.Hotel Boats, Restaurant Boats and Cruises
Hotel boats take all the hard work out of the holiday. Someone else manages the boat and someone else does the catering. You just lay back and enjoy the ride.
That's not to say you cannot get involved the crews are generally happy enough to let you steer and take part in other activities, but the responsibility is not yours and you can opt in and out as you please.Hotel Narrowboats usually run in pairs, one boat for the crew and catering and another for the guests, though the second boat may be an un- powered Butty towed along.behind the first.
Most companies provide a range of cruises covering different parts of the canal system and you may book according to preference.
Mid-week and week-end breaks are usually on offer too.Specialist craft such as the Bywater Horse Draw boats are also available, though here you will be spending days on the boat and nights in hotels ashore. Understandably this is to help accommodate the Horses and the service is only offered on the Montgomery canal, at least from this country.
Larger Wide-beam and Dutch Barge boats are also available, providing more comfort and accommodation space. Though these will be restricted to the routes they can take being too large for the traditional 7 ft locks of the smaller (and more numerous canals).
There is also a Paddleboat available on the river Seven from English Holiday Cruises, which is claimed to be the largest inland waterways craft in the UK. Probably worth seeing even if you cannot get a ride.
Perhaps the other item of note is Highland Voyages' converted Herring Drifter, offering tours of the Scottish canals, Highlands and Island. The boat also being available for small wedding receptions etc
The other option is to depart the UK for the continental canals. Here the canals are much wider and something akin to a Dutch Barge is probably the norm, providing much more spacious accommodation.
If you don't want to stay on the boat or are looking for a short cruise, several companies offer Day Boats including floating restaurants, which presumably cruise the water s as you eat. Not having to provide for overnight accommodation these craft can accommodate quite large parties for celebrations etc... Certainly worth considering if you are looking for something a little different.
The range of type and quality of service is as varied as the boats and the people in charge of them. However the one thing they have in common is a enthusiasm for the waterways and that will mark your experience in their company.
If you are considering a Canal holiday there are several waterways forums such as www.canalworld.net which are often the best way of getting current references and comments for various companies.Below is a table listing a selection of companies with a few notes, Website addresses etc.
Hopefully it will be of some use.
Company
Boats
General
Cruises:
Tel / email
Website
Address
Courses
Canal
A & G Passenger Boats Ltd
Hotel Boats & Restaurants
Restaurant, Festive or Heritage, Birthday Parties, Celebrations etc
1142786314
http://www.sheffieldboats.plus.com/educational.htm
A& G Passenger Boats Arch 16 Victoris Quay Wharf Street Sheffield S2 5SY
RYA Narrowboat Helmsmanship
Various Canals and Rivers
Away4Awhile
Katie
70’ Hotel Boat Mid-week and week-end breaks offerred
Various scheduled cruises around the country
Telephone: 0845 644 5144 From overseas: 44 (0)7866416721 Fax: 0845 644 5246 From overseas: 44 (0)2476 666075 Email: enquiries@away4awhile.co.uk
Away4awhile, 2 Brindley Place, Birmingham. B1 2 JB
Various Canals and Rivers
Bywater Horse Drawn Canal Cruises
Sian
Hotel Boat
April to October Montgomery canal
Enquiries 07971 303416 • Booking Office 079 414 29980 • From Overseas +44 7971 303416 • Email info@bywaterholidays.co.uk
http://www.bywaterholidays.co.uk/
Holiday Cruises Stable Cottage C/O Greenfields Coed Lane Church Stoke Montgomery SY15 6AB
Montgomery Canal
Bywater Hotel Boat Cruises
Hotel boats & escorted tours
Various short cruises offered as well as Hotel boats
Enquiries 07971 303416 • Booking Office 079 414 29980 • From Overseas +44 7971 303416 • Email info@bywaterholidays.co.uk
http://www.bywaterholidays.co.uk/
Holiday Cruises Stable Cottage C/O Greenfields Coed Lane Church Stoke Montgomery SY15 6AB
Various Canals and Rivers
Canal Voyagers
Snipe & Taurus
Hotel boats
Email: info@canalvoyagers.com
http://www.canalvoyagers.co.uk/
11 Wardle Way Kidderminster DY11 5UJ
Various Canals and Rivers
Charter Hotelboat Willow
Willow
Hotel boat
UK Tel Nos:- 07717 845002 or 07702 242100 (00447717845002 or 00447702242100 from overseas) admin@hotelnarrowboat.com
http://www.hotelnarrowboat.com/
Training & consultancy R.E boat handling and management
Various
Caledonian Discovery Ltd
Hotel boat
telephone (from UK); 07711 836441 From overseas;+44 7711 836441 info@hotelboat-holidays.co.uk Tel 0845 601 7895 Fax 0845 601 7897
http://www.hotelboat-holidays.co.uk/
Duke & Duchess Cruising Co. Ltd 9 Lyndale Close Coventry CV5 8AE England
Various Canals and Rivers
Duke & Duchess Hotel Narrowboats
Duke and Duchess
Hotel boat
Tel 0845 601 7895
http://www.hotelboat-holidays.co.uk/
.
