4 Star Germany Tour Reviews — 211 to 240 of 361

The boat crew and participants were wonderful. The food was beyond belief. The guide did any excellent job of leading the group on the road, but when we arrived at historic areas left us to ourselves. We did not receive any of the three guided town tours that the trip description promised.

Most Memorable Part: Visiting wonderful towns and cities.
We found that the bikes provided were very heavy, making them a bit tough to ride. We were there at the end of the season and the brakes on the bikes were worn out. The bike maintenance was not ideal

The adventure of biking through beautiful Luxembourg, Germany, and France. One can view scenry in a different manner compared to driving a car or viewing as a passenger. Biked thru small villages, metro cities, and rural countries.

The delicious gourmet dinners at the end of each trip will always be treasured.

The route instructions need a lot of improvement. It should not take 6 hours to bike 22 miles!

We loved cycling along the Donnau river cycle path. The cycle path was excellent - flat, scenic and not on roads.

The Theodor Korner is an older boat. A little loud sometimes with the bedrooms a little small. Otherwise, the dining room, the lounge, other areas – all were fine. The meals, both breakfast and dinner, were very good. The staff were friendly and helpful. And the tours, whether guided or on your own, were very-well organized and led.

One problem with the Bike and Boat tour – the bikes. I do not consider them well-maintained. Mine had bad brakes and wobbly steering, leading to accidents. And the “sailors” responsible for maintaining them did not seem to have much of an interest in doing so. They were the least helpful people on the boat; it wasn’t even close.

Would I go on another B&B tour? Yes, overall it was a lot of fun. Would I take the Theodor Korner? Maybe. Would I recommend that a biker INSIST upon a good working bike – no matter what you have to do, who you have to talk to? Absolutely.
And good luck on your trip.

This was a great trip - many great memories. Most memorable? - I rated it a 4 because we were stuck with the bow cabin on the Zwaan and no one should be given that cabin if they don't expressly want it - too small and too difficult to get in and out - and a much different standard than the other cabins on the boat. We are two taller, older people and the least suited for that cabin, but because we were the last to board we were stuck with it. We were told by Tripsite that we were getting a different cabin but that didn't happen.

The scenery, the fellow riders the entire experience was so rewarding.
The boat however left a lot to be desired. The dining room windows were small and you felt confined. The food was below what i’ve experienced on my 6 other tripsite bike/barge tours.

The efficiency of collecting and dropping off the bike at the beginning and the end of the day could not have gone smoother. The guidebooks were very helpful though it would have been nice to have more information on sights along the way. The bikes were extremely comfortable and we had no issues. We are already planning on our next tour!

My trip from Passau to Budapest was what I hoped it would be. The original information and directions were excellent. However there was almost no communication with Rad+Riesen once the trip started. This was not really a problem except for one day when my hotel was changed without notifying me until I arrived at the wrong hotel. Luggage transfer was smooth and breakfasts were good. Generally a very positive experience with a bit of adventure. The trip from Passau to Vienna was smoother than from Vienna to Budapest in all aspects, but both were memorable and enjoyable.

I loved biking though the country side and seeing the small towns along the way. I wish I could have spent a little more time in the small towns. I kind of felt like I had to keep moving. The bike trail itself was very well marked and I really didn't need to use the map much. Just looked where I was going next and how far it was that was really all I needed to get around. The people were lovely. We enjoyed meeting other bikers on their bike trip many from England and having a beer with them at our destination. The hotels were all great, most in historic buildings that have been redone to modern standards. This was my first bike trip would defiantly take another one, but would pay the extra money to get an e-bike.

We really enjoyed the biking. Most the trails were very nice and the scenery was beautiful.The most memorable part was probably the Wachau Valley. The bikes were very good. The rooms on the boat were good and the food was also plentiful and tasty.We enjoyed the entertainment put on by the crew.

The beauty. Flowers were in bloom, the orchards were full of apples, the green hillsides were gorgeous.
The booklet we received would have been more helpful if received beforehand. The directions could have been much clearer, especially to the hotels.

Best Parts: cruising, dining, kitchen, bar, admin, cleaning staff - wonderful, friendly, helpful. couldn't be better
food - very good variety and quality. lunches especially good
cycling and tour director and staff - excellent every day with information, quality equipment, attention to questions
ship public facilities - quite adequate quality and quantity. updating on decor is needed
hotel staff - very nice, accommodating and efficient
hotel - needs cleaning, air conditioning was not working every day, which was a problem. air quality was not great. updated decor is needed.

