Luxury Hotel Barge Cruises
A gentle cruise on a deluxe hotel barge is the perfect way to discover the very soul of Europe, exploring its wonderful countryside and historical treasures and meeting its many friendly, diverse people. Far removed from the hustle and bustle of city life, hotel barge voyages allow you to travel in luxury without the strains of packing and unpacking, whilst enjoying a balanced blend of daily excursions and fascinating cruising. Expect the onboard chef to turn out mouth-watering food with fresh ingredients, plenty of regional cheeses and baked goods; all complemented by fine regional wines.
The pace is slow, often covering little more than 80 km’s along a rural canal. Passengers can walk or bike the towpaths as their floating hotel glides gently along.
The barges are small and intimate with 6 to 20 guests and offer a full immersion into the most charming and picturesque areas. On board, there is a relaxed, intimate ‘house party’ atmosphere, whether you choose to cruise with other like-minded people, or charter the whole barge as a family or group of friends. This is a fabulous way to celebrate a special occasion!
A wide selection of themed charter cruises can be arranged, centred around interests from local culture and gastronomy, to more pursuits such as golf, tennis, walking and cycling. As well as a Royal Cruises and Opera Cruises, Whisky Trail Cruises in Scotland or a wine appreciation cruise that provides an introduction to crisp Vouvrays and Touraines, nurtured for centuries by their Chateau-owning families.
A Voyage of Discovery wherever you choose to cruise
These 6-night cruises gently introduce you to some of Europe’s finest scenery, fascinating history and local culture as they cruise the charming inland waterways of England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Holland and Italy. From the picturesque vineyards of Burgundy, to the spectacular Scottish Highlands; from the sun-drenched waterways of the South of France to the beautiful Moselle in Germany; from the storybook Alsace region to the serenity of the Loire Valley.
Daily excursions are included to some fascinating local places of interest – imposing citadels or elegant chateaux, colourful markets or renowned wine cellars, medieval hilltop villages or magnificent palaces and cathedrals.
“The service, wines, cheeses, and varied menus daily were all 5 stars! During the week we experienced 18 different cheeses at lunch and dinner as well as 22 different wines from the region. Fresh pastries from a local bakery were brought in each morning. The crew knew our names from the get-go and were always very attentive and friendly. We thought this would be a once in a lifetime adventure, but we now think we are going to do it again!” – Kirk Landjoe
European Waterways
The largest luxury hotel barging company in Europe offers a varied collection of luxury hotel barges cruising the charming inland waterways of England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Holland and Italy.
European Waterways offers cruising, but in a very different style to ships plying the big rivers or oceans. The pace is slow, with a 6 day cruise often covering little more than 80 km’s along a rural canal. Passengers can walk or bike the towpaths and never be left behind as their floating hotel glides gently along. A gentle cruise on a hotel barge is the perfect way to discover the very soul of Europe, exploring its wonderful countryside and historical treasures and meeting its many friendly, diverse people. Far removed from the hustle and bustle of city life, hotel barge voyages allow you to travel in luxury without the strains of packing and unpacking, whilst enjoying a balanced blend of daily excursions and fascinating cruising.
European Waterways offer guests full immersion into the culture, history and gastronomy of one of a number of fascinating regions. Every day, when not cruising, a crew member leads an excursion, perhaps to a vineyard for a wine tasting, a market where the chef might buy fresh local ingredients for the evening meal or a visit to a unique “off the beaten track” location that you would never find on your own. These could be to still inhabited troglodyte cave dwellings, a private chateau or to see an olive oil press at work and sample its produce.
There is a wide selection of cruises to choose from, such as the canals of Burgundy, Alsace and the Canal du Midi, as well as the Venetian Lagoon and Po Valley in Italy, Holland in the spring time and the spectacular Scottish Highlands. The relaxing cruises along the smaller inland waterways of these regions feature wonderful scenery, stimulating history and local culture and of course fine cuisine and wines.
European Waterways has been operating for over 40 years and their 17 luxury vessels can accommodate between 6 and 20 guests in air-conditioned accommodation. You may choose to join a small group of like-minded travellers on an individual cabin basis, or you can charter a whole hotel barge with family and friends, perhaps for a special occasion or to enjoy a specific theme cruise such as golf, walking, or wine appreciation.
Herewith a link to a 8 minute video giving you an in depth idea of what you can expect with European waterways: European Waterways
Herewith a link to the European Waterways website where there are a number of clips you can watch on the different regions that they visit: European Waterways – Video Gallery
Each cruise has a full crew and includes the following:
6 night’s accommodation (Sunday to Saturday) on board in air-conditioned en-suite cabins.
Transfers to and from a convenient location; plus daily excursions as advertised by chauffeured minivan with inclusive entry fees.
The services of an experienced Captain, Chef, Housekeeper(s) Deck Hand / Tour Guide. The average crew ratio is one crew member for every two passengers
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner aboard. All lunch and evening meals are a gastronomic adventure with local produce delicately prepared by your Private Chef.
Local lunch or dinner ashore at a Michelin Star restaurant or similar.
An excellent selection of fine regional and international wines and spirits, plus all day open bar, tea and coffee.
Use of the barge facilities such as bicycles, boules, barge library and the spa pool.
We look forward to hearing from you and helping you plan your ideal holiday – 021 434 9394