Marine Cruises Reviews

We had a lovely 4 night cruise. The whole family enjoyed it. We definitely would book again with them. The guy who handed the boat over was brilliant. He was absolutely passionate about his job and the tips he gave us were very useful.

My wife and I had a lovely holiday with Marine Cruises, we knew that we would have a great experience having booked with Marine in 2019. The barge was super, the staff are really friendly and knowledgeable about all you need to know, Marine Cruises are very reasonably priced compared to other vendors in the Cheshire region, it was our silver wedding anniversary while on holiday and Marine Cruises put a bottle of Prosecco in the fridge for us which was a really nice touch, thank you Hayley and all the team at Marine Cruises see you again soon Gary and Lindsey.

Recently used Marine Cruises for our first canal boating holiday. Everything was perfect, lovely boat very all looked after and we’ll equipped. The instruction was excellent, so well done Ian, Stuart and young Gareth. Hayley you have a great team. You may be a small company, but huge on experience and service. Thank you for a lovely week.

I cannot praise Marine Cruises enough , as novices to a narrow boat holiday we were slightly apprehensive as well as excited as we had never done anything similar before. We needn’t have worried as we we’re given excellent tuition by the team who talked us through the boat, how to navigate, turn and manage the locks. The boat was immaculate , really well equipped and very comfortable, we were a party of four, two couples in their 60’s in an eight berth, so worked perfectly for us. Unfortunately, I managed to lock us out of our boat at one of our moorings which caused us to panic slightly, but one phone call to Hayley in the office sorted the situation very quickly, within 30:minutes Stuart had come to our rescue with a master key and saved the day. This is a family run firm which obviously takes great pride in both their boats and holidays. We were taken care of from start to finish by a really friendly and efficient team and would thoroughly recommend using Marine Cruises to anyone looking for a narrow boat holiday, they definitely give a 5 star service.

Thank you Marine Cruises for providing us with an excellent holiday. Being a family run business, they were able to offer us a very friendly and personal service. Due to illness we had to postpone our holiday from September 2020 to June 2021. Even though they were given very short notice, it was done in a pleasant and understanding way. As there were just the two of us, we chose one of their smaller 47 footer – Maia. It was fully equipped and had a surprising amount of storage facilities – an extremely well designed boat that was in good maintenance order. We just couldn’t fault it. It really was perfect for us. We highly recommend this company and we will return. A very worthy five star

Great service and friendly Haley is lovely. They do their best to make your holiday and answer all of your questions. Would not hesitate to use again we have been with them 5 times now.

My husband and I had a weekend away in a beautiful boat our first experience. We glided along the tranquil canal absorbing the beautiful scenery. The staff were very helpful in guiding us through the handling of the boats and promised to be a phone call away if needed- we did indeed ring for advice on the best pub to stop at! This request for information was greeted well by knowledgeable staff. Nothing seemed too much trouble. We were saddened to miss out on another adventure due to covid pandemic but are very much looking forward to using their services again. I loved reading the personal story of the family business it makes for a beautiful personal service. Great team, great boats Highly recommend

We were lucky enough to stay on Kimberley narrowboat for a week. These hire boats are the cleanest inside and out that I’ve ever seen. It has everything you need and is very child and dog friendly. The staff are amazingly kind and welcoming, the knowledge they have is fantastic from any small to large detail you want to know they have an answer. They take good care of you and make you feel comfortable with every detail of the handover. We can’t wait for our next trip.

Have enjoyed 3 fantastic holidays with this company. Had to write a review as I saw the 1* review earlier today and I am convinced they've reviewed the wrong company. All the boats within the business are new... every year we have been they have added a new boat. ABSOLUTELY spotless, with every detail thought of - we were new to canal boating and wasn't sure what we would need to take but the boats are fully equipped. The staff are exceptional... so knowledgeable and caring... talked through our plan to make sure we got the most out of our trip including where to stay overnight, best places for food, walks etc. We took our dog with us. The boats are dog friendly. No evidence of dogs been on there though... the level of cleanliness is of a really high standard. The bathrooms really surprised me... fabulous shower, and plenty of space so you can feel really fresh throughout your holiday. Cannot recommend enough. 5* isn't enough

We have done this every year for the past 4 years. I’ll be honest I wasn’t excited for it when I went on first as I thought it would be a bit drab but I’ve absolutely loved it! We were met at the boat by a lovely gent who showed us round the boat that had far more luxuries than I thought it would have - good shower, good cooking facilities and good heating! He takes you out of the marina and to the first lock to get you going… We’ve gone a variety of directions over the 4 years and loved each one with a good mix of things to do on the journeys. We’ve done journeys as a group and others as a couple. Boats are well serviced, pricing is reasonable given the standard of the boats. Couldn’t recommend this company enough!

