passau. Sure enough, 2 days prior to boarding we were informed of the change “due to construction.” There was no construction around the docks. We walked by there several times each day, and ships were docking all the time. No, this had to do with not wanting to dock in Germany where COVID restrictions were tighter for the ship to set sail.
What we were left with instead was a vague set of instructions that led us to the wrong place and a group of suspected fellow passengers (none spoke English) also waiting in several places for the bus. We tried your 800 number. No one answered. We tried the local “help line”. The person who answered did not speak English. There was no one at the presumed site to board the bus to inform us that we were at the correct location. Had the original one not broken down and caused an unexpected delay, we would have never made it to be bus, even though we left our hotel two hours earlier. Two unexpected cab fares and hours of stress wondering if we would actually make embarkation is not the way to start a voyage. We must have been your only clients on board, and that explains quite a lot of what happened. The only other English-speaking passengers were Danish. Daytime announcements were only made in German.
FOOD
If I were asked to describe the food on this voyage with one word it would be: BLAND. Presentation 10. Taste 3. Selection 2. They need to invest more in spices to make it taste better and less on garnish to make it look good.
PERSONNEL
The saving grace was the attitude and professionalism of all those who worked on board, from the Captain helping get the bicycles ashore, to the ladies at the information desk, to our waiter, bartender, and cabin stewardess. All worked hard, were extremely helpful, and I have no complaints whatsoever.
CYCLING EXPERIENCE
The bicycles were good quality, well-maintained, and those who instructed us in their use were quite helpful. The young lady who instructed us each evening about the day ahead was superb. But her graphics, maps, handouts, were awful. The biking experience itself was nothing like I imagined. Cars, trucks, pedestrians, and multitudes of other cyclists all trying to pass on the left at any opportunity. Some very dangerous gravel trails and quite a bit of city riding with cars whizzing by at breakneck speed. The distance vs. time allowed created a “race to the finish line” experience rather than the comfortable, leisurely ride through the countryside with frequent stops to take in the scenery that I had come to expect from your promotional materials. SHOW MORE
Four days into the voyage we learned that our original information that all on board were vaccinated was, in fact, not true. Both passengers and crew members were unvaccinated. No one wore a mask on board, and social distancing was impossible. In retrospect, the overcrowded dining room and three hour evening meals were just a breeding ground for COVID transmission. Thankfully, our COVID testing (required for reentry to US) was negative. Had it been positive and my trip extended for another two weeks of quarantine, I would be seeking monetary compensation from the cruise line.
There were other minor things. There was, literally, no “entertainment” on board. Someone played the piano in the bar 2 hours a day, but the promised “movies” in the evening followed by midnight snacks must have been more of those “older things” still in your promotional literature. There were no movies. No place to watch them. The theatre was used to store the bicycles. I suspect that’s why they dragged out the evening meal to upwards of three hours! Even the documents we received at embarkation mentioned (in German only) a “massage” included in our tickets. But no one at the customer service desk seemed to understand what I was talking about when I inquired, and not once during the voyage was anyone working in the indoor sauna area. And to think, I was forced to pay an additional 150 Euros to “rebook” this voyage when the one I put down a deposit for (in January, 2020, no less) was cancelled by the cruise line due to COVID restrictions in travel. They were unable to fulfill the contract, and I had to pay more to protect my deposit! Dare I say it? Bait and switch.
And I do not blame the tour company entirely for this deception. Your promotional materials, time and again, “had not been updated” when I inquired prior to sailing about discrepancies I found in them. The video on your website from someone who had taken the tour presented a world totally foreign to the experience we endured. I suspect that during the COVID delay the ship or line was sold to some new company and the new owners were cutting costs at every turn. The crew told us ours would be the last voyage for this boat using the bicycling format.
SHOW LESS
Rosemary P.
March 4, 2020
Verified Reviewer
· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
I am truly amazed about quantity of 5 star reviews for this tour, as I could only give it a 2 star! And, this 2 rating is for the wonderful restaurant and housekeeping staff , as the boat crew , bike assistants were unpleasant to deal with, and the captain kept his distance. This was such a drastic difference from my very enjoyable Netherlands, and Croatia bike and boat tours. The maps and directions were inadequate and usually incorrect. The "tour guide" (who never lead a tour) Jan was unbelievably nasty, rude and impatient about any and all questions and concerns. He sent many on what was to be an easy, level ride only for it to take us over a mountain where our bikes were unsuitable and directions e completely wrong. I would not recommend neither this boat or trip to anyone.
Elizabeth T.
