Bike + Boat Tour Reviews — 451 to 480 of 4264

The trip fell short of what was advertised. Operator over promised and under delivered so expectations were not exceeded, much less met.
The guides were great and did their best but the popularity of the region, even in the off season, resulted in crowds that prevented the boat to access dock space needed to unload and load bikes, required rafting up with as many as 9 other boats, did not allow one “explore on your own opportunities”, resulted in premium priced deck cabins being worse than more private and quieter below deck cabins, and so on.
All-in-all, 4 out of the 7 planned rides were offered and 80 of 143 miles covered.
This type of trip is always subject to change, due to conditions, but this trip fell so far short I blame the operator for the lack of contingency plans.

This trip was amazing! The organization, dedication to Safety, communication and just plain fun made it one of the best trips we have taken. Mirta and Ivan, along with the rest of the crew, were profession and very knowledgeable. The boat was very comfy and clean, and had everything we needed. The bikes were great and if anything went awry (flat tire etc) they were able to fix it right away. We loved the What's App group for communication and sharing of great pics - would definitely recommend using that as a standard.

A couple suggestions:

The meals, especially lunch were delicious but very heavy. With such an active tour no need for potatoes and a big piece of meat for lunch. Even the 3 courses at dinner could have been brought down to 2 - a nice salad and pasta or meat, not necessary for both. Breakfasts were great.
The lunch at the Vineyard on our trip was fantastic! Loved the atmosphere and also supporting a local business. Would love to have a couple more of these experiences as opposed to meals on the boat.
We did not have experience in Croatia before so were a bit surprised how much they want cash (seems every country is a bit different). Adding this to the pre-trip brief will help everyone bring enough cash for shopping and restaurants.
We were very happy with this trip and hope to see you again with a bunch of our friends for another adventure!

This was the most wonderful trip I have ever taken. The scenery was beautiful, the weather was perfect and the trip was very well organized. We met some wonderful people who were also on our barge and the ebikes we used made the trip delightfully doable (we did bring along extra gel seat pads for the bikes which were welcomed after a few days of riding!) Our guide was knowledgable and funny and kept our group on target. Our group was pretty large and it would have be nice to have had an extra guide as our sweep but our guide Maryann did an excellent job of handling mishaps when they occurred.This will go down as one of the most wonderful trips I have taken and I would encourage everyone to sign have this adventure!

Everything. Loved the idea of biking through the country and spending time on the barge with the guests. The boat crew were very friendly and helpful. The food was excellent and the accommodations were great. I would do this again and have recommended it to my friends.

Well most memorable was the people who rode into the canal. Fortunately they were ok. And there was the man who hit the tunnel wall and took out another cyclist. It was rumored he was drinking vodka in his water bottle. Besides these incidents the best part was the daily riding through idyllic towns and pastoral areas where birds had their young, fields of flowers abound and people were so friendly.

The Bruge to Amsterdam trip was great! It was wonderful to see parts of the Netherlands and Belgium that you wouldn’t see just touring by train or car. Using the ride with GPS App made the self-guided trip seamless and the odd time some unexpected construction appeared on the pathway, the always pleasant tour guides managed to be there to redirect.

Beautiful scenery, good excursions, very professional staff, international community.

We most enjoyed the culture of the Croatian North Dalmatia islands and the comradery of the other bikers on the boat with us. We made some lasting friendships on this tour. The Andela Lora is a very comfortable, well appointed vessel and well worth the premium price. Being early in the season, the boat was only about 50% full which added to the comfort. Given the varied terrain and elevations, electric bikes were definitely a plus. Our group had both trekkers and mountain bikers, so the respective stories following our rides were quite enjoyable.

The onboard chef was very talented and the food varied and well prepared. Luka, our waiter, was a joy. The crew and guides were very customer focused and experts at what they do. The guides could have provided a deeper historical perspective prior to and during each ride, but that is my only criticism. They took good care of us. Professional city tours were arranged on multiple occasions (Krk, Zadar, and Rab) and well done.

Be aware of over and above charges including Croatian tourist tax, crew/guide tips, water (fixed per passenger), and bar (coffee, alcohol, soft drinks) that are cash only and can creep up on you with a not so pleasant surprise at the end.

The wonderful Douro River views and vineyards as seen up close via bicycling.

Too many highlights to list! Our guides and the rest of the boat crew were incredible. They are proud to show off their beautiful country of Croatia and truly love their jobs. There is not a better way to see the spectacular scenery and learn about the history of the country than with this tour.

This is the perfect way to see the Danube for anybody who enjoys easy cycling with beautiful scenery. The MS Vivienne is a great boat, very recently refurbished with small but comfortable cabins, extremely friendly staff, and very good food. Everything was very well organized and the tour director provided plenty (sometimes too much) information regarding the next day’s ride or city visit. Take advantage of tours offered in Bratislava, Vienna and Budapest as the time in each (especially Vienna) is brief. The biking is mostly on paved trails with just a few places where we had to ride with traffic. We booked e-bikes, but could have easily done this with regular bikes. Our cruise was about half German speakers and half English speakers (with largest group being from US, followed by Canada, Australia, NZ, the Netherlands and the UK). The staff on board all speak English and the tour director is fluent in both German and English, so language is not an issue.

The crew was exceptional. I loved the self guided trips, the maps we downloaded before trip was accurate and easy to follow, it was easy to make this trip your own. We found lots of hidden museums and churches to explore.
A few areas could be improved. With so many good bag teas available, the pecwick teas had little to no flavor. Also, disappointed seeing no seals in wild. Description of trip needs to let customers know, very unlikely to see these. We were able to see some seals in rescue aquarium.
Highly recommend this trip! Can’t wait to pick our next adventure

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.

