UK River Cruises 2025/2026
With a spectacular mix of rivers, canals, lakes, harbours and bays, it’s no wonder that the UK boasts so many delightful cruises! To celebrate Britain’s majestic waterways, we have pulled together a selection of our most unique journeys, so you can cool down this summer and admire the scenery from a breezy new perspective.
Featuring a wonderful dive into the past, back to a time before the invention of steam travel, and a speedy crossing on a futuristic, amphibious vehicle, there’s a boat trip for everyone to enjoy.
UK River Cruising, Canal & Boat Trip Breaks
Little Trains of Norfolk & the Mississippi Paddle Steamer
4 nights at a selected hotel, Great Yarmouth with dinner & breakfast
Entertainment some evenings (Waverley Hotel only – guests staying at the Prince Guest House can see the entertainment at the Waverley Hotel opposite)
Excursion to Cromer & Sheringham
Heritage train journeys on the North Norfolk Railway & Bure Valley Railway
Mississippi paddle steamer cruise on the Norfolk Broads
Departures: September - October
Blackpool Bright Lights & Cruising Lake Windermere
Departures: May - October
4 nights at a selected hotel in Blackpool with dinner & breakfast
Entertainment every evening
Excursions to Kendal, Bowness-on-Windermere & Bury Market
Cruise on Lake Windermere
Heritage train journey on the East Lancashire Railway
Ilfracombe, Horse Drawn Cruise & RHS Garden Rosemoor
• Return coach travel
• 4 nights at the Dilkhusa Grand Hotel, Ilfracombe with dinner & breakfast
• Entertainment some evenings
• Excursions to RHS Garden Rosemoor, Bideford & Tiverton
• Horse-drawn barge cruise on the Grand Western Canal
Departures: September
Discover Donegal, Slieve League Cliffs & Wild Atlantic Way
6 Days from just £499 pp
Departures: May - September
2 nights at a selected 3-star hotel in the Dublin area with dinner & breakfast*
3 nights at the 3-star Central Hotel, Donegal with dinner & breakfast
Excursions to Glencolmcille Folk Village, Slieve League Cliffs, Killybegs, Glenveagh Castle and National Park & Dublin
Cruise on Donegal Bay
Escorted by a tour manager in Ireland
Torquay, South Devon & Dartmoor National Park
5 Days from just £349 pp
Departures: May - October
4 nights at a selected hotel, Torquay with dinner & breakfast
Entertainment some evenings
Excursions to Buckfast Abbey, Princetown, Tavistock, Dartmouth & Totnes
Scenic drive through Dartmoor National Park
Cruise on the River Dart
Bournemouth & the Isle of Wight by Hovercraft
4 nights at a selected hotel, Bournemouth with dinner & breakfast
Excursions to Dorchester Market, Weymouth & the Isle of Wight
Return hovercraft journey to Ryde, Isle of Wight
Departures: June - October
Bursting with thousands of miles of canals and rivers, Britain’s waterways are the perfect way to discover a new place from a unique perspective. Below are just some of our favourites:
The Leeds & Liverpool Canal
This 200-year-old canal was the first to connect two cities that were over 125 miles apart, allowing vital goods to be transported around a booming Britain! Meandering through sleepy Pennine countryside and passing picturesque villages, a narrowboat cruise is a lovely way to find out more about this much-loved waterway.
The River Thames
‘Old Father Thames’ has played a starring role in British history for over 2,000 years and even helped propel London into the global spotlight of economic and political power. The impressive Waverley Paddle Steamer provides a magnificent venue to take in the iconic sights of London from a different perspective, even passing under Tower Bridge! Or perhaps you'd prefer a 24-hour Thames River pass where you can explore the sights at your own pace.
Anderton Boat Lift
Renowned as one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the Waterways’, this incredible slice of engineering was constructed to lift boats boats and barges 50 feet from the River Weaver to the Trent and Mersey Canal high above.
Book Your UK River Cruise Break Online Today