Bike And Boat Tour Reviews
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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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★★★★★ Richard Rogers 7 months agoNot as I had expected
· · Provence by Bike and Boat
Not expecting to ride as a group. The riding involved more road riding and realize that a leader was necessary. The riding in Southern France is not as developed as Central Europe.
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Mungo September 25, 2016
Nice not to have to pack every day
· · Amsterdam – Bruges by Bike and Boat – Princesse Royal
Flat terrain, mostly bike paths and not having to pack and unpack are great advantages of this trip. The food and accommodations were better than expected. However, it is not recommended as a self-guided tour as the directions are not complete. Also, as a group tour with 35 people in a large pack makes it too cumbersome.
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★★★★★ Ronald Schwarcz 8 months ago
Extremely disappointing.
· · Sail & Bike to Picturesque Villages and Nature Reserves
The ship was terrible. Our cabin was so small that it could not accommodate two people comfortably. Also, the ventilation was poor and it was always warm and muggy. There was inadequate seating on the deck. No comfortable chaises or stairs. The Captain did not communicate well or do anything help the travelers meet and mingle. It was especially frustrating as my friend and I were the only Americans and there were no native born English speaking traveling. Unlike all other trips we were on, nothing was done to provide us information about the villages we docked at. The captain or crew did not offer to take us into towns and show us around or even recommend bars or other places to visit. There were no daily information sheets, recommendation or even maps. We were completely on our own. The food was marginal at best. The dinner portions were small. Must dinner wasn’t an”event”, everyone was in and out in around 40 minutes. In general the amenities were totally lacking. We believe that the most Americans would not be satisfied with the Sail and Bike tours offered by Bike Boat Tours. On our ship, the crew were friendly and worked hard, but it seemed that they were understaffed. As it seems that they were working a very tight budget. We only had meat was the dinner entree one night and that was at the BBQ. Two nights we had vegetarian main course. We were never taught anything about sailing except helping pulling ropes to raise and lower sails. I could go on and on, but, I will end by saying that the ship was not comfortable and nothing was done to help the travelers fully enjoy the experience.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
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★★★★★ Rebecca Norman 11 months ago
Was lovely. Nice country.
· · Holland’s Super Tulip Tour
Boat, Food, Captain, Chef, First Mate… Wonderful…. Now the tour guide.. hum not so much… First my bike was not the right size for me!! Way to tall!! First day I did ask for some help on getting a safer bike.. Did change but still to tall. I didn’t ride many days not feeling safe!! One’s feet should not be 6 inches off the pavement. I would hop loft to stop. I did fall twice. She didn’t know the route. Turned around afew times.. Always a problem finding a toilet to stop at… Would I go on another tour? Up in the air. Can’t say I would.
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 29
- How many tours have you completed?
- First
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Jan May 17, 2023
Rebecca,
We truly appreciate your honest feedback and sincerely apologize for the issues you experienced with your bike and the guidance during your tour. We are committed to enhancing our services for a more comfortable and safe adventure, and we'll take your comments into consideration for future improvements. We hope that despite these challenges, we'll have the opportunity to welcome you back on another tour and provide a better experience.
Jan
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★★★★★ Margaret Farran 6 months agoNot Really What We Expected
· · Bruges to Paris by Bike and Boat (and reverse)
We are seasoned bicyclists and have taken many bike tours. This tour was disappointing on a few fronts. The course of the tour had to change due to construction on the canal. This would have been fine except the guide, Harm, frequently did not seem to know where he was going. There were a couple of visits to places of interest (mining museum and a short stop at a WWI cemetery) but most times it felt like we were putting in time so as to not arrive hours before the boat arrived at its destination for the night. Our guide never led strolls around a town or provided much history. One evening when I asked if he could show us a pub to have a drink before dinner he said it was not his responsibility. We asked if we could bike on our own (as we have done on many other boat/bike tours in Europe) and were turned down. I pressed on quoting the description for the tour which read: "provide us with maps and all the information you'll need" to do a different distance. At that point Harm back tracked and said he'd provide this info. He never did. I've been biking for over 20 years on tours around the world and I have never had a guide so unhelpful and disengaged.
The food was adequate. Nice dinners but breakfast and lunch were lacking. We needed more sustenance for biking in October. Most tours provide a snack after a day of biking but we could not rely on one each day on this tour. The group bought our own snacks when we could but it was all rather odd. As if this tour had never hosted bikers before.
