Marilyn
I took this tour with my husband and two friends and we all had a great time. We met some wonderful people from around the world, of various ages and abilities. The crew and guides were friendly and accomodating. The food was delicious and varied with 4 courses each evening and the beds were very, very comfortable after a day of cycling. We took interesting walking tours most evenings of the various villages where we were docked. My only complaints were that the shorter routes were not always offered and we had to take the longer option. The second was that my bike frame seemed large for me (I’m just 5 ft tall) and it was difficult for me to mount and dismount and the handlebars were quite high. I managed but did not have the control I would have liked. Overall we had a wonderful time and I recommend it.
Bruce
This exceeded my expectations in some areas. I thought the crew and tour leaders were very attentive to toe passengers needs throughout the week. The boat was quite nice, and we had a good mix of biking and time to mingle amongst the guest aboard. With this type of tour you always have to be ready to adjust to weather and passenger capabilities and needs. The Magnifique team was excellent in recognizing individual needs and preferences and adjusting as neede. There were a couple of area I could recommend improvements. With the bikes, I think lighter, more hybrid like designs with thinner higher pressure tires, water bottle holders on the sloped bars, and metal pedals with more aggressive profiles that reduce slippage when you have wet conditions. I would also like to have seen more variety for breakfasts. Everyday was the same fruit bowl and yogurt. Toaster would have been a nice extra. It was present one morning not not available other days. Most passengers were hot sleeping and somehow this needs to be reviewed.
Beena & Ben Smereczniak
This was such a fun and amazing trip to see parts of Netherlands and Belgium that you never would see if not done this way. On a boat! The crew, guides, food and new friendships were second to none! I highly recommend this trip to anyone looking for some adventure.
Steve and Beverley Faulkner
What a fabulous holiday. Cycling through beautiful villages and countryside. Lots of fun, lovely people, perfect weather and fantastic food
Leslie
This was the trip of a lifetime. The ship was lovely. The cabins were roomy with storage space necessary and bathrooms were large and very comfortable. We never ran out of hot water. The ship is clean and setup up well to accommodate the passengers and crew. The crew was top notch in every way and were customer service centered. The cycles were in perfect condition, no problems. E-Bikes worked well and the route and scenery were spectacular. This is the way to see Europe and truly get a taste for what life is like, not like a bus tour. We felt safe, secure and were well fed, a top notch chef on board. Outstanding, simply outstanding experience with wonderful people.
Daniel Daniel Lalime and Marie-Claude Perreault
Everything was great, food, people, tours! We really had a great time with our guide Joppe, very nice staff on board and the food was amazing! Great experience.
David Carter
The boat bike tour exceeded our expectations. The staff were extremely professional and yet friendly and very accommodating. Our cabin was small and surprisingly comfortable.The temperature of the cabin was individually controlled. The common areas were very nice. The meals were outstanding. We always felt very safe and secure with the sailing of the boat even in busy and tight waterways. The bikes were foreign to us yet worked well. Our cycling guides Hester and Nell were extremely professional yet personable. They made an effort to get to know everyone and supported and encouraged us. They also made it a lot of fun. An unexpected surprise was Hester’s oboe concert which was beautiful. We had difficulties with the pace of the cycling as our group of 40 were very fast and we were not. However Hester and Nell always made sure we arrived safely at our destinations.
Ducks Fan
What a wonderful week–full of adventure. I recommend Boat Bike Tours and The Magnifique.
Michael & Bridget Cramphorn
Although the trip was interesting, the attitude and behavior of the chief leader of the trip was poor. He is one of those people who is more concerned with getting to a destination than in actually enjoying and appreciating the country one is riding through, so that often there is implicit pressure to ride faster even though there is no particular hurry, It seemed odd to us that the short and long rides were not very different in pace. Another real deficiency was the effort to enable the participants to appreciate the towns. In one instance, this was exemplified by the leader saying “here’s a map – do what you like and we’ll continue in two hours.” The deputy leader was different in attitude and seemed to make a real effort to have the participants involved with the trip. On the last day, when we wanted to ride the bikes without the leaders, there was strenuous effort to dissuade us from doing so. This seemed absurd. The notes clearly stated that participants could ride solo if they wanted to. On the positive side, the meals were very good. Would I recommend the trip? Yes, but not with this sort of leader.
Dear mr and mrs Cramphorn, Thank you for your review about the trip from Amsterdam – Bruges. We are sorry to hear that the behavior of one of the tourleaders was not what you expected. The pace in both groups should be adjusted to the average skills of the group and you are correct, it should be possible to go on your own for a day if that is what you prefer.We are really happy to hear that you enjoyed the meals on board. With kind regards Team Boat Bike Tours.
Anne and Dave Pearson
We took the Magnifique from Brugge to Amsterdam and had a fantastic time. Our tour guides, Fred and Corrie, were amazing, the accommodations were comfortable and the cycling was fabulous. We’d go again in a heartbeat!
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