These boats come with a crew that drives the boat and prepares some or all of your meals. There will be some small number of other passengers. Lounge and eating areas are shared. On the UK canals, hotel boats are often a pair of 70 foot long narrowboats, and passenger cabins are small. On European canals, hotel boats are often wider and carry more passengers.
For larger vessels, please visit the River Cruise Ships (on the Continent) page.
There is no implied recommendation for any of the firms listed, nor is any criticism implied for any firm not listed. No firm has paid for any listing.
Visit the firms' web sites and/or contact them directly for further information.
North American residents may find that some of the US-Based Agencies represent hotel boat firms.
The Beauty of Barging: Cruising in comfort on the waterways of Burgundy
De 4 Vaargetijden - Belgium (web pages available in English, Français, Deutsch, Nederlands)
Canal & Co - France
Go Barging - France, Germany
MS Aventura - Rhine and other rivers; 12 passengers. (Web site in English, Deutsch)
HAT Tours - Holland; "bike and barge tour"; (web pages available in English, Deutsch, Nederlands)
Golden Odyssey - Luxury Dutch Barge - Belgium, Netherlands, France
Merganser - France
Clair de Lune - France
Johanna - Dutch barge; 8 passengers; France (Alsace, Lorraine and the Ardennes)
Dutch Paradise Charters - river salon yacht; 10 passengers; Holland, Belgium, France (web pages in English, Deutsch, Français, Nederlands)
Barge Colibri - 4 passengers (Canal du Midi, France)
Barge Nilaya
- 4 passenger Luxemotor barge; France
As these sometimes roam around much of the canal system during a season, no "location" has been specified.
See also Hotel Boat Firms and Agencies - UK - Wide-beam.
A&G Passenger Boats [was Aitken-Grange Cruising Company]
7 Norwood Drive
Sheffield
South Yorkshire
S5 7BH
Telephone (UK): 0114 243 0964
Boat name 'Tiny Purple'
Bywater Holiday Cruises
- a horse drawn boat offering short breaks
on the Montgomery Canal, with nights spent in hotels
Duke & Duchess Hotel Narrowboats
Exclusively Gay Cruising Company - reportedly has ceased trading 1/07; reportedly also traded as the Exceedingly Good Cruising Company
H & H Narrowboat Hotels - ceased operating 2004
Hotelboat ShirleyAnne - ceased operating 2005
The narrowboating guesthouse - reportedly has ceased trading
Scott Marine Services - "charter" service: your party are the only guests
Shadow Cruisers Luxury Holidays
Wood Owl Hotel Narrowboat - new owner for 2007
Baglady luxury hotel boat - cruises R. Thames; your party of two are the only guests
Bidford Boats - no longer operates hotel boat
The Boatel Experience - cruises in area of Nottingham, Lincoln, and York
English Holiday Cruises - River Severn; two boats
Fingal Cruises - Scotland (Loch Ness and Caledonian Canal)
Go Barging - River Thames; Scotland
Highland Voyages - Scotland; sailing ship
Hotel Barge Dudley Thomas - ceased trading 2006
Inland Waterway Holiday Cruises - Dutch barge - River Thames
Loch Ness & Great Glen Cruise Company - ceased trading 2005
Scottish Highlander - Scotland
Thames & Chilterns Holiday Cruises - narrowboat-style boat, but wider - River Thames; K&A Canal
Please email firm and agency suggestions to the address below.
Many thanks to Nigel Hamilton, Julie Shook, Robin Smithett, and Paul Higson for additions and corrections.