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Welcome to our exclusive collection of hotel barge cruises. For over 35 years, we have specialised in creating luxury barge holidays on some of the most beautiful waterways in Europe.
Luxury Hotel Barge Cruises
A truly unique experience
The Hotel Barging Experience
Far removed from the hustle and bustle of city life, these 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.
Over 40 Years’ Experience
Established in 1974 and operating cruises since the early 1980s, European Waterways has a wealth of knowledge and experience to share with our clients.
The Largest Barging Company in Europe
Still in the same private ownership of the Directors who run the company, our guests can be assured of consistently high standards of personal service, and vast experience of our markets.
A Superb Fleet of 17 Vessels
We have vessels available for up to 20 passengers with cabin sizes varying from cozy and compact to ultra-deluxe staterooms comparable to top hotel rooms.
Cruises in 9 Countries Across Europe
We offer the widest choice of destinations of any hotel barge company. Cruising areas range from the Midi in Southern France to the Scottish Highlands and from Ireland in the West to Venice in the East.
See what Our Clients Say
Many of our guests book with us over and over again and also recommend us to their friends – which is the best endorsement that a travel company can hope for. See some of their comments on Feefo, below.
Exceptional Service and Expert Staff
Our crews are trained to provide the highest levels of service whilst making you feel totally at home. Our office staff will equally guide you effortlessly through the process of booking the holiday of a lifetime.
The welcome we received and everything on board was perfect
Pauline Taplin, Hampshire, UK
This is a treasure that most people don’t know about
Denise Thorson , New Jersey, USA
Everbody should do this at least once in their life
Charles Baertl, Texas USA
For a very special occasion this is the place to be
John Thorson, New Jersey, USA
The Hotel Barging Experience
Our vessels gently introduce you to some of Europe’s finest scenery, fascinating history and local culture. Every European Waterways six-night barge cruise includes all gourmet meals, regional wines, an open bar, local transfers and the use of on board facilities such as bicycles to explore the towpaths, a sundeck to laze on, or a spa pool to relax in. We also offer daily escorted excursions “off the beaten track” to wineries, castles, markets or to see craftsmen at work.
Inviting Accommodation
All hotel barges in the fleet benefit from an annual refurbishment and this may vary from redecoration and refurnishing of the...
Outstanding Service
Crews are mainly British or French and they all speak English, so there is no need to worry about a language barrier when they are...
Cuisine & Dining Aboard
The classic traditions of French and International cuisine are an unforgettable highlight of your cruise. The onboard chefs are...
Enticing Excursions
Every hotel barge cruise includes daily excursions to some fascinating local places of interest - châteaux, Cathar hilltop...
Themed Charter Cruises
We can arrange a wide selection of themed charter cruises which will appeal to all types of interest groups, large or small...
Family & Friends Cruises
Families or groups of friends can charter any of the hotel barges. You will have the whole vessel to yourselves and she becomes a...
Biking & “Biking Plus”
We know that many of our passengers enjoy taking some exercise during their hotel barge cruise, so each vessel carries...
Shopping & Markets
Even if you are not normally a lover of shopping, the vast array of fascinating shops and markets you can discover on one of our...
Wine & Whisky Tours
Many of our cruises are through some of the best wine- growing regions of France, such as Burgundy, Bordeaux...
Hotel Barging Experience
Far removed from the hustle and bustle of city life, hotel barge voyages allow you to travel in luxury without the strains of...
Where We Cruise in Europe
Discover the fascinating world of barging, through the vineyards of Burgundy, on the shady Canal du Midi in Southern France, the historic Po Valley in Italy, or the River Shannon in rustic Ireland. Navigate the Royal River Thames, through the stunningly rugged landscapes of Scotland, picturesque Alsace & Lorraine, or the colourful tulip fields of Holland.
Burgundy
The wine-growing region of Burgundy lies at the very heart of rural France with a rich and unique history.
Canal du Midi
The Midi – a land with a rich heritage – diverse Mediterranean landscapes, sun-drenched vineyards and Cathar fortresses.
Alsace & Lorraine
A unique blend of French and German cultures, forested hillsides, storybook villages and wonderful white wines.
Loire Valley
A fairytale region of exquisite Renaissance châteaux, Royal French history and contrasting waterways.
Gascony
A peaceful region of colours and flavours, of orchards and vineyards, where we get a taste of the real France.
Bordeaux
A region of vividly colourful landscapes, wonderful gastronomy and a ‘terroir’ that produces world-renowned wines.
Champagne
A mosaic of forests, vineyards and rolling cornfields beneath expansive skies – home to the eponymous sparkling wine that all the world knows and craves.
The Netherlands
A unique blend of French and German cultures, forested hillsides, storybook villages and wonderful white wines.
Italy
The captivating waterways of the Veneto and the Po Valley, combined with the history and culture of Venice and its hinterland, offer a rare cruising experience.
Scotland
An dramatic land of mountains, glens, battlefields and whisky, with deep and mysterious lochs that reflect the legends of the past.
England
England’s Royal River Thames offers you castles and palaces, peaceful meadows, quaint country villages and waterside pubs.
Ireland
The Emerald Isle offers lush green pastures, history and folklore and a welcome to surpass all others.
