Bike and Boat tour - in the charming south of the Netherlands, on MS Normandie

All accommodation on this trip is in the booked cabin category on board MS Normandie
It is possible to travel alone and stay in a single room on this voyage. If you wish this, it can be selected on the booking form.

All departures require a minimum of 50 guests to depart. Departures will be cancelled at least 21 days before departure if there are not enough seats sold. It is therefore important that you wait to arrange transport to the destination until you have received final confirmation of the trip from us.

Please be aware that a cruise ship in the Netherlands is not only your hotel, but also a machine that occasionally works with engine power at night. Especially when passing locks and bridges - and preparing for the journey - noise may occur. If you are sensitive, please bring your own earplugs.

This tour takes place from Saturday to Saturday.
Prices vary throughout the season, check the exact price by finding your desired start date.

Upon request, it is possible to bring your own bicycle on this tour. Approval from the boat is required, as there is a limit to the number of bicycles that can be accommodated. Your bicycle must be insured, and you must understand that it will be stored together with rental bicycles, packed tightly, and handled by the onboard staff.

Please note that the boat disclaims responsibility for damages and theft of privately brought bicycles.

If bringing an e-bike, it is required that the battery can be removed and brought into the cabin.

There will be a handling fee for bringing your own bicycle - see details on the booking page.

Wearing a bike helmet is not mandatory in the Netherlands, but at Bering Travel, we ALWAYS recommend using a helmet and bringing your own.

The flights to/from Rotterdam are not included in the price. You can easily find a suitable flight via a flight booking engine such as Momondo or Skyscanner.

Notice: we recommend that you book with us and wait for the confirmation before you book your flights.

It works like this:

1. You book your chosen holiday with us
2. We confirm your holiday (usually within 2-4 business days)
3. You arrange your transportation

Getting there
Here is a link for the perfect tool which will help you get an overview of how to get to the starting point of the tour: Rome2Rio

Arrival by car
If you come by car, it is possible to drive directly to the quay where your riverboat docks. Here you give the car keys to a parking attendant, who drives the car into the car park and delivers it back to you at the quay at the end of your trip. The price is approximately 190€ for a week (subject to availability - final price available on booking the parking spot online. This service must be booked in advance, and you will recieve the link (in the practical informations) to do the booking your self, upon confirmation of the tour from us.  

On this trip, you'll stay on the boat for the entire trip in your chosen cabin. There are two options for cabins:

• Cabin on the main deck
• Cabin on upper deck

All cabins have single beds, bath/toilet, ventilation system and a window that can be opened.

All meals are included in the price of the trip. This means:

• 7x Breakfast
• 6x lunch packed lunch
• 6x Afternoon coffee or tea
• 7x Evening meals (3-course menus)

Special meal requests, e.g. dietary or vegetarian food can be accommodated by arrangement.

All drinks must be paid for on board.

• For a stress-free start to your trip, it is recommended to arrive at the starting point early in the evening of the day before. The individual return journey will take place on the last day of the trip.
• The indicated cycling distance is an approximation and may differ from the actual distance.
• This journey is not suitable for people with reduced mobility.

Spoken language on board
On cycling cruises, German is typically the primary language on board, as a large proportion of the participants are German-speaking, and the crew is generally also most comfortable communicating in German. At the same time, participants come from a wide range of countries, making English a natural supplement. The guides speak good English and can, when needed, conduct briefings and provide practical information about the day’s cycling tours in English. You therefore do not need to speak German to feel well informed and take an active part in the tours.

Further important information about your trip by bike and boat
There is always a possibility of changes in the schedule and programme. In the event of extremely high or low water levels, the shipping company reserves the right to bridge parts of the route with a bus or to cancel the trip at short notice without liability (water level is force majeure). The same applies in the case of officially arranged lock and/or bridge repairs not previously announced or in the case of engine damage not caused by the fault of the ship.

Also be aware that your riverboat is both your "holiday hotel" and a working machine, constantly moving with engine power, even at night (sometimes with lock and bridge passengers and consequent ejection and retraction of structures). Particularly noise-sensitive guests are advised to bring earplugs. Lock passages are particularly associated with noise nuisance - it is the same on all boat trips - and unfortunately cannot be changed!

Please note that storage space in the cabin is very limited. In your luggage you should pack good rainwear (jacket and trousers), a helmet, sun hat and sun cream and sports shoes.

Tips are not included in the price.
It is customary to tip the crew of the riverboat at the end of the trip. The level is about 7-10€ from each participant. per day. On a trip like this of 7 days duration, about 50-70€ per person would be appropriate - depending on your experience.
There will typically be an envelope in the cabin for this purpose, or information will be provided to this effect at the end of the trip.

We recommend taking out travel insurance that covers at least illness, accident, repatriation, lost holiday, luggage and liability. As a customer, you are responsible for taking out the necessary travel insurance to cover these costs.

Before taking out insurance, you should check whether you are already covered by travel or cancellation insurance through your home insurance company, credit card or similar - please note that there may be differences in insurance coverage.

After booking this trip, you get access to various discount schemes.

Join the special ‘Bering Cycling Holidays’ group on Facebook. Here you'll be notified about new holidays, special offers and much more.

Link to the group

Note: you need to request membership, but everyone is approved.

When you book a trip with us, we plant a tree in Kenya.

Bering Travel partners with Growing Trees Network, which has been planting trees in Kenya since 2020 in collaboration with Seniorer uden Grænser (Seniors Without Borders). The trees are planted with small-scale local farmers in the Mount Kenya region, as well as at schools, where the fruit helps supplement students’ diets and is incorporated into their learning.

The trees are planted using the shamba method – a sustainable approach that combines reforestation with agricultural crops. This keeps the soil covered with vegetation throughout the year, helping to prevent nutrient loss and reduce erosion.

The contribution to tree planting comes directly from Bering Travel’s own earnings and is not added to the price of your trip.

This initiative is not intended as a carbon offset for travel, but as a way to make a positive contribution.

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