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GENERAL INFO ABOUT HOTEL BARGES AND BARGE CRUISES...Historically, they were working barges (peniche, in French), but have been transformed into elegant floating hotels ... and the vacation experience of a lifetime!
Cruise Length: Hotel barges typically cruise for seven days and six nights. Most start on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Each day barges typically cruise for several hours and also offer a guided excursion to points of interest near the cruise route.
Cost: You can charter a barge for friends, families, groups, OR book individual cabins on most barges. Charters are a fantastic way to celebrate friendships, family reunions, and other special occasions. Or you can book an individual cabin and share in the adventure with other passengers; many passengers have found friendships for life. All rates are in US Dollars and range from $2,500 to more than $6,000 per person, based on double occupancy. (The main differences are sizes and elegance of cabins and public space aboard the barge.) A couple barges have single cabins with no single supplement.
Category: Categories primarily relate to the amount of on-board cabin space, with "Ultra Deluxe" offering the most spacious cabins -- typically 160 square feet or more -- and a very high level of overall elegance in decor and appointments throughout the barge. "Deluxe" barges typically have cabins of 120 square feet or more, and "First Class" barges typically offer cabins that are from 70 to about 100 square feet. We're introducing a new category this year: the "Pilot-Only" category refers to a new style of barge offering without meals, beverages, or excursions, but with pilot and comfortable barge accommodations. In this category is the new self-catered barge, "Maria."
What's included and not included: Barge cruises are typically ALL-INCLUSIVE: your cabin with private bath, all meals, wines, open bar, escorted side excursions and transfers from a major city to the barge and return, unless otherwise noted. Some barges offer half-board as an option instead of full-board. (One new barge, Maria, offers pilot-only cruises in 2010.) Airfare, transfers to the barge pickup point and return and crew gratuity are not included. In France, Paris transfers are included where noted, below. Otherwise a direct train can take you to the rail station to meet the barge crew to start your cruise. In England, Scotland, Ireland, Belgium, Germany, Holland, and Italy, transfers are included from a major city near the cruise route.
About the barges and cruise routes: The barges carry from 4 to 22 passengers, plus the 88-passenger River Cloud II. Most barges are 16.5 feet wide, and 80 to 128 feet long. All of the barges in France are air-conditioned. The Scottish Highlander and Shannon Princess are not air-conditioned. In France, barges primarily cruise in Burgundy, Alsace, Normandy, Champagne, and the South of France (Provence and the Canal du Midi). We think that the Nivernais and Briare Canals in the Burgundy region, and the Canal du Midi in the South of France are particularly beautiful, but all cruise routes offer something special. The barges in England, Scotland, Ireland, Holland, Belgium, Germany, and Italy cruise through beautiful regions unique to each country.
For complete barge information and availability, please contact us. specialgrouptours@yahoo.com or 866 725 5250
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