“We have travelled on the Continent with a number of river cruise companies and we were not disappointed by English Holiday Cruises. The experience was certainly on a par with the big companies. The staff were both friendly and competent, providing excellent service; the meals were excellent. We enjoyed the 5-day north-bound cruise and have already booked another cruise. The company has invested in improvements to further passenger comfort such as batteries to avoid generator noise at night, and the 'boss' spent time with us to get feedback first hand.”
“The whole experience exceeded my expectations. The organisation was excellent and everything ran like clockwork. The itinerary was well constructed and we found it most enjoyable. The company of the other passengers added to the enjoyment of this holiday.
Food was first class also.”
“Our holiday met or exceeded our expectations. The crew and staff were invariably friendly and helpful.
The itinerary was well presented, varied and interesting, with many helping facilities.
The food and service helped to make eating very pleasurable and promoted a "house party" ambiance”
“We went on the five-day cruise from Gloucester to Worcester and back, calling in Upton-on-Severn and Tewkesbury, and had a brilliant holiday.
The decor of the boat was to a high standard, food was excellent and the cabins were comfortable. The en-suite was a wet-room so the shower wasn’t cramped. We didn’t travel at night so there was no engine noise to keep us awake.
The mornings were spent travelling along the Severn watching the world go by, drinking tea, coffee or hot chocolate and chatting with the other passengers. Some of us played quoits on deck.
After lunch we visited the local town with the opportunity to go on a guided tour. The tours of Tewkesbury and Worcester cathedrals were very informative.
The crew were very friendly and welcoming. It was like going on holiday with a bunch of friends. On one of the evenings there was live entertainment from a musical duo – Ain’t Misbehavin’ – which was most enjoyable.
We found the website very informative and gave a good representation of what the holiday was like. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and would highly recommend this holiday to anyone.”
“Another fantastic cruise on the Edward Elgar. So relaxing, comfort on board excellent and of a high standard and everything about the daily trips to local points of interest so well planned & thought out. All the crew go above & beyond in their duties, always happy & interact well with all guests. The chef, Rowan, prepares and presents outstanding meals with fresh & local produce. The atmosphere on board is very relaxed and the crew play a large part in making this happen. The Skipper keeps you informed of interesting features along the canal/river and with an abundance of wildlife there is never a dull moment. Already booked to return in April 2018 - that says it all. It will be our third trip.”
“We thoroughly enjoyed our cruise. Everything promised in the brochure was as it said. There was just enough extra excitement, such as very high water levels on the Severn, (would we be able to get beneath the bridge?) and a bridge that would not open on the Gloucester Sharpness canal, to add a frisson of anticipation, but ,of course, the excellent staff coped with all eventualities, including arranging a coach from the stuck bridge to Slimbridge so our visit there was not delayed and all was well! The bridge even opened for our return journey. The cook deserved a medal - lovely meals and he remembered the likes and dislikes with no reminders. Friendly staff, congenial company, comfortable cabins - and all with the beautiful countryside to enjoy! What more could we ask for!”
“Recipe. One amazing boat called EdgarElgar, delightful and efficient crew.1 wizard chef producing mouthwatering food. 1. Captain full of anecdotes and information. 20 like minded people. Time to relax and get to know each other. Interesting itinerary great value for money.Result. A fantastic 7 days living long in the memory.Try it yourself!”
“Having been on several European river cruises, we were not sure what to expect from an English one. Whatever our expectations were, this cruise surpassed them all. It was enjoyable from beginning to end; the Captain, his crew and all the other passengers made it the best ever. The cabins are small, but there was sufficient space for all our belongings, and the 'en suite' worked perfectly. It was a perfect short break.. we just wish it had been longer !”
“A very enjoyable cruise. The crew and ground staff were friendly, helpful and competent. The food was extremely good and the accommodation, although not spacious, was comfortable. The included excursions were all fascinating and well organised. The Severn is a very interesting river and I can happily recommend this trip.”
