Reviews

The staff was outstanding. Chef Sylvia’s food preparations were excellent. Steward Omar met every need and Guide Michela had the right balance and humor to keep everyone engaged and on track. Bernard, the Captain was also very competent. The ONLY complaint is that it was advertised as a level one and it was not. There were many difficult climbs including one that was 5 kilometers. Several participants had to switch to electric bikes after the first day and consequently paid a premium. This was a level 2 not a level 1.

The bikes were in great shape. The helmets appeared to be new. The 2 guides were funny and lots of fun and knew exactly where they had to go. The rooms were clean and beds made after we were all out on the bikes. Bathrooms clean. The main area was always neat and tidy. FOOD;;;; oh wow the chef was great – the food was really good and the presentation was super. The only negative would be —-the trip had to end and it ended way too soon. The captain was always helping to do whatever needed to be done when the ship was docked. The staff went above was was expected.

Magnafique II was very clean and well-designed. The crew was friendly, helpful, and competent. I have been on several Backroads trips and didn’t know what level of service BoatBike would have. I thought they might just drop your bike on the side of the canal and give you a map so having guides was a surprise as was riding as a tight group. Meeka was pleasant and helpful and tried to keep everyone together but clearly had little training to be a bike group guide and did not know the routes very well. Peter was arrogant and unhelpful. He would often leave people behind and frequently veered off the route for no apparent reason. This made using guests as a sweep disastrous since they often lost the front of the pack and were left somewhere off the day’s route. In our group there were many people who had not ridden bikes in a long time, let alone ebikes. An hour of training in how to ride in a group, follow the rules of the road, etc. might have prevented several falls.

The route, the tulips, our guide, the captain and his crew, including the chef. The amazing weather and the rest that Holland has to offer didn’t hurt as well. The only thing to improve would be slightly thicker mattresses on the berths.

The guides were so welcoming and helpful. The staff made us feel the boat was home. The other guests were all friendly and we enjoyed sharing the experience. I had great time and the tulips were magical. Next time I  ll take a longer cruise than 5 days. It wasn t enough! I forgot the meals! What a wonderful chef!

The experience was perfectly described in advance. It was well planned and our well-being and safety was always considered. The staff exceeded expectation in their personable approach and dedication to making the time as good as possible for all participants..

8 Day Tulip Tour Premium. The tour guides, Hester and Jens, were exceptional! The boat (Clair d’Etoile) and crew made our trip very enjoyable. Excellent food. We had a wonderful experience.

Another great Boat Bike Tour! What a crew that looked after us on the Ave Maria from the Captain Juno, Technical Engineer Francesco, the Chefs Dani & Benedetto to the two Tour Leaders Stefanie and Anna. That team made this trip,one to remember. Thanks Juno for your Dutch humour, Francesco ensuring our bikes were in top shape, Dani & Beredetto on the great meals everyday and giving us a taste of Italian cuisine to the tour leaders navigating us thru Italy. The tour leaders were so knowledgeable and since it was Anna s first trip on The Ave Maria, I would suggest hiring her. A highly recommend this trip.

“Our guide, Franz, was jovial, knowledgeable and maintained a good pace for the group. He really made the excursion wonderful. The crew was top notch and tried to be so helpful with everything. I don’t think the word “”NO”” is in their vocabulary. My wife caught a cold and they even took the time during their break to go to a pharmacy to buy her medication. They would not accept any reimbursement. I would highly recommend this excursion to anyone!”

The staff and crew were wonderful. Food was great. Bikes were well maintained. Leslie was awesome

The bike trails were very good and well designed. Ride with GPS is great. The bikes were limited. As regular cyclists we found the non electric bikes to be heavy and poor gearing ratios, even in flat terrain with windy conditions. So in future would bring our own bikes. The ship was comfortable. The food was plentiful but in the main overcooked and on reflection we would probably enjoy eating out more than eating on board. The staff were very friendly.

All around a great and fun experience