Bike And Boat Tour Reviews page 31
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★★★★★ NewbieBiker August 4, 2019Great vacation!
· · Danube Delights: Cycling and Cruising in the Footsteps of Royalty
Excellent way to see the Austrian countryside. Really enjoyed cycling thru each little town. The cycling was very easy with only a couple of hills during the entire week. There were a couple of times when we were on a very busy road for a short period of time, maybe a Kilometer or less but the drivers there are very accustom to cyclists. Most of the time was either on a designated bike path or country road with very few cars. The food on the boat was very good. The staff was very kind to tell us places to go or their favorite restaurant. Make sure to stop at some of the cafes while cycling and have a Knodel or other local delicacies. Don’t be intimidated by the distances to ride each day. We have never ridden more that 5 miles but found it very easy to bike the distance each day. I do recommend either biking shorts or a memory foam seat cover if you are not used to riding all day. Also recommend not getting a cabin on the bottom deck as the windows don’t open. Our only complaint was that the person giving the daily briefings on the routes was not very friendly and a couple of times the route wasn’t clearly marked. The rest of the staff was excellent.
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★★★★★ Robert Arnold June 10, 2024A geart trip!
· · Danube Discovery: Bike and Boat through Enchanting Capitals
Excellent for the most part. Some issues with the boat. 1) Our cabin air conditioning did not consistently work. 2) We shouldn't have to pay for water at meal time. 3) Our group wasn't allowed to change tables at dinner which is something we would have liked to do since we were a group of 40.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 25 - June 1, 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2 bike-boat tours
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia
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★★★★★ Arthur Eddy August 2, 2022Very interesting and pleasant trip
· · Holland’s Southern Relax Tulip Tour
Great trails, very neat clean and competent country.
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- four
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
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★★★★★ Barry Nashen July 12, 2024Pros and cons, as in most tours
Prague - City of a Hundred Spires Bike and Boat
Pros: Flawlessly organized, excellent food options, very attentive service, comfortable cabins, excellent choice of cycling itineraries.
Cons: 100% of passengers were couples (50 yrs+), no possibility for changing tables at meal times for a variety of interactions, lack of events to encourage mingling/meeting others.- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Czech Republic
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★★★★★ Linden Bentley October 22, 2024Istrian adventure
· · The Istrian Peninsula by Electric Bike
Boat and boat accommodations were fine. Meals on board exceeded expectations. We like plenty of vegetables and that was provided. Crew and guides excellent! Bikes top class. Trails, trying in places. Destinations good, routes well guided. While we prefer all car-less rails to trails with consistent surfaces this was more varied between attention-required rocky/gravel/rutty surfaces, with 'turnstiles', paved surfaces with cars and no shoulders, and good smooths gravel--- it was a more demanding biking experience than those we prefer. Guides were excellent in explaining the upcoming terrain, traffic and inclines/declines. Pacing did not allow for much 'side tracking' for photos, or rests or independent exploring.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Bernice Will September 26, 2024Danube Bike and Boat Tour
· · Danube Delights: Biking through Four Countries
Due to the massive rainstorm and subsequent flooding and high water levels, our 4 country bike and boat tour was changed to a two country tour. The captain and tour guide were quick and clear with our options on day 1. Two thirds of the people left the tour the next day to remake their own plans. We decided to stay. Our boat stayed in Passau for 5 days and we used these days to explore by bike the surrounding area. Our tour guide gave us alternative rides to do and the staff on board the boat were amazing and provided us with wonderful food and service. Early on day 6 we woke up in Linz. A bus trip to Vienna for the day was arranged, we decided to explore Linz by bike. Day 7 we were able to bike from Aschach to Engelhartszell before ending the tour the next day. Although this was not the tour we originally booked and expected, we made the best of a situation that was beyond anyone’s control. I commend the staff for doing their best to make our trip memorable.
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★★★★★ Brian Deutscher September 26, 2024South of France Tour
· · Provence by Bike and Boat
A great way to review, cities and the countryside in the south of France. Our group of six enjoyed each day. E bikes allowed as to cover significant distance and enjoy the sites without having to exhaust our selves. Winds were particularly high the first couple of days.
