"Carefully created cruises, just for you"™

Cruise with Emma

Hi, I’m Emma James-Aldridge, and my company is dedicated to organising hotel barge and self-drive boat cruises on the inland waterways, canals and rivers of France, other European countries and Canada, for clients from across the globe. If you're a family, group of friends, couples or individuals, I have the perfect cruise for you.

Why choose us
Self-drivesHotel barges

Our clients have awarded Hotels Afloat
★★★★★ (4.9) stars

Discover rivers and canals

Top cruise destinations

Loire Valley

Loire Valley

France

Saône Valley

Saône Valley

France

Camargue

Camargue

France

Shannon

Shannon

Ireland

Bodrag River

Bodrag River

Hungary

Selected of hotel barge trips

Check out the best hotel barges

Nymphea barge cruise

Nymphea

Brittany
6 guests
★★★★
France
Brittany
La Vie en Rose barge cruise

La Vie en Rose

Burgundy
6 guests
★★★★
France
Saône Valley
Central Canal
Elegance barge cruise

Elegance

6 guests
★★★★★
France
Aquitaine & Bordeaux
Aurora barge cruise

Aurora

River and Canal
8 guests
★★★★★★
Belgium
Belgium - France
France
Holland
Flanders
Bruges to Haarlem
Rotterdam to Paris
Dutch Waterways
Île-de-France
Champagne
Bruges to Paris
Shannon Princess barge cruise

Shannon Princess

Ireland
10 guests
★★★★★
Ireland
Shannon
Saroche barge cruise

Saroche

Champagne
6 guests
★★★★★★
France
Burgundy Canal
Saône Valley
Luciole barge cruise

Luciole

Nivernais Canal & Yonne
12 guests
★★★★
France
Nivernais Canal & River Yonne
Last-minute
2027 offers!
Panache barge cruise

Panache

Holland & Alsace
12 guests
★★★★★
France
Holland
Alsace
Dutch Waterways

A selection of self-drive boat rentals

Discover the offers and discounts

The price shown is based on a 7-day cruise and indicates the lowest starting price, and excluding any special offer or discount.

Triton 1050 Self-drive rental boat

Triton 1050

8 guests maximum
2 cabins
Ideal for 4 adults
and 2 children
bathroom
★★★
From 969€/7 nights
2027 Super savings
Magnifique Self-drive rental boat

Magnifique

10 guests maximum
4 cabins
Ideal for 6 adults
and 2 children
3 bathrooms
Comfort
From 1639€/7 nights
Crazy Days!
N SIXTO Green Self-drive rental boat

Cruiser Premium 6 to 8 people

N SIXTO Green

8 guests maximum
3 cabins
Ideal for 4 adults
and 2 children
2 bathrooms
★★★★
From 2741€/7 nights
Tarpon 37 Self-drive rental boat

Tarpon 37

9 guests maximum
3 cabins
Ideal for 4 adults
and 3 children
2 bathrooms
★★★
From 1250€/7 nights
Tarpon 42 Self-drive rental boat

Tarpon 42

12 guests maximum
4 cabins
Ideal for 6 adults
and 4 children
2 bathrooms
★★★
From 1780€/7 nights
Save up to 35%
Classic P.1107W Self-drive rental boat

Pénichette Classic 4 to 7 people

Classic P.1107W

7 guests maximum
3 cabins
Ideal for 4 adults
and 1 child
1 bathroom
★★
From 1246€/7 nights
Tarpon 37 DP Self-drive rental boat

Tarpon 37 DP

6 guests maximum
2 cabins
Ideal for 4 adults
2 bathrooms
★★★★★
From 1100€/7 nights
2027 Super savings
Horizon 1 Self-drive rental boat

Horizon 1

5 guests maximum
2 cabins
Ideal for 2 adults
and 2 children
1 bathroom
Premier
From 1359€/7 nights

Testimonials

Guests have said...

Kudos to all of you and the memorable barging experience. What great fun, friendship and excellence. You have set the bar so high. I cannot...

The boat was pretty well as expected but there were some shortcomings
It was easy to steer, responsive.
Boat rating: 8/10
Will book with Hotels Afloat...

I rate the boat an 8/10.
The route is beautiful, peaceful.
I was offered options, of route and boats, with enough info to be confident of a great...

We enjoyed it very much.  Very likely to book with Hotels Afloat again, rated 5/5 *

Rated barge 4/5 *; rated region 4/5 *

Compact and easy to handle, I rate this boat a 9/10. The base staff were very helpful.
Appreciated the wide route and automated locks.
Would book...

We will not soon forget the week we spent on La Vie en Rose. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Merci encore!!!  Laurie and gang.

The boat was quite spacious, nice Gin Deck
Rate it 9/10
The route from Tonnerre to Vermenton is beautiful...
The scenery, ease of finding supplies,...

Merci, merci, merci. Thank you to our Captain Chris and crew for a wonderful, perfect trip. We did not know what to expect and this week far...

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