Reviews

The scenery, and recommendations for cafe’s, wineries, architecture and shops along our routes were wonderful!! We usually had ample time to bike and sight-see, but there were a few times when the trail wasn’t clearly marked and some people in our group took an incorrect turn which reduced the amount of leisure time available on our rides. The APP was not very helpful b/c it did not show street names. In the US, we are accustomed to better apps and better road markings. Also, I was told that an ebike would not be offered for me since I am only 5’0”. But as it turned out, there WAS an ebike avaikable that fit me (but I had to request it on day 2 after I hurt my back on the first day). This availability could have been more proactively communicated. The cycling on the last day was TOO MUCH. There was nothing of great interest to see on the last 20 miles of the trip and it was an extremely hot day! (The first 10 Miles were fabulous Krems – Durnstein)!! Recommend the boat to pick up riders much closer to Durnstein). The recommended bike tours in the cities were VERY GOOD and those guides were extremely knowledgeable – kudos to them! Boat accommodations were very nice. Cleaning, cooking, wait staff and entertainment staff did an absolutely fabulous job! However, the air conditioning failure in the dining room (table 24) was totally unacceptable. Staff should have rotated who sat there each night or served us first (vs last) so we didn’t have to wait in the horrible hot corner. Fans were brought out on the last evening, which helped, but then other tables felt they needed the air (when they had NO IDEA we were boiling in the corner). I would have preferred to eat in the lounge as an accommodation. That said, we very much enjoyed the breakfast buffet and ability to pack our lunches for cycling. Based on the casual nature of this cruise, I would recommend a dinner buffet as well. There is much disparity between what the Germans preferred vs Americans, and this would let people choose what they wanted. The fancy, multi-course meals were out of character for the type of cruise and the food was not much to our liking. Desserts were always stellar! The crew who shucked our bikes every day should get special mention! They did a great job which was hard work and rather thankless.

As always, they ran an excellent and well organized program. Wonderful cycling, gorgeous scenery, fantastic city tours, and service with a smile. They did a great job of providing vegan meals for us.

Overall a very good experience, and a great value. No issues with the ship, it was very quiet and smooth. The staff was all very friendly and professional. The A/C in the dining room and lounge was fine at first, but could not keep up during a heat wave. (It was fine in the staterooms.) The stateroom was comfortable and the head/shower spacious. Housekeeping service was top notch. The food was not “over the top” but certainly “very good”. Drink prices were very reasonable. Note that the e-bikes only work on “eco” or “tour” settings. The Tour+ (high setting) did not work, but the Tour (medium) provided a moderate boost. The navigation app worked very well, and the daily ride briefings were thorough. Be sure to purchase a handlebar mount from the cruise director for your phone. We liked all the excursions except the bike tour of Vienna. There way too much traffic and street chaos to be enjoyable, and it seemed to miss some important sights.

Everything was really perfect. The staff was great, food was good and service excellent. The cruise director kept us on our toes. Cabins and bathrooms were nice and clean. Even the weather was perfect for the week. Also, met many people from several countries.

Given that just before our tour started the Danube flooded, we managed to still have an amazing time. Our Cruise Director, Leslie and the captain had to make many choices and managed to get us down the river and out on excursions and out on the bikes as much as possible, so we could still experience most of the original itinerary. Leslie is unbelievable–delivering some of the best customer service I’ve seen in a long time. He is so high energy, organized, and knowledgeable–able to accommodate most requests and keep everyone laughing! The food was delicious–lots of variety and the rooms were nice and roomy. It was so much fun. We plan on booking another trip for sure!

I liked that many different countries were represented. The food and service was excellent. The bike tour guides great and Leslie was the perfect Master of ceremonies.

Wonderful itinerary and very nice whistles and bells on the Vivienne for the Danube trip. Food and guides were absolutely magnificent. Highly recommend this trip.

It was a lovely week and one of mybest vacations. Beautiful places , nice bikes and great weather. The only “negative “ point is that we have to share tables with other guests. It is good but it doesn’t need to be in all meals.

Everything was perfect! The staff was always there for us. Our biking was great. The food was wonderful. Would love to do it again!

The ship Vivienne was amazing . The crew were exceptionally hard working and very friendly The food was 5 star and plentiful. Lesley the tour manager was very helpful and knowledgeable and nothing was too much trouble for him. The only downside was the e-bikes which were extremely heavy and had been downgraded in tour+ mode so there was no extra power to compensate for the weight. Some of the information regarding parking and boat transfers was wrong, and some information about the ship was incorrect.