The Association of Pleasure Craft Operators

The APCO Guide to Inland Waterway Boating Holidays

APCO –  Hotelboat Companies
Hotelboats are one of the best kept travel secrets of the UK. For over fifty years, guests of all ages have been enjoying relaxing holiday cruises on the canals and rivers of England, Wales and Scotland, while expert crews do the boat handling and cook delicious food.
APCO hotelboats come in various shapes and sizes from large three deck river cruises carrying more than 50 passengers, narrowboat pairs with a motorboat towing a butty, Dutch barges operating on the wider canals and rivers, to compact single narrowboat carrying just two passengers.
What they all have in common are highly skilled skippers, welcoming crews, home cooked food and a unique holiday experience.
We'd like to introduce you to the joys of a unique vacation cruise on the world’s slowest form of scheduled transport - a hotelboat with an average speed of just three miles per hour!
But the fastest way to slow down and experience real relaxation!

A Hotel Cruise is for discerning travellers looking for a quiet relaxation and is the perfect antidote to the high speed chase from one tourist trap to another that many holidays sadly become.

The skippers will introduce you to the real Britain in a friendly and relaxed environment, with full board accommodation and comfortable private cabins.

The links to waterway maps and route planning  below right may assist you in choosing the most appropriate route, waterway and company.

Companies whose boats are inspected and graded under the Visit Britain independent assessment scheme display the following logo.

Please follow the links to find a fuller explanation.

To make enquiries on cabin and cruise availability or for further information click on the cabin links below.

Company & Boat(s) Website / Email Boat Grading
A&G PASSENGER BOATS LTD

www.sheffieldboats.co.uk
info@sheffieldboats.plus.com

 
Tiny Purple - Single narrowboat
AWAY4AWHILE

www.away4awhile.com  enquiries@away4awhile.com

Katie - Single narrowboat
BYWATER HOLIDAY CRUISES

www.bywaterholidays.co.uk
info@bywaterhotelboats.co.uk

 
Kerala & Karnataka - Narrowboat Motor and butty pair
CALEDONIAN DISCOVERY LIMITED

www.fingal-cruising.co.uk
info@fingal-cruising.co.uk

 
Fingal Of Caledonia - Dutch barge
DUKE & DUCHESS CRUISING CO LTD

www.hotelboat-holidays.co.uk
enquiries@hotelboat- holidays.co.uk

Duke & Duchess - Narrowboat Motor and butty pair
CANAL VOYAGERS LTD  www.canalvoyagers.com
info@canalvoyagers.com
Snipe & Taurus - Narrowboat Motor and Butty Pair
ENGLISH HOLIDAY CRUISES LTD

www.englishholidaycruises.co.uk
sales@englishholidaycruises.co.uk

 
Oliver Cromwell & Edward Elgar - Large river boats
HOTELBOAT  PERIWINKLE

www.hotelboatperiwinkle.com 
hotelperiwinkle@aol.com 

Periwinkle - Single narrowboat
INLAND WATERWAY HOLIDAY CRUISES

www.bargeholidayuk.com
iwhcemma@dial.pipex.com

 
Gallinago - Dutch barge
LADY LINE HOTELBOATS www.ladylinehotelboats.co.uk
enquiries@ladylinehotelboats.co.uk
Lady Selena & Lady Margaret - Narrowboat Motor Pair
REEDBOATS www.reedboats.co.uk 
martinreed@reedboats.co.uk 
Oak & Ash - Narrowboat Motor and butty pair
SCOTTISH HIGHLANDER

www.gobarging.com
sales@gobarging.com

 
Scottish Highlander - Dutch Barge
THAMES & CHILTERNS HOLIDAY CRUISES

www.tranquilrose.co.uk
steve@tranquilrose.co.uk

Tranquil Rose - Broadbeam

Boating Holidays
What to expect on a UK boating holiday, different types of holiday and much more.
About APCO
Explaining the purpose and background of the Association of Pleasure Craft Operators.
APCO Members
Listing all APCO member, with their full contact details.
Handover Scheme
When hiring a boat you need to be sure you will be given suitable tuition.
Boat Grading Scheme
Explaining the Boat Grading Scheme from VisitBritain for Hire Boats and Hotelboats.
Boaters Code
British Waterways guide to how all canal users should behave. PDF download.
Boaters Handbook
The BW handbook, available here as a PDF to download, covers everything from Boat Handling, Safety and Rules of the Road.
Kid's pages
Things for the children to do, including a waterways game courtesy of British Waterways.
Useful Links
Links to other useful waterways websites.
Joining APCO
Benefits and membership information for companies considering joining APCO.
Members Section
Information for APCO members, password needed to enter.

Canal Maps & Guides
Multimap
Boating Guides to Individual Waterways
Principal Navigations Information
Day Boat Bases
Hire bases in the North West
Hire bases in the North
Hire bases in the Scotland
Hire bases in the Midlands
Hire bases in the South
Association of Pleasure Craft Operators (APCO), Marine House, Thorpe Lea Road, Egham, Surrey, TW20 8BF
Tel:  0844 8009575 Email info@apco.org.uk