The Owners
We are Coen & Cristina, here is a short introduction about us, the proud new owners of Merlijn.
A dream coming true, that is how we felt when we started of in april 2019. After working for years as Captains on big 5-star river-cruiseships (150 pax) we dreamed of something else; something smaller, more personal, specialized cruises, running our own business, the list of superlatives is long! We searched and had several ideas untill we coincidently ran into Merlijn. that was it, that was the ship that filled in all the blank spaces! We went a 100% for it, sold our first house, quit our jobs and moved to the Merlijn.
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Coen Captain, Engineer, Guestcontact. |
Cristina 2nd Captain, Host, Chef. |
What is the difference between 'Bike & Barge" and Bike, Barge & Cruise?
Some ship owners call it Bike & Barge, but we at Merlijn feel that term does not tell what a vacation aboard the Merlijn is all about!
Because in addition to cycling (Bike) and staying and dining on board (Barge), we also often sail with our guests on board. Imagine yourself enjoying the sailing during breakfast or after a strenuous bike ride, with or without a drink on one of our terraces.
That is what we mean by "Cruise".
2026 Cruises
With great care, the Merlijn team has put together its season. We face a luxury problem, we have more routes to choose from than we can fit into a single sailing season! Where do we go, what experiences do we want to offer our guests, and what is in demand? In addition, new routes have been developed, Merlijn guides were sent out, and owners Coen & Cristina traveled to Eastern Europe to map out a new route. Closer to home, a new Tulip Route was created, and Merlijn was so excited about it that it was named the "Tulip Expedition"!
Beyond these popular new routes, we have also worked on improving existing ones. We always look for ways to make them even better, cycling routes, sailing routes, harbors, excursions, every trip undergoes adjustments. The routes introduced in 2024, which were operated for the first time, have also been reviewed and refined where necessary.
Here you can find Merlijn's 2026 schedule in a handy overview
2027 Cruises
Every winter, we put together the big puzzle for the next cruise season. Where will Merlijn go, which cycling routes will we offer, and what will our guests want most?
In 2027, Merlijn will return to northern Germany and Poland, a sailing area with Merlijn's most special routes, which we haven't visited for two years!
These routes are in high demand and Merlijn's crew is eager to return! Places such as Bremen, Wolfsburg, Berlin, Szczecin (Stettin) and Malchin will once again feature on the itinerary schedule.
The 2027 season is now open for group bookings where the entire ship is booked by one group. For individual bookings, we ask for your patience; we will launch the tours on the website on February 14, 2026.
Here you will find a handy overview of all 2027 routes.
Cycling Technique
Cycling technique
Most important to us is your mastery of cycling technique. For instance, how to control the bike, you will encounter many obstacles along the way. You need to be able to take short turns or avoid an unexpected pole. You control the bike and decide where to go, not the other way around. Being able to use the brakes properly is important, to decelerate or gradually bring the bike to a stop.
In addition, it is desirable if you understand the operation of gears on the bicycle, this will help you tremendously in getting less tired of cycling. A lighter gear to start from standstill and then shift to a heavier gear as you gain more speed. A lighter gear to go up a hill, and a heavier one to cycle back down. And so on.
Once on board we will explain to you how to operate our bikes, as this is different for each bike. We are happy to do this on the first day. The guide can also give you a suggestion about your cycling technique during the bike tour. However, please note that we cannot teach you how to ride a bike.
Riding an e-bike
If you want to rent one of our electric assisted bicycles, this section is for you! The fun and freedom of a bicycle, with a little leg support, is what you can expect from an e-bike. There are quite a few different types on the market, so we want to briefly explain what you can expect from our e-bikes.
It is a pedal-activated system; when you start pedaling, the motor will start assisting. You can set the level of support with plus and minus buttons on the handlebars. When you stop pedaling, the motor stops. In short, it is not a scooter.
The e-bike is heavier than a regular bicycle, nevertheless, it is easy to handle. The extra weight is cleverly distributed making the bike balanced, and as easy to handle as a regular bike. It is very important to know that the bike will only support you in moving forward, it will not help you with the cycling itself. This may sound logical, yet we often see this misconception.
Earlier we described the necessary cycling technique, this is perhaps even more important for using our e-bikes. Because of the support, you will probably cycle faster than normal, accelerate faster, go through turns at more speed and have to brake harder. So you also need good cycling skills to ride an e-bike. We will explain more on the first day of cycling, if you want to look up information beforehand you can search the web for "Bosch smart system”.
Easy, moderate or expert?
Elsewhere, all cycling tours are usually described with a single rating "easy".
Merlijn likes to use two distinct ratings: Endurance and Agility.
- Endurance is generally rated as "easy." Only tours with significantly longer distances or more hills will receive a higher rating.
- Agility is set to "moderate" by default. Riding in a group and navigating busier paths requires more agility than you might think.
Only tours that demand more agility than you may have experienced on previous Merlijn tours (or other bike & barge tours) will receive a higher rating. Tours with a higher agility rating are not extreme or vastly different from our other routes. Bike paths are sometimes of slightly lower quality than what we are used to, difficult surfaces, local traffic situations and intersections can be less clear, and it is more common that there is no separate bike lane. We believe it is important to mention these aspects in the tour descriptions and ratings.
