Here is a selection of the reviews written by many of our happy guests who have stayed with us aboard one of our narrowboats throughout the years. To see a larger selection of reviews then please visit our reviews page.
Reviews here are automatically imported to our website from verified sources such as Google, Trip Advisor and Airbnb. Because of this level of transparancy and automation you can be confident that these are written by verified guests in their own words.
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We hired the RakiRaki boat from Floating Holidays. There were 5 adults hiring.Was a great 4 days away. We took plenty of provisions with us but still went to the Big Lock for dinner on the first night.Ate FAR TOO much over the weekend.Anyway, the team from checking-in through to the end were fab. We had a great tour showing us around the boat and what to do at the end of each day etc. Each of them had a great sense of humour and the dogs were even weighing us well.Good tuition through the first three locks. One guy showing us the locks and another guy helping the skipper to drive.Then we were on our own. It was all good. All took turns driving the boat, and if we can do it, anyone can.Really relaxing weekend.Got back on time and greeted again by the team and the dogs, pretty sure one of the dogs was more excited about seeing us than anyone else...Yep, highly recommend for anyone.
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This company is exceptional. I rented a large canal barge for several days with a group of friends and we had an awesome weekend. The chap who showed us the ropes was a true gent and very professional, showing us how to operate the barge and use the locks etc and because it was our first time he put us at ease. We had such a great time that we're considering doing it again next summer. Highly recommended. Thank you folks so much!
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First rate canal boat hire! This was our first (but certainly not last) canal boat holiday and Paul and Samantha made it great. They worked with us in the months before our vacation (from across The Pond) and answered all of our many questions. When we arrived, we were warmly greeted and checked out on the boat, then sent on our way. Even though we got one of their smaller boats (Lady Sophia), it was was comfortable, easy to maneuver and well equipped for a two week trip. We had a blast and will be returning customers.
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Great first time on a canal boat! The boat was lovely and just as described on the website. The was plenty of room for the 2 of us and would be for 4. The staff at floating holidays were extremely helpful and gave clear instruction regarding the operation and safety of the boat. Paul also lent me his hat as I'd fogotten mine so the customer service really is outstanding! It felt a bit intimidating going through the 3 locks of middlewich but it was a great way to learn the locks and how to manoeuvre the boat (you can go the other way, less locks in one go). That said, it was one of the most relaxing holidays we've ever had and we are definitely going back. We wanted to stay for another week but due to other commitments we were unable. Highly recommend, such a great way to completely unwind.
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We had a fabulous weekend on Ankka, loved every minute. Paul was very helpful and friendly when we arrived to pick the boat up, neither me or my husband had been on a canal boat before but had always wanted to try it. We were not disappointed, we enjoyed the boat, the peace & quiet and got to actually relax 😀 The boat was very clean, comfortable and enough space for the 2 of us plus a Pug 😊 The only down side, was handing it back 😅 We will definitely be doing this again...only next time, it'll be for longer than a weekend 😀
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Great boat, great service (courtesy phone call before we arrived to see if we had any questions - nice touch), comprehensive safety chat and info about the boat before leaving. Boat developed a fault and we had someone out to rescue us mega quickly.
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We had our NB for 12 days. Paul was easy to keep in touch with and the boat had everything we needed. Alex was a great asset to Paul’s business. Would highly recommend renting
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Had the best time with Floating Holidays. We spent 4 nights on Raki Raki, 4 adults and 2 18 month olds, plenty of room. Boat was spotless and really well equipped. We stayed when it was snowy and cold but the heating worked really well and kept us all warm.Paul and his team were amazing, answered any questions, gave us all a demo and took us through the first lock to make sure we knew what we were doing. No doubt if we'd had any problems (which we didn't) they'd have been on hand to help right away.Definitely recommend 😊
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Excellent experience with Floating Holidays team and boat! We rented a 60' narrow for 6 people and a baby and we all had an amazing trip. Any issue or questions were swiftly resolved. The boat was very clean, well kitted out and incredibly comfortable, even for 7 people. We did a lot of cooking on the trip and the kitchen was really well equipped - better than a lot of Airbnb's.
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I can highly recommend this company. We booked last minute in August (late review I know 🙈) and it was all really smooth and easy! Booked directly with Paul who was very helpful and reassuring with all my questions. Parked up at their base in Middlewich, had a H&S demonstration/talk and also was shown how to do the first lock which really helped us learn the ropes.'Our Time' the boat was really lovely and we were so impressed with how well equipped and clean it was. Absolutely no issues at all.We had the absolute best time, the best holiday and we will 100% be booking again. We've always said we wanted holiday on a narrow boat and it surpassed all our expectations. I can't talk about the holiday/canal boating without beaming ear to ear.Thank you Paul and the team at Floating Holidays!