More Destinations
There are so many delightful watercourses to be discovered – canals like the Briare, Nivernais, Burgundy and Canal du Midi in France, the Caledonian Canal in Scotland and the Bianco Canal in Italy; majestic rivers such as the Cher, Moselle, Shannon and Thames; and the more open waters of Loch Ness, the Etang de Thau and the Venetian Lagoon.
Our Exclusive Collection of Hotel Barges
Some vessels in our fleet are owned by us, others by experienced operators who maintain similar standards and have been vetted by us. On board all of them you will glide serenely along waterways that pass through magnificent countryside; be taken on fascinating local excursions; indulge in delicious meals, fine wines and comfortable accommodation – whilst all the time being pampered by your attentive crew.
La Belle Epoque
La Belle Epoque is a deluxe, 12 passenger hotel barge that cruises the picturesque Burgundy Canal in Northern Burgundy
L’Art de Vivre
L’Art de Vivre is a first class, 8 passenger hotel barge that cruises the charming Canal du Nivernais and River Yonne in Burgundy
L’Impressionniste
L’Impressionniste is a deluxe, 12 passenger hotel barge that cruises the Burgundy Canal in the wine region of Southern Burgundy
Finesse
Finesse is an ultra deluxe, 8 passenger hotel barge that cruises the River Saône and Canal du Centre in Southern Burgundy
Themed Barge Holidays
We can arrange a wide selection of themed charter cruises which will appeal to all types of interest groups, large or small, including golf, walking and wine appreciation themed cruises.
Whisky Trail Cruises
We offer a Whisky Trail cruise aboard hotel barge Scottish Highlander along the Caledonian Canal and Loch Ness, with a special itinerary that allows...
Walking Cruises
The beauty of hotel barging and walking is that two of the most relaxing holidays possible are merged to give you the best of both worlds
Tennis Cruises
If you are passionate about tennis, then bare in mind we offer "tennis cruises" on board our barges Magna Carta and l'Art de Vivre to either spectate a game at...
Opera Cruises
For the opera lovers amongst you, taking one of our special Opera Cruises aboard La Bella Vita in Italy is sure to be a once in a lifetime experience.
Video Feed
We uploaded our first video in 2010 and since then we have added over 100 hotel barging videos and received over 1,000,000 views on YouTube. We hope you enjoyed watching our videos…
Video of the Week
Despite the growing popularity of cruising, especially on large river vessels, hotel barging is still a little known niche concept.
Cruises in Italy
Our Italian holidays afloat will let you discover that country’s hidden beauty!
Cruises in Alsace & Lorraine
In the Summer and Autumn, hotel barge Panache sails the beautiful waterways of Alsace
The Lock-Keeper Blog
The Lock-Keeper has gone viral! Every few weeks we will be blogging about the Hotel barging experience; From the history of our hotel barges to some of the off the beaten track excursions we visit. Intrigued? Then read on…
Lochs and Locks: Cruising the Caledonian Canal
The Great Glen is your oyster when you cruise the Caledonian Canal on our barge cruises. Find out more here. Read More
Exploring Burgundy: The Château de Bazoches
Explore the countryside through which the canals and rivers of Europe pass by bicycle. Find out more about our barging and biking options. Read More
Barging and Biking with European Waterways
Explore the countryside through which the canals and rivers of Europe pass by bicycle. Find out more about our barging and biking options. Read More
In the Press
There have been many interesting and entertaining articles written by journalists and travel writers from across the globe about their journeys on our luxury hotel barge cruises.
Taking a Slow Boat to the Land of Plenty: Barging through the Burgundy Countryside
The Mail on Sunday's Susie Boulton went on a barge cruise in Burgundy aboard La Belle Epoque. Read her storey as she cruises 40 miles in six days through the Burgundy countryside. Read More
La Belle barge provides small-scale cruising with a very French flavour
There’s a lot of numbers, but no math needed for a six-day cruise along the Burgundy Canal on La Belle Epoque: one hotel barge, 17 meals, 22 wines and 19 cheeses, one hot tub, some mountain bikes and visits to at least a dozen interesting sites Read More
A Mouth-Watering Meander Along the Waterways of Burgundy
Hotel barging is completely different from other types of river cruising, be it the mainstream European vessels carrying up to 200 passengers or navigating a self-hire narrowboat or pleasure craft. Barges can access narrow waterways and canals inaccessible to larger vessels and, with just eight passengers being looked after by five crew members, it’s a really personal experience with the ambience of a house party afloat Read More
A Gourmet Lunch on Finesse
Imagine drifting through the sleepy French countryside as your personal chef prepares a gourmet feast for you and a few friends. Isn’t that a vision to savour?" Read More Read More
Burgundy by barge: It’s about the journey
Simon and Garfunkel’s “59th Street Bridge Song” and the lyrics, “Slow down, you move too fast,” pop into mind as I gaze across Burgundy’s pastoral landscape from the deck of my hotel barge Read More
Savoring the Slow Road: Cruising the Burgundy Canal by Barge
My husband and I chose a European Waterways cruise in Burgundy not only for the peaceful setting, but to explore the prestigious wine-growing region up close, immersing in its rich history and culture. Read More