Reviews

We had a lovely time on the Gandalf, piloted by the eccentric and charming Hans, his pleasant spouse Meiyan, and their sweet and sleepy dog Jala Shayin. The barge was well-organized and the food was excellent and plentiful; I appreciated not having to pay extra for vegetarian meals. The guide, John, was very knowledgeable and led us through Belgium’s wonderful bicycle path system. We were lucky to have great weather for cycling throughout the whole trip, sunny with highs around 16 each day. John warned us that the wind would be in our faces the whole trip, but it wasn’t too bad. We had a great time and would be happy to use Boat Bike Tours again.

This was an excellent vacation. The boat, Magnifique II, was very comfortable and spacious, the food was excellent and the staff were wonderful. The guides were helpful and informative and took everyone into consideration when biking. I rented an e-bike which was good quality and was glad I did due to the headwinds which can be brutal in the Netherlands. If you enjoy biking I would highly recommend this trip.

Well organized bike trip. Very nice menu with attentive staff. Work do trip again

Absolutely the best decision we made in Italy was to see the Amalfi coast on a bike/boat tour. Slow enough to see and appreciate all the finer details you’d miss by car, but fast enough to see and experience lots every single day. Plus seeing all the islands as well. It’s an amazing part of the world. Our guide and crew were amazing, the boat was beautiful and we truly had an epic time. Could not recommend this highly enough.

Hansa Highlights – Great Tour! In spite of the cold and rain, we had an amazing tour through the Hanseatic region. It was a nice combination of history and pleasant country cycling; we loved riding through the forests. It seemed our group took the replacement boat, the Rotterdam, in stride, in spite of the need to use busses some. The guides were great, both organized and cheerful, and made the extra coordination look simple and effortless. It was a bonus to repeat with Paulette, also a guide on our Southern Holland Tour last summer. If we are able to come back for a third Boat Bike Tour, we would be delighted to be on a tour she is leading. Thank you for a wonderful vacation!

I received no information about the trip, just a demand for early payment from Boat Bike Tours. My friend had to email to get details of where to meet etc. The guide and route map were adequate but we got lost several times, as did many other people.

The route we biked was fabulous and I would recommend it to anyone. Absolutely stunning scenery. The boat staff was fabulous, going the extra mile to make our experience wonderful. The wifi and coffee maker broke down but again, our captain, Meye, worked hard to get things repaired. Being without internet for a few days when far from home can be frustrating. Meye, Chris, Claudia, Alv and Kamil worked hard as a team, all pitching in to do what was needed. The meals were great and our cooks responded to any of our special requests. My one concern is with our guide, Geert. He did not listen to his guests, he argued with them and then talked about them in a disparaging manner, he didn’t know where he was going lots of times. He needed to be told on several occasions to slow down and he never looked back to see how his group was doing or how far behind they were. He would start telling information before the last of the bikers were there so they missed any of the interesting information that he had to share. He is a nice man and tries hard, but I do not think he has the skills to deal with a wide range of personalities. He was very knowledgable about art history and architecture history. Geert did an excellent job of helping everyone make their connections after disembarking and I really appreciated him taking us to the train station so we knew how to walk there the following day. Your itinerary needs to be looked into. For instance, we were told we were going to a German beer garden with great German music and dancing at Bingen. When we crossed the ferry, there was nothing. Things like that do not start until higher tourist season. Many of the places on our itinerary were closed when we arrived, either due to renovations, a regulary closed day or low season. The guide needs to know this before we go. When we were in the major centres, it would have been nice to be able to participate in something cultural, like a concert, ballet, theatre. You could provide some options for the guests at their own costs, but have the guide help book them for anyone interested. One of the highlights for me was the wine tasting evening in St. Goat.

The crew were friendly, helpful and readily available and our two guides were wonderful. The boat was small and spartan, as expected, but comfortable and became our home for the week with a great bunch of fellow cyclists. The food was outstanding – delicious and plentiful! The bikes were in good shape and smooth to ride and while the days were cool and often wet we certainly enjoyed the rides (and fun stops) on this terrific tour.

We went on the 8 day tulip tour, but the tulips were mostly all finished blooming. The trip was from May 4 to 12. We noticed a poster advertising the tulip festival from April 1 to 30, so it is obvious to me that we were scheduled outside of the tulip blooming window. That was disappointing. Otherwise, the trip was great. The guide was exceptionally well-versed in the history of The Netherlands and gave great evening town walks. The food was excellent. The room was very small, but we did not spend much time in it. The crew was great and the bikes were comfortable and in great condition. Overall a great tour.

A great adventure for a reasonable cost! The crew of the Fluvuis was delightful, the food was surprisingly upscale, the accommodations were nicer than the photos, most of the bikes were brand new and perfectly adequate, the routes were engaging. The group pace was slow for us so we cycled on our own, following the routes, and had no problems. Hardcore cyclists take note – this is a slow, easy ride. Be prepared for cruiser bikes, 10 miles per hour, lots of stops, no inclines.