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We called into the wharf for fuel one Sunday.Filled with fuel and discovered a fuel leak.Paul went out of his way to help that day and the following Monday offered to repair the boat for our builder. Am am sure they apply the same attention to thier boats. Many thanks top bloke.
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We called into the wharf for fuel one Sunday.Filled with fuel and discovered a fuel leak.Paul went out of his way to help that day and the following Monday offered to repair the boat for our builder. Am am sure they apply the same attention to thier boats. Many thanks top bloke.
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Our family of four just returned from a fantastic week on the “Our Time” boat on the Trent and Mersey and Caldon Canal. Paul and his team at Floating Holidays were amazing and fun and so helpful! Paul was even patient with entertaining with teaching our 13 year old son about how different parts of the boat work and answering hundreds of his questions. If we can make it back from Tennessee someday, we will definitely be booking with Floating Holidays again if they’ll have us. 🙂 Thanks for everything!
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Welcomed by Paul and Samantha and Loki ( lovely dog) as soon as we pulled up right by the boat. They showed us everything we needed to know and Paul took us to the first lock to make sure we were confident. Boat was clean and even had a bottle of prosecco for our honeymoon. We will definitely be coming back next year for our next journey, thanks guys.
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Enjoying a fabulous holiday on Casanova, a perfect narrowboat for 2. Regrettably halfway through our holiday now and getting ready to return to Middlewich. A big thank you to the Floating Holidays team - we're not wanting for anything. Skipper Sue and Capable Crew Geoff.
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Welcomed by Paul and Samantha and Loki ( lovely dog) as soon as we pulled up right by the boat. They showed us everything we needed to know and Paul took us to the first lock to make sure we were confident. Boat was clean and even had a bottle of prosecco for our honeymoon. We will definitely be coming back next year for our next journey, thanks guys.
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Had the most amazing bank holiday weekend on the Casanova thanks to Floating Holidays. Super communication from start to finish. Highly recommend
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FANTASTIC Experience enjoyed every minute of it.thanks to the crew at floating holidays middlewich for making this possible definitely booking again.cheers sean,vicky,mark and julie
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We had Our Time for a week in July 2021...boat was clean, in good condition and well equipped. Access for cars next to moorings, so getting loaded up is a breeze. Midflewich is good starting point for lots of routes. Had a great time on Shropshire canal on nice stretch down to Gnosall and back. Really friendly and responsive team...will be first choice for next canal holiday (might venture down the Llangollen next time).
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Had a great time on our first boating holiday, the boat (Casanova) was lovely, well equipped and clean and perfect for us. Paul was really helpful when we arrived, showing us everything and staying with us until we got through the first lock. Would definitely recommend!
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Columbina Had a fantastic week aboard Columbina which was perfect for our family of 5. We cruised down the Shropshire Union and would recommend the route - plenty of pub stops along the way so you can eat out if you'd like to, enough locks to keep you on your toes and beautiful countryside. I wish we'd been able to go for more than a week though as it would have been great to do a ring rather than a there-and-back (we didn't fancy doing long days to fit in a ring in a week - we were on holiday and on canal time!). Anyway, Columbina was great, all the linens and towels were lovely and clean and our bed was incredibly comfy (and big!). Although our 3 boys (8, 10 &12) could all have fitted sideways on the second king size bed we did use the dinette bed for our eldest and he said it was comfy too. The shower was much better than I expected and having the second loo was really handy with so many of us. We didn't cook very much but the kitchen had everything we needed - even had a freezer so we could have ice in our gin and tonics! Thanks very much to Paul and the team for a great holiday, I'm sure we'll be back.
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Rakiraki Very large spacious boat, had everything u need for a holiday. Extremely comfortable. Staff very friendly and helpful with whatever you need any time of day, already booked again for next year Highly recommended
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CASANOVA We had a fabulous holiday on Casanova, doing the four counties ring. The team of Floating Holidays were really helpful, and the countryside was breathtaking. I will be looking to return! I loved the camaraderie of the canals, the quiet, and the self containment, and cosy nights in with the family listening to music and playing board games. I loved my daughter (16) doing the locks and my son (21) taking the helm to the manner born (sic).
