De Holland boat/barge tour reviews — 1 to 30 of 54
Gerald M.
2 weeks ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands
Great biking holiday ! This was our first but will not be our last the boat accommodations bikes and routes where exceptional!. We went in late September early Oct and you will want to bring layered clothing as it was usually cooler in morning but warmed up late morning. Overall great experience and holiday.
Lise B.
2 weeks ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands
The most memorable part for me was meeting great people. The food and the sights were amazing also.
Naida L.
3 weeks ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands
This was a wonderful trip. It was our first bike and barge trip but it won’t be our last one.
Biking through the fields and countryside of Belgium and the Netherlands was beautiful. We were on a self guided tip but each evening a guide went over the next days tour and pointed out interesting places to stop and visit. Staff was lovely and meals were great.
The vest we received from Tripsite were the best. Everyone commented on them. They made us so visible. Would definitely recommend them to all who are doing these trips.
Most took electric bikes but it was very flat and always paved so very easy to bike on.
Definitely would recommend this trip.
sheila D.
3 weeks ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands
An excellent way to visit Belgium and Netherlands. The food was delicious. Rooms were comfortable. We will definitely be doing another bike and barge trip.
Phyllis S.
3 weeks ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium
Biking through the country was unforgettable. Truly enjoyable.
Bonnie B.
3 weeks ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium
Lanadscapes and history were amazing!
Bikes great.
Staff extraodinary!!!
Food too plain.
Arie was great!!!
would like to plan another trip next year!
Penelope L.
4 weeks ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium
The most brilliant part of the trip was the cycling of course! Flying along the wonderful cycle paths; getting lost, getting back on track again, enjoying the scenery of fields and windmills and people's beautiful gardens; finding the boat at the end of the day after an exhilarating ride and then really enjoying the sense of achievement at successfully completing a journey. I also just loved the boat (so comfy) and the crew (excellent) and the tasty plentiful food. I should add that the other passengers from all around the world were really nice and we had shared values - positive, energetic intelligent people - so I felt amongst friends. It was definitely one of the best holidays I've ever had and I shall do it again.
Top Tip. Buy padded cycling shorts!!!
And if you're not a practising cyclist hire an e-bike.
Tanya H.
4 weeks ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium
How helpful the on board staff were. With the exception of Arie, the tour guide, I found everyone helpful and fun. The guys who managed our bikes were awesome, even wiping down our seats in the rain.
Edward B.
1 month ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands
So many wonderful memories! The boat was very comfortable, the food was delicious, and meeting folks from all over the world was so much fun! The bikes were well maintained and the crew was helpful, courteous and thoughtful. Tour guide Arie always seemed to be on the road where he was needed.
Glen G.
2 months ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands
We throughly enjoyed cycling through the villages and rural landscape.
We had a few days of strong winds which we understand is very normal for this region - this made for challenging cycling on a hybrid bike.
The bicycles were very old and needed replacing plus 2 bike bags should have been provided to hold rain gear. The GPS app wasn’t reliable and required frequent rebooting. Our cabin was infested with sewer flies - very off putting and disturbing.
Desiree W.
2 months ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium
The beautiful bike trails and paths throughout Holland and Belgium gave us the opportunity to see so many wonderful things that we wouldn't have seen by car, train or on foot. Everyone on board the ship were wonderful and our tour guide, Jan, was great! It was wonderful to meet the other guests from so many countries. Great weather, which was helpful!
Leonard D.
4 months ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland South Holland Tour
Netherlands
It was well organized. Ari was excellent as were the rest of the staff. We really enjoyed cycling in the outskirts of cities and stopping for coffee in small villages
Margaret D.
4 months ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands
The biking is absolutely beautiful! I can't say enough about how lovely the scenery was. We used regular bikes but would recommend e-bikes to future customers because of the high winds that you can experience. The bikes were in good shape and had 7 gears which was enough since the majority of the trip is flat biking. The e-bikes can be shut off and used as a regular bike if you want more exercise, but can be turned on to go up hills and fight the wind. I borrowed and e- bike for a while and found it easy to ride when the Read More power was off, so I only used it going up hills. Plus having an e-bike gives you more time to do sight seeing.
