Bike And Boat Tour Reviews page 2
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★★★★★ M 6 months agoGreat guides!
· · South Dalmatia Bike/E-bike and Boat, Magellan
Charming small towns, amazing antiquities, gorgeous coastlines! The e-bikes made the climbs easy and there was was only one very rainy day and one very windy day. Otherwise we got lucky with the weather in late October. Mario and Kristopher were knowledgeable, engaging, funny and personable. Throughout Croatia we were treated well. Split and Trogir had good restaurants and nice places to stay before and after our time on the boat. The food on the boat was plentiful, fine. Beds were comfy and private bathrooms worked well for us. The ship’s captain could have taken more direct action when several guests got caught in a current while swimming but our guides prevailed in assisting them. One regret, we were not able to visit Vis due to stormy weather.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Margaret Farran 7 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.- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 20+
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Belgium, France
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BikeTours.com staff reply from bozena_kusovac October 24, 2023
Hello Margaret! We're so sorry to hear about your disappointing experience. We deeply regret that it did not meet your expectations, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience you encountered. We truly value your feedback and are committed to improving our services. Your input is crucial in helping us refine our services. Your comments about the tour route, lack of historical information, and guide foremost, are duly noted. We will address these concerns diligently and work on providing a better experience in the future. Thank you very much for bringing this to our attention. We value your 20 years of biking experience and hope to have the opportunity to provide you with a more engaging and rewarding tour in the future.
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★★★★★ Jan Mowat 7 months agoGreat people on board!
· · National Parks of Dalmatia by Bike/E-bike and Boat
Our itinerary was derailed by a storm the first day, so we missed a couple anticipated parks and the sights they would have offered. Couldn’t be helped. 🤷♀️ We rode on busy roads more often than we should have for a sight-seeing tour. Being on high alert for traffic and travelling on roads with non-existent shoulders was unexpected and tense. However… we had so much fun!!! The group was great fun, the stops along the way were interesting and the weather cooperated. The food was simply amazing and the staff friendly and helpful. Dora and Pero were knowledgeable and eager to help in any way possible. Our room was below deck and it was great. The beds were comfortable with lots of room to store our stuff. And quiet too! It was a great way to see parts of a very beautiful country.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- One
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Nancy 7 months agoOur perfect idea of travel
· · Venice to Mantua by Bike and Boat (and reverse)
From the moment we arrived onboard the Vita Pugna, we felt welcomed by the competent and friendly staff, the outstanding tour guide Hugo, and the rest of our new found friends.
This is our #1 way to travel...scenic, outdoors, experiencing small charming towns and villages, having expert tours on all types of topics from cheese making to carnival ride museum, art and history museums, clock towers, easy relaxing cycling along pathways and feeling like every day counts! Knowing that the entire week is well organized and flawless, adds to the enjoyment of travel in a new country.- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Marie DeBell 7 months agoHolland by bike was a delight!
· · Holland by Bike and Boat, Northern Tour
The perfect way to see northern Holland! The boat was small enough to socialize but big enough to have all the amenities for comfort.
Our guides were Dutch and really knowledgeable about the routes , the history and the sights. The boat staff were friendly and helpful. Solid bikes. Next time I’ll choose Anne-bike because the wind is equal to hills!- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- 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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★★★★★ William Wilson 7 months agoAdventure
· · Danube Bike and Boat: Passau-Budapest-Passau – MS SE-Manon
Overall, it was a great experience. Unfortunately, there was one large group of passengers that took over the lounge and dining room each night. Their behavior was loud and obnoxious. It would have been nice if someone if someone in authority could have spoken to them about the disruptions they created for others.
Our waiter, Emrah, was amazing. He was most attentive.
I was disappointed with the cost of the drink package. It was more expensive than I expected.
The entire crew worked very hard to ensure we all had a wonderful experience. -
★★★★★ Marie DeBell 7 months ago
The landscape is stunning! And the trip loads of fun
· · Holland by Bike and Boat, Northern Tour
We thoroughly enjoyed our trip with bike tours. The boat was small enough to get to know our fellow passengers and big enough to have lots of amenities. The bikes were sturdy and trustworthy. Lots of distance options and great support from our trip guides. Good food and comfortable beds. What more could we ask for? Perhaps less head winds but it is Holland!
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
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★★★★★ Marie DeBell 7 months ago
The landscape is stunning! And the trip loads of fun
· · Holland by Bike and Boat, Northern Tour
We thoroughly enjoyed our trip with bike tours. The boat was small enough to get to know our fellow passengers and big enough to have lots of amenities. The bikes were sturdy and trustworthy. Lots of distance options and great support from our trip guides. Good food and comfortable beds. What more could we ask for? Perhaps less head winds but it is Holland!
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
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★★★★★ Dwaine Souveny 7 months ago
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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★★★★★ Bob VG 7 months agoWonderful trip!