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Christopher Brookes
Sep 2020
Boat was clean and well equipped ready for use, easy to use and we had a really relaxed week sailing to the south and back with no pressure. Good support from Paul when things went wrong (a leak in the canal !) and at the start showing us how to use the boat and the equipment.Unexpectedly there was good central heating (not much used as the weather was generally good) and a hot shower. Cooking was easy with cooker and microwave....just had to run the engine to keep the power up and not drain the batteries but easy in practice.Useful map on board showing bridge numbers and local towns, though we generally used quiet, countryside moorings. We'd happily use Floating Holidays again.Thanks for a great weekPat & Rosie
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“Could not have found better for our purpose.” We are thinking of buying a narrowboat. We know what it is like when the weather is good and wanted to see what it is like when the weather is not so good. The week we spent on Lady Sophia was perfect for the test. Storms !! Wind !! Rain !!It would have been a dreadful experience were it not for the great little boat we hired and for Paul who made sure we were going to be comfortable. He put an extra duvet on the bed and made sure that the first outing for Lady Sophia in 2020 ran smoothly by checking the boat over before we took over.Paul's pre talk was comprehensive and clear. During the week we had only one simple issue, mainly because I had forgotten something Paul told me. I called him on the mobile, he answered immediately and clearly explained what I had to do. The problem was fixed in minutes!!!! Brilliant.I would highly recommend using Floating Holidays (even to my best friend). Paul has got it right. A really nice man. If you want to see how we spent the week go to YouTube and search either "Shall I buy a narrowboat" or go to my channel "Michael Chartres"
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“A very sucessful week on Lady Sophia” We hired the Lady Sophia for a week because we are thinking of buying a narrowboat and wanted to see what it like when the weather is not so good. We picked the perfect week !!! Cold, wet and very windy BUT we really enjoyed the experience mainly because the boat was warm and in good condition. Paul was excellent. Friendly, helpful and informative. In the entire week we only had one small issue which was our fault (I forgot what Paul had said about the heating). His advice on the phone, which was answered immediately, was clear and sorted the problem literally in minutes.Later this year Paul is moving his operations from Poynton a little further south but still in a great area for enjoying the canals and scenery.Whether you want a boat for the same purpose as us or just a simple holiday I would definately recomend Floating Holidays Ltd and I wish the company every success in the future,
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A great boat for our two families, lots of fun for all -swing bridges, narrow turns and lovely country pubs. Paul is a very relaxed and friendly host, would highly recommend
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Very nice People. No Problems. Wonderful holidays. Greetings from Austria. We will come again. Thomas
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The boat was clean and the beds were really comfy. Thoroughly enjoyed our family of 4 trip over 7 days. Our first time on a canal boat but after the thorough induction from Paul we cracked it. The Columbina was well stocked with cupboard necessities which made it feel really homely. We will be happy to do this again.
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Paul excellent on the getting started , best sleep in the beds they are so comfy ,no noise but the ducks !,we managed getting an 86 yr old with poor mobility onto it ,but would suggest bring an extra block as the steps are steep ,but no problem for abled bodied, expected to bring washing liquid soap towels hand soap etc but all there ,would highly recommend them nothing seemed to be a problem with booking and easy to contact
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Great weekend. A lot easier than you'd imagine. Beautiful scenery.. everyone is friendly and helpful. Highly recommend.
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Boat was clean and well equipped ready for use, easy to use and we had a really relaxed week sailing to the south and back with no pressure. Good support from Paul when things went wrong (a leak in the canal !) and at the start showing us how to use the boat and the equipment.Unexpectedly there was good central heating (not much used as the weather was generally good) and a hot shower. Cooking was easy with cooker and microwave....just had to run the engine to keep the power up and not drain the batteries but easy in practice.Useful map on board showing bridge numbers and local towns, though we generally used quiet, countryside moorings. We'd happily use Floating Holidays again.Thanks for a great weekPat & Rosie
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If you are a first timer on the canal then this is the ideal holiday for you. My wife and I spent a 3 night cruise on the Gemini 111 cruising on the macclesfield canal. We were met by Paul on the first day who gave a thourough but relaxed introduction and was very helpful in assisting in planning our journey. The boat was easy to handle and a pleasure to be on; we will definitely be booking again.
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I spent the weekend on the boat for my mates stag do. We had Paul driving the boat for us which at first I thought was going to be slightly awkward but hes such a great guy and really easy to talk to and by the end of it he was one of us. I would highly recommend using floating holidays to anyone. Definitely worth every penny!
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We spent 4 days on one of Floating Holidays' boats in end May 2019. I recommend them very highly: they have an excellent mixture of friendliness, efficiency, pragmatism, politeness, service and helpfulness in the right amounts. The boat was clean, comfortable and well-provisioned. Their advice was useful, well-judged and required. The hand-overs were done well, and they responded quickly and efficiently to our text/phone questions. [In case this all sounds too gushing, I confirm that I have no relationship with Floating Holidays at all, and first met the owner on the afternoon when we picked up the boat.]
