Arkona boat/barge tour reviews — 1 to 19 of 19
Hanna W.
5 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Arkona
Mainz to Cologne
Germany
The food was outstanding!!
The personnel very attentive, accommodating and courteous!!
Unfortunately, due to dizziness which I encountered on the third day, I was unable to bike the remaining days. Therefore I enjoyed the boats ride.
Marla E.
5 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Arkona
Mainz to Cologne
Germany
I treated my family to this trip and we had a wonderful experience together. We could have used more detailed maps but we only got lost a couple of times!
Barbara Y.
5 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Arkona
Rotterdam to Cologne
Germany, Netherlands
The trip was all that I expected. The barge was very clean, the people were really nice, the bikes were in tip top condition. The scenery was beautiful and the rides were as expected.
Sharon D.
5 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Arkona
Mainz to Strasbourg
Germany, France
What a great way to see so much of Germany! We cycled almost 200 km along the Rhine and enjoyed every minute! Then when we went back to the boat, we enjoyed a top quality three-course meal! Overall it was a fabulous bike trip and riverboat tour on the Rhine. The bikes were top quality, and the nice part biking was our ability to stop off at the different biergartens along the way of our own choosing; We loved seeing the swans on the Rhine (even a black swan!) and also enjoyed visiting historic churches, and seeing wondrous half-timber cottages including one house with a pair of storks nesting on the chimney! I will definitely be booking another bike riverboat tour!
Sandra D.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Arkona
Mainz to Cologne
Germany
Riding through the country side of Belgium was like riding through a fairy tale. Picture Perfect!
Allison B.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Arkona
Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
Austria, Germany
Most Memorable Part? Quaint towns, lovely countryside, old world charm. Our trip will linger in our minds.
Valerie P.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Arkona
Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
Our boat was unable to reach Budapest due to low water levels. We were however taken by bus to Budapest and enjoyed a city bus tour. It made for a long day but at least we were able to see some of the city. This gave us more time in Vienna and an opportunity for a really fun afternoon bike ride there. Our tour director gave us excellent instructions for this ride since it was not part of the original tour itinerary. It offered shorter and longer distances that seemed to meet everyone’s needs.
The directions in the map and narrative book were often lacking. I would Read More recommend having turn by turn distances Incorporated. Generally, the morning briefing by the tour director was not much additional help. Questions by us to the tour director were often answered by “it’s in your daily program".
It would be nice to have newer bikes. They were fine for the flat biking paths but would have been very challenging for anything with hills. They were heavy and some didn’t ride very smoothly.
The optional Vienna concert was a bit of a disappointment. Although the music was nice I didn’t care for the venue. It was hot inside, the seats were very cramped and this particular theater was not very impressive.
There is no free Wi-Fi despite an email from Tripsite confirming that there was.
We were offered beverage packages which included bottled water.
I drank the tap water on the boat and had no issues. I do feel that on an active trip such as this, unlimited chilled water should be available. We opted to forgo the beverage package and found the beer and wine reasonably priced.
Laundry service on board would be a nice option.
Having said all of the above, I would still recommend the trip and I would use Tripsite again.
David R.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Arkona
Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
Austria, Germany
Hard to pick one part...The cycling and scenery each day was stunning. Vienna must be experienced. The staff and the food on the Arkona was outstanding.
Michael S.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Arkona
Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
Austria, Germany
There were so many great memories, but I really loved the town of Melk and all the little towns in the Wachau area that we passed through our last day. It was like biking through fairy land. Fall is the perfect time for sampling the local new wines. And our guide, Regina, was tops!! Can’t imagine a better tour guide!
Cheryl H.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Arkona
Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
Austria, Germany
Wonderful trip. Beautiful scenery and the boat staff were exceptionally friendly and helpful.
Phyllis C.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Arkona
Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
Austria, Germany
Very pleasant trip. The route included portions along the river as well as through picturesque villages, farmland, and vineyards. Daily mileage was perfect for us casual riders. The last day of riding through the Wachau area was the most enjoyable; we wish there would have been more time to explore the tasting rooms and shops in Dürnstein.
There was only a minor problem in communication with the tour director over the the time of an optional paid activity that several members of the group did not get to attend. I didn't feel the problem was addressed well.
Deirdre R.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Arkona
Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
Austria, Germany
Most Memorable Part? The biking, totally. It’s ok if your friend chooses not to ride, there are others en route who make it pleasant. The staff were overly attentive! So helpful
Anita G.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Arkona
Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
The MS Arkona was a lovely ship, very clean and comfortable. Unfortunately The Danube River was low and we were bus to Budapest where we had a nice tour. The biking on the trip was scenic, and a lot of fun. Due to a change in itinerary we were shorted a day of biking but that was out of anyone’s control. The bikes could have been newer because they were not operating at their best.
My e bike was wonderful but was grinding gears quite often.
The food on the ship could have been better. Breakfast could have had more fresh fruit, granola, oatmeal with other breakfast specialties. The dinners lacked fresh salads. My favorite meal was when we were on the boat for lunch one day and had a fresh salad bar with soup and pasta.
The tour guide on the boat could have been more communicative and answered questions more readily. The explanation of the bike riding should have included an overview map of the riding from point A to point B everyday.
Overall the trip was good and the weather conditions with the Danube were out of the tour company’s control. The biking that we did do was spectacular!
Lisa H.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Arkona
Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
The beautiful bike paths along the Danube and the great food on the MS Arkona. Found the unguided bike tour confusing. Comfortable beds but loud vibrating boat motor at night made it impossible to sleep. Yay sleeping pills.
Denise G.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Arkona
Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
We had a mixed experience on this trip, having completed two other bike and barge trips on smaller boats (and smaller waterways). This is a wonderful region for riding - much of the route follows bike paths that parallel the river and provide gorgeous views of river towns. Unlike our other trips, participants ride on their own without a guide, and this worked well for us. Because the boat travels from Passau to Budapest and back again, there is quite a bit of travel time on the boat. At times, we enjoyed watching the scenery, but this also meant that our time on land was quite limited. Food was decent and several options were available at each meal. The dining room was noisy and it does take quite a bit of time to serve everyone, with the staff clearly working hard! During our tour, there were engine problems which resulted in a change in itinerary. The company struggled to manage this and identify reasonable options. In the end, they have promised us a partial refund, which seems quite fair. We would have preferred that this offer had come sooner in the process, without the numerous conversations that were needed to help the company understand the concerns of passengers.
Carla - Partner at Tripsite • 6 years ago Tripsite Staff
Hi Denise,
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave us your feedback.
It's unfortunate the ship had engine troubles during your tour. These ships are machines and sometimes things can go wrong. I know it is always a very stressful time for everyone involved. Our local partners work hard to make the best of the situation. I'm glad in the end everything worked out fine. Another adventure in the books! I hope you will be back for more....
Thank you again! ~Carla, Partner at Tripsite
Lois K.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Arkona
Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
Austria, Germany
The entire trip was greater than expected! The staff bent over backwards to accommodate. The gorgeous Danube!
Gail W.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Arkona
Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
Bike Boat 4 countries Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary - most memorable part of the trip was experiencing the Danube River up close; boat was comfortable and so smooth sometimes I had to look out the window to see if we were moving
Ursula T.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Arkona
Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
Biking along the Danube and in the evening sitting watching the sunset on the top deck. I would like more time on the bike, but happy we got to see so much!
Tracy F.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Arkona
Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary
The entire trip was wonderful! The food was great, accommodations were perfect and the scenery is spectacular.
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