4 Star Amsterdam to Bruges Tour Reviews — 1 to 30 of 35
Amsterdam to Bruges
8 days from €1265
4.8 out of 5
Easy Bike + Boat Tour in Netherlands, Belgium
From Holland's intriguing capital to Belgium's artistic gem, this bike and boat tour follows meandering rivers and canals from Amsterdam to Bruges. The Golden Age of the 17th Century was a peaceful…
Don S.
6 months ago
Verified Reviewer
The people on board. And the food. Stella was great, too. I liked the open windows in the upstairs rooms. Also, coffee or cappuccino, espresso 24/7.
Andrew H.
6 months ago
Verified Reviewer
The quality of the boat's amenities, the cuisine and the areas travelled through were exceptional.
My last bike and barge was more than a decade ago. Since then the growth of e-bikes has accelerated. On this tour, 24 of 34 riders were using e-bikes. I'm not convinced that mixing e-bikes and regular bikes is viable.
Alice T.
7 months ago
Verified Reviewer
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.
Neil L.
8 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Peaceful transit through canals and rivers.
David Z.
8 months ago
Verified Reviewer
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.
Tina R.
8 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Crew and meals were awesome. Would be great if they introduced everyone at the first meeting or meal. Also would be great if they had a signup sheet for emails to keep the group connected.
Susan J.
10 months ago
Verified Reviewer
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.
Robert S.
10 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Daily countryside rides were wonderful. Our guide Marianne was great.
Suggestions- staff should wait until all courses are served and tables cleaned before eating. Waiting half an hour between servings not good and takes too long. Should make enough for seconds! Missed out on visit sites due to timing. Everything was closed by the time we were done with dinner. Notwithstanding the above, was a wonderful trip.
David W.
11 months ago
Verified Reviewer
The staff and guide were wonderful. My only criticism is regarding the food: put out some snacks when returning to the barge after riding. One small bowl of chips for 22 people is insufficient. Secondly, the time from start to finish dinner talked too long ( 1 1/2 hours). While of course the staff must eat as well, they shouldn’t be eating after putting our plates down. Our dirty plates sit in front of us for 30 minutes while they eat. The food is very good though.
Brenda G.
11 months ago
Verified Reviewer
It was an active adventure where you got to see so much of the country not just the tourist attractions.
Ed Paquette
1 year ago
Verified Reviewer
Amsterdam to Bruges was our first bike and barge experience in 2016. The experience of small group travel, seeing villages and countrysides at 12-14 mph, and the coziness of barge life intoxicated us. We have since done six more tours. Everyone unique, quirky, full of beautiful vistas, and future friends from all over the world.
If you are considering this type of travel adventure for the first time, this tour is for you. AND for you stubborn Americans, there is absolutely no stigma attached to e-bikes. In fact, they are prolific throughout Europe.
Rodney H.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
The trip was very enjoyable. The scenery and bike paths were great. The staff and cook were excellent.
Suggestions:
The bike groups should be split up into smaller groups (6-8 riders), especially when using busy routes.
The strong bikers should not be grouped with the more leisurely bikers.
The guides should have good skills in GPS navigation and/or riders could use an app such as "Ride with GPS".
robert w.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
The enthusiasm of our tour guides was excellent. They helped the family (our group of 6) a couple of times by sacrifice of their personal time and attention.
Some better orientation on ebike and gears would have been helpful. The "sore-butt" syndrome for inexperienced riders was worth it.
Bob W
Karen Melby T.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Loved the great bike paths
Fernanda D.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
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…
Gloria A.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Visiting the beautiful cities of Bruges and Ghent
Lovelady J.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
The fellowship on the Magnifique IV was wonderful. However, several of our fellow travelers tested positive for COVID right after leaving the ship. More options for testing and keeping the travelers free of COVID need to be provided.
Jehiel • 2 years ago Tripsite Staff
Thanks so much for your feedback! We do our best to the extent possible to create a safe and enjoyable environment for all. In addition to the entry requirements set by the country, the boat is cleaned frequently, masks are available, and testing options as well.
We are so glad you had a great time and we look forward to helping you plan your next trip!
Richard R.
5 years ago
Verified Reviewer
The most memorable part was getting to see the countries from a bicycle. The weather was not good and the tour guide did an excellent job of juggling the personalities with varying degrees of athletic fitness. At 53-58, there were people on the boat that were over 20 years older than my wife and I, and as a result, some rides were cut short somewhat - this was a bit disappointing as my wife and I had hoped to ride at least the distances advertised. One additional constructive comment - some of the bikes were not in good shape. The bike set aside for me had its front brakes permanently rubbing and the solution was for me to ride a women's small bike for the week. Disappointing. The trip was excellent overall and we will do a bike and barge tour again.
Dane G.
5 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Did the Amsterdam to Bruges bike & barge tour on the Tijdgeest. My wife & I had a great experience. Arje was a great guide & the entire boat crew made it a fantastic trip. The riding was quite easy & the evening city tours fun & informative. Would recommend to anyone
Thanks All
Dane & Kim
Bob T.
5 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Biking through the countryside of the Netherlands and Belgium at a pace that allowed us to learn about both cultures and their histories was an opportunity not to be missed.
Joyce H.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Recommendation...do the riding prior to your trip that they suggest. I did not and had an uncomfortable bum for a few days, lol.
Debbie H.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Always have two guides. I can’t imagine having only one for such a diverse level of skills. We had one guide who lacked interpersonal skills. She lost her temper several times at several clients. I was one of those on the receiving end.
