Reviews

All the staff were great, very friendly and helpful. Meal’s fun and enjoyable, rides were very fun. Housekeeping, prompt and thorough. All good.

Amsterdam to Bruges aboard Zwaantje with guides Marcel and Alfons, Captain Bart, Mate Brando, Chef Frank and Host Milton; May 4 -11. We were the only first-time bike tourists on this trip and not really sure what we were in for. Very happy with the trip and the overall experience. Marcel and Alfons were fantastic guides – very knowledgeable and they took great pride in conveying the history around us. They managed bike maintenance and repairs on the go smoothly and efficiently. Chef Frank’s meals were amazing – always an entree, main course and dessert – varied, delicious and plentiful. His pre-meal presentations were entertaining! Our host Milton kept our cabins tidy and refreshed, so welcoming after a day’s ride. Captain Bart and Mate Brando were an excellent team – our travels were always smooth and comfortable. There were a couple of opportunities to make two groups but most people chose to stay in one group. The pace was just right for us – a couple of brief rest/bio breaks on the routes as well as a lunch stop made for comfortable biking. It was a lovely way to really experience the countryside and the amazing bike paths. Accommodations were fine, I think the word is cozy but it was a smaller boat so that’s expected. Very happy with this trip!

We really loved cycling in the Netherlands and Belgium. The barge was very comfortable and the food was 5+ stars. The staff did an incredible job taking care of us. We were disappointed in the bike riding. We expected to have route options each day, but the guides only offered one route. The cycling was less than we expected and much slower. There were a lot of coffee breaks and time we felt was wasted that we could have been cycling.

The boat was five star, new and modern and comfortable. The chef was outstanding. (Manigfique IV) Our guides were friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. We had added nightly digestive walks with guided talks in the towns in which we were docked. We will definitely do another of these trips. Loved it!

Great bikes, great boat, great staff. Awesome holiday.

This boat and bike trip was amazing! The food was fantastic, the tour guides and bikes rides were the best and the cleanliness of the boat was great! I wouldn’t change a thing… thanks so much!

Best trip ever

The staff was really caring and humorous. The food was 1 st rate.

The staff were great. Despite issues with boat engine, we were still able to do a modified program that was satisfactory

We recently completed a tour from Amsterdam to Bruges on the Magnifique IV. While most aspects of this tour met our expectations, some were disappointing. The ship itself was excellent and the majority of the crew was friendly and professional. The rental bikes were functional but showing the wear and tear of a long rental season. They were also obviously designed to be sturdy and maintenance free rather than easy to ride. (Even on the very flat terrain I was seldom able to use the top 4 gears out of the 7). Our lead tour guide, Frans, was excellent, but his assistant Corrine really needs more training. She at times seemed to be lost even with paper maps and Ride with GPS. By her own admission, she had no clue of how to change a flat, or any mechanical aspect of the bikes. Because she seemed to be under stress, she did not handle some interactions with the tour participants very well. While our ship was being captained by Walter, the shipowner, the interface between the ship operation and the tour was quite seamless, but when Walter left and was replaced by Captain Chris, it seemed like all coordination between the two went awry. While the food on board was generally excellent, it was quite evident that some things were “running out” and not being replenished toward the end of the week, because this was the last tour of the season. I would also have liked more variety in the offerings for our packed lunches (like peanut butter) and better packaging (stretch wrap or baggies) for the routine ham and cheese sandwiches. I would like to compliment their logistical flexibility in being able to pick us up on the side of the river when we we late arriving due to a train system malfunction. We were very thankful for that. Also, the way the two ship hostesses kept everything spotless on board while also serving food and drinks, was as good as any cruise we have ever been on. They (Laura and Joline) worked tirelessly and were always very pleasant and professional. Overall, I would travel with this company again, but maybe a little earlier in the season.