![]() ![]() “Slow travel on a quirky barge like Anjodi is the perfect way to experience the lesser-travelled regions of France, far away from the crowds. REVIEW: A review of the 8-passenger Anjodi hotel barge by Judi Cohen. Get a better feel for canal cruising in these Barge Cruise Reviews ➢All of Belmond’s and A&K’s barge cruises are considered fairly high-end. ➢Barge Lady Cruises categorizes their offerings into four groupings based on level of luxury and price - from 3 Stars, starting at $4,000 per person to 6 Stars, starting at $7,500 per person. ➢To help you decide which barge is best for you, European Waterways categories their barge cruises into three buckets - the top of the line is Ultra Deluxe, with the most spacious cabins then Deluxe is in the middle and First Class has the smallest cabins. How do you know which barge is best for you? ➢Seasickness is simply not a concern on a barge. ➢The rivers and canals are smooth as mirrors. * Photo: Grand Victoria Cruises What are other benefits of a barge cruise? ➢Barges have open top decks with seating to enjoy the scenery along the way.Ī classic vineyard tour in Burgundy. ➢Larger barges may have perks like hot tubs and small pools. ➢The barging season in Europe is April through October. ➢The vast majority of barge cruises are 6 nights long. How long are barge cruises & when are they offered? ➢If traveling as a couple only, it’s best to book a barge that carries at least 8-12 other passengers. (If you don’t know the other couples, the risk of friction with one possibly incompatible couple is real.) ➢Go with a small 4- or 6-passenger barge only if you’re traveling with friends or family, then the intimacy is ideal. ➢The smallest carry 2 to 6 passengers and are often in the Canal du Midi one of the oldest and smallest of the canal systems, and a UNESCO World Heritage site. ➢Barges carry between 2 and 22 passengers, with the vast majority in the 6- to 12-passenger range. Barge Cruise Tips & Basics How passengers do they carry? RELATED: Read Heidi’s review of her fabulous barge cruise on the 12-pax Luciole. ![]() There are also barge cruise brokers who are experts and act as the middle man/woman between barge owners and you.īarge Lady Cruises has been curating barge cruises since 1985 from a pool of about 50 luxury barges they represent (about half are individually-owned) that traverse 30 waterways across eight European countries.Įuropean Waterways, a company in business since 1974, offers a fleet of 17 barges carrying from 6 to 20 passengers on canals and rivers in nine European countries.Ībercrombie & Kentwas founded in 1962 as a safari tour operator in East Africa, and over the years expanded its scope greatly, including offering cruises on 25 canal barges in Europe, carrying from 4 to 20 passengers.īelmond, a luxury travel brand in business for more than 40 years, owns 6 luxury canal barges based in France, carrying 4 to 12 passengers. The luxury 6-pax Grand Victoria against a stunning sunset. The re-purposed barges focus on high-end food and wine, and leisurely visits to ports along the way, passing by pastoral and rustic countryside, with occasional industrial areas part of the mix.īarge cruises are an intimate and pampered holiday - promising the ultimate in slow travel. VIDEO: Here’s Barge Luciole slowly meandering down France’s Nivernais Canal. Today, a network of hotel barges operate on the canals and rivers of France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and the UK, with the majority on French waterways. Then back in the 1960s, when the need for commercial freight-carrying barges on the canals of Europe declined, many of the barges were converted into “hotel barges” for luxury passenger cruising - some posher than others. Well, originally the flat-bottomed boats were used for carrying freight, typically on canals and rivers, either under their own power or towed by another. Though they might be slightly smaller than some of the similar vessels Viking is known for offering, it’s remarkably obvious not a single amenity was missed in creating these outstanding pleasure cruisers.Barge cruises are often not well understood. Between the elite Viking Osiris’ exciting itinerary through some of Egypt’s best sights, and the remarkably impressive design and accommodations of the Viking sister ships on the Rhine, the only real downside of ever choosing Viking River Cruises® is not knowing which stunning cruiser to take for a ride first in 2020.įour of the lucky new ships, slightly modified Longships known as Viking Fjorgyn, Viking Kari, Viking Radgrid, and Viking Skaga, will be setting sail on the Seine River in France come spring. ![]()
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