Bike And Boat Tour Reviews page 17
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★★★★★ Lori22 October 22, 2017Best trip ever!
· · Provence by Bike and Boat
Couldn’t have asked for a better guide for my first bike tour. Hugo was so much fun, so enthusiastic, shared so much history and knowledge about the area and even made movies with the video and pics that he took which captured all the different things and places we experienced. The crew and the other bikers were so much fun as well. For my friend and I, who do not bike much, the e-bike was the ticket. Loved my e-bike.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 7, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was my first bike tour
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Matt L October 19, 2017The Dalmatian life
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
This is a tour I will continue to dream about for many years to come. The tour was structured in a way that was relaxed but included a taste of Croatia’s culture and nature. On the first day, I arrived early to check in and they greeted me professionally and placed my bags in my cabin for me. This allowed me to explore the bustling but gorgeous city of Trogir for the next few hours. While on the boat, the local boat crew was always there willing to help. They were up before I woke up each morning (6:30 am) and did not go to bed until after the last guest was in their cabin (usually around midnight). They were a very well-oiled machine in making our experience a pleasant one. We always felt safe with them. Croatia is a beautiful country with lots of hills. Some days were easier than others, but every day we were all challenged at some point. I rented an e-bike and loved it. I can guarantee I was still getting a serious cardio workout each day even with a little help from the bike. It made the 15%-17% climbs doable (even though they were not every day). I would highly recommend an e-bike if you are someone who is not used to riding on a weekly basis or if you want to save your knees. The rides, for the most part, were on the backroads, but you still need to be careful of cars in some areas. I would not recommend this tour to anyone under the age of 13 and only if they are a very responsible rider due to the cars in some of the areas. Climbing to the top of the mountain and seeing our boat huffing along the islands besides us was breathtaking. Each small (and large) town we got to had a bell tower that always reminded us what time it was with a beautiful ring. I would highly recommend doing the second ride (sunset ride) on day 3 on Molat. It is a beautiful ride that allows you to explore a little on your own and maybe invest in some local goat cheese. The food was delicious. The chef never left you hungry. There was enough food each meal. Usually a three-course meal for lunch and dinner that was carefully and deliciously prepared. After each meal, the local tour guides would give us a briefing of the rest of the day or what we would be doing the next day, keeping us informed on what to expect. The guides (Marin and Lucija) in-depth knowledge and energy made this tour even better. They responded accordingly when problems would arise and communicated very well with the guests. They truly made it so you did not have to think about anything except relaxing and enjoying yourself. It was “turnkey” service at its finest. In Zadar, Sibenek, and Trogir, we had informative sunset tours (430/5pm) set up for us explaining the history and culture of the cities from a local tour guide that was from the given area. I loved the boat. The Princeza Diana is a steel hull boat with a wooden trim. This wooden trim gives the boat a homey and comforting feel like a “Woodie”. The cabins were pristine and spacious for a boat. The beds are very comfortable and made for a great rest each night. The public spaces were very eloquent but comfortable allowing everyone to enjoy the remarkable scenery and sunsets from the bow or stern of the boat. Somedays it was great to jump in the hot tub with a glass of wine while taking in the beautiful Kornati Park on the bow of the boat. If you have issues with going up and downstairs on land, I would recommend getting an upper deck cabin since the stairs to the lower deck cabins are a little steep (as is on most boats). One of my favorite aspects of the boat was the swimming platform on the back of the boat. Almost every day after our ride, we had the option to jump in for about 45 minutes to an hour, to cool off. Most people did. It was easy for everyone (25-82 years old) to get in and out of the water safely with a shower head available to rinse off. One last recommendation. If you have room in your luggage, bring a sleeping bag and sleep on the deck out under the stars. The deck beds are very comfortable. I did it the night we were docked in Molat and I am happy I did it. SHOW MORE
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 30, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Catherine October 17, 2017excellent bike adventure
· · Bruges – Antwerp – Amsterdam by Bike and Boat
Our barge crew was excellent, the group was wonderful and special, the food was very good and the trip a wonderful entry into bike and barging. Looking forward to more cycling and barging trips in the future.
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★★★★★ Patty October 10, 2017
Awesome experience!
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
I was very impressed with the Princessa Diana, she was a beautiful vessel and commanded a lot of attention when we came into port. The guides were phenomenal. Very informative, friendly and helpful. The itinerary was awesome and presented some challenging rides, but the views made it all worth while.
Food onboard was good and plentiful.
Would like to see the option of included wine and coffee/tea with dinner and coffee/tea for lunch. (Or offered as an optional add on to the base package price).- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept. 30, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ SheRah October 9, 2017
Amazing teip
· · Bruges – Antwerp – Amsterdam by Bike and Boat
- What was the date of your tour?
- 9/30-10/7
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Belgium, Holland
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Brittany October 10, 2017
We're glad you had a great time on tour. Thank you very much for your picture and your review!
