"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

Canal du Midi

Canal du Midi

France

Bodrag River

Bodrag River

Hungary

Shannon

Shannon

Ireland

Saône Valley

Saône Valley

France

Selected of hotel barge trips

Check out the best hotel barges

Last-minute
2027 offers!
Anjodi barge cruise

Anjodi

Midi Canal
8 guests
★★★★
France
Canal du Midi
La Nouvelle Etoile barge cruise

La Nouvelle Etoile

Holland and France
8 guests
★★★★★★
France
Holland
Alsace
Dutch Waterways
Esperance barge cruise

Esperance

Midi Canal
6 guests
★★★★★
France
Canal du Midi
La Vie en Rose barge cruise

La Vie en Rose

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

Luciole

Nivernais Canal & Yonne
12 guests
★★★★
France
Nivernais & River Yonne
Magnolia barge cruise

Magnolia

Burgundy Canal
6 guests
★★★★
France
Burgundy Canal
Enchanté barge cruise

Enchanté

Midi Canal
8 guests
★★★★★★
France
Canal du Midi
Grand Cru barge cruise

Grand Cru

Near Dijon
8 guests
★★★★★★
France
Burgundy Canal

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.

La Peniche F Self-drive rental boat

La Peniche F

12 guests maximum
6 cabins
Ideal for 12 adults
3 bathrooms
★★★★
From 2465€/7 nights
Last minute
2027!
Linssen 34.9 GS Self-drive rental boat

Cruiser Premium Steel 4 to 6 people

Linssen 34.9 GS

6 guests maximum
2 cabins
Ideal for 4 adults
and 2 children
2 bathrooms
★★★★
From 1960€/7 nights
Last minute
2027!
Evolution P.950E Self-drive rental boat

Pénichette Premium 2 to 4 people

Evolution P.950E

4 guests maximum
2 cabins
Ideal for 4 adults
1 bathroom
★★★★
From 1633€/7 nights
Last-minute
2027
N SIXTO FLY C Self-drive rental boat

Cruiser Premium+ 6 to 8 people

N SIXTO FLY C

8 guests maximum
3 cabins
Ideal for 6 adults
3 bathrooms
★★★★★
From 3420€/7 nights
Last-minute
2027
N1000 Self-drive rental boat

Cruiser Comfort 6 to 8 people

N1000

8 guests maximum
3 cabins
Ideal for 4 adults
and 2 children
2 bathrooms
★★★
From 1397€/7 nights
Last minute
2027!
Europa 400 Self-drive rental boat

Cruiser Premium XL 4 people

Europa 400

4 guests maximum
2 cabins
Ideal for 2 adults
and 2 children
2 bathrooms
★★★★
From 1918€/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
Dancer 3 (Calypso) Self-drive rental boat

Dancer 3 (Calypso)

8 guests maximum
3 cabins
Ideal for 4 adults
and 4 children
2 bathrooms
Comfort
From 1659€/7 nights

Testimonials

Guests have said...

Our experience could not have been better. Everything was perfect!

Rated barge 5/5

We like the layout of the Penichette 1180FB, one toilet per cabin and no equipment failures.

Hotels Afloat is an excellent agent for Locaboat, and...

We were delighted with the barge cruise, the cuisine and the crew. Thank you.

We have very much enjoyed our week of canal and river cruising on "La Vie en Rose". We had some fabulous food, cheese and wine and learnt a lot...

Hello Emma,
We came back from the cruise and it was perfect.
So perfect that my mother in law and her husband are asking for more...
They want to...

The boat was really roomy and comfortable for four couples - both in the cabins and up top.
I rate the boat 9/10.
We particularly enjoyed the river...

We especially liked Savoir Vivre because they arranged dinner at local restaurants rather than all meals on board as the other Burgundy barges had....

It was all lovely, but the highlight was Auxerre. I knew it was a large town but we were in awe when we came round the bend in the river and saw...

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