Tulip Tour - 7 day Tour Reviews — 1 to 30 of 50

Outstanding ship, and the tour guide was nothing short of fantastic.

Every day was a new adventure along winding canals from pastures, to fruit groves, windmills, cheese farms, little towns, and past back yards with sheep, chickens and goats.

We got the feel of our trip from the start, when we were met at the dock by the captain, who took our luggage up to the deck. And his wife, Christina, who prepared the most delicious meals every evening explaining what we were about to feast on!!
And one of our most memorable experiences was our incredibly knowledgeable , organized and fun tour guide Japke!! The trip was amazing and the Merlijn and staff were wonderful.

Amazing bike and barge trip! The ship was luxurious, extremely clean and well organized. The food was delicious,and the cook was very accommodating. The bed were very comfortable and the crew so friendly. Our guide was outstanding. We biked for 5 days in various gorgeous areas and learned so much about the Netherlands, the people, the history, the tulips business, the cheese and the windmills. We had time to explore on our own and to relax on a terrace or on the deck of the ship.

Every day was a great day and a new memory. One day it was windmills, another tulip fields and farm, and another a cheese farm and beautiful countryside. One tip would be that if you get an ebike to make sure you can handle the weight of the bike.

The biking through the windmills and tulips was such a different experience. Also, arrangements were made to talk to the miller at the windmill with a peek into the windmill itself and to the tulip grower and the cheese maker. Fabulous!
However, all parts of the Merlijn experience were outstanding!! That is the best barge we’ve ever been on and our second time on the Merlijn. (We had been on 2 other bike/barge trips.)
You can’t do better for a bike/barge trip than the Merlijn. The staff, the accommodations, and the food are fabulous!

The biking was the best part of the trip for me. Our guide was so knowledgeable and took us through small towns so we could get a real feel for life in Amsterdam. She was great!

Most memorable part were the tulips. Visually, they were spectacular, but is was also interesting learning about growing them

The Merlijn boat has been beautifully redone for hosting passengers. The main salon is attractive and comfortable and the cabins are well appointed. The food was delicious and the menu was varied. All of the bikes (we rode e-bikes) were like brand new and in excellent working order. The provided helmets had a microphone system built in that allowed all 24 of us to hear everything our guide had to say! The biking tour was also excellent with extensive details and observations provided by our wonderful guide, Tamy! Last, but not least, I thought our breaks and bathroom stops were well timed. Thank you to the Captain and crew!

Seeing the Netherlands up close from the bike was fantastic. Our guide was very knowledgeable and personable.

Biking under the excellent leadership of Tammy. The equipment was excellent. The pace of the trip perfect for retirement aged people

Barge and crew were great. Plentiful and tasty food. Our guide was superior

The bike rides and the food.

The scenery was beautiful! The people that we biked with were great companions for the week!

What a fantastic trip! From start to finish, this was a top-notch experience in all areas making it a great value, as well. The Merlijn is a beautiful boat and just the right size. Plenty of room to enjoy my time when not biking, whether visiting with other passengers or reading a book on my own. The rooms were spacious enough and comfortable with everything I needed. The Captain and Crew are professional, knowledgeable, and extremely nice and accommodating. All our meals were deliciously prepared by Christina. From a buffet breakfast and hand packed lunch to a 5-star dinner every night. Not only was every meal delicious as well as beautifully served, but accommodations were also made for each person whether it was gluten-free, vegetarian or if you just don’t like goat cheese! The bike rides were well planned and expertly guided by Tammy. We learned the rules of the road and felt safe at every turn. We kept a comfortable pace allowing us to take in the scenery. Be prepared for the weather – just in case! Tammy shared her extensive knowledge along each ride as well as providing a walking tour during the evenings in each new city. We saw windmills and waterways, churches and cheeses, architecture and apple pie! And, of course, flowers. While we were a bit early for the full tulip blooms, we also saw daffodils, hyacinth and the trip to the Keukenhof met all the flower needs! Highly recommend this trip!

Fabulous guide, beautiful bike rides, wonderful food on the boat, great boat crew, fun group of travelers....overall it was a fantastic experience!

My immediate response would be the expert cycling guide (Tamara), who insured we were 1) safe and knew the cycling etiquette in the Netherlands, 2) took the time to stop and educate us at special points of interest and 3) invited any passengers to accompany her on after dinner walks through the towns the barge overnighted at. Equally memorable were the gourmet meals prepared by Christina and her team. Each night she would announce dinner at 6:30 pm sharp and begin her detailed yet brief explanation of what we were about to savour that evening.

