Santana Adventures Avis 191

It’s our second time cruising with Santana. Impossible to believe but it rivaled or was even better than the first. A sampling of culture, history, scenery and some amazing rides. The tour staff provided solid service and support. The ship provided great accommodation and food. We’re grateful to owners/host Bill and Jan for a meaningful experience. Something my wife Fei, daughter Ellen, friend Greg and myself will talk about for years. We’re already signed up for two more cruises in 2025.

This was our first Santana trip and we will definitely be back! We loved the opportunity to vacation with so many other cyclists. Being on a boat for the entire trip allowed us to unpack once at the beginning of the trip and then not have to pack up again until the end of the trip. That was a nice feature of a cycling cruise. The cycling was challenging but there were route options to fit every rider ability. The trip was well organized and despite the number of people on this trip it still had a personal touch. Santana does a great job, their experience shows. The trips are more expensive than other outfitters but I think the difference is in the cost of the boat. In my opinion it’s worth it.

Well organized, great cycling options each day, terrific stops on both islands. This is my fourth Santana Adventure and I'm looking forward to two more that I've already happily booked.

My husband and I travelled with Santana Adventures April 22 - May 8, 2023. We had never been to Japan before and cannot imagine a better way to become acquainted with many places in the country, the Japanese people, and their history and culture. Although we have travelled extensively to many parts of the word, Japan stands out as the most exotic place we have visited. Part of the reason is undoubtedly that you rarely hear English spoken, but there is so much more about the culture that is intriguing. Bikes in huge cities such as Kyoto and Tokyo, thousands upon thousands of bikes, were NEVER locked. It became a game to try to find one that was, and we never did. Theft is apparently not an issue. During the pre-and post-tours in the two cities, we felt safe anytime of the night in any neighborhood or dark alley. That allowed us to really explore different kinds of neighborhoods and meet so many people from different walks of life with whom we communicated mostly through our photo libraries and, to a lesser extent, via translation programs on our phones. People were fascinated by our bicycling trip, and to a person, everyone said we were getting to see more of their country than they ever had. The Japanese people are also incredibly quiet, which was another unexpected joy. It was such a refreshing delight for us to go into a restaurant and be able to hear each other, even when talking in very soft voices.

So, more about Santana Adventures and our experiences with them. In the Santana Adventures culture, the first thing one asks when meeting new people on a trip is, "Have you biked with Santana before?" The answer is almost always yes, and sometimes nothing short of stunning -- some people have been on 30 or more Santana trips total. To me, this is the best possible testimony regarding how much people enjoy what this company has to offer. Hearing of the very large numbers of return visits from people, I once asked Bill what the stats were on that. It turns out that past participants make up an average of over 90% of each cruise. Most first-time participants book 2 to 3 more cruises with the first two years of their first cruise.

Considering the huge return rate of guests, my husband and I are relative newbies to Santana Adventures. We have been on 6 Santana trips since October of 2017, and we have a seventh booked. Four of the six have been nothing short of 5-star experiences. For the two I would not rate as high (4 stars), one had bicycling stymied by Mother Nature (New Zealand, November-December, 2019). The other had a ship that was simply too large to be able to efficiently tend people to shore for some of the stops where docking was not possible (circumnavigating Tasmania in Australia in December 2022). The tender situation substantially decreased the bicycling quantity on some days on that trip, and it caused other frustrating difficulties as well (such as missing the talks about what to expect the next day). Nonetheless, the same ship used in Australia in December or 2022 was used in Japan in April of 2023, and there the size was not a problem at all because we could dock everywhere we we went and didn't have to rely on tenders to get to shore.

So why do I enjoy Santana Adventure in particular? The routes that Bill and his team create are at the top of the list. I personally do not like to ride with other bicyclists (other than my husband) -- I just don't feel safe. We have always been able to cycle alone, although we would come upon our cycling buddies at planned and unplanned stops along the routes and that is always fun. The routes are very well scouted, and participants are given all the information they need in the "route talks" to determine what level of challenge they are up for on any given day in choosing their route. The Garmin maps provided (now iPhone versions are available, too) are, if necessary, updated until the last possible minute before disembarking to ride for the day to insure the best and safest rides possible.

People interested in trying a Santana trip should keep in mind that port cities can be large cities, and in my opinion, only experienced cyclists are safe in those often-crowded traffic environments that are necessary to navigate before getting out into the often-stunning countryside. I have had several days of the most extraordinarily beautiful days of bicycling in my life of these trips (one being on the Australia trip I mentioned above). The advent of more and more eBike riders on these trips have been a mixed blessing. It's great to be able to take on challenges you wouldn't be able to meet without that assistance, but eBikes also seem to make inexperienced riders think they "will be just fine." They very likely won't be. Well, I have more to say but am out of room. I'll try to put more via my husband, Jim Smeeding.

Loved the bike/cruise concept. Worked well. Showed everyone to go at their own pace.

Loved to experience the history of Normandy on bike. Loved the river boat cruise. Loved the opportunity to be at the finish line for the Tour de France. I wish we would’ve had more time at Monet gardens. I wish we could’ve had the link to the photos longer. We were still in France when the link came out and I didn’t have access to open the link. Then the link expired.

