“The Plus Package strates "one night stay at the Hatherley Manor- Dinner, Bed and Continental Breakfast" What it does not say that there is an allowance for 2 people of £32 to wards dinner.(£16 each) which was not sufficient for 1 main course.
The meals on the boat were adequate and well presented. The staff worked hard. The itinery was 1st class Having done a number of river cruises, we would not class boat this as 4 star”
Thank you for your review, Donald! We appreciate your feedback regarding the Plus Package allowance and will certainly take your comments into consideration for future improvements. I can confirm the dinner allowance is £32 per person and is inclusive of food only, I have made contact with the hotel as to why this wasn't made more clear to you at the hotel and they have told me they will speak with their staff to ensure the same mistake doesn't happen again.
We are currently working hard on a brand new menu for 2025 on Edward Elgar working with new suppliers to bring new ideas and fresher, locally sourced ingredients. I'm so pleased you enjoyed the itinerary and our staff looked after you well.
“We had a lovely week, there were one or two problems with the weather and illness but the fabulous crew handled everything very smoothly. The very proficient crew hadled everything brilliantly and ensured that we had a great holiday. I am very happy to give this cruise 5 stars.”
Thank you for your review, Anne! We're so glad to hear that you had a lovely week with us, despite a few challenges. Our crew truly goes above and beyond to ensure everyone has a great time, and it's wonderful to know their efforts made a positive impact on your holiday. We appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you aboard for another memorable holiday in the future!
“We had a delightful 6 days on board with 16 other guests. The boat was very comfortable and the crews efforts to make our trip memorable was exceptional.
The itinerary was modified due to river heights but this made no difference to our holiday.
We highly recommend this company for a hotel boat cruise”
Thank you for your review. We're so happy to hear that you had a delightful six days aboard with us. Our crew are dedicated to our trips special, and it’s wonderful to know their efforts made such an impression on you. We're glad the itinerary changes didn’t detract from your experience; flexibility is part of what makes a cruise memorable. We truly appreciate your high recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another adventure on the water soon!
“On the last evening I suffered a severe fall on steps leading to the boat house. The steps were unlit and the gound uneven. I suffered a large swelling on my head, a black eye and painful ribs. Most of the passengers were elderly and thus vulnerable. Please improve the lighting and extend the hand rail. The last step was a drop without a hand rail
I would like to add that despite this I enjoyed the cruise.
Jane Wright”
Thank you for your valuable feedback, Jane. We are truly sorry to hear about your fall and the injuries you sustained; your safety is our top priority. We take your concerns about the lighting and hand rail very seriously, and we are working to improve these areas to ensure a safer experience for all passengers. We're glad to hear, despite the incident, that you enjoyed the cruise overall. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back in the future!
“Our third outing on the Edward Elgar demonstrates our enjoyment of the cruise.
The crew coped well with difficulties caused by high river levels.
Our cabin suffered from noise due to its proximity to the engines.”
Thank you for your review, John! We're delighted to hear that your third outing on the Edward Elgar was enjoyable despite the challenges posed by high river levels. Our crew always strives to provide the best experience possible, and your understanding is greatly appreciated.
Thanks so much for your feedback, and we're sorry you had more noise than you expected. We've invested a lot in the boat to keep noise to a minimum, but there is still engine noise (especially when we are underway) that will affect our passenger cabins at times. We never cruise at night and have a battery system in operation for silent running between 10.30 pm and 7.00 am so we guarantee no engine noise whatsover in all cabins between those times. In the afternoons when we are not underway, we do switch to a generator in a sound reducing enslosure to minimise noise as well.
I hope we may be able to welcome you back again for a 4th sailing in the future.
“The outstanding thing about our somewhat re-arranged cruise (high water stopped us going through one of the locks that would have led on to the northern end of the route) was the excellence of the crew. Captain Conrad, in particular, was exceptional (not least because of the changed circumstances). The immediate way the company adapted the itinerary was impressive. Of course the cabins are a fairly tight squeeze but we knew they would be and made the best of it. The saloon is comfortable and lends itself to a sociable atmosphere. The small bar is attractively 'clubby'. Food overall was pretty good bearing in the mind the limitations of a small galley (it can't compare with the much larger cruise boats on the Continent). The excurions were enjoyable, with good guides (even though one always started talking long before all the party had caught up). The Morgan factory visit was fascinating. It was rather disappointing that the "boss" of the company didn't come to the final evening to apologise for the curtailment of some of the cruise (even though it was not the fault of the company). Would I recommend the holiday to others? Only after making sure they understood that the size of the vessel does not lend itself to relaxing cabin time and the food is more basic than on much larger vessels. The whole thing reminded me of the old Thomson Holidays "Small and Friendly" experiences.”
Thank you for your thoughtful review, Norman! We're delighted to hear that, despite the changes to your itinerary, you found our crew, especially Captain Conrad, to be exceptional. We pride ourselves on our ability to adapt and provide a memorable experience, and your kind words truly validate our efforts. We understand that our cabins can feel snug but I feel we have made the best of the cosy cabins with great storage solutions. It’s great to know you enjoyed the excursions, as well as your visit to the Morgan factory this one is becoming a firm favourite amongst passengers. We appreciate your feedback regarding the final evening and will certainly take it into consideration, Jay does attend whenever he can if a cruise itinerary is altered but is not always available on a Saturday evening at the end of our cruises. Thank you for recommending us, and we hope to welcome you aboard again for another unique adventure!
“Hail (NOT that sort!) to the weather gods. In spite of almost being fogbound one early morning and the narrowest of misses with a major electrical storm, we enjoyed the pleasure of cruising in sunshine on the open top deck on every one of our six days. Whilst there were no' Rhine Castles' to augment the view it was a most pleasant amble through verdant English countryside. The 'Elgar and their doughty crew ‘did everything, and more it said on the tin (including unexpectedly imported Draught Guinness) We struck gold with our table companions which enhanced the whole experience even more. Trips ashore were a delight. The notable exception to my mind ( and several fellow cruisers) being the last day which was a complete anti-climax governed as it was by the needs to prepare "Edward" for its next batch of 'Senior Sailors' however to misquote 'The Beatles' "A splendid time was guaranteed for all." (Albeit expensive!) Unlikely I will feel the need to want or indeed, live long enough to save up and do it all again but would recommend it to those inclined to taste the delights on offer of this unique sojourn”
Thank you for your detailed and insightful review, Michael! We're thrilled to hear that the weather gods were kind and that you enjoyed cruising through the beautiful English countryside. It sounds like you had a wonderful time with our crew and your table companions, which truly enhances the experience. I'm also pleased the Guinness was well recieved. We appreciate your feedback regarding the last day and will take it into consideration as we strive to create the best possible journey for our guests. Even if this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for you, we’re glad you would recommend us to others.