There was no wi-fi although the description said there would be. We at least had a data package, other people did not. What really gave us all pause was the captain's comments (1) it was too difficult to install wi-fi (I've never found that to be true on a boat) and (2) we really did not need it as we should not be on our phones during a tour. Rather presumptuous I thought. Don't advertise you have wi-fi when you don't.
We had some rain which was to be expected in October. One day it was just too wet to bike. We all stayed on the boat - no wi-fi, cabins too small to lounge in them, and while there was a large library of DVDs the captain announced the monitor did not work, therefore no video watching.
It felt like the boat was tired and the tour and crew either winding down for the season or going out of business. -
★★★★★ bonnie100 October 9, 2018
So So Vacation
· · Bruges to Paris by Bike and Boat (and reverse)
Good bike trip if you like a slow pace. Lots of time wasted at not very interesting sites. Had to "kill" time in order not to get to the barges anchoring site before the barge got there which was usually between 4-6 PM. The barge itself was fair. But some of the scenery in Belgium and France was beautiful making the trip tolerable. Food was average. Bikes were very good.
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★★★★★ ontherun August 10, 2019Great country to visit but maybe not with BikeBoatTours
· · Amsterdam – Bruges by Bike and Boat – Fluvius (and reverse)
We certainly enjoyed the country and the flat bike trails (lol!) but the company that provided our tour was mediocre at best. They had no concern for safety - did not require helmets, nor did the guides wear them. The bikes had no water bottle holder and the lights on the bikes did not work. Also, after strongly encouraging us to download Ride with GPS, they sent us the daily route but then: did NOT have holders on the bikes to put our phone on and it's illegal there to ride with a phone in your hand! Also, they did not follow the routes as stated in the Ride with GPS so the app was constantly beeping that we were off track and was, essentially useless. The guides seemed to be suffering from burnout. They were nice but did not offer any information unless asked and were extremely disorganized throughout the trip. The food on the boat was adequate but repetitive - same breakfast every day and we had to make our own lunch from the same food every day....unless it ran out and then we were stuck with prosciutto and bread that day. The boat itself was nice and the cabins were nice. Cleaning was not done during the trip unless asked.
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★★★★★ Water Bound September 15, 2018Disappointed
· · Mosel & Saar by Bike & Boat
- What was the date of your tour?
- 9/1-9/7/18
- How many tours have you completed?
- -1- before this one
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Sharon Johnson 9 months agoSail and bike to picturesque villages and nature reserved
· · Sail & Bike to Picturesque Villages and Nature Reserves
Great experience on a tall ship sailing vessel. Food was average. Crew was very good but English translations on biking details was lacking.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
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★★★★★ Z1201 July 6, 2019
The bicycle trip was great the ship
· · Mosel & Saar by Bike & Boat
- What was the date of your tour?
- 22.6.19
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Labia September 6, 2018Glad we did it - but too hot in August
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
This is our third bike tour. The boat was much nicer than others we have been on. The cabins were very large and a good size bathroom. The food was good (not great). It was nice to have two tour guides. The downside was that it was really hot and the sun too blazing to enjoy the bike rides a lot. The landscape I would also say is a bit repetitive. All in all I wish we could have done it some weeks later with fewer crowds in town and especially cooler weather.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 18 August
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Bean October 14, 2019
Beautiful Area - Terrible Bikes
· · Provence by Bike and Boat
Great way to see Provence, but the bikes were really really heavy and the guide was not very good.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 28-Oct 5
- 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
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Mary Gallagher 9 months ago
Great biking - barge was ok
· · Provence by Bike and Boat
Biking in Provence was outstanding- but the cabin we stayed in (Cabin 1) was not satisfactory. Crew we’re great and tour leader was knowledgeable and experienced. Unfortunate about our accommodations.
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Jon Kramp 9 months ago
A fine tour with issues
· · Provence by Bike and Boat
The bike/boat tour started off by my not being able to initially find the boat. The route of the tour is normally serviced by two boats with the boats sailing the route in opposite directions during each week. Due to low bookings, only one of the two boats servicing the route was in operation. The boat I expected to sail on was the one that was out of service and docked and it took some time to find the boat that was in service.
