The Boat Floats

Guide

Skippered Trips and Boat Charters

Catering is usually optional — many operators have in-house caterers, allow outside caterers, or are happy with you bringing your own. Bar service requires the

3 min read · Updated 2026-01-13

Skippered Trips and Boat Charters

What's in this hub

A skippered charter is a private booking — your group, your boat, your skipper, your itinerary. It sits between a scheduled trip-boat ticket (no choice over route or timing) and a self-drive hire (you do everything). Charters suit corporate days out, family events, weddings, milestone birthdays, accessibility-led groups, and curious newcomers who want to learn the ropes without the responsibility of a self-drive booking.

What you book

Most skippered charters are priced per boat rather than per head, with a maximum capacity (often 10 or 12 on narrow canals; up to 50–100 on broad canals and rivers). Half-day and full-day charters are standard; some operators offer evening dinner cruises and overnight skippered tours.

Catering is usually optional — many operators have in-house caterers, allow outside caterers, or are happy with you bringing your own. Bar service requires the operator's licence; alcohol you bring yourself is normally fine.

A skipper does all the steering, lock-working and route planning. On longer charters with locks, the skipper typically welcomes guests who want to help — it's part of the appeal.

Skippered-charter operators by region

Northern England and Scotland

  • Skipton Boat Trips — private hire alongside scheduled trips.
  • Ripon Scenic Cruises — small-group charter.
  • Lancaster Canal Cruises and Lancashire Canal Cruises.
  • Wherry Yacht Charter — heritage Norfolk wherries available for charter.
  • Forth and Clyde and Union charters from Falkirk and Edinburgh.
  • Seagull Trust Cruises — accessible charters in Scotland.

North West and North Wales

  • Llangollen Wharf horse-drawn private hire.
  • Bridgewater Cruises and Brindley Cruises — private charter on the Bridgewater and Trent & Mersey.
  • City Centre Cruises and Manchester River Cruises — Manchester city-centre charters.
  • Cheshire Cat Narrowboats — skippered options.

Midlands

  • Sherborne Wharf — Birmingham city-centre charters.
  • Stoke Bruerne Boat Company — Grand Union charters.
  • Foxton Boat Services — Grand Union charters at Foxton Locks.
  • Saltisford Canal Centre — Warwick charters.
  • Dudley Canal Trust — underground tunnel charters (a memorable corporate day).
  • Country Craft Narrowboats — Ashby and Mon & Brec.
  • Boatel Party Cruises — Midlands-based private hire.

Southern and South East

  • London Waterbus Company — Regent's Canal private charters.
  • Jason's Trips — Little Venice charters.
  • French Brothers — Windsor / Runnymede charters.
  • Hobbs of Henley — Thames charters.
  • Oxford River Cruises and Salters — Thames charters.
  • Pulteney Cruisers (Bath) — River Avon city charters.
  • Kennet Horse Boat Company — horse-drawn private hire.
  • Bristol Ferry Boats and harbour-area Bristol charters (Bristol Floating Harbour).

Norfolk Broads

  • Broads Tours private charters (Wroxham).
  • Wherry Yacht Charter — heritage sailing wherry charter (small overnight crews; an authentic Broads experience).
  • Norfolk Wherry Trust day charters.

Choosing a skippered charter

  • Capacity drives price — under-fill a 50-seat boat and the per-head cost climbs.
  • Catering: clarify whether outside food is allowed, and whether the boat has plug-in points and a galley.
  • Cruising route: tell the operator what you want (city skyline, countryside, locks as theatre, sunset return) and they'll suggest the best stretch from their base.
  • Accessibility: a few operators have proper level-access boats — ask before booking if anyone in the group needs step-free boarding.