Reviews

It’s hard to put into words the wonderful week we have had….from the welcoming hospitality of the crew every day to the incredible nutritious food, and the warm, knowledgeable, clear, concise and patient tour guide Francien and exquisite countryside while biking or staying on the boat…it’s been a magical week and I can not recommend it enough. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

Our week was a memory I will treasure forever. The crew was extra special (Berthus, Jonne and Christiana). Each of them made sure our trip was extra special. Jonne, the ship’s chef, made the most delicious food. We looked forward to every meal! Jonne surprised 3 guests with birthday cakes and a retirement cake. So thoughtful! The cabins were comfy and quiet. Loved sitting on the deck with a cup of coffee. I would definitely book this trip again.

My husband and I come from Ireland and we enjoyed the hospitality of the Flora crew, the last week of August 2023 on the river Moselle. This was our 10th trip with Boat Bike Tours and our second on the Flora ship. We find the Flora crew of 3, very helpful and friendly. The ship is home from home, nothing is too much trouble for either Captain Berthus, his wife Chef Jonne or first mate Christiana. The food, which is prepared fresh, is amazing and delicious. We did not cycle with the guide and group as we had done this tour previously and were happy to make our own way to each destination. We had a great week and we intend returning to the Flora next year again as we consider the Flora is the Jewel in the Crown of Boat Bike Tours.

Wi-Fi didn’t work Guide did not know how to use GPS Unfriendly assistant to chef Guide was unprepared for flat tire issues

The crew was wonderful! The boat was comfortable. I loved my Trek e-bike! Dinners were great. Lunch makings were a bit limited. Our guide, Wieger, was fun and very knowledgeable. I’m short, and the mirror in the bathroom was too high for me to see in (very minor problem). It was a fun and enjoyable experience! Thank you!

It was wonderful. The pilot and entire crew were exceptional. The trip not only met my expectations, it exceeded them

The overall cycling route was very good although somewhat too close to traffic lanes at times . The guide, Wieger , was excellent both knowledgeable and very safety conscious. The towns we visited were mostly very historical and picturesque. Berthus, Janne, Christina who owned and ran the boat and catering were outstanding. Nothing was too much trouble and the catering was very good. The cabins are small and fan was needed to keep cool. We had an excellent mix of clients other than our party. Overall I would rate highly.

The Flora is great barge with adequately sized cabins and excellent ensuites. Meals were well presented and varied. There was strong bias towards vegetable content which meat lovers may have trouble with. On board bar was well stocked and much appreciated. Cycle route was easily followed and daily distances were within reach of anyone who could ride a cycle. Overall the Flora’s new owners have a great product and their willingness to interact with guests is sure to see many guests return in the future.

I liked pretty much everything about our trip down the Moselle and Saar Rivers in the Flora. The itinerary was very good, with well thought out routes and stops. The size of the boat was almost perfect, and the small passenger load made for a very intimate bike tour. We even made a few new friends along the way. The crew of the Fluvius were very attentive to our needs, and the bikes were in very good condition. While the cycling distances were perfect most days, some days I longed for a bit longer route. Unfortunately, when cycling in a river valley, with hills on either side, I realize this is not always practical.

My husband and I greatly enjoyed this trip. It was relatively flat terrain from Koblenz to Mertzig, but you need to be fit and have some biking experience in order to enjoy it properly. For example, you need to be used to being 3 – 4 hours on the saddle at a time, ride at a pace of 10 miles/hour, able to cycle up some short hills (unless you want to walk it), be comfortable in cycling for short periods in traffic or over bridges. It also rained for short intervals in 2 out of our 6 days of cycling so bring appropriate clothing and be prepared to get wet. The cabins in the boat are very small with not much storage space so you cannot pack too much stuff. However, there is always plentiful hot water in the shower. There were 3 small port holes that could be partially opened in each cabin, but the room still got stuffy since all the cabins are below deck without AC. A small electric fan is provided in each cabin that is placed on a high shelf above the head of the beds. The fan would be much more effective for cooling if the fan could be mounted at the ceiling at the foot of the beds. The food on board is also good with different menu themes every night (South Africa, Dutch, Indonesia) but there was no German cuisine despite the entire trip taking place in Germany. Beer (mostly Dutch) and wine are provided on board for purchase on an honour system. However, it would be nice if some German beers and wine from the Moselle region would be provided as well since the tour takes place in the Moselle region that is famous of its wines. One wine tasting was arranged for our group in Zell but we would have liked to have more wine tastings at different wineries in Trier and in Saarburg. Our bike guide Weiger was excellent. He was very patient and accommodating to guest’s requests. He is also very knowledgeable and is always watching for the safety of his guests. We highly recommend Weiger as a guide. My only major complaint is that we originally booked the Metz, France to Cochem, Germany trip so we arrange flights into Paris and out of Frankfurt. 20 days before the start of the trip, we were contacted by Boat Bike tours that our trip was cancelled due to last minute cancellations by other guests. We were offered other alternative trips but none of them originated in France and finished in Germany so we booked the Koblenz, Germany to Merzig, Germany tour. Due to this, we had to change our flights to fly in and out of Frankfurt. This change of flights within 20 days of our departure resulted in a 60% increase in our airfare. Although I told Boat Bike tour about the increased cost of our airfare, there was no offer of any compensation.