Unless your a person who regularly bikes 50 kms, I would recommend the ebikes.- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Boris Erlank September 27, 2024
Despite terrible weather and floods, we had a good time
· · Danube Delights: Biking through Four Countries
Given the effects of climate change, I think the local operators, will have to work on contingency plans for a good customer experience when the weather is bad. We sat in Passau for 4 of the 7 days and then managed to sail as far as Linz. No Vienna, no Bratislava, no Budapest.
We managed to have two days of cycling which were great. The cruise director, Juergen, went out of his way to come up with alternatives on the fly. The food was excellent, the staff friendly, and the accommodations very good. But, mainly due to weather, this was a far cry from the dream holiday we had hoped for.
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★★★★★ Bryan Lee August 5, 2022
A great way to cycle tour along the Danube through Austria.
· · Danube Delights: Cycling and Cruising in the Footsteps of Royalty
A great way to cycle tour along the Danube through Austria. Plenty of riding through beautiful, historic, picturesque towns and countryside during the day and to come back on board for the 5 star accommodation at night. Just enough exercise to not feel guilty going back for seconds at their magnificent buffets.
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★★★★★ Carol Morningstar October 22, 2024Wonderful Bike Cruise and exceptional sites to see while biking
· · Holland by Bike and Boat, Northern Tour
Loved this cruise. We hope to book Croatia next year. The staff was wonderful and our director (Ken I think?) worked tirelessly to make everyone's trip wonderful. The food was good but we were disappointed that we had to pay to get water at dinner. This should always be free! Also we would have liked coffee available all day.
One complaint was our room. Others who also ordered the basic stateroom had twice the size of ours for the same price. We were in a back room that had minimal space and NO CLOSET space or anywhere to hang anything! We had two shelves each for our clothes. We think it was actually a staff room for one person, yet we had to share it. I needed to climb over my husband to get out of bed at night.
Not comfortable! That was disappointing but we got used to it and loved the cruise anyway. I do believe it should have been a much reduced price though.- What was the date of your tour?
- Aug 24 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
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★★★★★ Linda P. 1 month agoGreat for solo travellers as well
· · Enchanting Cyclades and Saronic Islands
I came as a solo traveler and was a bit nervous about joining a group tour, but the friendly crew and fellow guests made it so easy to feel welcome. The blend of island hopping, cycling and swimming in the Aegean Sea was just the right amount of activity and downtime. Great value for a trip that really shows Greece differently.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2025
- 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?
- Greece
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★★★★★ Jim R. 2 months agostunning...but get an e-bike unless you are in great shape.
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
Cool towns, friendly people, food is more on seafood side other ships can have more variety apparently. I've done this route - or variations of it - a few times. Highly recommend this e-bike tour to see the "game of thrones" part of Europe. Definitely go for a swim in the Adriatic.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Debby October 4, 2019Great trip
· · Bruges to Paris by Bike and Boat (and reverse)
This was the perfect way to see the countryside, small villages and historical sites of northeastern France and northwestern Belgium. The barge was very adequate and the staff on the barge was great. The daily biking was very manageable and fun. I would definitely like to find another bike and barge tour. Two weeks seemed the perfect length.
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★★★★★ Dwaine Souveny October 11, 2023
Croatia is certainly not the best or safest place to bike in Europe.
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
Dora was a wonderful guide. She was well informed & interesting. The local guides were good. The boat was comfortable & the captain was skilled. The meals were good and the service was very good.
However, the main reason we took this trip was for the ebiking & the ebiking did not feel safe. The bikes were basic e-bikes that generally worked ok. The trip itinerary changed due to the weather which of course you cannot control so we missed out on some areas we were hoping to see. We visited only 1 national park. The one swim we did off the boat was fun. The Konoba visit was fun.
