Reviews

With my wife I have just enjoyed a very pleasant 15 day trip from Bruges to Paris on the Zwaantje – all the crew and guides were very friendly and helpful. Both on the boat and during the rides and site visits – everything worked well on the boat. And when it did not the problem was quickly fixed. (Our preference for a twin vs a double cabin somehow didn’t get communicated to the boat. But it was able to be solved with the active help of the staff). – everything went well on the bikes. And when an occasional problem like a flat tyre occurred the ride guide was able to quickly fix the problem. And when some planned stops during the ride were unable to occur (eg a previously used brasserie was closed, a minor museum’s open days had changed) then the guides were able to find alternate stops – our special needs were meet very well during the entire trip. A special diet (gluten free) for my wife. Support for me bringing and using my own special bike (a recumbent trike: Greenspeed Magnum XL)

We loved our Boatbike trip!! We did both the southern and Northern holland trips and each was wonderful!! Scenery, bikes, food, cabin, organization, guides, all excellent! Best vacation!!!!! Special mention to the dining room staff who made every dinner a 4 star experience!!!

An excellent holiday. Very enjoyable. Very good cycling. We cycled independently and at times felt we didn’t receive all the information we should have, as all the other English speaking guests cycled with a guide. Breakfast was excellent. Evening meals could have been bigger portions.

Very friendly and courteous service. Excellent food and clean rooms

We had a great trip, the boat staff and facilities were exceptional. They had to make some changes on the fly as water levels were low and there were high temperatures so original bike options needed to be modified. Staff adjusted to make the trip interesting. The food was amazing and offered me the vegetarian options that I requested.

Very nice trip, great guides. The only complaint that I have is that some more time should be set aside for touring at least some of the towns we went through, for shopping, cafes, etc…

Our experience with Boat Bike Tours was even better than imagined and something we hope to have the pleasure of enjoying again, someday. The crew and guides add value to the experience and everything was comfortable, fun, and worthwhile.

A wonderful well organised holiday.

We spent a week aboard the barge Sarah along with 18 cyclists, the youngest 50?, the oldest 80 plus, from USA, Canada, Australia, & Germany, and England. The conditions were ideal to enjoy socialising on deck or ashore after mooring up. Swimming off the boat felt very refreshing after a ride in the hot weather. The en-suite cabins are tiny so we didn’t spend much time there. All substantial breakfast and evening meals were served aboard by the excellent chef and crew of four. We made our own packed lunch. The comprehensive cycle path network is often shaded by long avenues of trees, and surfaced in either concrete, paved or tarmac, away from motor traffic roads. You do have to watch out for cyclists coming fast in either direction. With our energetic and attentive leader to guide us at the head of the line we cycled 40k plus most days. Our tour started and finished in Amsterdam and we moored up in Arnhem, Doesburg, Deventer, Kampen, Spakenburg (Hanseatic cities) which we explored on foot. Each evening after dinner we had a brief tour of a town together before discovering a bar (even a music festival) for further refreshment. Although the watery landscape is flat, the scenery constantly changes; the farming and land use, architecture, and cycling/transport infrastructure all provide a fascinating unfolding panorama (or cyclorama!) Discovering and embracing the Dutch cycling culture is a constant pleasure. More time for photos and selective sightseeing would be appreciated. Also, historical and cultural information combined with an explanation about the route, towns and areas we visited would be worth providing in addition to the tour notes.

Boat/bike tours always give a lot of bang for your buck. They are well organized with caring leaders. Each daily ride not only delivers manageable distances, but includes interesting historical stops, local industry (cheese farm, local beer brewery, or quaint food stops). The onboard staff tend to our daily needs, a caring gourmet chef and space on board to mingle and enjoy our resting place each night always says, welcome!!! The use of bikes, either hybrids or e-bikes are well maintained and easy to ride. Included are bells and panhandlers to stow gear, clothing and food. This was my second trip with them and it did not disappoint. The knowledgeable guides make this a tour and one leaves with a level of fitness and understanding of the area. Can’t wait for signing up for a future trip.