· · The Istrian Peninsula by Electric Bike
Explored the Istrian Peninsula by day while relaxing on the wonderful Andela Lora at night. Pro tip: Don't book a lesser boat! Staff was very attentive. Guide Yana was a delight with her bubbly enthusiasm. Appreciated many costal ports as well as old historic inland villages. Would have appreciated the opportunity to for upgraded bikes and more food variety. The booking process was smooth and we would defiantly go with BikeTours.com again!
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- one
- 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?
- Croatia
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★★★★★ Dorothy Keyworth 7 months agoWonderful crew and guide
· · Northern Bavaria: Bike and Boat the Main River
The guided rides along the Main River kept my interest as we passed through the small villages between Nuremberg and Wurzburg. There was even an Old Town Beer Festival and parade in Nuremberg at the start of the tour. Staying on board the Merlijn made the trip so easy--the captain and crew kept everyone happy. And Tomas, our guide knew the best bakeries to stop at for morning snacks each day. The route was mostly on protected cycle paths along the river. And the weather was breezy and sunny all week. A perfect biking week.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 7
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Thayne Lyman 7 months agoWhat an awesome trip!
· · Danube Delights: Biking through Four Countries
This was our first bike and barge tour and it didn't disappoint! We found that we prefer it to regular river cruising. The tour was very well organized, the bikes were always ready and in great condition. The balance of cycling vs site seeing was perfect for us. We loved it so much that we plan to return next year!
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 24, 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1 including this tour
- 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?
- Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia
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★★★★★ Jane Fletcher 7 months agoLovely towns along the Mosel
· · German Wine Country along the Saar & Mosel Rivers
We really enjoyed our trip down the Mosel and Saar rivers. The Zwaan is a great boat and we really enjoyed the bike tour with a small group. Lots of storybook villages to explore along the way. We were lucky to be there while the grapes along the Mosel were being harvested and it was really interesting to see that going on. We also had the opportunity to try Federweißer, fresh pressed wine. It was very good while being totally different from what you think of as wine. We had e-bikes for the trip which flattened out the hills and made the riding very easy. It was very interesting to see all of the remnants of Roman civilization as well as lots of medieval buildings. So much history. The patchwork quilt of vineyards along the river were amazing especially in some areas where it seemed they rose straight up. So difficult to work on those steep slopes.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 20+
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Carolyn Clubine 7 months agoAll round awesome
· · Danube Delights: Cycling and Cruising in the Footsteps of Royalty
We found every detail thoughtfully handled. Gracious on board staff, excellent information for each day’s ride and great meals and accommodations.
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★★★★★ Cynthia John 7 months ago
Fascinating trip through beautiful countryside
· · Danube Bike and Boat: Passau-Budapest-Passau – MS SE-Manon
This was an amazing trip! From Passau to Bratislava, Budapest to Vienna and back to Passau. We had fantastic weather. The only challenging aspect was lack of clarity on the bike routes. The tour directors were challenged in explaining the routes; and the booklets were confusing because they did not shoe the entire routes.
The meals were great; our room service were very responsive, and the bar servers were great.
I do wish we had had more time at each of the ports.- What was the date of your tour?
- September 8, 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, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia
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★★★★★ Monika Sorlini 7 months agoGoldige Reise mit unseren amerikanischen Freunden
· · German Rivers, Wines, and Cycle Paths by Bike and Boat
Zum radeln hervorragend, wir hätten keine Guides benötigt, da uns die römischen Bauten weniger interessiert haben. Wir haben es vorgezogen, zu geocachen.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 17.9. bis 24.9.23
- How many tours have you completed?
- zwei
- 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?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Michael Pettit 7 months ago
Danube Waltz
· · Danube Delights: Biking through Four Countries
The bike and barge (SS Swiss Crown) provided the perfect way to experience the beautiful cities along the Danube. The Swiss Crown was very comfortable and the meals provided were delightful. The bar was managed expertly. Phyo behind the bar was always willing to provide valuable tips for our travel as well as keeping the cocktails flowing.
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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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★★★★★ David Baker 7 months ago
First time bike-barge touring
· · Bruges to Paris by Bike and Boat (and reverse)
This was our first time doing a bike-barge tour. We chose this tour based on positive recommendations from friends who had been on it before. Their recommendations and suggestions were spot on so when we took the tour we were well prepared. The crew of the barge were very pleasant and accommodating. If you're expecting five star cruise accommodations you'll be disappointed, but the dinners were outstanding and the cabins fulfilled our needs. There was maintenance on our original route so the captain had to take another route which meant all our rides had to be redone by the ride leader. We still had interesting and enjoyable rides. It's important to be a flexible traveler in order to truly enjoy this type of tour. We stayed in Bruge two days before the trip and we stayed two more days in Belgium after the tour and would recommend anyone taking this trip to do likewise.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- 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?
- Belgium, France