Various Canals and Rivers
English Holiday Cruises
Oliver Cromwell & Edward Elgar
Large Paddle Wheel Hotel Boat
Birdwatching Cruises & Others
sales@englishholidaycruises.co.uk
http://www.englishholidaycruises.co.uk
English Holiday Cruises Ltd 3rd Floor, Alexandra Warehouse, West Quay, The Docks,Gloucester GL1 2LG
River Seven
Flagships
Dawn & Dusk Duke & Duchess Periwinkleranquil rose
Hotel boats
info@flagships.co.uk
http://www.flagships.co.uk/cruise_england.htm
Various Canals and Rivers
Go Barging.Com
17 Boats larger Dutch Barges etc
Hotel Boats - Larger, Dutch Barges etc
Fine wines and other excursions
Telephonenternational + 44 1784 4824391 UK 0178 448 2439 USA 1 800 394 8630 CANADA 1888 342 1917 Fax: 44 (0) 1784 483072
http://www.gobarging.com/index.html
GO BARGING - European Waterways Ltd 35 Wharf Road, Wraysbury, Middlesex TW19 5JQ, ENGLAND
Canals of Europe
Highland Voyages
Converted herring drifter
Small wedding receptions, candlelit dinners or other private functions with all the catering.
Mobile: 07786 106 960 Email: info@highlandvoyages.co.uk
http://www.highlandvoyages.co.uk/
Iain MacKay Highland Voyages 'Eala Bhan', The Smithy - Dochgarroch Locks - Inverness IV3 8JG - Scotland
Scottish Highlands & Islands including Loch Ness and the Caledonian Canal
Hotel boat Periwinkle
Periwinkle
Mobile on Board - 0044 (0)7747017263 hotelperiwinkle@aol.com
http://www.hotelboatperiwinkle.com/
Various Canals and Rivers
Inland Waterway Holiday Cruises
Gallingo
Wide Beam Hotel Boat
Email info@bargeholidayuk.com Telephone 07831 110811
http://www.bargeholidayuk.com/
Inland Waterway Holiday Cruises Ham Manor Basin London Road Newbury RG142BP
Restricted to larger waterways: Kennet and Avon, Grand Union R. Seven etc
Ladyline Hotel Boats Ltd
Lady Selena & Lady Margaret
Hotel Boat
http://www.ladylinehotelboats.co.uk/
LadyLine Hotel Boats 18 Plantation Way WhiteHill Bordon GU35 9HD
Various Canals and Rivers
Reed Boats
Oak & Ash
Hotel Boat
Phone 07977 229103 martinreed@reedboats.co.uk
http://www.reedboats.co.uk/booking/booking.html
Various Canals and Rivers
Thames Barge Cruises
Rival Dutch Barge
Hotel Boat
Tel:
http://www.rivalbarge.com/cruises.htm
Canals and rivers
The Barge Lady
Choice of 45 Boats
Hotel Boats
call us at (800) 880-0071.
http://www.bargeladycruises.com/pages/error_page/1.php
European Canals and Rivers
Tranquil Rose Hotel Boat Holidays
Tranquil Rose
Hotel Boats
Tel: 07966 248079
http://www.tranquilrose.co.uk/
Thames & Chilterns Holiday Cruises, Pine Cottage, Canalside, Abbey Road, Llangollen, LL20 8SW
River Thames & Europe
Woodowl Hotel Narrowboat
Wood Owl
Hotel Boats
From UK Telephone: 07981 798 272
Postal Address:: Wood Owl Hotel Narrowboat, 24 Penshurst Ave,
Hessle, East Yorkshire HU13 9EL
Rivers and broad canals