Reviews

Another exceptional experience with Boat Bike ( as with our previous 4 Boat Bike trips ). All of the bike rides were the correct length and the directions with interesting sights were perfect. The bikes ( e bikes ) were easy to ride, sturdy and in great condition. The guide, Michaela was so helpful, knowledgable, caring and friendly. The food on the boat was exceptional and plentiful. The boat was very comfortable. I cannot praise Boat Bike Tours enough, and we are looking to our next tour in June.

Exceeded our expectations! The crew, was very caring and really enjoyed their jobs which reflected in how they treated the guests.

The rooms were comfortable and clean, the food was plentiful and delicious, and the bike tours were wonderful, the destinations and information provided by the guides were great. The attention to detail on every level was superb. Everything was well thought out, would highly recommend this.

Fabulous staff / very professional tour. Clean well presented boat.Food lovely .Rides and sightseeing really enjoyable. Some confusion for me when I was in the planning stage as it was was not clear to me initially from paperwork that we were already organised by Boat Bike to stay in a Metz Hotel pre cruise and I had incorrectly made my own accomodation booking.

We had a wonderful trip on the de Holland from Bruges to Amsterdam. The cycling brought us through lovely landscapes and villages of Belgium and the Netherlands. Cycling there made me wish we could have such well thought out cycling routes everywhere in Canada, along with the positive mentality that the Belgians and Dutch have towards cyclists and cycling. The Riding with GPS app was quite good though improvements could be made to include more info on where to stop en route to see specific places of interest, or restaurants etc. The map of the routes with the numbers was at times not well explained at the previous nights info session or was incorrect, or the signs difficult to find or see. The concept though is brilliant! The food was fine, dinner portions were sometimes too large, and it seems that there was a lot of waste, especially with the salads at dinner, that were not as popular. Sadly, we learned that any leftover food was thrown out. Additionally, there was little variety with breakfast or the assortment of “make your own sandwich” foods for lunch. Perhaps skipping the lunch idea altogether and providing people with the names of restaurants and eateries along the route, where they can support the “buy local” idea would be more suitable. The dessert and tea/coffee time in the afternoon was much appreciated. The staff were quite nice and worked hard at their jobs. Asking for group tips at the end of our trip was awkward and left me wondering if they weren’t being paid well enough. Is there another way to look at compensating them for a job well done? Finding the ship at the end of a ride was problematic on occasion. A better way of informing cyclists of the location of the boat might be considered. The bikes, both regular and e-bikes were good. As was the locking mechanism and handy pannier. The tour leader was available to help with any bike problems, though thankfully we did not need his help. The rooms and bathrooms were great. Comfortable beds, hot water for showers etc. The other cyclists on board were so nice to meet and enjoy this shared experience with. There were Canadians, some Brazilians, Americans and Germans. Overall, it was a great trip and I would recommend Boat Bike Tours to others and we will likely do another trip.

Just finished my second boatbike tour on the Fleur & it was fantastic! Just the right size boat and flexible rides & impressive chef! Great guides. Can’t wait to schedule next year! I’ve done the Paris to Montigue and Brugge to Amsterdam.

There are not enough stars! I think a ten is more like it. We traveled with Boat Bike tours to Provence a year ago and had such a wonderful experience with the guidance of Licia Arvada, that we came again. This time our experience traveling and biking to Venice Waterways was rich in every way. The boat is comfortable, welcoming and relaxed. The food cannot be described- just beyond all expectations. We es[ecialy appreciated being introduced to local foods at every stop- the local cookie (sbrisolona in Mantova), the local cheeses (Grana Padang in Bergntino), local pasta (bigly near Venice) and wines from local vineyards. Tour leaders Francesco and Elena were incredibly delightful guides, patient and well-informed, and proud to share their culture and history. We stopped at the Montovani distillery for a special tasting of grappa and more, and enjoyed the fifth generation distiller’s explanation the distilling process with an accompanying magnificent use of the hands to convey details. There was something special at every stop, carefully planned and clearly adding to the tapestry of history and culture. The entire crew, the captain, the technician and the chefs were a team with the tour leaders. Their warmth toward each other, and their generous willingness to do many different tasks that made the journey a smooth one was inspiring and heart-warming. Their camaraderie and team spirit really set the positive tone for the whole week. And the meals…it is barely possible to sing enough praises. We were introduced to Italy through the table…finely sliced baby zucchini with asprinkling of cheese, fennel and grapefruit, crostatas, fresh pasta, local fish in Chioggia, and beets that we grow in the states from the town of that name. There were local specialities every night and I for one tried everything because it was all divine. I have just reread the lovely cookbook full of recipes but also stories and background. We had Zuppa de Carote, feta e paprika last night. I am on my way soon to our farmer’s market to buy Borlotti (cranberry) beans to make the simple beans and red onion salad. Thank you for providing us with the cookbook to keep enjoying the adventure. This trip will be a hard act to follow, but we look forward to another boat/bike trip in the future. Grazie Mille!

We truly enjoyed our trip. And are planning another Boat & Bike for the future. The staff was wonderful. Everyone was professional, extremely helpful ane hard working. Cabin was clean. The bike routes were well planned. Belgium and Holland were beautiful. The food was good, dinners did seem to fall off a bit later in the week. The only negative was the system of paying for drinks was confusing.

I particularly disliked the very frequent breaking of traffic rules. There was a basic disregard for stop signs, red lights. Also, guides were somewhat disorganized and frequently uncertain about the routes and sites. Perhaps their first time for this particular tour??

Certainly the biking was excellent as were the usual great guides and staff but what made this trip so good was the Michelin quality of cook Frank. Each of our 12 dinners was not only different, excellent and varied but after many great trips this fare was beyond the expected. The extras include a special cheese tasting in France and of course a beer tasting in Belgium. The boat people and the guides not only liked us they liked each other and their roles. Not a negative Nellie in the bunch. I have no idea what it may take to keep Frank on your team but without question he is worth every penny of his compensation and more. L. Crockower