The boat I actually sailed on, Caprice, is a converted cargo barge. The cabins contained the expected features for a 'standard' category passenger river vessel. However, the cabins are on the small side. The dining/lounge area was also on the small side considering that the boat was operating at full passenger capacity. Food service was very good and the crew was helpful. Snacks and drinks were available at the end of the days cycling.
The biking route and sights seen along the way were as advertised. However, there were two cycling related issues:
1) The tour description of 'There will be some hills' is correct for most days but that there were two climbs each of about 5km length.
2) All but five of the tour members selected to book an electric bike for the tour. Only one of the tour members completed the tour without the use of a non-electric bike because of the slope and length of the climbs. Booking an electric bike for this tour is recommended for most people.One day of the tour included a continuous 5km stretch of gravel surface. The tour used multiple types of roads. The major roads were all in fine condition. The smaller one lane roads, mainly used by farmers to reach the fields, were often in poor condition with pot holes common. It should be noted that all of the bikes offered on the tour were if good quality and in good repair. During the tour there was only one minor issue with any of the bikes.
It should be noted that some days on this tour were a bit long considering that temperatures were in the mid 90'sF to just over 100F range. On one day, for example, biking started about 8 AM and ended slightly before 6 PM. Hydration was an issue but the biking part of the tour included multiple stops each day to refill water bottles and/or purchase drinks.
A printed map of the biking route was not provided and is not available. Those doing the tour non-guided, only done by 2 people on selected days on my tour departure, will need to have a mobile phone to access route information.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Mary Gallagher 9 months ago
Disappointing Accommodations
· · Provence by Bike and Boat
Recently returned from Provence bike and barge and very disappointed with cabin accommodations. Bathroom sink located in main cabin from which we heard gurgling and draining from other cabins. Also heard loud banging from floor probably due to mechanical issues due to location of cabin - farthest on the bow. Overall not suitable for guests. Crew, guide and food were great- but cabin (#1) was not acceptable.
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Ronald Rettig-Zucchi 12 months agoSuper tulip
· · Holland’s Super Tulip Tour
A bit like giligan’s island. It was staffed by excellent people but the boat was substandard. It seems the boat was rented by the outfitters on April 1 but not really checked out for fitness. They did a cruise on April 6 during which plumbing problems developed which they did not completely fix before starting pour cruise on April 15. The problem continued and we had to spend a night in a hotel. A very nice hotel provided by the outfitters. In all it was okay but still avoidable.
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2023
- 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?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
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★★★★★ EDWH August 23, 2017
Fun, but a few qualifications
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
We had a great time but the parks were not quite as interesting or attractive as we had hoped. And some of the bike rides (the 3rd day in particular) difficult hills with nothing at all to see. Description said a ride around Vraner Lake and we never even saw it. That was coupled with the hottest week in the summer as temps were near or over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Guides showed little flexibility in schedules or changes to accommodate the heat.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 29, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 25 or 30
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Linda Ewing 9 months ago
Provence Bike Trip into the Countryside
· · Provence by Bike and Boat
Really enjoyed the bike trip through the Provence countryside which visited several picturesque towns along the way. Our guide Alex was wonderful; she had done her homework so was able to provide us the history of what we were seeing. Plus Alex was great fun and made sure everyone was safe and comfortable while riding. Barge on-board staff was also super responsive and friendly. All the local staff was excellent!
My only criticism of the trip is the business model used by the barge company. The 'Caprice' boat itself is 'past its prime' --- old, really cramped room accommodations. We were unlucky and assigned what appeared to be the smallest double twin room that didn't even have space for the tiniest sink in the bathroom (it was installed next to my bed's pillow). In fact, all the rooms were smaller than on other barge boats I've been on. Also, the dining area was so tight you couldn't get out of your chair without your neighbor also moving. Bottomline, the company owners are squeezing too many people on the boat so they get more revenue.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 15 - 22, 2023
- 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?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ JEC65 June 25, 2018
A different biking experience
· · Bruges to Paris by Bike and Boat (and reverse)
Thirteen days of easy to moderate biking. The crew were friendly and helpful. The food was excellent! Lots of extra sightseeing excursions to choose from. Very old boat with very small cabins was the only drawback but price was reasonable.Generally the routes were on quiet roads on all types of surfaces.