We had such a a wonderful short break! The sun shone, the scenery was epic and I would recommend the experience to anyone. Our boat was beautiful, lovely decor and furnishings and had everything that you could wish for or need - the owners have thought of every detail to make your experience as special as it can be. Can’t wait to get back out there!

Fantastic holiday! Wow what a exciting family experience! We loved every moment on our beautiful boat! Hand over was very thorough and easy to understand! The canal boat was beautifully kitted out to a very high standard, so impressed! Beds were so comfortable! And you can’t beat the Llangollen canal what a treat.

Our family had a lovely time cruising the Llangollen canal with Marine Cruises aboard their Debbie boat. The accommodation was modern, comfortable and had all of the mod cons. The staff were also really friendly and answered our first time boating queries before our arrival, which was really helpful. If you’re looking for a staycation with a difference, I’d thoroughly recommend booking with Marine Cruises!

Excellent experience from booking through return of the boat! Prompt responses to our inquiries in booking and helpful, informative pre-holiday information. The boat was impeccably clean, very well equipped and comfortable. Such a wonderful experience and incredibly good value for money!

Excellent service right from the start,booking process was great and even rearranging to a different date to coincide with my daughters shift pattern change was no problem. Met by Stuart on the day who was a true gent with a great knowledge showing us how everything worked. Office staff were at the end of the phone if ever we needed them. Already considering another trip

Had as fantastic week on the Llangollen canal from Swanley Bridge Marina. This company is well run and anytime you need help and advice it is always there. The Kimberly boat was ready on time and spotlessly clean and had been disinfected according to covid guidelines. Hayley has been so helpful in rebooking our holiday due to it being cancelled because of lockdown, I can't fault then at all. The boat was comfortable, (but bear in mind that a double bed on a narrow boat is narrower than a standard one) and the run through of controls, steering and going through the first lock was expertly given by Stuart. One thing to be aware of is that whilst it is possible to go the full length of the canal in a week, delays at locks, bridges or other unexpected reasons means that it's best to be open minded about how far you might be able to travel in a day/week. Thank you all for a great holiday.

Had an excellent week on Kimberly starting at Falkirk. Going on the Falkirk Wheel was an amazing experience but the highlight of the week was going down to the Kelpies. They are brilliant, it was so lovely to be able to moor up and be able to see them lit up at night. We also went down as far as Stockingfield junction and moored up at Kirkintilloch which is good for a look around. Plenty of shops and places to eat. The countryside is very peaceful along that stretch of canal so definitely recommend it. Marine Cruises couldn’t have been more helpful and the volunteer canal staff were great.

We had a week on the Llangollen canal on Debbie, a two berth narrow boat in July. Marine Cruises staff all first class about Covid care and social distance, and v helpful getting up to speed with handling the boat. The boat itself was comfortable...and perfect just for two of us. We had hoped for friends to join us, but they were not able to. It would have worked fine for four, but we appreciated the extra room. It was a lovely trip, and Debbie handled well once we got used to her. Only quibble was the WiFi, which rarely worked...if you want internet on the Llangollen, make sure your phone network has great coverage. I would happily recommend Marine Cruises, good people to deal with

Just returned from an excellent and highly enjoyable weeks cruising from Swanley Marina on the Llangollen canal on narrow-boat Maia. Faultless from the start where we were met and confidently instructed by staff in boat handling and operation.This included an introduction and run through of a lock to overcome any anxieties and some good tips. The boat was extremely comfortable, clean and well equipped . We chose the Llangollen , which is claimed to be the most beautiful canal in the UK, and were not disappointed by the scenery and nature constantly changing as we motored along also enjoying stunning overnight moorings . This is a highly professional company with always positive reviews from other boaters we met on our travels. Thank you and looking forward to our next Marine Cruises adventure.

Just had a lovely week's holiday over the Christmas week on a cannel boat. (Maia) Haley put a hamper, small tree and some presents on board. Nice touch! Her attention to detail is amazing. We were so cosy and warm with a modern heating system. The boat was spotless with everything you need. Would definitely recommend this family run company.