Family & Tandem Cruising
Family charters are available aboard all our hotel barges. You have the whole vessel to yourselves and she becomes a home from home, except we look after all the hard work! Whether you are young or old or a combination of all ages; whether there’s cause for celebration, or just a chance to enjoy each other’s company…any one of our voyages, with all that can be experienced, really does take some beating.
Many years of experience have shown us that every group is different and we try our hardest to make you aware of everything the region you have chosen has to offer – be it the Scottish Highlands, England, Ireland, Holland, Italy, Burgundy or the South of France.
Having your own chef makes evening meals both enjoyable and flexible on a family charter. Dinner can be enjoyed as a family, with perhaps a casual barbecue during the week for children to enjoy some alfresco dining. Or a high tea can be served for younger children with the normal recipes they enjoy. Alternatively, a combination where elder children join the adults for dinner and then a break between courses for an evening stroll before bedtime. Adults can then relax in peace and quiet with coffee and liqueurs.
The voyage itself is already great fun. Grandchildren may find themselves steering their 126 foot vessel along a tree-lined canal, perhaps joining their cousins in the barge jacuzzi or biking together, as their parents relax alongside on the sundeck just a few feet away.
Ashore, as well as our traditional cultural visits, we can arrange horse riding, water sports, tennis and many other activities to keep the younger ones and young at heart, completely satisfied.
From time to time we are asked if we can accommodate larger groups. Perhaps there is a large family reunion to arrange, a holiday with a group of friends, or an organisation such as a wine club, or a company incentive group, who require more cabins than a single vessel offers. Voila! – Tandem Cruising…planned in advance, we can position two barges on the same waterway, allowing as many as 21 passengers to cruise in company. This really is great fun. Tandem cruising allows plenty of opportunity to sample the cuisine of another chef, host cocktail parties and enjoy the relaxed refinement encountered whilst cruising in company. In addition to the daily excursions enjoyed along cruise routes, we can also arrange tennis tournaments, bicycling rallies and golf competitions.
Theme charter cruises
Wine Cruises
Available in…Chablis, Burgundy and the South of France. Wherever you cruise we will introduce you to a grand selection of fine local wines and spirits. You can look forward to delectable Burgundies such as Nuits St-Georges, Santenay and Vosne Romanée, often première or grand crus vintages we have chosen with thought and care and usually direct from the vineyards you visit. The Loire Valley will introduce you to Vouvray and Touraine wines, nurtured for centuries by their Chateau-owning families, or enjoy the lighter, fruitier wines of Provence and the Languedoc-Roussillon. We have also created our own Malt Whisky Trail in Scotland, for those partial to the lure of the single malt and the sight of unspoilt glens and wildlife.
On our wine charters we take you directly to the vineyards for private tastings and employ a wine expert to explain the grapes, cultivation methods and history at some of the “off the beaten track” vineyards. We usually choose and buy wine together and enjoy it later in the day with a feast created by your talented onboard chef.
Walking Cruises
The beauty of barging and walking is that two of the most relaxing holidays possible are merged to give you the best of both worlds. We have selected dates throughout the season for walkers who enjoy low-key hiking along the Great Glen Way in Scotland, perhaps bagging a Ben or a Munro along the way. Or discover the heartland of rural England with walks into the Chiltern Hills and stops at some of the most traditional pubs in the country. Perhaps enjoy France with its gorgeous scenery, white Charolais cattle and tiny vineyards on the edge of the Morvan forests alongside our Nivernais routes in Burgundy.
Festival Cruises
Venetian festivals each year aboard La Dolce Vita – the Historical, Vogalonga and the Fiorita Regattas are some of the most attractive events in Venice.
Golf Cruises
Scotland, Ireland, England and France. All have great golf courses such as Royal Dornoch, Wentworth, Sunningdale, Lahinch and Galway Bay which should be enough to inspire any keen golfer. Tee times can be arranged so that you have time to play a memorable round of golf and still enjoy a relaxing cruise with superb food and wine.
