Frequently asked questions?

Here are some frequently asked questions that we often receive to help you with your booking. If you don’t find your answer below however please feel free to drop us a line through the Contact Page or Chat in the bottom corner.

Q: Do you allow dogs aboard?

A: Yes, however dogs aren’t allowed on the bed or sofa. Also dogs must not be left alone in the boat when you are away from it, and whilst going through locks or swing / lift bridges they must be kept in the cabin for their safety if they are to stay aboard, else a member of crew can supervise them on the towpath.  We do not provide life jackets for dogs as it would be impossible to account for every size and bread, we would recommend ensuring that your dog has their own life jacket if you are going to bring them on your canal boat holiday.

Q: How many people can stay on the boat?

A: We have varied fleet of boats for you to choose from which can suit any party size from 2 people to a group of 10 people. Our current fleet can be seen at a glance with details of their maximum number of crew on the page Our Boats.

Q: Do you provide linen and towels?

A: Yes we provide bed linen, bath and hand towels as well as tea towels.

Q: What are the Check In and Check Out times?

A: Check in and check out is at set times. Check in is from 2pm and it is important that you arrive on time for this as your induction will start promptly at this time. Check out is at 9am. If you require a later or earlier check in or out then please enquire to see if we are able to accommodate your request, there will be a charge of 50% of a days hire for late / early check in or out at a time that differs from the 2pm check in or 9am check out, and is subject to availability of both the boat, and staff to conduct your handover.

Q: Will I be shown how to drive / sail the boat?

A: Yes you will receive a comprehensive induction and handover upon arrival at the boat. To be fully prepared

please see the Boaters Handbook Video or Download the Boaters Handbook PDF.

Q: Do you provide life jackets?

A: Yes we have a life jacket available for each guest.

Q: Is there a TV / Radio?

A: There is a freeview TV and a DVD player on the boat. Some of the boats also have a radio.

Q: Can I use my own electric appliances?

A: Yes there is a gadget on the boat called an inverter, which enables the use of domestic mains fed 240 volt appliances. However, as this comes from the batteries on the boat that are 12 volt, there is a limit on the power output.

Many appliances that guests bring can be charged from the 12volt sockets on each of the boats. e.g. mobile phones, tablets, sound bar speakers etc.

The inverter should be used whilst running the engine to recharge the batteries and only then for short periods of time.

Should you run out of battery charge due to over use of the inverter then this will damage the battery and electric system so please ensure that you pay close attention to the instructions given on your handover.

Each boat has an inverter of a different power setting (Watts) which will determine if your appliance will work or not. Apologies to those with flowing hair, often hair dryers are to power hungry to work aboard the boats.

Please pay attention during your handover as if a power draw on the inverter is too high for it’s rating then permanent damage may be caused to this expensive item of equipment. Failure to properly follow instructions which cause damage to the boat will be the responsibility of the hirer to pay for.

Q: Is there internet or wi-fi available?

A: No, the boat is a place to unwind, relax and switch off.  If you do need to get online most areas have good mobile signal, which is ultimately how any Wi-Fi would be delivered to the boat anyway, and several of the pubs along the route offer wi-fi connectivity.

Q: Is there anywhere to park my car during my stay aboard the boat?

A: Yes.  We have a secure parking compound for parking your car during your stay.  The cost is £3 per car per night, the theory behind this parking fee is to encourage car sharing so that there is enough spaces for all guests. You can imagine how quickly the car parking will fill up if every guest on each boat arrived in their own vehicle.

Q: Can I fish whilst on the canal holiday?

A: Fishing is permitted as long as you meet some criteria.

• You have a Rod Licence issued by the Environment Agency here
• You have a fishing permit from the fishery that controls that area of the waterway (canal or river). Or where no fishing club governs the waterway concerned then a water way wanderers permit.
  • Find out who controls a fishery here
  • If there is no managing angling club of a fishery then a Waterway Wanderers Permit is required from Canal & Rivers Trust that you can get here

There are some age exemptions to requiring a rod licence and in some cases children are issued with permits / memberships from some angling clubs free of charge.

Please also note that live bait is NOT PERMITTED on our boats under any circumstances.  We’ve found when surveying non-fishing guests that they would be less than agreeable to stray live maggots in the boat.

Q: I have a question not answered here.

A: Just drop us an email below, click the chat icon in the bottom right corner or give us a ring on 0330 043 0547 or email info@floating-holidays.co.uk and we will help you with your question.  Remember there is no such thing as a silly question if you don’t know the answer.