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I’ve used the floating holidays for the last couple of years & had a fantastic time every time . Boats are very equipped & homely . Every thing on board you need & More . A really good relax throughout on a great stretch of the scenic canal . Paul is a great guy ,all the staff are very polite & helpful too . Look forward to booking again soon .Thanks againDan
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I’ve used the floating holidays for the last couple of years & had a fantastic time every time . Boats are very equipped & homely . Every thing on board you need & More . A really good relax throughout on a great stretch of the scenic canal …MoreI’ve used the floating holidays for the last couple of years & had a fantastic time every time . Boats are very equipped & homely . Every thing on board you need & More . A really good relax throughout on a great stretch of the scenic canal . Paul is a great guy ,all the staff are very polite & helpful too . Look forward to booking again soon .Thanks again Dan
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Boat was clean and well equipped ready for use, easy to use and we had a really relaxed week sailing to the south and back with no pressure. Good support from Paul when things went wrong (a leak in the canal !) and at the start showing us …MoreBoat was clean and well equipped ready for use, easy to use and we had a really relaxed week sailing to the south and back with no pressure. Good support from Paul when things went wrong (a leak in the canal !) and at the start showing us how to use the boat and the equipment.Unexpectedly there was good central heating (not much used as the weather was generally good) and a hot shower. Cooking was easy with cooker and microwave....just had to run the engine to keep the power up and not drain the batteries but easy in practice.Useful map on board showing bridge numbers and local towns, though we generally used quiet, countryside moorings. We'd happily use Floating Holidays again.Thanks for a great weekPat & Rosie
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The boat was clean and the beds were really comfy. Thoroughly enjoyed our family of 4 trip over 7 days. Our first time on a canal boat but after the thorough induction from Paul we cracked it. The Columbina was well stocked with cupboard necessities which made it feel really homely. We will be happy to do this again.
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Absolutely beautiful stretch of canal from Poynton to Whalley Bridge. Would definitely do it again. Although I was with a friend, he has zero short term memory so I had to do everything & there were a lot of instructions to remember, at my age a good memory is a distant memory. I'd suggest writing them down. Apart from that awesome time can't wait to go again next year ALONE
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Booking the boat was made straightforward and easy, the boat itself was really nice and Paul was laid back and informative. He was understanding when the boat was damaged and squared it away quickly and fairly. Nice weather, gorgeous location and we would book again! I would add that information about using the boat, in some sort of written instruction, in the boat would be useful as I did worry about all that I had to remember! Thanks Paul
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I spent the weekend on the boat for my mates stag do. We had Paul driving the boat for us which at first I thought was going to be slightly awkward but hes such a great guy and really easy to talk to and by the end of it he was one of us. I would highly recommend using floating holidays to anyone. Definitely worth every penny!
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Paul excellent on the getting started , best sleep in the beds they are so comfy ,no noise but the ducks !,we managed getting an 86 yr old with poor mobility onto it ,but would suggest bring an extra block as the steps are steep ,but no …MorePaul excellent on the getting started , best sleep in the beds they are so comfy ,no noise but the ducks !,we managed getting an 86 yr old with poor mobility onto it ,but would suggest bring an extra block as the steps are steep ,but no problem for abled bodied, expected to bring washing liquid soap towels hand soap etc but all there ,would highly recommend them nothing seemed to be a problem with booking and easy to contact
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“Relaxing weekend.” We booked this boat at very short notice due to cancellation of our booked holiday and we had a lovely relaxing weekend. Paul did a quick transfer, (we had rented canal boats before) & after a night stay in Poynton & a meal in the local pub we set off for Bugsworth Basin the next morning as this didn't have locks so was easily achievable in the short time on board, we spent the next night here. We were lucky to have lovely weather for the Bank holiday weekend & the scenery was beautiful. The boat itself was comfortable & had all that we would expect when renting. It was a very friendly community feel with the canal users & nice places to eat out along the canal. We travelled back on the Sunday for an early morning handover, as we are not early risers so didn't want to rush back early morning. We handed the boat back to Paul, who is a friendly & knowledgeable chap and returned home relaxed & rested.
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“Tranquil break” Had lovely experience boat lovely bed sooo comfortable Paul was a great host, narrowboat dog friendly ,had no issues but feel that had we had any problems Paul would have dealt with them quickly, the canal was so peaceful and the scenery was lovely ,great canalside pubs never had a bad meal ,we had a lock free experience,I left my Raybans and Paul postrd them back to me, I would not hesitate to reccomend Paul and his Company,thanks Paul ,kim Dewar
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