Fluvius

  Fluvius Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium

We loved the beautiful countryside of the Netherlands and Belgium! The cities of Amsterdam, Antwerp, Ghent, and Brugges were all so unique and beautiful! We thoroughly enjoyed our time on the MV FLUVIUS. The captain and staff that run the boat were excellent! Our cabin and the rest of the boat were freshly updated and extremely clean. The chef was outstanding and made every meal unique and delicious! His curried soups and lasagna were especially popular! The most memorable part for us is the wonderful people that we met and travelled with!!

  Fluvius Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium

A note and not a review. Some colleagues returned to the Fluvius a few minutes after midnight and the sliding glass doors on either side of the main deck were locked. These doors were locked with a key on both the outside and the inside. My concern is that if there were an emergency and crew were not available, passengers could not open the sliding glass doors from the inside. I think this is a safety issue and those doors should have an emergency inside lock that can be opened by any passenger or crew without a key or without specific training.

Overall, a great trip. Excellent meals - thanks to Mirka and her staff. Carla and Laura were great tour guides and I hope Carla recovers from her accident soon.

Another suggestion - review mirrors on the bikes would make keeping groups together a bit easier.

  Fluvius Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands

The countryside was extremely beautiful. The meals were extremely delicious and the dinners were exceptional. The boat was clean and updated with very attentive and positive staff. The bikes were in very good repair and we found the directions to each site/city and the boat generally very clear.

Communication from bike tour leaders was not great. Also, we had major engine problems on Day 1-3 necessitating us to miss 1 day of riding. The communication around the mechanical problems was very poor and initially we found out about this by accident. Once rectified the tour continued as promised.

  Fluvius Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium

The food was excellent. Ebikes are the way to go. Know your route so not surprised. Book an upstairs room.

  Fluvius Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands

The scenery was very picturesque. It was amazing to witness the incredible bike infrastructure and culture, which made for some relaxing rides.
Kinderjik was a highlight. Ghent was beautiful. It would have been nice to spend a little more time there. If possible, plan to spend extra time in Bruges and Amsterdam. Both cities have a ton to offer. The service onboard the ship was excellent, as was the food. Chef Mikkah did an amazing job!

Unfortunately, the conduct of our bike tour leaders, Tom and to a lesser extent Laura, was disappointing. Communication was poor. Tom seemed bored, and uninterested in the wellbeing of the guests. Laura guided a group of two, and had very little interaction with the rest of us. When they took us on a guided tour of Antwerp, neither guide could give us much information. In future, it might be useful to hire a professional guide for the walking tour.

It would be helpful in there was a fully stocked first aid kit on board. One passenger had a crash into some stinging nettles, and no one seemed to know how to help him.

  Fluvius Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands

Riding our bikes through the countryside and small towns. The staff and food on the Fluvius was spectacular. Renting e-bikes was definitely a plus

  Fluvius Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands

Unfortunately our barge had major mechanical problems ( thrust motor) from Day 1. As a result our first 4 full days of biking were changed, shortened significantly and day 4 spent almost entirely on the boat going to Antwerp with mechanical engineers working to fix it. We were very disappointed to lose this much biking on what was supposed to be a wonderful biking journey.

To add to our disappointment our biking tour guides, Tom and Laura, gave us very little information on what was wrong with the boat and what changes to expect. Generally they were not very communicative about our daily itineraries.

On the positive side, the barge crew were mostly fabulous. Mieke, the chef and her staff were very personable and hard working. The bartending staff were also very good. The food was excellent and the boat in good condition .

Overall we enjoyed the trip, especially the last 4 days once the barge was repaired.

Effie Henry
( part of a group of 10 Canadian women)

  Fluvius Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands

Bruges to Amsterdam Fluvius May 5/24 - 8 day bike trip

Unfortunately our barge had major mechanical problems ( thrust motor) from Day 1. As a result our first 4 full days of biking were changed, shortened significantly and day 4 spent almost entirely on the boat going to Antwerp with mechanical engineers working to fix it. We are very disappointed to lose this much biking on what was supposed to be a wonderful biking journey.

To add to our disappointment our biking tour guides, Tom and Laura, gave us very little information on what was wrong with the boat and what changes to expect. Generally they were not very communicative about our daily itineraries.

On the positive side, the barge crew were mostly fabulous. Mieke, the chef and her staff were very personable and hard working. The bartending staff were also very good. The food was excellent and the boat in good condition .

Overall we enjoyed the trip, especially the last 4 days once the barge was repaired.