October 15, 2019
Verified Reviewer
· Road of 100 Castles - Münsterland
1. There were only about 10 castles on the tour. Most of the castles were not open to the public to visit.
2. The maps and written instructions given to us upon arrival were in German which we do not know. There was an option to download these instructions onto a smart phone but we were not given this information until on day 3 of the tour. We had made no provisions to attach a smart phone to our bike and protect it from the weather.
3. The scenery was pleasant for a few days but became boring as there was not much difference each day.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany, Netherlands
Margaret E.
September 19, 2019
Verified Reviewer
· Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
Most Memorable Part: The biking and comradery of the other bikers on the trip.
Dennis E.
September 18, 2019
Verified Reviewer
· Along the Danube-Iron Gates
Most Memorable Part: The black mold (or something) that had many people coughing in their rooms. I had to take allergy pills each night.
Robert W M.
September 17, 2019
Verified Reviewer
· Along the Danube-Iron Gates
The crew & food were great & acceptable respectively. There were very few vegetables served. The ship was terrible, moldy, poor lighting nonexistent waste baskets except in private rooms. The ship had a strong sewer odor which our cabin boy could not remedy. This problem involved several rooms. We would not return to the The(odor) Körner.
David F.
October 25, 2018
Verified Reviewer
· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Breakfast good. Bagged lunches okay but not great and they only had sparkling water which I don't like and can't drink. No option to get still water without paying extra. Dinners good but not great. Only one meal very good. Most upset about not being able to drink the water from the room sink (which was announced over the PA system just before dinner after we had been onboard for a few hours)and then having to pay for still safe water for the cabin, breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Bike barge nightly talk about the following day was always the second talk of the evening (made for later evenings or no room in the bar). Would have liked to share the first time slot for half of the evenings.
Concierge staff outstanding and serving staff in the dinning room good.
Mok L.
October 9, 2018
Verified Reviewer
· Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
The Danube / bike path was wonderful , My bike was a red girls bike that clunked “hate it”, my wife’s ebike was great, the food was good except the hair in couple of dishes, the tour dir and the hotel mgr were friggen rude (not just us to about 14 others ) would Never take a SE tour again. The people we met on board were great, Austria was very nice. Omg Austria wine was fantastic. thx Mik
Ps
Still like Tripsite’s
Tim Devine
October 4, 2018
Verified Reviewer
Along the Danube - Passau, Bratislava, and Vienna (old version)
The biking itself was fabulous. The staff looked after the bikes well, and the routes were lovely. My problems are with the boat itself, and there are several significant issues. First, our room was next to some machinery near the bridge that woke us up frequently during the night. The bathroom smelled bad, and other guests on a lower floor had major issues with smells too. The boat broke down on one occasion, and we had the feeling that it was on its last legs. The food was okay, sometimes good, sometimes not so good. The staff were very good, although the music was mostly orientated to non-English speakers. I know that this is not a Viking riverboat, but I have a reasonable expectation of having a comfortable and fairly quiet room. Never again on this boat.
Faith S.
September 29, 2018
Verified Reviewer
· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
I was disappointed in this tour, the scenery was mostly uninteresting and much more difficult than expected due to high winds on 2 days. I am short and was given a crappy bike to ride, having been told I could not fit on the e-bike I wanted. However, after 2 days of suffering my tour guide was able to find me a bike that fit (even after the company itself said it could not accommodate). The ship itself was wonderful, with big bright cabins and excellent food. I was on the guided comfort relax package, and the tour guide was way too laid back for my taste. I thought we did not have much time in the big cities to explore.
Tama L.
July 16, 2018
Verified Reviewer
· Around Lake Constance
My dissatisfactions, two nights in the suburbs of Constance, out of the way, should not be used. Konono staff excellent, but cost us for taxi to get there and back to the train. Route book imprecise. What is the route sign we were supposed to follow? What good is a dotted line on a map when there are multiple routes? Which are more scenic? Less hilly? Passing by cafes? Unpaved in a forest? Exactly how do you get to the Rhein Falls ferry? Book never mentioned the three elevators that take you up and down. We had frustrations every day.
Is it a beautiful trip? Absolutely. The Mozart and Park Villa are beautiful hotels, although not air conditioned.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
Mary Beth R.
June 11, 2018
Verified Reviewer
· Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Scenery was gorgeous, food was superb. Accommodations good.
If you took Albert out of the equation I would give much higher ratings. He was inadequate with trail details. His info was hard to follow on the maps. Someone described him as a Peacock. Very apt. The rest of the staff was very good although you need another person in the dining room. Way to many people for the amount of people serving.
Don’t advertise that you have WiFi....you really don’t .....
Jeff B.
August 25, 2017
Verified Reviewer
· Four Countries of Lake Constance
Konstance was very bike friendly, and interesting.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, Switzerland
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