There were several incidents and injuries on the first day on an unplanned bike ride. The conditions were very windy & the guides did not know the route. One of the guides had never done this tour before. Instructions were not clear on the first bike ride about people at corners directing other bikers. We were shocked to be riding on busy roads with no shoulders and speeding highway traffic. We were anticipating rural roads (which we had only one day) & good bike trails. The rides were scenic but left people feeling vulnerable. I would recommend a boat trip in this region but would not recommend cycling in Croatia to anyone.
We paid for an above deck cabin & spent many nights looking at other boats parked next to us & listening to their noise which was not what we expected.- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was our first one
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Hoogie September 14, 2018Bordeaux trip
· · Bordeaux by Bike and Boat: Castets-en-Dorthe to Libourne (and reverse)
Overall a great week. Wineries (that were open and ready to accommodate us) were sadly very few and far between - and the wine was supposed to be a big part of the trip! But great scenery, bikes were excellent.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 28 Aug to 4 Sep
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- 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?
- France
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★★★★★ Elaine Kubicki June 3, 2024
Charming Coratia
· · The Istrian Peninsula by Electric Bike
This was my second bike trip with Bike Tours. My first was the Albania tour, which was fabulous! Overall, the Croatia trip was very satisfying, i.e. the yacht was very accommodating, the staff was very attentive and informative including the email personnel who answered questions before the trip, the new chef was great, the e-bikes worked well, the other vacationers made for pleasant exchanges, and the small ports and villages were charming to visit and the staff tours were interesting. On the other hand, there were things that kept this tour from being a 5 rating. My biggest concern was the additional costs, i.e., expected tips and bar/water bills that were not mentioned in the initial cost of the tour and were only made aware a few weeks before the tour and after the initial commitment and payment for the tour was made. Also, along with those concerns, I am curious as to why there was an extra charge for an e-bike when the trip is advertised as “The Istrian Peninsula by Electric Bike” and everyone rode an e-bike except two people who brought their own bikes? We also had problems mid-week with sewer gases in the bathrooms, which did get repaired within a day or two, and the air conditioning in the cabins worked well only one night out of 7, which made the cabin quite warm and damp. There were 34 bikers riding at the same time and on many more rocky gravel trails and busy highway/roads then I had expected and, at times, felt rather dangerous. However, as you noticed I still gave this tour a rating of 4, so, enough good outweighed to make it a satisfying trip.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Elaine Kubicki June 4, 2024
Charming Coratia
· · The Istrian Peninsula by Electric Bike
This was my second bike trip with Bike Tours. My first was the Albania tour, which was fabulous! Overall, the Croatia trip was very satisfying, i.e. the yacht was very accommodating, the staff was very attentive and informative including the email personnel who answered questions before the trip, the new chef was great, the e-bikes worked well, the other vacationers made for pleasant exchanges, and the small ports and villages were charming to visit and the staff tours were interesting. On the other hand, there were things that kept this tour from being a 5 rating. My biggest concern was the additional costs, i.e., expected tips and bar/water bills that were not mentioned in the initial cost of the tour and were only made aware a few weeks before the tour and after the initial commitment and payment for the tour was made. Also, along with those concerns, I am curious as to why there was an extra charge for an e-bike when the trip is advertised as “The Istrian Peninsula by Electric Bike” and everyone rode an e-bike except two people who brought their own bikes? We also had problems mid-week with sewer gases in the bathrooms, which did get repaired within a day or two, and the air conditioning in the cabins worked well only one night out of 7, which made the cabin quite warm and damp. There were 34 bikers riding at the same time and on many more rocky gravel trails and busy highway/roads then I had expected and, at times, felt rather dangerous. However, as you noticed I still gave this tour a rating of 4, so, enough good outweighed to make it a satisfying trip.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Johanna H.(Anita) Wood October 6, 2022
Excellent introduction to E-bikes & Croatia; intrigued me to return
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
Our guides were very professional and conscientious; knowledgeable about cycling, their country and it’s terrain. As a beginner cyclist I would have wished for a more clear explanation of the settings, gears and cadence I was meant to aim for. An individual look at how each cyclist was doing might have taught me how I might improve my posture, position as needed. I was able to have my seat adjusted for my short arms and small stature, and I was comfortable except for the last day’s length of downhill travel. I must have been tense because the following 3-4 days were painful for me in my thighs, in taking stairs especially. I had been forewarned...I should have been more experienced from the outset...I do feel so much more confident now.
