Sailing Home boat/barge tour reviews — 31 to 60 of 98
Joan K.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium
Every aspect of the trip was delivered as advertised. Crew and cycling guide were outstanding. Sailing Home was more than comfortable and food was plentiful and delicious.
Bruce F.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands
Meals were delicious. E-bikes turned the trip into sightseeing rather than difficult exercise. Great way to see the countryside. Rooms were clean, comfortable and air conditioned. Bathrooms were clean and big enough. Crew and guide were friendly, open and accommodating.
Given that the climate is warming it is time to air condition the upper deck.
James M.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands
Almost everything. Boat and staff were both wonderfull. Scenery was magnificent, got lucky with great weather.
Lynne B.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands
Biking through the country side in Belgium and the Netherlands. Very beautiful villages, and the open fields in the countryside. And of course the people we shared the trip. with.
Benjamin D.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands
The barge crew and the bike guide were fabulous. Friendly, accommodating, informative, flexible, and knowledgeable.
Jan S.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands
Weather was great! no rain at all. Biking was very easy. I had no idea. I was the sweeper for the group. There were quite a few Americans that really had no clue about the rules of the road for bicycles and how bikes interact with cars and pedestrians. A quick overview at the start would be helpful for them. Especially who has the right of way at intersections. At times the group was too big and therefore the train too long. Also a break-up according to ability might be wise. My bike was really too small for me. It was an "L" frame and it should have been an "XL" frame, which is what I had requested.
Sharon M.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands
Marjan kept a constant cycling pace within the condor level of all riders. Everyone stayed together and the group did not get strung out.
Sharon does not bike bit had a wonderful time on the Sailing Home just watching the beautiful scenery.
Loved taking a walk in the small villages and towns.
want to thank the chef for being creative with a creative cuisine
Also another thank you to Marjan for calling us a taxi and waiting with us to make sure we were OK.
Emily E.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands
joseph h.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands
The barge was far better then expected; the meals way above expectations; the staff excellent.
Diane C.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home Holland Southern Tulip Tour
Netherlands
The crew on the boat made everything delightful !!
kevin e.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home Holland Southern Tulip Tour
Netherlands
suggestions for others: our guide, Pete, did his best to keep everyone happy in terms of difficulty. there were times that were seriously challenging for some of the Read More members(specifically the dunes day). My suggestions include: if you haven't biked before, please do so. An e-bike is not a solution to poor biking skills: they are heavy and hard to start. There is a lot of stop and go in the cities, especially Rotterdam. Especially if vegetarian or vegan, consider bringing/ buying at lunch stops extra food/ more or diverse food. One of the lunch/ coffee stops in particular had fabulous food.
even though he didn't bike, my 83 year old father had a great time hanging out with our captain and crew and still logged something like 12,000 steps/ day.
Janet L S.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home Holland Southern Tulip Tour
Netherlands
The tulips were gorgeous, Keukenhof was a highlight and a nice break.
The bike paths were easy, fun and relaxing,
Food was plentiful and the chef did a good accommodating various diets and planned varied and delicious menus.
The other guests were friendly, fun, and interesting.
The crew were all kind and patient.
The hybrid bikes were comfortable.
The guide (Piet) was knowledgeable, and gave historic walks almost every night.
Cons:
Riding in the cities was stressful. There was too much urban riding with many treacherous intersections, bike and pedestrian traffic. It seemed very unsafe.
The e-bikes mixed into the group were a problem. Some of the riders couldn't control the e-bikes. Also, riding up and down hills through the dunes, with a strong head wind was gave the e-bike riders an advantage.
The size of the group (24) was too large for a single guide. He struggled to be present for everyone.
The large gap Read More in abilities of the riders was problematic. This tour was rated easy, but some riders were extremely fit and pushed the pace.
Some of the schedule didn't work well. On the hardest riding day, we started the bike tour very late, after shopping in town and museums. We barely had time to eat lunch that day . But the ride through the dunes was difficult. I'm not sorry we went, but I wish we had left earlier and taken some breaks.
We were close to the end of tulip season and so didn't see as many as earlier tours.
Jehiel • 2 years ago Tripsite Staff
Hi Janet,
Thanks for taking the time to leave this feedback. Sorry to hear you were uncomfortable with some of the biking. Larger groups and varying abilities can be difficult to manage. I can assure you your safety is a guide's top priority. We will share this feedback with the boat, so they can make improvements.
We are glad you still had a great time! Thanks again for sharing.
Christopher C.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home Holland Southern Tulip Tour
Netherlands
1. Kukenhof gardens was our favorite part of the trip- absolutely gorgeous.
2. The staff was awesome- friendly, cheerful, energetic.
Diane C.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home Holland Southern Tulip Tour
Netherlands
The most memorable parts of the tour were the beautiful weather and camaraderie amongst the boat personnel and bike riders ….a pleasure to be around for the week . Very attentive to detail , boat spotless , amazing food and fun activities! Couldn’t ask for a better crew …
Patricia B.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home Holland Southern Tulip Tour
Netherlands
The ship "Sailing Home" and it's crew were fantastic. The food each day was 5star healthy and plentiful.
Vivian M.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home Holland Southern Tulip Tour
Netherlands
The Tulip Tour aboard Sailing Home was absolutely fabulous!! All members of the crew and the bike tour guide were amazing. The fields of flowers and overall scenery on the route were fantastic. One word of advice - if you’re not an avid biker, rent an e bike. The winds can be quite strong and just a little bit of power provided by the bike goes a long way. It wii help keep the pack together. This tour is highly recommended!!