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★★★★★ Bob and son October 9, 2017
Better Than Expected
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
This tour was more challenging than I expected but the E bikes more than offset the additional challenge. The tour was very well organized but definitely is an adult tour. I would not recommend for children under 15. The boat was well designed and the cabins very comfortable. The food was great, perhaps a little too much in total. The tour guides were excellent and the itineraries were nicely put together. There was very little stopping and exploring any unusual buildings or industry and there was almost no explanations while cycling. On other tours we would stop several times a day and the guides would explain something about the area. We did have several city tours where we walked through a town. Croatia is a beautiful country and the water was wonderfully clear and clean and the towns were spotless. I would strongly recommend this tour to cyclists who have some experience on a bike.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 30 to Oct 7, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 7
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Brittany October 10, 2017
We're glad to hear you enjoyed your cycling vacation and this tour was well organized for you! Thank you very much for your thorough review.
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★★★★★ Kelowna123 October 9, 2017
Once in a life time adventure
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
From the first to the last day we loved every second of our adventure. The Melody is exceptionally clean, comfortable and most of all, a safe boat. Staff were courteous, professional and accommodating. Our tour guides quickly became our friends. There were only 26 people in our group - - most we did not know. The guides went out of their way to advise us of what was ahead and set a comfortable pace. It was advantageous to have a sweep in the back. The "plus" side to this trip were the private tours, eating at local restaurants, karaoke night, and the small but significant personal touches. We should mention the food - - unbelievably good. We had menus and were able to choose our dinners/lunches - - The Melody is the only boat that has this option..
The Northern National Park hills were challenging but so worth it as the views were spectacular. We highly recommend using an ebike. Those that didn't struggled everyday. A few dropped out, some stopped biking on day 3 or 4. At times the 12% inclined hills were 3-5 kilometers long. No joke!! Enjoy the journey.- What was the date of your tour?
- September 23 - 30
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Brittany October 10, 2017
We're delighted to hear your rave review of this tour! I completely agree that eBikes are perfect for this type of tour to level out some of the climbs.
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★★★★★ jfvb October 7, 2017· · Danube Delights: Biking through Four Countries
- What was the date of your tour?
- 9/24/2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia
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★★★★★ Peterm October 2, 2017
Excellent format - Barge Bike tour
· · Bruges – Antwerp – Amsterdam by Bike and Boat
Very enjoyable tour. Excellent crew. Excellent food. Excellent company. It is a good mixture of bike & barge travel. The cycling is gentle and Holland is flat. It is good to have a guide as it is impossible to get lost. Cycle routes in Belgium & Holland are very well organised, safe with minimum traffic and great scenery. Would recommend it. Note cabins are small.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 23September
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Belgium, Holland
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Brittany October 3, 2017
We're delighted to hear you had a great time! I agree that the bike and boat tours are a wonderful way to explore Holland and Belgium. Thank you for taking the time to review!
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★★★★★ Tina Turner September 30, 2017
Loved every minute!
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 23
- How many tours have you completed?
- None
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Domenico September 26, 2017· · Neckar & Rhine Rivers by Bike and Boat
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 9 to 16
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Baba K September 23, 2017
Wonderful way to experience the "Romantic Rhine" and Neckar Valleys
· · Neckar & Rhine Rivers by Bike and Boat
We enjoyed being based on this relatively small boat. The staff was friendly and the meals very good. Nice presentations were given in English about each day's route. The cycling was not too difficult, mostly flat and about 45 km max per day. The scenery was beautiful. Villages and towns along the way were charming and interesting. There were so many places to explore some days that it was hard to get back to the boat on time (for dinner). This was only a problem for those of us who like to toodle along and take in all the sights, walk around the towns, etc. As the guide said, "it's not a race" and we took that to heart. It was nice to do the trip slightly off-season, ie early September--the temperature was comfortable and we probably encountered smaller crowds in places like Heidelberg than would be the case in the summer.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 8/31-9/7/17
- How many tours have you completed?
- 7
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Jim Johnson, Founder and president September 24, 2017
Thank you very much for your feedback, which really captured the flavor of what a bike and boat tour is like. I'm a huge Neckar fan, and I'm always pleased when clients come back with good reports.
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★★★★★ Sparky September 21, 2017Boring trip
· · Venice to Mantua by Bike and Boat (and reverse)
Although the barge itself was nice and the food delicious, the trip itself is very boring once you leave Venice. Hours and hours of passing soybean fields. Lots of riding in hot weather on unshaded roads....some quite busy. Very few days were on actual bike paths. When we did get to a town, most things were closed as it was between 1 - 4....siesta time in Italy. The cheese tour was nice. That's about it!
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 26, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Miles September 19, 2017
Wonderful time
· · Neckar & Rhine Rivers by Bike and Boat
Best way to see the little towns and castles of the Rhine valley. Took the time to ride through the old small towns and little cobblestone streets along the way which don't have a ton of tourists. We made a special effort to eat at small, local restaurants in these towns it that was some of the most memorable moments of the trip. We'll be planning another trip for next year we enjoyed this one so much.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Week after Labor Day
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Menahemisrael September 17, 2017Birthday trip
· · Bordeaux by Bike and Boat: Castets-en-Dorthe to Libourne (and reverse)
The best way to learn about bordeux. Our guide Scott was great
- What was the date of your tour?
- Good
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
