South Holland Tour Tour Reviews — 1 to 30 of 73
Easy Bike + Boat Tour in Netherlands
This bike tour in Southern Holland takes you along beautiful paths through Holland's most scenic rural region … This tour also visits the prestigious and historic towns of Haarlem, Leiden…
Donna I.
1 month ago
Verified Reviewer
The crew, the lodgings, and the bikes were fabulous. Breakfasts were good… dinners took two hours every evening ~ which was a bit long. The food was… interesting. Soup really bad a couple times, and seemed rather understaffed as far as getting beverages. Also the wording of the afternoon beverages misleading. It sounded as though coffee and tea would be available all day until 4:00, but that is incorrect. Coffee and tea were available free from approximately 3:00-4:00 only. After that, everything costs. All in all a very enjoyable experience. Nico in particular was great, arranging the rides. Weren’t able to dock at the two northern towns of Haarlem or Zaandam because of engine trouble, but made the best of it, staying in Amsterdam and riding out of there instead.
Jean B.
2 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Getting to see so much of the Green Heart of Holland. However, incompetent dining room staff making me late for outings, insufficient/late availability of food for packing lunches, one guide leaving mid-trip, broken down barge meaning loss of 2 days of itinerary and then overloaded internet making us unable to download alternative routes, maid skipping our room first day - all made this a memorable trip as well, but not in a good way
Tripsite Staff • 1 month ago Tripsite Staff
Hi Jean, Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback. It's really a shame your ship had engine troubles! I know the captain works hard to keep everything running smoothly but some things we cannot control. An incompetent staff is not acceptable however and I am forwarding your comments to the ship manager. Hope you were able to bring home some good memories!
Lori M.
2 months ago
Verified Reviewer
The scenery was beautiful. I was disappointed that I had to miss the last two days of the biking tour because the ship had engine trouble and had to go back to Amsterdam for repairs.
jennifer s.
2 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Riding through the countrysides of the Netherlands was on my bucket list and it did not disappoint! The incredible beauty of the wetland areas and the diversity of bird life far exceeded my expectations!
I must sing praises for our tour leader Nico! He was always there when we needed him! Are there more than one of him?
Watching the De Amsterdam crew one day sail the boat through the canals is a must! It was a peak part of my trip watching them maneuver sideways and make the turns ! Such incredible scenery and seeing the huge variety of boats and vessels was outstanding!
Lynn A.
8 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Although my South Holland Tour was canceled and rerouted to North Holland, it was lovely. The tour guides, captain & staff were terrific and despite weather related complications, made the trip memorable. I will definitely be doing another - hopefully the Southern route...
Lisa S.
9 months ago
Verified Reviewer
The beautiful scenery, wonderful camaraderie, and helpful guides made this a remarkable and enjoyable experience. For those not comfortable cycling who might be traveling with an experienced cycling partner, I highly recommend an e-bike. It took all of the stress away for both is us!
Johanna Maria V.
10 months ago
Verified Reviewer
This was my third Tripsite Barge Biking Trip and as good as ever again.
Highly recommended.
Excellent guide who ensured that everybody was happy.
Despite the large age difference from10-92 years, the group of 18 pax jelled well together.
A trip that combines nature, culture,exercise, education and relaxation in a most balanced holiday that one could wish for.
Lynda S.
11 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Although we enjoyed the trip, there is no one thing that stands out as the most memorable. However, there are some things that need improvement:
- The food. This was a top-rated boat but some of the food was sub-par. For instance, you do not serve vegetables from a can!
- Having electric bikes and regular bikes in the same guided groups is a mistake. The regular bikes do not have a chance and the pace keeps getting quicker and quicker, pushing the ordinary bikes aside. There should be separate guides for the two types of bikes.
- Riding through the cities was terrifying, particularly in The Netherlands where everyone rides bikes. We have been on another boat/bike tour down the Danube (with RadReisen) and our tours of the cities were by bus with riding only on the fringes. It was much safer and you saw and learned about so much more.
Caroline Ann B.
11 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Well organized boat and cycle tour through South Holland. The Poseidon was a super boat with great staff and great food. The tours were well organized by Ingrid. Ingrid is excellent, well informed and very helpful. She provided some assistance and guidelines for our self guided tour. The E bikes were very good. Highly recommend.
Douglas G.
11 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Most Memorable Part: The many and varied biking routes on the tour. Our guide Ingrid van de Grint was fantastic.
Teresa L.
12 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Bikes were top quality and the tour instructions were excellent. It was an excellent route. Food on the Normandie was good and the accommodations very comfortable.
Juliëtte S.
1 year ago
Verified Reviewer
Finding out that using an E-bike is WONDERFUL (this was our first trip) and allowed us to bike must further and faster than we thought we were capable of. The daily tours were well set up - took us along the unbeaten (bike) paths and allowed us enjoy time with friends.
Mary Elizabeth H.
1 year ago
Verified Reviewer
I loved the first day biking through Bruekelyn, the day in Gouda, and the day we biked the dunes and tulip fields. Tinaka, the gulf was awesome. The food was mediocre but we went into town every night and had great dinners.
Lori V.
1 year ago
Verified Reviewer
Incredible countryside! The boat was very clean and the staff was great. The evening food was a bit disappointing but the overall experience was fantastic and a great value!