  Fluvius Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands

The tour itself was spectacular once we were under way. However, we arrived at the Fluvius as scheduled on Sunday only to find out that the boat had a broken bow thruster - that happened on Friday. There was a lack of communication from the captain and the tour guides. We were told, hesitatingly, that the breakdown had occurred and the part was expected Monday morning and then we would be under way. We did not sail Monday and were provided a substitute ride, with no GPS, for the day. ..a bit of a nightmare ride. Very difficult to navigate - confusing! The part came finally Tuesday morning and we had to stay on board to catch up with the schedule - no riding that day. We were not actually told that we couldn’t ride. We had to surmise that ourselves. The day after we were able to pick up our scheduled ride and the following days were lovely.
The staff were wonderful at all levels. The Captain was in communicative and the lead guide Tom was terrible.
Bottom line is, things happen. The fact that the boat was unfortunate but if we had been informed and communicated with

  Fluvius Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands

Trip was a good value but communication was not very good . The chef and the food and waitstaff were very good . There was a huge engine issue and we lost a day of biking . This was out of your control but the communication about what was going on was really poor .
Meike the chef should be the standard , she was terrific .

  Fluvius Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium

  Fluvius Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium

The ease and convenience of returning to the ship every afternoon to share experiences with the rest of our group was the most noteworthy comment I could make. However there were many other hiighliights.
Riding through the Dutch countryside on the first day was a highlight.
Both guides and the bikes were great and the varied nature of the cycle paths on this tour was terrific.
Food was varied, good quality and well prepared. Rooms were efficient and comfortable as advertised.
Onboard staff from Croatia were terrific – friendly, hard working, accommodating and very nice with our grandsons.

  Fluvius Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium

Good trails, good food and the app “Ride with gps” was the best.
The bikes were good, seats comfortable.
The bar on the ship had reasonable prices.
The Fluvius boat needed updating. The room smelt musty and the air conditioning didn’t always work.
The first day something made us late so we were given our bikes at dusk to try them out and get adjustments made. Not enough time before it was dark.
It was pretty bad to run out of water numerous times.
The ice machine didn’t work so occasionally they bought ice.
The staff turn over was incredible. None of the staff seemed to be with the company very long.
The guides were excellent. We did self guided and we think that had GPS on us as everytime when we weren’t sure which way to go a guide would show up and help us out. The app was very good to tell you when you were off course.
This was my first bike and barge trip so I can’t compare it to another.

  Fluvius Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands

The Brussels to Amsterdam Bike and Barge trip was great! All the staff were friendly and helpful. The meals were very good and generous. The staff were available for repairs and blockages on route. The first day practice tour was difficult to follow and we had a volunteer local bicycler who took us on a beautiful tour of Brussels. Be aware: the small lower barge rooms are stuffy and humid.

  Fluvius Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands

Our trip was truly awesome! We were on the Fluvius biking from Bruges to Amsterdam. The biking was great and made easy with the gps they provided for us and the help of our bike coordinators Linda & Hans. They were the best, always there when we needed them, helping us reroute when we encountered road obstruction. My husband had a flat tire and they were right there helping. always making sure everybody was having a good time. The Fluvius provided me with an e-bike, even though I hadn't asked for one, to accommodate me, as they couldn't find a regular bike for my size. I was very thankful for that, making me appreciate the trip even better. All the Fluvius staff were superb. Even the captain made a point of talking with everyone, making sure things were to our liking. The food was excellent as well. The entertainment was a lot of fun and it brought us all together in spite of our language differences. It was a great night.

If we had any criticism whatsoever it would be the moisture challenge for the lower cabins. They would greatly benefit from moisture extractors.

Thank you for a truly wonderful and memorable trip.

  Fluvius Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium

Our tour guides, Jeroen, Hilco and Linda did an excellent job. I loved the countryside riding.
I did not enjoy riding through the large cities to get to our destination. It is important that when the paths are narrow walking is necessary for safety.

  Fluvius Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium

Peaceful transit through canals and rivers.

  Fluvius Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium

The most memorable part of the trip for me was the interpretation the trip leaders gave of their culture. It felt very personal and caring. The food was very good and the onboard staff were excellent. The ship is sound but needs refurbishing. Be aware that the Dutch and Belgians make their beds with a bottom sheet and a duvet only. You may want to bring a top sheet and a wash cloth or two.

Really enjoyed the camaraderie with other participants & the captain & crew members & our tour guides. Some suggestions would be a few more stops to drink water & take photos on the rides. Also, the gluten free accommodations were very much appreciated.