The tour was self guided but there was a guide on the route available for problems. Jan was very responsive to calls and had a great sense of humor. He gave a daily route briefings and the GPS app was quite good. Just be sure you know how to use it before you start biking. Between the GPS and the written route instructions, we always found our way with only a couple short hick-ups. We also got tips on places to stop for coffee, snacks and sight seeing.
I would recommend this tour to anyone who enjoys biking. I would warn some people that although you are usually on a bike path, it is often a designated shoulder of the road. You do need to be able to get off and on your bike quickly sometimes at intersections, so it can be intimidating for older folks who aren't as nimble as they once were. The car drivers are very used to cyclers and in general are very courteous, but you do need to stay aware of the many other people cycling on the roads and some are very fast. Having said all that, we had a wonderful trip despite rain off and on. You can always stay on the ship if the weather is too bad!
Thomas S.
5 months ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium
Some great self-guided cycling routes.
Would have appreciated more information en route regarding points of interest, not just directions.
Oddly, water was not provided at dinner except at an additional cost - unusual for an active cycling trip when hydration is important.
Also no coffee or tea expect at prescribed times, unavailable if one arrived back to barge later than the prescribed time.
No wifi except at an additional cost.
Janice R.
5 months ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands
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.
susan l.
1 year ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Authentic Holland
Netherlands
Wilma was the highlight. She was our daily update for travel on bike. Loved the barge and the room. Occasionally a diesel odor came into the cabin. We were nearest the engine top deck. But loved it all.
Cesar D.
1 year ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Authentic Holland
Netherlands
The program o the trips was excellent and the chief guide also.
Leslie T.
1 year ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Authentic Holland
Netherlands
Loved the biking through the many forests along our routes. Loved all of the biking, but especially the forests!
susan l.
1 year ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Authentic Holland
Netherlands
The daily rides supported by the bike and boat guide Wilma on the de Holland , was excellent! Each city and countryside we rode through was that much better with the detail of information provided by her. Loved each day.
Be prepared for wind and a little rain in October month.
Sally F.
1 year ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Authentic Holland
Netherlands
Most memorable was the excellent guiding from Wilma who gave us so much information about the routes.
It was wonderful visiting the cities and small towns each day in addition to the countryside.
Kenneth Z.
1 year ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Authentic Holland
Netherlands
Biking through the countryside with new friends - over village streets, up on dikes, through forests, etc. Our group would stop each day for coffee and apple cake with whipped cream to try out the many delicious variations of baked goods. Best found in Bronkhorst.
Ruby d.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Authentic Holland
Netherlands
We are so glad we choose the authentic Holland tour on the de Holland. It was a great blend of forests, wetlands, and Hanseatic cities! The staff was very friendly and helpful, and the food was excellent. I highly recommend this tour.
Hugh C.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Authentic Holland
Netherlands
The last day was my best. I stopped to make a beautiful photo and lost my group. It took over an hour of fast riding and navigation to catch them. Great experience. Amsterdam Castle and its Cafe were superb pleasure.
Martin M.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Authentic Holland
Netherlands
First time I experienced this type of travelling. Overall, I like it. Couple of notes though : the ship was not where it was supposed to be at embarkment ; it was on the other side of the harbour. No communication received about that last minute change. We knew because someone was monitoring vesselfinder. A lot of people did not know. Second, we were not happy with the table arrangements. We got assigned a table on day 1 and were supposed to sit at that table, with the same people, every day. I appreciate the reason, every evening they ask what you want for dinner the next day, and if people then are not at the same table, that system does not work. But, we're travelling with a group. We want to have dinner at a different table every day.
Having said that, the boat and the food was nice, the crew was really good, no, outstanding. The daily tours were well organized and navigating our way was easy.
Hence my 4 star rating of the tour.
Carla • 2 years ago Tripsite Staff
Dear Martin,
I am so sorry the ship had to move at the last minute. Unfortunately I was not notified of this either, but sometimes these last minute changes can be made by docking authorities without much notice. Please note, all of our tours include emergency phone numbers, including directly to the ship and also my personal cell phone, in case there are ever any kind of problems we can help you with!