Joel F.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home Holland Southern Tulip Tour
Netherlands
The most memorable was biking through the low lands, seeing the difference in water / land level, local animals and how /where they built their homes. Riding through and around the Keukenhof was great for us tulip lovers. Also Windmills and more windmills at the Kinderdijk...fantastic scenic. This trip was well orchestrated and executed we had an unforgettable time.
Christine S.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home Holland Southern Tulip Tour
Netherlands
Sailing Home was a lovely barge, extremely clean, and the staff was delightful. Truly a wonderful experience.
Eleanor (Ellie) R.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home Holland Southern Tulip Tour
Netherlands
The rides through the countryside were memorable, with the freedom of movement, the vibrant spring colours and the sight of waterfowl going about their nesting tasks, while cycling through some pretty challenging spring weather. Then we got back to the boat, welcomed again on board by a crew also glad to be back after two yeas of covid restrictions. The meals were very good, the guide always helpful and my travel companions friendly and interesting.
After two years of emails and trying to salvage something of a planning disaster during covid, I found the actual trip well organized and I could trust it would turn out well. I would do it again.
I had a medical issue re an allergic reaction on my face and the guide and crew handled it well, making me a doctor appointment and certainly following my recovery closely. For a person travelling alone it was reassuring and comforting.
Deborah C.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home Holland Southern Tulip Tour
Netherlands
Windmills, cycling and millions of tulips. What could be more wonderful? The barge, Sailing Home, was by far the nicest vessel we have stayed on for a bike and barge. The food was amazing, the Captain very welcoming, and the staff efficient and friendly. The itinerary was interesting and well planned. Do be sure to dress for the changeable weather!
Maurice W.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium
This was a most excellent way to explore the county, with most excellent service on the boat, Sailing Home. We liked the small size of the group (23 riders, 1 tour guide, the captain, the chef, and 2 assistants). And the chef was amazing. She served superb dinners from different regions or counties, each with a guided explanation of what the foods represent. After dinner we had well paced guided tours of the cities we were docked at. Ghent, Belgium was my favorite. The guest quarters were top notch and we’ll maintained. I would love to sail with them again.
Robin W.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home Holland Southern Tulip Tour
Netherlands
Our guide was terrible!
The crew on the ship very nice.
Food excellent.
Carla • 4 years ago Tripsite Staff
Hi Robin,
As I understand from following up with you, the guide was cycling too fast to keep up with some riders but other riders felt like they did not have a relaxed pace of cycling. I encourage anyone to please talk to the guide if you are not satisfied with his service. This can make a great difference. I am happy to hear you enjoyed the tour otherwise!
Pamela R.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home South Holland Tour
Netherlands
Sailing on the barge through Rotterdam harbour. This bike and barge tour was amazing. The barge was so comfortable,the crew were wonderful,food was absolutely first class.Our guide did a fabulous job,and was so nice.We would urge anyone thinking about travelling in Holland to consider doing a bike and barge tour with this company.We are in the upper age group,and had no trouble keeping up.
Gertie B.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home North Holland Tour
Netherlands
A perfect experience - great staff - very flexible - excellent meals
Cindy L.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium
I cannot say enough about this trip. The entire experience was amazing. We were on the Sailing Home which is beautifully appointed and the rooms are small but quite comfortable. The crew made sure that our every need was met. We got caught in a bad rain storm one afternoon and when we arrived back at the boat we were greeted by the crew with baskets for our wet shoes and jackets to dry everything for us before the next day. The food was amazing, every meal was 5 stars and the chef was not only talented, but charming! Our tour guide, Seitse, was a true scholar who loves his country and is proud to share his knowledge of the land, the people and the rich history. Every night he offered walking tours through the town for anyone who was interested. We saw the country up close and personal, riding through the fields, towns and neighborhoods in a way we we could not have done without the bikes and our guide. We will definitely do another trip, however the next one will have a lot to live up to!
Judy L.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands
Coming around a corner in rural netherlands and seeing a tradition windmill complete with thatched roof! Beautiful!
Montgomery M.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home Bruges to Amsterdam
Belgium, Netherlands
The Sailing Home exceeded my expectations! The crew was excellent, the scenery magnificant, and I totally didn't expect a French-trained gourmet chef to prepare our meals complete with nightly explanation of each dish and it's country of origin. This is an intimate cruise ship experience for only 24 persons.
Richard R.
5 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium
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.
Kathy C.
5 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium
The food on the barge was amazing! We had strong winds for the bike but our leader made modifications to give people options for shorter routes. Amazing trip!!
Jackie L.
5 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Sailing Home South Holland Tour
Netherlands
My wife and I had never done a bike trip before, let alone a boat and bike one. Our South Holland Tour turned out be fabulous that way exceeded expectations. The Dutch landscape was beautiful. Our boat, Sailing Home, was charming and immaculate. A daily highlight was getting to know our fellow shipmates over dinner. And what dinners! They were of varying cuisines lovingly prepared by Eline, our Cordon Bleu-trained chef. Some random thoughts: 1) we brought our own helmets, but it was unnecessary as the boat had helmets of varying sizes, 2) I was anxious about the quality of the bicycles on board which turned out to be needless worry; our 24-speed bikes were in great condition, 3) we had no idea who our fellow travelers might be, and strangers became friends who shared email addresses at trip’s end. We’ve had multiple vacations in Asia and Europe; our South Holland Tour was one of the memorable.
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