Bike Tour Reviews  Sail & Bike To Picturesque Villages And Nature Reserves


Rider Level: Recreational Electric bike tours Bike and boat tours

3.3/5 (4)
7 nights

Self guided from EUR € 1049

Self-guided:
Jun 8, 15, 22, 29; Jul 6, 13, 20, 27; Aug 3, 10, 17, 24, 31; Sep 7, 2024

Description:
Sail and bike along the coast of the Ijsselmeer, once a salty sea, now the largest sweetwater lake in all of Holland! Discover this unique part of the Netherlands aboard a magnificent and comfortably furnished sailing ship and riding excellent cycle…

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  • Picturesque Villages and Nature Reserves
    (5/5) HeidiLang June 6, 2019

    This was an awesome trip!

    The ship ('t Wapen fan Fryslan) was incredibly beautiful! Cabins were small as expected, but clean and comfortable. Bathrooms were sufficient and everything worked well. The crew was incredible! The Captain (and ship owner) is the most pleasant, calm, confident and capable seaman I have ever met (we are sailors, too) and really seems to care about his guests and that they have a good time and everything is safe. He was an awesome host! It is obvious that he puts a great deal of work and love into his ship, and everyone seemed to acknowledge, appreciate and respect that. And the captain owns the sweetest dog!
    Our itinerary changed during the first few days, but it was fine. The biking was easy and some paths took us through beautiful farm country, through some nature parks and forests, and through some lovely little villages and towns. We are not hard-fast bikers, but we were able to keep up with the pack. You do have to cross some roadways, and some can be busy, but everything worked out well for our group. Also being a sailing tour, we sailed on some of the days and the ship is absolutely gorgeous under sail! The first mate was so helpful and instructed us as to what to do so we could help raise, lower and trim the sails. Oh, and yes, there is a Jacuzzi on board that was opened on some of the nights when we were docked at port. Luxury!
    Meals were awesome as well! Good wholesome food elegantly prepared and presented! It was obvious that the chef took pride in the meals she prepared. Everything was delicious, and even my son, who is quite picky, ate most everything and was pleased with the meals! One night, the chef even put on a barbecue on the deck with many varieties of meats, each one specially marinated, with several side dishes. It takes an enormous effort to pull that off on a sailboat, where everything must be toted up and down between the galley and the deck. (Note: Guests who have preferences are advised on the website to arrange special dietary requests in advance. We did not feel it was necessary, and we were fine. The Dutch do not necessarily have salads at each meal, but meals are well balanced and there are ample vegetables served!)
    Can't say enough about this trip! THE BEST!!

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 18
    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
    • Setting the sails (photo by HeidiLang)
    • 't Wapen fan Fryslan sailing (photo by HeidiLang)
    • On deck BBQ - Delicious! (photo by HeidiLang)
    • Captain Erik and our tour guide Tami made the trip even more fabulous! (photo by HeidiLang)
    • Gorgeous scenery :) (photo by HeidiLang)
    • Starting the day in Stavoren (photo by HeidiLang)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (3/5) Sharon Johnson 9 months ago

    Sail and bike to picturesque villages and nature reserved

    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
    • 4/5 Value
    • 1/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 2/5 Tour documents
    • 1/5 Local tour company services
    • 3/5 Route selection
  • (2/5) Ronald Schwarcz 7 months ago

    Extremely disappointing.

    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
    • BikeTours.com staff reply from bozena_kusovac September 28, 2023

      Dear Ronald,

      Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback regarding your recent sail and bike tour experience with us. We sincerely appreciate your insights as they help us understand areas where we can improve and enhance the overall experience for our guests.

      We're truly sorry to hear that your cabin did not meet your expectations in terms of size and ventilation. It's not a "standard" barge and is more of a converted Sailing Ship. It has this character, but it's still very clean and accommodating.

      Additionally, we regret that you found the seating and amenities on the deck inadequate. We strive to offer a relaxing and enjoyable environment for our travellers, and thus offering the total of 8 beanbags, and an additional beacon on deck.

      Communication and interaction among travelers are crucial aspects of any journey, and we apologize if you felt there was a lack of communication or opportunities to mingle. Captain feels uncomfortable about the way you perceived this trip, as he did his best to facilitate connection among guests for a more enriching experience.

      Our culinary offerings are important to us, and we're disappointed to learn that the food did not meet your expectations. We're committed to reviewing and improving our menu selections and dining experience to deliver a more satisfying culinary journey for our guests. In the case of this tour, we are inclining towards the food that is simple, in its pure forms, but very tasty.

      We appreciate your recognition of our hardworking and friendly crew. Rest assured, we'll take your feedback about the crew workload into consideration to ensure that our crew can provide exceptional service to all guests on board.

      Once again, thank you for bringing these concerns to our attention. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back in the future and provide a much-improved experience that addresses the areas you've highlighted.

      Best,

      Customer Service
      BikeTours.com

    • 3/5 Value
    • 2/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 1/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 1/5 Tour documents
    • 2/5 Local tour company services
    • 3/5 Route selection
  • (3/5) Stephen Friedman 7 months ago

    Nice trip with some areas for improvement

    The itinerary and sights were beautiful. The Elizabeth is a beautiful ship. The engagement of the captain and integration of the tour group left something to be desired.

    What was the date of your tour?
    August 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    8
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists, Families with teens, Families with young kids
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    • 4/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 2/5 Tour documents
    • 2/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection