Enjoy
the enforced relaxation while drifting along at no more
than 4 miles per hour and the cameraderie of meeting
other boaters.
Experience the friendliness of the locals when you tie up at the pub for a
drink or a meal.
A
holiday of contrasts, taken at a slow pace. The variety
is endless, city, town, village and country. Every bend
in the canal brings forth some new delight, every mile
some new feature. You can never see it all, no matter
how many times you return.
But why worry? Narrowboat holidays are for relaxation, for unwinding from everyday
pressures, for doing what you like, when you like. With us you have the choice
of six bases each with their own unique routes to help you discover a little
more of this beautiful country.
Canal
holidays are fun - whether with a family or friends,
you can choose an easy relaxing route or a holiday of
adventure and exploration. Remember that canal boats
have always been homes. In the days before motorways
and railways, they were the main method of transport,
with whole families living in boats while earning their
living.
Time
moves on and, sadly, commercial boats have all but disappeared,
but the heritage has been preserved and enhanced by our
modern boats which bring you all the comforts of home.
We design and build many styles to suit the differing
requirements of our customers.
BLACK
PRINCE BASES
How can I make a booking?
You can either book on-line or by completing the booking
form in the brochure. We require 25% deposit to confirm
the booking, with the balance due 8 weeks before your
departure date.
Once you submit the booking form on-line or sign the booking
form in the brochure, you are then entering a legal contract
and will be liable for the full cost of the holiday. It
is recommended that you protect yourself by taking out
our cancellation protection scheme, which will cover the
cost of cancellation due to sickness or accident.
What is included in the hire charge?
A full inventory list is available here and the hire charge
also includes gas, bed linen and VAT. We will also send
you a grocery list which you can fill in and return to
the base and your groceries will be waiting for you when
you arrive (£5 charge plus the cost of the groceries
payable directly to the base).
What is the Damage Waiver?
The Damage Waiver Scheme fee of £50 covers you in
the event of damage, loss or accident to your boat or its
inventory during your holiday. It is non-refundable and
avoids the requirement for a damage deposit payment of £500
to cover the insurance excess pending any claims. Please
ensure all passenger names are on your completed booking
form.
Exclusions:
1. Speeding (reported or witnessed. The limit is 4mph).
2. Malicious, negligent or intentional damage to the boat,
its inventory, third party property, the canal and its
structures.
3. Damage to the rudder, skeg or transmission due to cill
damage in a lock.
4. Return of the boat late or in an unclean condition.
In the event of any of the above being reported, we shall
claim the full cost of repairs, replacement or compensation.
What time is the boat available from?
Boats are available between 2.30pm and 4pm or from 9.30am
on Wednesday departures. Boats should be returned and
vacated by 9.30am, or 2.30pm on Tuesday returns. If a
boat is returned late or unclean, it will cause a delay
for the
next hirer. In this event, we reserve the right to charge
additional costs.
Can I bring my pet?
Well behaved pets are welcome, but please keep them off
the furniture and bedding. There is a charge of £25
each and no more than 2 dogs please.
Can I bring my bike or canoe?
Both are welcome, but do be careful of storage on your
trip if you put them on the roof, as they can get pulled
off by bridges or trees.
Can I charge my laptop and mobile?
There is a 12v socket on each boat and inverters are also
available to hire from the base, allowing you to use
a normal plug (max 100 watts).
Will I have to fill up with diesel and water?
The boat has a 100 gallon water tank which should be refilled
daily from water points along the canal. Diesel fuel
will be charged upon return of the boat and the cost
per litre will be slightly lower than supermarket prices.
(2010 – average cost £10-12 per day). The
boats will typically use between 1.2-1.7 litres per hour
depending on driving style. The central heating systems
are oil fired, which will also use diesel during colder
periods.
How do I get to the base?
Directions and information on public transport to the bases
are included in our base information sheets, which are
sent out with your booking confirmation. They are also
available on our website by clicking in the ‘bases’ section.
We also have an agreement with Enterprise Rent-a-Car
who will provide reduced rates for Black Prince customers.
Information is available here.
Where can I park my car?
All of our bases have free car parking, but we are unable
to accept responsibility for loss or damage to customer’s
vehicles.
Can I buy a map?
We provide a range of maps which are available to order
on the booking form prior to departure. Additional guides
and maps including Waterways World and Lockmaster Gateway
series are available at our bases along with souvenirs.
Are bedding and towels provided?
For every fixed bed we provide an interior sprung mattress,
duvet and cover, a pillow and pillow case, a mattress
protector and sheet. For beds made up in the evening
in the lounge area, we also provide bedding. We provide
one towel per customer.
Can I hire a buoyancy aid?
Each boat is equipped with a life-ring and buoyancy aids
are available free of charge. These come in four sizes
to suit toddlers to adults and will be individually fitted
before you leave.
Can I go fishing?
Fishing is allowed on rivers and canals provided you have
an Environment Agency rod licence, which is available
on-line or from any post office (except when fishing
is prohibited on rivers between 15th March and 15th June).
Many clubs will not object to fishing from boats but
some may require you to buy a day ticket.
Do I need a license to go on the river?
An additional license is required for the River Avon, Thames
and Nene. Further details can be given at the base before
departure.
How old are your boats?
We are the largest builder of hire boats in the UK and
we introduce new boats regularly giving us the youngest
hire fleet in the country.
