Betting On Barges For Small-Group Luxury Getaways

For some luxury vacationers, a river cruise ship is too small; for others, it’s too big. For clients in the latter group, there’s another option: barge cruising. 

Aside from a diminutive size—it typically accommodates a dozen or perhaps 18 people—a luxury barge allows travelers to focus on a small region of interest on routes that rarely exceed 50 miles. Barges ply canals, and not usually rivers, so the small villages and towns along the way are usually quieter and less crowded. For authentic local immersion, barging can be hard to beat.

For example, the food and wine of Burgundy’s Côte d’Or wine-growing region is the focus of French Country Waterways’ six-night cruise aboard the 18-passenger luxury barge Esprit. The Esprit’s route follows the narrow and scenic 18th-century Canal du Centre overlooking vineyards of the Côte de Beaune, the meandering River Saône and the Canal de Bourgogne between St. Léger-sur-Dheune and Dijon.

Barge cruises travel at a snail’s pace from destination to destination, so relaxation is the name of the game. Onboard Espirit in Burgundy, clients tour a 12^th century chateau, taste wines in Beaune, stroll through the medieval abbey of Clos de Vougeot and its vineyards, and take a leisurely bike ride into Dijon if they wish.      

Clients can tailor their activities, and many do so while traveling with family and/or friends. Some groups charter a whole barge.

“The ships are chartered every year by families looking to celebrate an event—but the focus is much more on spending quality time together in a quiet, relaxing atmosphere. French Country Waterways is able to accommodate groups up to 18 and the crew is flexible as far as activities—taking the youngsters out to a local soccer field to kick the ball around or getting smaller bicycles for their use—while the older folk get to relax on board,” a spokesman for the company said.

Or some can wander into a local village while others go for a bike ride. “The slow, close-in nature of the cruise and the canals makes it easy,” he added.

An agent’s tips
Linda Daubar, an agent with Fort Lauderdale-based Landmark Travel, specializes in luxury and has booked couples as well as family groups on luxury barges. “They tend to be well-traveled professionals looking for a more private and more personal experience, and something that’s very different from other vacations,” she said.

Daubar said her clients have loved barging, but offered some important advice: If you’re booking one couple, make sure the rest of the passengers are not all part of a family group, so your clients do not feel left out.

For family groups, Daubar prefers to charter the whole barge. A charter can cost between $35,000 and $40,000, sometimes more, to accommodate a group of 10 or 12.

On Espirit’s departures in late August and early October, the fare is $3,995 per person, double, including a special promotional savings of $1,000 per person while availability lasts.

Service and food aboard luxury barges tends to be top-notch, and fine wines and spirits are included.

Locally sourced cuisine is a hallmark of this type of cruising. Clients wake up in the morning to the aroma of fresh croissants and breads the chef just picked up from the local bakery, and lunch and dinner menus also reflect local ingredients.

More options
The niche market of luxury barge cruising is not crowded with suppliers. Along with French Country Waterways, two companies that offer a substantial variety of trips are European Waterways, which features itineraries in the British Isles and other destinations, and CroisiEurope, which specializes in the canals of France.

European Waterways’ Classic England trip, for example, offers a six-night plan traveling from Hampton Court Palace to Henley-on-Thames. Onboard the four-suite Magna Carta, clients can experience Old World England with visits to Dorney Court, a 600-year-old Tudor manor house, and Christ Church College, in Oxford. Some departures between July and August enable guests to tour Highclere Castle, of Downton Abbey fame. Fares are from $5,350 per person, double.

At CroisiEurope, clients can opt for an in-depth exploration of Provence during a six-night cruise along the Canal du Rhone, from Sete to Arles, aboard the 24-guest Anne-Marie. Roman ruins, olive oil production venues and local food and wine tastings provide an insider’s look at the destination. A trip in July is priced from $2,849 per person, double.