Most of our trips are marked as 'easy endurance' what does this mean? It means it is easy for a healthy person who rides a bike regularly. A tour marked 'moderate endurance' has this status mainly because of longer distances on avarage or roling hills on the route.
Most people's stamina is fine for our rides, the bike tours are spread throughout the day (usually from 9AM to 3PM or 5PM) and there are several short and longer stops. Sometimes we even visit things along the way. In this way, the tour is also manageable for the less trained cyclist. It is leisure cycling, not a Tour de France.
Single traveling
Merlijn does not have single rooms, but you can book a double room for sole use. You will get a small discount on the room price, the room price is the rate per person, times 2. We will give you a 10% discount on the room.
Here's a fictitious amount as an example; the per person rate is €2000, the room rate is then €4000, the single rate is then €3600.
Perhaps it is good to know that our rooms are also very suitable for sharing with a travel partner, such as a friend or family member. The beds can be placed apart if you indicate this when booking. double the number of people is double the fun!
You can book your cabin for single use directly via our website.
Blue Danube tour of Germany & Austria
August 15 - 22 / 2025
Blue Danube tour of Germany & Austria
August 22 - 29 / 2025
Blue Danube tour of Germany & Austria
August 29 - September 05 / 2025Where we sail
The no. 1 in bike and barge cruises across Europe
The Merlijn sails on:
- All rivers & lakes of Holland/Netherlands, including the IJssel, Meuse, IJssel Lake, inland lakes of the Randmeren, the Waddensea, the Groene Hart van Holland (Green Heartlands) commencing in Amsterdam and running via Gouda/Delft to Kinderdijk.
- In Germany we sail the Rhine, Moselle, Saar, Main, Main-Danube-canal, Danube, Neckar, Midlandcanal, Havel, Weser, Oder, Peene & more.
- In Belgium we sail the Schelde and several canals to Bruges & Brussels, from there to Maastricht.
- In France we sail the Moselle, as far as to Nancy.
- In Poland we sail the West-Odra and cross the Lake Stettiner haff, also we dock in the city of Szczecin.
- The Danube deserves a special mention: from 2022 we will sail on this river through Germany & Austria until we reach Vienna.
- In the future we add a little more and we also cross Slovakia to sail as far as Budapest in Hungary.
Merlijn's Captain knows all these waters & their natural surroundings well, and knows where the most tranquil spots are to be found.
The last news
Thursday 03 july 2025
A new season, a new helm
Behind the scenes, Merlijn is constantly evolving, not only in comfort, but also in technology.
This winter, we completely renewed the ship’s steering system. With upgraded components and modern navigation tech, the new helm ensures smoother sailing, greater precision, and enhanced safety.
You might not see it, but you’ll definitely feel it when you're on board.
Wednesday 02 july 2025
We’re happy to introduce a new team member: Kim
Kim recently joined Merlijn and has already become a trusted point of contact for our guests. She happily answers questions, arranges bookings, excursions, and much more behind the scenes. But who is Kim, really? She’s happy to introduce herself to you:
"Hi! I’m Kim, I’ve been working at Merlijn for the past few months, with great pleasure! My work is wonderfully varied: I answer emails from (future) guests, help with bookings, make sure all excursions are arranged, assign rooms and book extras like e-bikes. I also process photos that are later used on the website, in travel documents or newsletters. No day is the same, and I love that.
What I enjoy most is the contact with our guests and the great collaboration with Coen and Cristina. I felt welcome right from the start.
Through Petra, Coen’s sister, I got in touch with Cristina. We started talking, and I shared how much I liked that they combine river cruising and tourism. I worked in tourism 16 years ago, and I also spent 15 years sailing with my husband Jan on our inland cargo ship. When Coen and Cristina asked me if I’d like to work for Merlijn, it immediately felt right. I’m really glad I said yes!
In my free time, I love being with my family, Jan and our three sons: Finn, Jens and Tijn. We do a lot together. I also love dancing and teach dance classes. I still often join Jan on board our ship, enjoy organizing things, and love weekends away and going on holiday.
This autumn, I’ll be on board Merlijn myself for the first time, together with Jan. We’ll be joining the 'Rhine, Moselle & Saar 3-river tour', which departs on October 24. I’m really looking forward to experiencing what our guests enjoy during a journey like this. It helps me to inform and assist them even better."
Tuesday 01 july 2025
The latest news
In my career as captain and owner of the Merlijn, I have always avoided politics and religion. Not because I don't dare to talk about them, but because I find it completely unimportant on board a ship. Nevertheless, I feel called upon to write something about the latest (political) news.
I suddenly find it important that everyone knows that when you travel with Merlijn, you will not be judged on your nationality or political choice. Not by us, and not by other passengers. We welcome many international guests from all corners of the world on each of our tours. What you have in common is that you all chose Merlijn for your vacation. Some heard about us, others saw us on YouTube and a few found us through a travel agency. Our guests have one more thing in common: their love of active cycling vacations. When we welcome you on board you leave the ordinary world behind you, including the latest news and stress. All of this makes any political differences fade away and makes way for a wonderful community feeling during your Bike & Barge Cruise.
I would like to wish everyone who will be joining us in 2025 lots of fun preparing for your active holiday, getting out there and riding your bike.
Are you considering visiting Merlijn in 2026? Then don't wait any longer to book, there is still plenty of choice and we are ready to accept your booking!
Greetings, Captain Coen.