“Everything was superb. The cabins were well equipped & comfortable. The food was delicious with a very good menu all beautifully presented. I am a coeliac & have various dietary needs & Miles made various meals especally for me which I appreciated. The Covid precautions were well thought out & successful. Various arrangements had to be made to our itinerary as the Severn was so high. Jay & Steve kept us well informed . The staff were all very professional, efficient & friendly & most helpful. Pauline & John Pollard”
Dea John and Pauline. It was an eventful week! We're glad you found the amendments enjoyable and that you were kept well informed. Thankfully our hospitality with good food and drink never suffers changes even with bad weather!
“Despite the combined efforts of COVID precautions and the preceding week’s heavy rains which resulted in the Severn being closed above Gloucester for first half of our trip (and some real-time rescheduling by Jay and Steve), this was a thoroughly enjoyable tour. All the crew were amazingly helpful and efficient, and contributed significantly to our experience. Meals were of a consistently high standard, well above our expectations and Miles always helpful in meeting dietary requests and constraints. The excursions were informative and well-planned (often at short notice!). Our lasting memory was sitting on the top deck on the final morning cruise from Tewkesbury to Gloucester on an almost deserted river, with warm sunshine and lots of bird life - an idyllic morning which summed up our expectations.”
Hi Geoffrey, sometimes the elements do stack up against us, but we're glad we managed to deliver an interesting yet rescheduled trip for you. Hopefully next time you will get more days like the passage down to Tewkesbury you enjoyed. Thank you for your kind review.
“A very professional company. Strict adherence to Covid regulations. Extremely good vegetarian meals.
PS Tell Captain Steve I am busy constucting the quizzes. Should be posting them soon.
Cheers, Gail Saunders”
“The crew were genuinely friendly and attentive. We enjoyed the experience despite the weather, covid and the adverse state of the river. Covid precautions are excellent but tend to get in the way of socialising, but this is necessary at the moment. The joining instructions and travel advice worked v. well. We also enjoyed the freshly cooked food which was of a high standard coming from a small kitchen. Thanks to all the crew”
“Well done! You were a great crew in every respect. Thank you for giving us such a lazy, relaxing break. My only quibble is outside your control and that is the state of the River Severn banks, landowners should be ashamed for their neglect. I plan to take it up with The Environment Agency.”
“We enjoyed every minute of our five night cruise, from the moment we were welcomed aboard till the moment we waved goodbye. The cabin was clean, cosy and comfortable with plenty of space for our suitcases and clothes. The food was delicious, well cooked and varied. The Covid precautions were well thought out and we all felt very safe. The crew couldn't have been more pleasant or helpful. Our fellow passengers were all friendly and interesting to talk to. What more could we ask for but perhaps a little more sunshine! We definitely recommend this company and will be back!”
“Covid safety measure were very reassuring. We felt safe. The trip was most enjoyable. Excursions were well organised, and thoroughly enjoyable even though we are local and have visited all the places before. Food was outstanding, and the service excellent. The crew were very friendly and professional. Well done. We hope to book another trip.”
“We enjoyed a relaxing four-day break aboard the MV Edward Elgar. The cruise was booked at short notice due to the ever changing COVID-19 restrictions and allowed us to discover a part of Gloucestershire that we would not normally visit. The crew looked after us very well throughout the cruise. COVID-19 arrangements meant that we felt safe as well as valued and welcomed. The quality of the food was excellent. The cabin was compact and comfortable. The one evening of live music was very enjoyable and allowed us the opportunity to dance! Another evening of music would have been welcomed. Due to the frequent squally showers we were unable to enjoy the outside upper deck. In spite of the weather being changeable though, we were able to take advantage of interesting excursions, some bracing walks along the tow path and stunning views across the Severn estuary. The skipper was very knowledgeable about the canal and the local area; his informative tours and talks helped us to fully appreciate the trip. Overall, this was a valued opportunity to take life at a slower pace, being waited on and fully catered for, and seeing and learning about a part of England- and a way if life- we wouldn’t normally experience. We came back feeling very relaxed and refreshed. We will be booking another trip!”