Diane O.
1 year ago
Verified Reviewer
Riding through such beautiful countryside...make sure to include a planned trip to Keukenhof when it's tulip season
C Kevin Armstrong
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
It was so nice to once again be able to travel. We joined a wonderful group of cyclists mostly from Germany on de Amsterdam. The boat was very nice with a great crew. Our guide gave excellent briefings every evening to prepare us for the next day and was helpful the whole week out on the course. The rest of the crew was equally prepared and helpful the whole tour from amazing meals to top-notch drink service to keeping the boat clean. While we were used to the smaller barges it worked out to the best because there were fewer than normal on this tour. It allowed us to get to know all of the fellow cyclists and to share a good beer and a stroopwafel with them. Making so many new friends is absolutely the best part of the trip. We look forward to our next adventure!
Judith R.
3 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Very nice boat. We had a mildew smell problem with our room, and the boat crew acknowledged it and when they were unable to fix the problem they upgraded us to a nicer room. The crew was terrific, and the boat was very comfortable.
Gilberto M.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Unforgetable trip becouse this country is amazing! The boat crew and bike guide were also very nice! Thank you!
Pamela R.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
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.
Tracy v.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
This was a retirement celebration for my husband. We were a total of 8 family members. The Liza Marleen was a great boat- food was marvelous and our tour guide superb. Out 16 mo old grandson was accommodated for and I must say our fellow passengers were the kindest bunch we could have hoped for. It’s hard traveling with babies-but we could not imagine the vacation without him
Diane H.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
I was extremely disappointed in the quality of the bikes. I had assumed from what I read that the bikes were hybrid bikes similar to what I own: less than 30 pounds, gears, maneuverable, easy to ride. These bikes were very heavy, hard to pedal, hard to walk. No one got the bikes off the barge for us to ride or put them back on. That means I had to struggle with the bike up and down a steep and dangerous metal ramp. I was more tired from riding 30 miles on the flat on one of these bikes than I was after riding a metric century up some pretty big hills on a road bike. I do not believe that a bike and barge trip should emphasize the biking and provide such poor bikes. Electric bikes were an option, but I do not choose to ride one. I want to ride a good quality hybrid or road bike. Riding was so much work that it took away some of the pleasure of seeing the Dutch countryside. The rest of the trip was very nice, but the biking was a big part of why we went on the trip and it was a huge disappointment.
Jehiel from Tripsite • 4 years ago Tripsite Staff
Hi Diane,
I am sorry to hear that you were disappointed in the type of bike offered on this tour. We make it very clear that the bikes used on De Amsterdam are "7-speed unisex hybrid touring bike (Velo de Ville C100 or Gazelle - Chamonix)". We also include pictures of the bikes in your pre-trip travel information. It is unfortunate you missed this information. Regardless, I, glad you enjoyed seeing the scenery along the way!
Abraham V.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
An amazing physical experience with 68 fellow bikers from Germany and the US. Dutch hospitality warmly visible on multiple beautiful biking paths. Well organized tour. Tour leader Magreet Klijn deserves kudos for leadership role.
James G.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Most excellent trip! Beautiful country, people, art, and delicious food and drink! I was most surprised by the amazing churches and the cycling culture! Our crew, captain, chef, staff and guide were very helpful and informative. Everything was on time! Even made time for swimming! The route map provided and GPS Tracks were great. I was the only person aware of the GPS tracks on the trip, not sure if others missed this or if their agents didn't provide -Thanks Tripsite. Also, Tripsite Support Agents via LiveChat were very helpful prior to the trip! The only thing I would do different is bring my own bike seat, just used to it I guess...
Jackie L.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
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.
John S.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Great trip, beautiful scenery, terrific bike paths, good food, fine accommodations, no complaints! I would highly recommend this itinerary!
Kathie W.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Southern Holland Tulip Tour on the Anna Antal- small group, smaller barge, excellent guide/cook/staff, relaxed setting, comfortable room, clean, clear directions and guidance. Very affordable plus arrival city for us was Amsterdam so accessible from the get go. Perfect weather which is out of anyone’s control but it made the biking extraordinary. Highly recommend this trip.
Cheryl M.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Loved the little towns, biking through them. Really nice trails. Sadly rain a couple of days but can't control the weather.
Wilf C.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
In short, the South Holland boat-bike trip exceeded all my expectations. The routes, scenery and attractions were unbeatable. The boat cabins were small (akin to a university dorm room) but were extremely functional and comfortable. All of the staff did their utmost to satisfy our needs. We experienced windy days, a rainy day and lots of sun - the biking was always good. I'm typically a trip planner, so having all the logistics taken care of by the tour company made this an exceptional cycling vacation. I have already recommended the tour to many of my cycling friends.
Colleen S.
5 years ago
Verified Reviewer
I very much enjoyed the beauty of the Netherlands countryside. Amazed by the extent to which the country is so bicycle friendly!
Daniella from Tripsite
5 years ago
Tripsite Staff
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Boat/Barge Reviews
- Magnifique II
- Magnifique III
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- Mare fan Fryslân
- Melody
- Merlijn
- Florentina
- Normandie
- Princess
- Olympia
- Panagiota
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