Jehiel from Tripsite • 6 years ago Tripsite Staff
Hi Debbie,
Thanks for sharing this feedback. We agree that two guides are needed for bigger groups, so for 2018 there will be two tour guides. This will allow the guides to care for the needs of smaller subgroups and will hopefully make the biking experience stress-free for everyone!
We hope to help you plan your next trip! Thanks again :)
Neal P.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
It was so wonderful to cycle through 2 beautiful countries taking in the scenery and ambiance.
Peter W.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
The food was pretty average. Breakfast was fine; once in a while there was hot food served but you had to be aggressive to get any, there wasn't enough to go around. Food available for lunch was fine, no complaints. Dinners were disappointing. We didn't need gourmet dinners, we needed substantial meals. The best meal was the Read More BBQ, there was enough food. Other meals were inadequate. Dinner on the last night was abysmal and the dessert was a joke, 1/2 a glass of liquid. I would like to see bar prices posted and a statement produced on the last day. I have no idea if I was charged the correct amount or not; not that I don't trust the staff, as I said they were great. In spite of sounding like a chronic complainer, my wife and I are talking about doing another Bike & Barge trip, we really enjoyed this one. Don't take my comments as negative criticism, take them as suggestions for improvement, no one is perfect.
Jehiel • 6 years ago Tripsite Staff
Hi Peter!
Thanks for submitting such thorough feedback. I am sorry the trip wasn't exactly as you expected but I'm glad you still had a great time. We will use your comments to improve this tour and better educate travelers.
Just to clear, you can always request a receipt for your bar tab. In the future, if you have any questions regarding the food, bar, or logistics pertaining to the trip, our knowledgable staff is here to help.
Be sure to let us know your preferences before you book your next trip and we will do our very best to help you find a tour that fits your needs.
Thanks again!
Sue N.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
The rooms on the Fluvius were poorly ventilated, and the A/C was extremely noisy. The dining room, lounge, bar and upper deck were great.
One of our rides included having to take a short ferry ride. We were all asked to pay .70 cents for this. Many of us felt that was being extremely cheap, and should have been included. Really...70 cents!!!!
For each day of cycling we were only given 1-500ml bottle of water. This is not even close to daily requirements, especially given that on several days we were riding in 30 degrees C. It should have been at least 2L/person/day.
Our guide lacked enthusiasm. He told us to fill our empty water bottles in the bathrooms, he talked about bathroom breaks in the pre-ride briefing but Read More despite being told (during the ride) that we'd need a break, he just kept going. Rarely did he stop for photos; there was some beautiful countryside that many of us would liked to have captured. For the most part, the only time he stopped was for coffee and lunch. He did not seem overly concerned about safety; when there was a car coming from behind the riders would shout "CAR" and that kept getting shouted up the line. One time I was behind the guide, so we both heard it at the same time...the guide then very flippantly said "Good for the car". Crossing major intersections was dicey; many times he would cross despite the traffic, while the group would then wait on the other side until it was CLEARLY safe to go. This seemed to frustrate him.
My bike was great, but it would have been nice to have a water bottle holder mounted on the frame, and include a cycling water bottle for it, which people could then take home. Not all bikes were the same; some had 2 hand brakes, while others had a hand brake and a foot brake, which took some getting used to for those that were assigned that type of bike. There was no option to swap.
The Fluvius crew were amazing. Very, very hard working, yet personable and great senses of humor! Shout outs to Alex, Nadia, Marianna, David & Captain Arno!!! (PS, we hope everything is okay with Nadia's mom).
Despite the negatives, we had a great time, met some amazing people, saw stunningly beautiful countryside, had lots of fun & laughter. And, we would go again!!
DM • 7 years ago
This is a very informative review for a potential traveler with Tripsite. The behaviours you have outlined of the guide are very alarming and I would hope that, should we decide to take this trip, we would not be subjected to such negativity and little regard for safety. It would be most interesting and of great value to hear how this review ihas been addressed with the company.
Jim M.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
This was our 2nd trip this year. We signed up for a 3rd already. Barge and bike is wonderful.
Lynda C.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Carla • 7 years ago Tripsite Staff
Thanks so much for your feedback.
I'm sorry you had a hard time with the bikes aboard the Fluvius.
Regarding the tour guide, we encourage all of our guests to speak up when something is not going right so we can do our best to remedy the situation immediately. We agree, during your tour that the guide was not on his best behavior and have since had to consider a replacement for him.
There has been some confusion aboard the Fluvius about the role of your tour guide. Because there are 30+ bikers aboard the Fluvius, he cannot be counted on to lead and look after all riders at all times. The guide's role is not to lead the group, but to be sure all riders get from point A to point B safely. If one rider has a flat tire or another becomes lost, it is the guide's job to "rescue" the rider.
For most boats under 30 passengers, the guide will lead and look after the bikers for the day's route. But for some bigger boats, Read More i.e. 30+ passengers, the guide's role is a bit different. You can read on the "What's Included / What's Not Included" section of the tour page the difference between the guide's role.
Brenda B.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Food and scenery fantastic! Jack, bike tour guide was rude at times. Also expected everyone to keep up with his ebike. Several women spoke to him and he got a little better and used a sweep and someone to wait at turns. I expected something a little more leisurely so could take pictures along the way. I did not expect a road race even though I could keep up. However, inspite of this, I have recommended the trip to friends as it is a wonderful experience. I do hope you retrain your bike guides to be kind.
Roberta S.
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
The bikes were not in excellent condition. Some needed work on them.
A guide better versed in local traditions and history would have been nice.
Patsy Duggan
8 years ago
Verified Reviewer
My sister and I loved the trip and have told many people to book the barg trip. One of the best trips I have had.
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