This was a fantastic cruise; if you want to be coddled and have your hand held every step-of-the-way, go on a Disney Cruise. If you want a great adventure seeing Europe on a bike (but without the hassel of being responsible for dragging your equipment around with you), this is the vacation for you. The routes are well-planned, allow for a bit of adventure and riding at one's own pace. Know how to fix a tire. Get miles on your bike before you leave. Enjoy the ride knowing that you have back-up for serious mechanical issues, someone will find you if you are truly lost or injured, and you get off the plane, hand your bike to the crew, and can enjoy yourself knowing that Santana has covered any issue that comes up.

The Japan Cruise was a great experience. Santana Adventures provided all of the necessary information in a timely manner. All of the details were taken care of. Bill and his staff were there every day to answer any questions. The pre and post tour hotels were wonderful. The M S Star Breeze is an excellent cruise ship. The choice of sightseeing locations was all encompassing. This is truly a vacation that I will long remember.

A unique and wonderful trip! Santana has its own special vibe which we connected to right away. The guests are interesting, open and always up for a laugh. Our ship and crew in Tasmania get a resounding A+. The Santana gang was helpful and down to earth. We had a great time.

I had been on multiple Santana bike cruises but Barcelona to Lisbon was truly incredible. First of all, the ship Atlas World Navigator was by far the best of them all - just incredible. And the rides in Spain, Morocco and Portugal were incredible. This was also the first trip we did the group pre-tour because of the rides that had been scheduled (Monserrat and Barcelona) and we really enjoyed it, but as always, the prearranged group meals during the pre-tour in Barcelona was a little mixed - two of the meals were outstanding, but one was extremely mediocre.

Like all the other Santana bike cruise, read their entire website so you understand what you are signing up for. If what they/I describe seems like your cup of tea, you'll love it. If it doesn't, stick with fully escorted, ride in groups type of tours, but we love the independence and mileage to unique and amazing places that Santana bike cruises lets us experience.

Our first Santana adventure cruise was amazing. Very well organized from the bike rental to the Tour de France party. Hearing stories of bike trips in other countries have us wanting more. Bill & Jan are excellent hosts. I Really appreciated Dustin’s help along the way for many reasons. Phillip & Laurie were very helpful after David’s bike crash on the Champs-Elysees. Excellent food on the longship. Great people on board to enhance our evening entertainment at dinner. Shout out to Gail for our daily Yoga sessions on the ships rooftop. We certainly would book another Santana Adventure again… Vietnam is at the top of our list. Sincerely, J & D Hopkinson

I used to hate cruises but Santana brought a whole new perspective. I was able to do what I love most, seeing the countryside at a pedestrian level. Santana did an outstanding job of exposing my wife and myself to the fabric of Japan in a manner that I could not find available anywhere else. Every day was well curated and memorable. Disclaimer: This was our second cruise with Santana and we are signed up for two more in the next two years. We consider it a privilege to be on these trips.

Every ride and destination were very good. The activities / mid-ride stops were excellent and informative experiences about the history and culture of the region.

The Japan bike cruise was a trip of a lifetime! Even though it was the first time this cruise was offered, the logistics went smoothly. The stateroom suite was roomy and very comfortable. There was always a nice choice of routes to choose from that were very scenic. I would recommend Santana cruises to anyone who wants an adventure without sacrificing comfort!

It was a fantastic trip! The cycling routes were great. Riding on almost empty roads was quite a treat. The routes were challenging but the scenery was beautiful and the destinations (little towns and/or archeological sites) rewarding. We really loved been able to spend the night at some ports which allowed us to enjoy the towns.
The ship and facilities were very good and the crew very attentive and polite. Overall it was a wonderful experience. I would definitely recommend it to cyclists that enjoy the freedom of following a route on their own and at their own pace. This was our sixth trip with Santana and were looking forward to some more.

Santana Adventures offers unique cycling cruises with great cruise lines and cycling routes that offer a variety of terrain and distance each day. Cyclists have plenty of independence for each ride as to speed and stops along the way. One or more interesting and/or historical venues are also featured on every ride.

Santana Adventures cycling cruises stand out from other cycling tour operators. They are meticulous and creative in finding destination cruise ports and crafting experiences that meld cycling with each city’s culture and history, all without the every other day unpacking and repacking. Our Spain, Morocco and Portugal cycling cruise was not leisurely (have good bike handling skills, be in decent shape and be prepared for 35-55 miles/day with elevation!) but what we experienced made the effort worthwhile. Our small cruise ship was fabulous, the food excellent, and the camaraderie with fellow cyclists outstanding. Owners and hosts Bill and Jan McCready and the entire Santana Adventures team have cultivated a winning combination of cruise ship luxury and convenience with amazing days of land exploration by bike.

Attention to detail was excellent, The staff took care of the bikes as well as the details of the trip with exceptional care.

Having once served as a logistics officer for a combat Armored Cavalry squadron, I am keenly aware of how hard it is to get all the people and equipment and meals and other services to the right place at the right time. The Santana Adventures team masters the art of logistics, and skillfully and cheerfully managed to provide a once-in-a-lifetime exposure to the beauty and great cycling rides of Greece. We had amazing rides, beautiful scenery, fun and delicious meals, smooth sailing in a fine ship, and courteous and professional hosts. We had it all.

We enjoyed our recent Santana cruise of the Greek Isles very much. The ship was comfortable and the cycling days were lovely. The cruise included two especially good none cycling tours on Rhodes and the ruins of Delos.