“100% enjoyable, friendly and helpful crew, interesting places visited, wonderful food and kept on our toes with entertainment.... quoits, quizzes and talented duo on the last night.
Covid rules observed throughout.”
“Thanks for a brilliant weekend cruise! Thoroughly relaxing and very well organised (including the extensive extra measures taken to be CovidSafe). Amazing friendly professional team looking after us and attending to our every need. Really looking forward to our next one with you all next June.
Keep up the good work!”
“An excellent time just a pity the weatherlet us down a bit. The crew were very attentive and helpful and the chef deserve special mention.
With all the precautions taken for covid19 we felt very safe and secure.
Well done everyone.”
“We have just returned from a 4 day cruise on the Gloucester to Sharpness canal. Apart from the weather we a had a very relaxing few days with excellent service throughout the stay. The crew were friendly, attentive and informative. The food was fresh well presented and of a high standard, much better than expected considering the limited amount of kitchen space. The cabin was cosy and clean as was the rest of the boat. The crew had taken all possible precautions regarding Covid so we felt safe at all times. This is definitely a break we would recommend but fine dry weather would make it perfect.”
“A perfect 5 night break, starting in Gloucester, during this difficult Covid time. Comfort and friendliness were everywhere and Covid -19 restrictions were very well addressed - hand sanitisers, face masks (worn at all times except at the table and in the cabin) 2 metre distancing - all adding to the feeling of care and attention. The food was exceptional - nutritionally well balanced and portion sizes were perfect. Thank you, Miles the chef. The two stewards, Dan and Jack, were efficient and courteous and saw to all our needs. Louis, who took our temperature each morning, organised a quiz after dinner and deck quoits as well as assisting the skipper - a multi-talented member of the crew. Steve, the skipper, always explained very clearly what was happening along the journey. The selection of tours was varied and well organised, with good guides at each venue. As a bonus, the weather for the week was very good! Cabin facilities were well appointed and the bathroom served its purpose. Beds were very comfortable. Instructions on how to find the boat were very clear and the organisation by the office staff was efficient. Thank you all for a thoroughly enjoyable and stress-free trip.”
“Wonderful, wonderful.
Our Historic Canal Cruise was absolutely excellent from the minute we boarded the Edward Elgar it was a total pleasure to be on board.
All the Covid-19 measures were clearly explained to us and were extremely well thought out and executed at all times.
ALL the crew members went the extra (nautical!) mile for our comfort and enjoyment, especially Miles the Chef who catered for my partners vegetarian options, explaining every day what those options were. Each and every meal were of top quality and very well presented.
In addition, English Holiday Cruises is well organised, well run and a top customer friendly company.
Having been in the Hospitality business most of my working life, I dearly wish that all Hotels, Restaurants and Venues were able to reach the very high standards you offer. If there were a 6-star category, you would definitely win it!”
“We had a fabulous mini break. The boat was super clean and efficiently run. At no time did we feel unsafe due to COVID-19 or anything else. The cleaning, social distancing and sanitiser were all exactly right - we felt satisfied with everything and it didn’t encroach or spoil our enjoyment. The choice of itinerary was spot on. The captain and crew were generous, friendly, helpful and always available if needed. The food was very good with so much thought put into providing what we actually wanted, the drinks were free flowing with lots of choice and very reasonably priced. Our cabin was cosy but well planned, everything you wanted was there. The beds were comfortable and warm. The whole experience was relaxing and fun and I would love to go again sometime.”
“I was a bit nervous about being on my own but the minute stepped on board I felt at home., Thankyou aall for taking such good care of me I don't know how to send a picture, The only time I found difficult was reaching the light cord in the bathroom a and I found the big thermos a bit heavy for my dodgy old shoulder, On looking back I k,eep on smiling”
“My wife and I (aged 85 and (90) were first time customers whose June cruise was cancelled due to the Corona virus. We re- booked for October as we expected that by then the virus would be in the past but it still existed. We considered cancelling but thankfully decided not to, and on arriving we were quickly confident that all would be well. We and our fellow guests along with the crew accepted and followed the virus precautions in a friendly and courteous manner. We have no hesitation in recommending your cruises to our friends.”
