Hi, this is Lenny, the IRIS and BikePlanet Tours owner. It has been a long time since I wrote a blog, and I am afraid you may have wondered how we are doing!
So here I am with the latest news about BikePlanet Tours and IRIS!
In 2020/2021 we used the time put upon us with no sailing and tours, to reconvert the cabins and bathrooms! These look modern and sleek, and offer the option to have a double bed or twins. The lights are new and there are USB sockets so no need for adapters to charge your devices.
In 2022 the IRIS could resume its business and sail the whole season. It was a hectic year, with many issues to cover, but we got through thanks to our staff and guests who were ready to travel again!
In 2023, right before the sailing season, we installed a new main engine. This new engine has more power, but most importantly, is reducing our nitrogen output by 90%. So we are now as environmentally friendly as we can be at this point. Next will be the use of other gasoline, which will reduce the carbon footprint. At the moment, this is yet to become available for small ships. There were more upgrades like installing a camera system and a new loading spot for the E-bikes, upgrading our shore electric options, and much more you don’t need to know 😉
What you need to know is that Wouter van den Berg (my eldest son) is now the manager of the IRIS for a few years already! He is taking over the business, this will be made official at some point, but in practice, it is already his responsibility. All in all, the IRIS started kind of a new life after 2020. So far, so good.
I will remain in charge of BikePlanet Tours and the booking of the IRIS. This is also changing because we will have a webshop soon to “buy” your cabin and pay online. My youngest son Tim van den Berg is building this. We are close to the release and will use it for all IRIS tours in 2024.
We just published our 2024 Calendar and hope to receive bookings sooner than later!
Lenny, 10th of June 2023
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