4 Star Normandie boat/barge tour reviews — 1 to 24 of 24

  Normandie South Holland Tour
Netherlands

The scenery was lovely! We enjoyed our active vacation - we self guided our biking days & between the maps, app, & instructions from our guide beforehand we didn’t get too lost. The staff of the Normandie was amazing!

  Normandie Rotterdam to the Zeeland Province
Netherlands

beautiful weather, really great tour guide (one of the best!), food was reasonable (not the best).

  Normandie Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
Austria, Germany

The normandie boat and crew was well run and has a nice flow to the week. Most memorable moment was Vienna concert operetta

  Normandie Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

We really enjoyed the biking. Most the trails were very nice and the scenery was beautiful.The most memorable part was probably the Wachau Valley. The bikes were very good. The rooms on the boat were good and the food was also plentiful and tasty.We enjoyed the entertainment put on by the crew.

  Normandie Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Best Part? Biking along the Danube the first day in the beautiful countryside. Spectacular!!

  Normandie Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

The biking was absolutely wonderful; so incredibly beautiful especially through the vineyards and orchards. The ride around Bratislava was not marked well at all and 90% of the riders got lost going in all different directions, thank God for smart phones. The food on board was well prepared, always hot and nutritional. Where this trip fell short was the crew abroad the Normandie. Unlike the other TWO Bike and Barge Trips I experienced, this crew was a bit unwelcoming, rude, and times condescending and scolding. Not everyone but it certainly was the feel on the boat and many were talking about it. I know the crew work long hours and they all have to help with most tasks on the boat; however, there would be nothing to do if WE weren't there. I absolutely love this way of travel and will do another one again very soon. This was NOT a Tripsite issue but am hopeful this information will be passed to the appropriate people. Tripsite has been excellent in providing information and always seems to offer a great deal.

  Normandie Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Best Part? The nice people on the boat

  Normandie Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Earlier this year (May), my wife and I did the 4 country bike - barge tour, on the Danube. First I have to remark that everything "Tripsite" advertised was delivered at what we thought to be a reasonable price. In spite of unusually cold (damp) weather, our first experience (s) in Passau, Bratislava, Budapest and Vienna were very memorable highlights. However, aboard the "Normandie" we did have some concerns with the overall tour management. There were some particularly disappointing moments with an apparent strategy to keep the English speaking guests, and non-english speaking guests (mostly German) separated? For our part, we were keen to mingle - assimilate with all the guests aboard. That should not reflect our overall impression of the boat crew, who were very courteous and helpful.

  Normandie Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

This trip provides a chance to explore the rural areas along the Danube by bike and to visit the great cities of Budapest and Vienna. There is a lot packed into this trip.

  Normandie Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Wachau valley was my favorite part...small towns, great shops and wine.

  Normandie Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

I really enjoyed the first and last days a lot which were in the beautiful countryside along the Danube. It was good to see the cities but the visits too short to really visit anything in depth.
I recommend the Mozart concert which I really enjoyed.
I loved meeting people from other countries and wish we could have had meal seating change every couple of days to mix with other people who also were interested in meeting others.

  Normandie Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

  Normandie Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

The most memorable part was Day 6 Rossatz - Pochlarn was the most scenic part of the trail. Magical small villages - wish the whole route could have been like this. Most of the trail was uneventful, some of the trail was in poor shape and rough riding.
Unfortunately, there was a language barrier between the Americans and the tour guide, so instructions were not always clear, and we needed to fend for ourselves most of the time. Certain sections of map were confusing and trail was not well marked. We made it though, and enjoyed the adventure!
Beautiful cities and villages to visit - wish we would have had more time to explore! All in all very good trail ride and good trip!

  Normandie Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
Austria, Germany

We would have like more written details of the areas we were seeing. We also would have liked a stronger wifi connection. Food and service was excellent.

  Normandie Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Guides should have provided a little more detail (distance between turns, landmarks, areas to pay extra attention, etc)

  Normandie Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

I enjoyed staying put at night better than the barge moving at night. We have done both and I enjoy walking around in the evening.I also would not have so many ferry crossings in the next trip. Puts a time factor in the ride.

  Normandie Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
Austria, Germany

Would be nice to sit with other people at meals. Everyone was great and it felt like we were on a camping trip.

  Normandie Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

At times the trip leading gave incomplete information regarding routes, detours and conditions although the German speaking people received better information - he should use a specific outline when giving such information to be sure it is complete.

The food was great except for the Wiener Schnitzel which was not interesting at all. A real disappointment in fact. (I have traveled to Austria often and know a less than impressive meal when I receive it.)

I had booked an extra night in Passau but could not use it due to airline delays. I called Tripsite which could not reimburse me, which I understand. However, I have twice requested a statement from them that I cannot be reimbursed so that I can use it for my trip insurance - I still have not received it.

  Normandie Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
Austria, Germany

Perfect weather, gorgeous scenery, wonderful riding--loved every minute of the trip.

  Normandie Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
Austria, Germany

Wonderful trip along the Danube. If you are biker you will find the bikes lacking. My wife with her spinal cord injury used an electric assist which worked very well.

  Normandie Along the Danube - Passau to Vienna
Austria, Germany

  Normandie Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

They need to provide better maps or route sheets. Manager of the boat (Peter) was very unfriendly and sometimes rude.

  Normandie Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

Trip maps were difficult to decipher in some cases and needed more explanation. There were too many questions of ""which way do we go?, we must have missed our turn, where's the ferry?

Why couldn't we get a cup of coffee or tea before 7am or 4pm? Why couldn't we get a beer in the lounge right after returning from ride? Why couldn't we drop off our panniers before 4 on Friday when the man in charge was sitting at his desk doing nothing? The crew for the most part was accommodating but the Teutonic influence was in evidence too often, and I am 50% German. My grandfather having served for Germany in the First World War.

  Normandie Along the Danube - Four Country Tour
Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary

What I didn't like was the fact that the ships organisers would have known that the Water levels in the Danube would not be sufficient for the boat to moor in Budapest long before they told us. I feel that we weren't told as it would have put in jeopardy people attending the trip.

Otherwise everything else exceeded my expectations. The only staff member who could have done better was the guy in charge of the bike courses.