Best Part? Biking along the Danube the first day in the beautiful countryside. Spectacular!!

The biking was absolutely wonderful; so incredibly beautiful especially through the vineyards and orchards. The ride around Bratislava was not marked well at all and 90% of the riders got lost going in all different directions, thank God for smart phones. The food on board was well prepared, always hot and nutritional. Where this trip fell short was the crew abroad the Normandie. Unlike the other TWO Bike and Barge Trips I experienced, this crew was a bit unwelcoming, rude, and times condescending and scolding. Not everyone but it certainly was the feel on the boat and many were talking about it. I know the crew work long hours and they all have to help with most tasks on the boat; however, there would be nothing to do if WE weren't there. I absolutely love this way of travel and will do another one again very soon. This was NOT a Tripsite issue but am hopeful this information will be passed to the appropriate people. Tripsite has been excellent in providing information and always seems to offer a great deal.

Our experience was simply exceptional! The shared experience and fellowship created new friendships. The Merlijn was an exceptional venue for seeing Germany and our hosts took great care of us. We got great value for our travel dollar and created terrific memories that will bring lasting joy.

The Cycling and travel along the Danube River. Still more markings on the Bike routes.

Most Memorable Part: Food & last day of riding + Vienna

We really enjoyed Wachau. Definitely stop for the wine tour, and enjoy the biking through the vineyards. It was absolutely beautiful.

The Iris is a well equipped and comfortable barge with a fantastic crew. Our guide, Thomas, was knowledgeable and very helpful and the Italian chefs (husband and wife) cooked delicious food and were super cute! Lenny, the owner of the Iris, was present throughout the trip and this added a special warmth to the trip. This was the first time this itinerary was offered on the Iris and it went off without a hitch. Many of the guests had E Bikes (which I recommend even though it was rated as an easy route) which made the several small hills a piece of cake! Would definitely recommend this trip on the Iris.

The history and the countryside was fantastic. Need work with maps - took us over an hour to find the hotel in Dresden as we were never given a city map of Dresden with hotels marked as other cities. Do not recommend dinner package as fixed menu at some of restaurants was not very good.

We loved the trails that ran close to the sea shore, as well as passing through the small towns. It’s really important to watch the signage along the way in order to stay on course. It’s sometimes challenging to locate the overnight spots based on the descriptions in the tour materials. They would be better if they provided more detail.

Fantastic Value; super helpful staff. Only 80 riders. Very friendly guests attracted. Beautiful sights. Good food. Bikes heavy and clunky with no choice in quality except electric. Excellent trip overall.

Briefing by tour director daily with clear instructions on the following days ride. Highlighting and suggestions where to break for coffee and lunch, and points of interest along the way.
Breakfast and evening meal was delicious.
A great range of reasonably priced good quality bike attire, including wet weather jackets ,and bike helmets for sale.

Denmark was incredible! The Baltic and the forests were lovely. The people were good-humored and helpful.

The bike and barge tour was great! The bike route along the Danube was easy to follow but sometimes the days seemed repetitive. We found the last day of riding the most picturesque. The boat crew was awesome- everyone spoke English well except for the tour guide who struggled with communicating the day to day instructions. The food was very good and plentiful.

Riding in the foothills/vinyards in Austria. Stopping for a beer and a slice of homemade cake at a hotel on the trail.
The boat was too slow traveling upstream against heavy current. This meant we were late in docking for our next ride. Yes, the current was heavy but this is likely to happen every spring.

Best Part? The nice people on the boat

Earlier this year (May), my wife and I did the 4 country bike - barge tour, on the Danube. First I have to remark that everything "Tripsite" advertised was delivered at what we thought to be a reasonable price. In spite of unusually cold (damp) weather, our first experience (s) in Passau, Bratislava, Budapest and Vienna were very memorable highlights. However, aboard the "Normandie" we did have some concerns with the overall tour management. There were some particularly disappointing moments with an apparent strategy to keep the English speaking guests, and non-english speaking guests (mostly German) separated? For our part, we were keen to mingle - assimilate with all the guests aboard. That should not reflect our overall impression of the boat crew, who were very courteous and helpful.

Sailing down the Danube at night under the full moon we witnessed the beautiful lighted bridges and magnificent buildings of Vienna. It was magical!