  Fluvius Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium

This is a beautiful and scenic ride, along canals, through farm lands, and picture perfect villages. This is flat ride for - those who do not like hills!
The Fluvius was a comfortable boat with a very friendly staff and excellent dinners.
Our tour guides were fun, efficient and always there when needed.

  Fluvius Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium

Time spent in Bruges. Bruges is a beautiful small city.
Suggestions: More information for unguided bikers, e.g. places to stop, places of interest

  Fluvius Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium

The excellent mix of people on the boat from at least 8 different countries. Everyone was very friendly and interesting. We ate dinner with different people every night. A very fun group! My advice to other is to step outside of your own group and talk with your fellow travelers, the crew and the guides. Struggle through using your high school French or German. It's well worth it.

  Fluvius Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium

It was an active adventure where you got to see so much of the country not just the tourist attractions.

  Fluvius Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium

The barge route was very nice and the food was excellent.
The Fluvius is an old barge and had several maintenance issues including; no hot water for 3 days, electrical problems and other maintenance issues. In their defense, the captain did his best to make it up to us with reduced bar bills and a free canal ride.
Bettina was superb particularly since it was her first time on this tour. Tom seemed to want to be elsewhere. His communication issues were almost nonexistent and attitude gruff.
Ride with GPS was very good though those of us who chose self guided were pretty much on our own.
The patch kit provided did not include a wrench so fixing a flat would have been tough for a bike mechanic and impossible for any other.
We did have wonderful entertainment one evening. I would have loved more history as it is such an important part of these countries.
All in all, if the Fluvius had been in better shape and Tom not so gruff, it would have been a wonderful tour.

  Fluvius Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium

I think more questions about individuals biking ability and whether they have experience with e-bikes would be good. Also, people should not expect the bike guides to know all the history of the places people bike through-they are there to assist in biking and take care of problems. They have knowledge but they are not historians etc. I think it should be explained that biking with regular bikes and e-bikes are going to be a part of the same group and unless you are going on your own, it might be difficult to keep up. More emphasis on the App that can assist you when biking. Might also want to emphasize preparation before coming such as doing some long rides. It seems some people think they used to bike and this should be a easy ride especially in the Netherlands where it is flat-they forget it is windy and you are doing this every day for a week!

  Fluvius Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands

It was an awesome way to see Belgium and the Netherlands. I can't wait for the next trip to Croatia. A bike is the only way to "fly." The food was surprisingly good and varied despite being served on a barge and to a group. Our bike lead, Carla was wonderful. On the down side, the smell of mold in our room on the Fluvius was disgusting and the attempt to fix it with bleach was just as bad. But even worse was the denial by the manager that I told her about it. The staff did their job and nothing more.

  Fluvius Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands

Visiting the windmills

  Fluvius Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands

I liked seeing the windmills. Also 2 full days of pouring rain were memorable; glad my rain gear held up.

  Fluvius Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands

This was a very pleasant trip through pretty country. We had two guides, Carla and Tom, who alternated leading the e-bike and non-e-bike groups. Carla is an excellent guide, who obviously researched the areas she was guiding us through, and pointed out interesting sights and historical details. Tom, on the other hand, seemed mostly focused on getting the day over with. (Unless there was a good lunch to be had!)
One thing I didn't realize before the trip was that the guides automatically divided the groups into e-bike and non e-bike sections, and assumed that the e-bike group would go faster and farther. This put people who could have gone farther into the "slow" group, and people who could barely ride a bike into the "fast" group.
The barge itself was quite comfortable, and the food was excellent!

  Fluvius Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium

The ability to really get to know your other travelers. The scenery and routes were wonderful.
Be sure you have put in the miles before you go so you don’t get so tired you can’t enjoy the rest of the trip. If you sign up for an e-bike, get some experience before you go. Know your ability today not when you were 18, 25 years old. This is a bike tour with guides for the route and care of the bikes. They are not there to give you the history of the areas or buildings you visit-you need to do your own work. They share their knowledge but that isn’t their job!

  Fluvius Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium

The Trip met or exceeded all of our expectations. I enjoyed seeing the Netherlands and Belgium from a variety of vantage points. Walking into Antwerp old central square at night was magical.

  Fluvius Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium

Kudos to chef Joost! Great food.
Also to tour guide Ingrid who gave us background into Dutch culture and history.
I did fine on the heavy Dutch bike but if you want to have an easier time of it, rent an e-bike and have no worries about the cycling.