Harrison and Sharene K.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Authentic Holland
Netherlands
Regarding the tour itself, biking from town to town was well designed and wonderful -- beautiful countryside, lovely towns. We used the Ride With GPS app, which had a few route errors but in general was an excellent, well-executed tool. (Without the app, there were a number of signage errors or absences along the routes that could have caused problems.) The evening tour of Deventer was very well done; the local tour guide was excellent and the evening was perfect for it. We rented e-bikes and they were in great condition. The staff on the boat were all kind and helpful and friendly and the boat was exceptionally clean.
We thought Frans, the bike tour guide, could have done a better job. He was nice, but despite having many years of experience doing this, his evening talks were not always very clear, and he did not mention a number of places along the bike routes that would have been nice for people to know about, most importantly the Airborne Museum in Oosterbeek, which was on the map if you knew where to look but was not highlighted by Frans. We did enjoy the evening Frans played the keyboard in the dining room.
The biggest disappointment was that we had to sit with the same people at dinner every night. We understand there are logistics involved that make it much easier for the staff, but this requirement eliminated what could have been a prime opportunity to get to know others. We happened to be assigned the same table as our best friend, whom we obviously already know very well. We had little in common with the other three and were stuck with them (and they with us) for the whole week. There must be some way (perhaps a buffet a couple of times during the week, or a dinner in town one night) where we could have a chance to meet others, which would have made the trip much more rewarding.
Carla • 2 years ago Tripsite Staff
Hi Harrison,
I am so sorry the ship had to move at the last minute. Unfortunately I was not notified of this either, but sometimes these last minute changes can be made by docking authorities without much notice. Please note, all of our tours include emergency phone numbers, including directly to the ship and also my personal cell phone, in case there are ever any kind of problems we can help you with!
Carla • 2 years ago Tripsite Staff
Hi Harrison,
I am so sorry the ship had to move at the last minute. Unfortunately I was not notified of this either, but sometimes these last minute changes can be made by docking authorities without much notice. Please note, all of our tours include emergency phone numbers, including directly to the ship and also my personal cell phone, in case there are ever any kind of problems we can help you with!
Carla • 2 years ago Tripsite Staff
Hi Harrison,
I am so sorry the ship had to move at the last minute. Unfortunately I was not notified of this either, but sometimes these last minute changes can be made by docking authorities without much notice. Please note, all of our tours include emergency phone numbers, including directly to the ship and also my personal cell phone, in case there are ever any kind of problems we can help you with!
Carla • 2 years ago Tripsite Staff
Hi Harrison,
I am so sorry the ship had to move at the last minute. Unfortunately I was not notified of this either, but sometimes these last minute changes can be made by docking authorities without much notice. Please note, all of our tours include emergency phone numbers, including directly to the ship and also my personal cell phone, in case there are ever any kind of problems we can help you with!
Nancy B.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Authentic Holland
Netherlands
Best Part: Villages
Nancy B.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Authentic Holland
Netherlands
Most memorable part: Small villages & countryside
Jeffrey B.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Authentic Holland
Netherlands
We loved everything about this trip! The boat was clean and comfortable, the crew was wonderful (especially the tour guide, Andre). We loved the cycling through this beautiful country! It was especially exciting to ride through the countryside and explore the unique towns along the way. We were so impressed with the incredible bike path system and the friendly people we encountered.
Jane S.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Authentic Holland
Netherlands
The "directions/highlights " paper along with the offline downloaded directions were terrific. The company's expert experienced routing took us thru scenic backways and villages that we may have missed by simply following a directional app ourselves. We enjoyed being able to ride at our own pace, stop where ever we chose, visit sites, museums, villages, or take photos on our own timeline. This also allowed us to begin the day's ride on our own schedule, enjoy a picnic lunch or lunch in a village center, and return early or later, have a coffee or beer along the way, still knowing when dinner was being served!
David W.
3 years ago
Verified Reviewer
De Holland Authentic Holland
Netherlands
We loved everything about this trip! The cycling experience, the cruising on beautiful rivers and canals, the opportunity to explore interesting and historic cities, the camaraderie onboard the boat, and the care and support of the crew were all wonderful!
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