Reviews

Entire boat crew and tour guides responsive to requests both serious and frivolous

There was nothing not to like about this trip. It was a week of total enjoyment. Everything was done well, the boat accommodation is delightful and the bike riding was very well organised and totally fun. The staff were professional and enjoyable to be with. I need to make special mention of the chef Gerard, who produced the most delicious and healthy meals every day, it was like dining in a top restaurant. The best holiday ever.

The e-bikes were new and well maintained. The daily itinerary was planned well. Our guide Hans was experienced and knowledgeable, the other guide Wilhelm needed more mentoring. The food was good, service varied depending on time of day and the boat was clean. Our greatest disappointment was the rude and disrespectful behaviour of the large French-Canadian group with their own guide, Frances, who ignored dining schedules and established service practices on board. The poor attitude of this group had a negative impact on many of us on board. The captain and crew did try to deal with the concerns, but ultimately the group was left to do their own thing and on their terms. As a Canadian on board, I was deeply offended by my fellow French Canadian guests.

“Pros: Fantastic Food, very comfortable rooms, great locations and very knowledgeable guide “”Marcel””. Cons: Only one guide for 23 riders promised 2. One paying guest had to do this role, too many rigid dining rules as to sitting etc, no stopping for photos when riding.”

The boat was very well designed to accommodate all the passengers and crew, the dining facilities were excellent, and our room was a little larger than I actually expected. The crew were all personable, attentive, and fun! The chef was superb! Esther, in particular, was an exceptional tour, leader. I do wish we had more time and more detailed tours in the cities, especially Ghent and Bruges. The biking was spectacular and the extensive use of the bikeways made for a very enjoyable rides. There was heavy traffic when we were biking on roads going in and out of Ghent. Giving people an option to take a taxi in to Ghent should be a consideration. The people on our bike tour were all great fun and interesting people. I think the shared interest in bicycling rapidly created a bond among us. This was a fantastic experience, and I strongly recommend it!

The countryside was beautiful, although for me, it got repetitious. Hans our guide was very very good. Our barge was delightful with good food and wonderful cabins.

Guides seemed a little inexperienced. We made a number of mistakes along the route and needed to turn around. The food on board was outstanding. The ship was well appointed and the crew made our trip fabulous. Thank you

Trip was super enjoyable. Food was amazing and everything was done in a very timely and organized fashion.

The staff of the boat was exceptional! The boat was modern and clean, and everything you needed for a premium trip. Our guide Haans and Sil were amazing and very professional. We had the most wonderful time with our friends and family and are already planning our next trip because we had such a positive experience.

Extremely competant and pleasant crew. Our first bike and barge trip was wonderful success largely because the boat was more than adequate, comfortable room and full bath. The staff was excellent aboard ship from the captain, to cook and crew. The maps provided allowed for self navigating for rides or joining the groups. We joined the groups most days to enjoy the arranged tours and extras along the way. Very good trip, look forward to taking another.

This is my third trip with Boat Bike Tours, and all have been exemplary. On this most-recent trip, all went well. Every member of the staff were wonderful, the captain, first mate, chef, housekeeper, and guide. The barge was fine and th cuisine was excellent. The rooms were clean and well kept. Because I am an experienced cyclist, I prefer to self-guide using Ride With GPS, which worked just fine. Using the Ship Finder app allowed me to track the barge and meet it easily.

I will talk about the trip itself and the very careful care the crew takes to make our experience over and above our expectation. The crew of 5 gets introduced and right away, you realize you can ask any of them for information. Elke the captain, Monique the hostess, everyone was wonderful. They really helped create a personal experience for each. The towns and countryside we biked through, just gorgeous. Our guide Marcel would stop at pertinent monuments and towns to augment our understanding of history and the importance of certain towns. The travel through historically wonderful small towns is juxtaposed to the larger cities of Antwerp Ghent and Bruges. And countryside, flowers, farms, canals wind mills in between. And whenever someone on the trip needed extra care, they were immediate in their responses. I would be remiss not to mention the gastronomic gourmet meals Chef prepared. Unbelievable.