“You often see holidays advertised with the words "friendly family atmosphere" only to discover that this is some way off the truth. So its great to be able to recommend a company where this description is 100% correct. From the moment I boarded the Edward Elgar I was "Brian" to all the crew members and particularly to Jen, the lovely Jill-of-all-trades who was so helpful and versatile at dealing with passengers' requests. She "ordered" me to play in the deck quoit competition to which I replied "only if the first prize is a Porsche" and that was a running joke between us all the week. I didn't even finish in the first three but when I got home I found she had popped a tiny toy car in my bag! It's little things like that which make a holiday.
The itinerary is very relaxing in that most mornings are spent cruising and then after lunch a trip or interesting visit is laid on in the afternoon. On a ship the size of the Edward Elgar, a small galley means meal choices are limited but that is compensated for by the excellence of the food - especially the smoked salmon in my case. Similarly, boat size restricts cabin size ; I had a cabin to myself but I imagine two people sharing found it rather cramped. But then how much time do you spend in your cabin? Evening entertainment is good and seemed to suit passengers with younger musical tastes than my octagenarian requirements.
I would thoroughly recommend English Holiday Cruises for those seeking a restful and relaxing time with the added prospect of making some good friends as a bonus.”
“I have been on 2 holidays with river cruises with my 82 year old mother . Really enjoyed both trips . Staff helpful and cheerful . Fully recommend them”
“We took the 'Unique Weekend Break' cruise in April 2017 and were very impressed with the service, meals, excursions and care demonstrated by all the crew.
Saul Junction on the canal was very attractive and the associated history tour most enlightening.
The visit to the Slimbridge Wetlands Wildfowl Trust centre was a major highlight especially since we had previously visited the London Wetlands Centre and heard a little about Slimbridge during that visit.
The visit to the Purton Hulks Barge Graveyard was truly fascinating. It was hard to take in the concept of 'concrete barges' yet there they are!
We were very well looked after throughout and would have no hesitation in recommending English Holiday Cruises for a truly unfogetable experience.”
“Αn excellent introduction to canal cruising.
The Edward Elgar was clean, well set out, with comfortable accommodation.
Interesting organised on shore excursions.
Best of all? The catering!
We would happily go again...
(Apologies for the cat photo - I couldn't delete it!)”
“This was a lovely relaxing cruise. The accomodation was surprisingly spacious and the beds were very comfortable. Showering was interesting and you do have to organise yourself, didn't try it but you could probably sit on the loo and shower at the same time.
All the Crew, Skipper included, were great and as well as being helpful provided entertaining commentary on the voyage and all sorts of other topics. The food was absolutely lovely and no one could ever do an "Oliver" or say they were hungry, probably more a case of ... please no more.”
“Lovely cruise, cabin comfortable and cosy. The food was amazing and well presented. Would recommend to anyone as the ultimate relaxing break.
Sincere thanks to all at English Cruise Holidays.”
“Have cruised on the 'Elgar' four or five times now and the quality never changes, no matter what problems are thrown by outside sources, the crew cope with it. Therefore there is no downside to this boat, crew, company or venue. We have booked for next year already !
Can't wait, and the biggest thrill is meeting like minded people who cruise with you, new friends to be made and laughs to be had. So, if you fancy a relaxed cruise with great crew and guests, see you there.”
“An excellent and very enjoyable holiday at 4mph or thereabouts. Arriving at the boat our cases were whisked away to our cabin, and this was just the start of a holiday where everything is arranged for you. The crew (of 5) were excellent with nothing being too much trouble for them. The cabins though small (8x10feet) were adequate with sufficient space under the beds for suitcases. The chef served up 3 very good meals a day plus cake for afternoon tea, with something different every day, which given the size of the galley was extraordinary. In fact for us there was too much food and we opted out of a meal or two. We all had the opportunity to steer the boat. Organised trips(all included in the price) were very good. We enjoyed the (included in the price) wine at lunch and dinner. Entertainment on two evenings was very good. In fact there is little that we could recommend to improve the cruise (except to get the directions in the joining instructions correct!!).”