It was great to get a sense of the history of Croatia. It helped to understand what we were seeing in the country side, the architecture, the menus. It was important to appreciate what the land and it’s people had been through.
While on-board and cycling, we were kept safe, fed and hydrated. It was regimented...I guess it had to be to insure that the whole group saw as much as we did, and to get where we needed to be, and to afford staff the opportunity for time off/siesta.- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Elizabeth Gray September 19, 2023Beautiful trip on the Danube
· · Danube Bike and Boat: Passau-Budapest-Passau – MS SE-Manon
This scenic trip is beyond description!!! Boating on this beautiful river, in and out of small towns, bustling cities and incredible mountain and grapevine views was fabulous!
The boat was nice, clean ( very cold pool) and plenty of service, however; instructions were poor at best.
There were a couple that provided directions on the routes and many other events upon the boat, SE Mannon, however one spoke no English and the other struggled with describing in English the sometimes complicated routes. 85% of the travelers were non English speakers and were well informed by the German speaking gentleman. Many English speakers became lost in Bratislava and some in Vienna. The routes were beautiful and not too challenging to ride if you paid close attention during the briefings and asked a lot of clarifying questions. When you are t quite sure, ask again until you do. We found not understanding the German and Austrian speakers frustrated them a great deal but don’t get offended. You need the correctly translated information. As simple as “up stream or down stream” can be miscommunicated.
We had one bike that needed to be changed out, however, the people checking the bike said it was ok and we suffered 2 days with a bike that was not shifting properly. Day 3, new bike, no more problems.
Do not waste your money on ANy of the drink packages! It is only honored after 4 pm, even soda or coffee is charged outside the 4 pm- 11 pm hours. Dinner drinks are included in restaurant. Breakfast includes coffee but not soda as many drink in AM. Bring snacks back on board if you want anything to eat outside breakfast or dinner.
Now for the food: we had “guess that dish” every night Everything was covered in some kind of gravy. Pork for dinner the first 3 nights! Desserts were the most disappointing. Very bland puddings, and some had breakfast cereals mixed in. After day 2, we started eating dinner out when possible. One night we had spaghetti which wasn’t too bad however we couldn’t get any Parmesan cheese or extra bread to fill up. Breakfasts offered many options, however, the omelettes were not always cooked through. Stick with the waffles, they were good. Plenty of meats and bread to make sandwiches for your lunch ride. We generally stopped at a pub or beer garden for goulash or French fries and beer! Lots of little places to choose from although good places could be recommended in the route book! No one on board would suggest any restaurants in the towns. That was disappointing. We found a great restaurant on top of a hotel in Vienna with a fabulous view of the city and river.
In our info from Biketours. Com, we were told not to book travel from the boat before 12. The boat wanted us out of our cabins by 8:30. We waited up on top of the boat until our taxi arrived at 11:00. We were the last party to leave. None of the Americans got off the boat until 10-10:30. Lack of communication again.
It was nice unpacking only once for our bike tour, however we will probably stick with the bike/hotel version in the future! Croatia here we come in 2024!!! Still had a blast with our party of 6! Thanks Biketours! SHOW MORE -
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★★★★★ Ginny50 June 8, 2016· · Neckar & Rhine Rivers by Bike and Boat
This was an enjoyable bike/boat tour. The crew and staff were very nice. The riding days were usually short and manageable. The rainy weather was an issue which made for slippery riding on cobblestones. Due to the rains the Neckar River was closed and our ship was diverted. The company handled the diversion to the best of their ability and these detoured riding days were okay. We ended up in the town of Speyer, which was our favorite stop of the entire tour. One major complaint was the rooms on the ship were very small. They did state that in the promotional information, but we were not expecting that tiny. Everyone complained about the tiny rooms. We just laughed and dealt with it but it did make for close quarters. If you travel in May bring rain gear!
- What was the date of your tour?
- May/June 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- 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