I've been on several bike tours. This one was one of the best! The Magellan was beautiful with plenty of public spaces to hang out. The cabins, though small were comfortable. Even the beds were comfortable. The other guest were so much fun, friendly, and interesting. The onboard food was a pleasant surprise. I was expecting mediocre food (as I've had on the other bike/barge trips). The food on Magellan ranged from above average to excellent - and there was so much of it! No one was ever hungry. They even accommodated vegetarians, gluten-free, and other palettes. The staff onboard were kind, patient, and attentive. And our guides, Dora and Alan were simply wonderful. They were knowledgable, fun, funny, caring and were always smiling. It seemed like nothing was too much trouble for them. Dora set up a WhatsApp site for our group where we shared photos, information, and where she suggested the best restaurants for port meals. It was brilliant. We're still posting. We also enjoyed the walking tours of the various towns where we docked. Those local tour guides were all excellent. The e-bikes were ok. The first one they gave me wasn't the right fit for me (I was too stretched out and had trouble reaching the handlebars). Fortunately, Dora and Alan came to the rescue and were able to swap it out for one that fit me better.

The most memorable? That's tough. Maybe climbing the Croatian hills with ease on the e-bike. Maybe the final dinner which ended with champagne, dancing, hugs, and even some tears. Maybe watching the brave souls cannonballing from Magellan's swimming platform into 60 F water (too cold for me). Maybe relaxing on the top deck gazing out the gorgeous crystal clear Adriatic as we sailed.

There are a few nit-picky details I could complain about but I won't. None would prevent me from doing the trip again.

This is a delightful area to visit; the history of the walled cities along with the coastline, warm climate and great ride leaders made for an enjoyable trip. The climbs can be a bit challenging but e-bikes are available and they were the bikes of choice by 95% of the travelers. If you haven’t seen the “Pearls of Dalmatia”, you need to add it to your list or make it your next ride.

The bike friendly routing of each day's ride and the expert, friendly guidance by Ronald and the helpfulness of the entire crew. Meeting many new folks on the boat/bike tours. The GPS guidance (Ride GPS) was invaluable and very simple to use.

Very luxurious ship with superb dining and service. Highly recommend the Iron Gate cruise.

Great itinerary and biking. Often guides offered options of a short or a long bike ride. A lot of wind to contend with so an e-bike may be an added comfort for some. The Iris was exceptionally clean, apparently newly renovated during Covid. A high quality of rental bikes available and appreciated! Thanks for a great holiday!!

Our tour guides, Hein and Irene made the tour so special! The chefs, Alberto and Francesco were amazing. Captain "Van Gogh" was great. The tour was a blast from start to finish!

That it was PERFECT !
My advice to others would be to book specifically the Magnifique II

Everything we experienced was wonderful- the biking, the routes, the food on the boat, the excellent service , the room, the smooth transitions for tours. I highly recommend this trip and hope to go on another Swiss Crown trip in the futurez

If you are planning a bike trip, this is the one. We have been on 11 bike trips and this was the BEST! The weather was perfect, the food outstanding, the staff was great, Ronald the tour guide was always about in case one needed him on the ride, and of course the country was magnificent. Don't pass this opportunity up!!!!!

All parts of the trip were memorable. From the start to the finish. Crew on board took excellent care of all bikers.

Fabulous trip!! We did this same trip 8 years ago
and returned again this summer with friends as it was our favorite trip… it did not disappoint!
Highly recommend….from the great scenery to the fabulous meals and amazing tour guides!

It’s awfully hard to pick out “the most memorable” part of the trip. The whole experience was great: the biking, the connections made with fellow riders, the crew, the food, the boat. It was all top rate. I guess I’d have to pick out the biking as the most memorable. The points of interest along the way were great. I loved the cheese factory, the glass blowing place, the carnival museum and the distillery. I probably wouldn’t have chosen to visit those places if on my own, but in the end I truly enjoyed them. The Ave Maria is a beautiful boat. The bikes were almost new and in excellent condition. The crew (and guides) made everything go smoothly. The chefs took my food intolerances seriously and made it easy for me to enjoy the food on board.

1. The excellent, cheerful leadership by Helmut
2. The meals
3. The many fine trails, especially around Avignon. Wonderful biking.

Amazing rides, guides, guests, sights and food - and oh yes, the crew! This was an extraordinary week filled with splendid rides through the countryside and small villages, wonderful food on the boat and in restaurants and laughter every time we got together. The guides were our coaches and resources - sharing their knowledge and perspectives on all aspects of Croatia. We had opportunities for language lessons, geography/historical insights and town walks with locals. The boat provided everything we needed and the crew make sure that we were comfortable and well cared for. Great value also!

If using the GUIBO app for route navigation, be sure to have an extra battery pack. The app uses up your phone battery.

If this review can be applied to the GUIBO app then, I'd give it (GUIBO) a poor rating. It sucks the phone battery. It does NOT guide you to (or back to) the route. It randomly talks to you (sometimes it tells you to turn, sometimes not). Fortunately, the routes are very simple, but it could certainly be improved. Providing a gpx file for my own device would be great. Even using google to navigate might be better.

Croatia is a stunningly beautiful and historic nation. Our guides generously shared their love of Country. Would highly recommend this trip.

The general organization of the trip, and the great staff aboard!
Disappointed with the scenery along the routes - often quite monotonous