  Fluvius Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands

Bike and barge was amazing! We were on the Fluvius, staff there were great! Pre-trip planning with Trip site and Anna was stress free and informative! We have already recommended tripsite and bike and barge trips to our friends. We will probably book another one next year!

  Fluvius Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands

  Fluvius Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands

The guides were excellent (Hetti and Jacqueline) and I was impressed with the quality of food and accommodations. It surpassed my expectations for the price. Great value.

  Fluvius Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands

The tour went through amazing neighborhoods and towns, so much beauty. The bike was comfortable, but wish I had a gel seat cushion! It would have been a plus to have that added to the things to bring on the trip. The tour guides were very personable and knowledgeable.

My biggest room for improvement would be the food. It was so carbohydrate based, too many sweets for breakfast, it was a challenge for the chef to keep up with eggs in the mornings. Surprising we never had a salad or greens. I can only believe it is due to refrigeration on the boat, but that was a disappointment.

Overall, I would do this tour again.

  Fluvius Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands

I had a great time! I didn’t ride as much as I thought I would, but I have a shoulder issue and it wasn’t cooperating. But I loved just sitting on the top deck watching Belgium and The Netherlands go by. The crew was outstanding, and very cooperative. And everyone of them could do most anything.
Although the routes each day were flat, this is not as easy as it might seem. It does require some training. The bikes are heavy, and not in the best shape. In the future, I’d choose an e bike, although they are very heavy also. Our guides were great, and worked with me, and my shoulder, to enable me to do the most riding I wanted to do.

  Fluvius Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium

Cycling from Vianen to Schoonhoven, and the walk through Bruges beautiful historic city. Bring cycling waterproof gear and be ready to take lots of pictures…

  Fluvius Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium

We loved seeing the beautiful countryside, small quaint towns and unique places away from the usual busy tourist sites. It was so fun to get to know our fellow passengers and the staff on the ship was excellent, to include our outstanding guides!

  Fluvius Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands

We lucked out with the most gorgeous weather and didn't need to break out any of our raingear. We enjoyed meeting our fellow travelers. The meals were fabulous and our tour leaders were knowledgeable and informative. Others may find some extra comfort if they bring added bike seat cushion (memory foam or gel). The tour leaders adjusted our itinerary when changes had to be made due to high winds and we still had a good time. Most memorable was seeing Kinderdijk, swans nesting on the polder, and storks on their nests.

  Fluvius Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium

Visiting the beautiful cities of Bruges and Ghent

  Fluvius Tulip Tour - 5 day
Netherlands

Hilde our tour guide was extra special. Really enjoyed learning about her and her country. Biking around Amsterdam was amazing!! My favorite location was the Keukenhof gardens. Breathtaking!!

  Fluvius Tulip Tour - 5 day
Netherlands

Loved the bike rides through the tulip and hyacinth fields...............the fragrance was awesome. the Flower garden was inspiring. I loved the Flower Mart. wilma did a great job of leading and making us all feel comfortable. Food was delicious.

  Fluvius Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands

It would very difficult to limit it to ‘the most memorable part’! The entire trip was magical!
The staff and crew of the Fluvius were super kind and friendly and always willing to help. Big shout out to Robi, Tara and Anita and chef Astrid’s meals were delicious and all beautifully prepared.
What amazed us, coming from the States, was the incredible biking system throughout Belgium and the Netherlands! Our guide, Tom, laid out and explained each day’s planned journey but with the excellent maps and Ride with GPS app, it was almost impossible to get lost, even taking alternative routes or detours into other towns or sites.
Although every cycling day brought new experiences, the last day cycling from Breukelen to Amsterdam was particularly picturesque. And the e-bikes were fantastic!!
We would highly recommend this trip to any one of any age and will most likely plan another bike and barge trip in the future.
Thank you!
Eric & Annie

  Fluvius Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium

I’ve used Tripsite for 9 bike/barge tours in the past 6 years. From Italy to France to tours of 5 countries along the Danube.
As a result, I’ve come to consider that the boat and it’s crew are the most valuable entity of any tour. The memory of bad service cannot be overcome the joy or beauty of travel.
With this in mind I am pleased to say the service on the FLUVIUS was superb! Every member of its crew invested themselves in our comfort safety and well-being. They took the time to provide excellent service to all of the passengers and left me looking forward to my next Tripsite tour.

TIP: Take your time and read the reviews of customers well before you hit the “Book This Trip” button.

  Fluvius Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands

The biking and our tour guide Jack amazing and so knowledgeable!