This was my first barge trip. Everyone on the trip who had been on other barges informed me that I had started at the top! The crew was amazing and provide first class service. The chef is the captain's wife and cooked us 5 star meals. The lunch she packed for the bike trips was wonderful each day. She accommodated the gluten-free passengers. Our tour guide, Tamy was knowledgeable and friendly. I learned so much about the cities where we docked and the countryside where we rode. This was my first bike trip and the description was accurate. The ride was flat and easy which made looking around at everything pleasurable. I loved that there were only 24 passengers on the boat. I got to know them all and enjoy their company at meals and during the rides. Since this was the first tulip tour of the season, the tulips were not yet blooming in the fields. However, there were many other flowers blooming to see on our ride. We saw many many tulips and other flowers at the Keukenhof where we spent several hours. I am looking forward to traveling on the Merlijn again in the future!

Was the wonderful guide and the beautiful scenery we encountered every day. Peaceful countryside.The boat was top notch and the hosts went out of their way to make things nice . Food was well presented with lovely courses. I would recommend this tour to others.

Trying to identify the most memorable part of my trip Is really quite difficult. Initially, I thought seeing the tulips in Kuekenhof was the best. The colors were so vibrant that it was like a sensory overload. Thankfully, there are some things you can't un-see. However, bicycle riding for a week through bucolic settings, windmills, and picturesque Dutch cities was also most memorable. Finally, the time I spent on the Merlijn can't really be relegated to second place. The ship was lovely and clean. The captain and crew were warm and hospitable. The meals were expertly prepared and presented. Ultimately, the time I shared with the other 20 passengers was unforgettable. Yes, I have failed dismally to single out a single most memorable part of a fantastic trip.

There were many memorable parts including the wonderful people on the boat, the boat crew, the comfort of the boat, fabulous food and of course the beautiful scenery we biked through. The tulip fields were spectacular! Our tour guide was a gem! My only complaint was not having enough time in each port but our cruise was only 7 days and if you take a longer tour there is more for relaxation.

It was so smooth. The small size of the group, the fact that the owners of the barge live on board and their love for the vessel is shown on every part. This barge is loved and the people running it and working on it care about what they do and have welcomed you into their home as guests (an over-used word in the hospitality industry but accurate in this case). The Merlijn is comfortable and lovely. The meals were hearty and good. The bikes were in great shape and Thomas, who lead our tour, was engaging and very knowledgeable (and patient with the less keen cyclists and fanatics alike). He knows his way around the paths and he is very knowledgeable about the Netherlands and every town, village and city we stopped in. He adjusted the route when needed and even made excellent suggestions for after the tour. The beauty of the Netherlands and the Tulips is documented in millions of photos and paintings but to actually cycle through it, day after day revealing something new and seeing the beauty of each new town and field was marvellous.

There were two main memorable parts of this trip. First, the Dutch countryside and cycling infrastructure are amazing. We were fortunate to have clear weather and lovely, cool riding temperatures for our trip through the Green Heart of the country. The route planning was excellent, giving us opportunities to see farmland, cities, beautiful small communities, polders, and of course, picturesque windmills. Second, the Merlijn is a memorable ship: beautiful, comfortable, hospitable, and first class, no one could ask for a better barge/cruise experience.

We had a wonderful trip. No down time to relax but this trip was about biking and seeing the sights. The trip is rated easy and I am a healthy 65 year old woman and in pretty decent shape and the rides challenged me every day. The guide was incredible and so was the boat and staff.

Our trip was fantastic!
Our guide Hugo was the highlight of the trip!!
The food was excellent ..
The drinks were reasonable priced..
The crew was so nice!!
Can’t say enough great things about our trip!!

The crew members were outstanding hosts. They never got tired of answering questions or making suggestions to make it a great week....even though the weather was awful. Cold/ windy/dreary. I missed a couple of days on the bike and the cruising part of the trip was wonderful.

The boat, the crew, the guide, were all fabulous. Traveling alone, I never felt alone. It was the perfect way to see the country, learning the tulip trade, about the culture and cycling in all kinds of weather made this a very memorable trip. I must say, there was more than one experience as a florist I enjoyed the flowers and learning about their farms, the windmills and how they irrigate the canals, and the windmill keeper who gave us an extensive tour of his windmill and how it operates.

I would recommend this trip for people of all ages. The staff on the Merlijn was wonderful. As were the scenery, biking, and the people of the Netherlands. Be aware that the weather fluctuates in the spring and come prepared. All of the water ways cause it to be windy as well. But it is well worth it!

Best part: Biking through the Dutch countryside and being exposed to the Dutch people and their wonderful culture, history, and way of life.

[Merlijn](https://tripsite.com/bike-boat/boats/deluxe/merlijn/) and her crew were outstanding hosts for our Tulip Tour. Our guide, Ilsa, was knowledgeable and full of energy and interesting information everywhere we toured.