Booking a boating holiday with Shire Cruisers

Step 1

Choose the route, boat and date you want. Then either:
● Use the online availability search (right). If you don't see what you want, try 'Show everything available' or select different start dates. Click 'Book this holiday now'. This will take you to a form, pre-filled with details and price of your chosen boat. Please fill in your own details. You can choose whether to:
    ● Pay your deposit immediately by card (have your mobile ready to receive a code from your bank), or
    ● Ask us to hold the boat for you (normally for 48 hours) so that you can pay by bank transfer (details on your provisional booking acknowledgement), or while you organise your crew.
        You will receive an automatic email acknowledgement of your request.
● Or phone 01422 832712 (office hours 9.30-5.00 Monday to Saturday). To call from overseas dial your international code for England then 44 1422 832712.
● Or use our contact form . If you are able to be flexible about boats and dates we will suggest some options.

For holidays of 10/11 days, or longer than two weeks, please submit multiple requests, or - much easier! - email or phone.

Please make sure you have read the important information about Holiday and Cancellation Insurance (below) and Boat Hire Conditions.

Step 2

If you opt to pay straight away by card, as soon as we've checked and accepted your request, we will issue your Booking Confirmation.

If you opt to pay by online banking, or ask for a hold, we will check your request and email you payment instructions. When we receive payment, we will send your Booking Confirmation.

If you book by phone, you can give your card details over the phone, or you can ask us to hold the boat (normally for 48 hours) while you send payment by internet banking or cheque.

We will send your Booking Confirmation by email.

Make sure you've arranged suitable travel insurance (see below).

Your Confirmation will have a link to your online Information Pack, including your Holiday Guide, a Route Companion appropriate for the holiday you have booked, a boat-handling film, safety information, an inventory list, an order form for bedding and other requirements, and joining instructions.

Your final payment will be due six weeks before your holiday. You are welcome to pay the balance by instalments if you wish.

On bookings for holidays less than six weeks ahead, the whole amount is due on booking.

Step 3

Look forward to your holiday!

Notes

The database is updated constantly, but a boat's listing here does not guarantee its availability.
If, exceptionally, we cannot accept your request, we will try to offer an alternative. Your booking is not confirmed until your initial payment has been received by us and a confirmation issued.

Holiday Insurance

We insure the boat, including cover for your potential liability to third parties (see Condition 9). Your free damage waiver removes your liability for the excess on this policy and for non-claimable damage, except for deliberate or wilful damage.

If you cancel for any reason, you may be required to pay all or part of your balance, or you may receive a partial or complete refund. This depends on how much notice you give, and whether we are able to re-let the boat. Please see Condition 6.

Our insurance does not cover you for:

● Personal accident
● Personal possessions
● Cancellation not refundable as above

We strongly recommend that you take out holiday insurance to protect against these and other risks.

We do not provide holiday insurance ourselves. If you do not already have suitable insurance, you can readily obtain it on the internet.