If you are able to be flexible about boats and weeks please email us and we will suggest some options.

If you want to check our prices first, click to see one way prices, out and back prices or short break prices.

Please make sure you have read the important information below about cancellation protection and Conditions of Hire.

Once you have paid a deposit and your booking has been confirmed by us, a contract exists and you will be liable for the whole of the hire charge even if you are prevented from taking your holiday (see Condition of Hire 4).

This optional Cancellation Protection Scheme (CPS) gives you protection against this liability in certain circumstances.
 
We strongly recommend that you join this scheme unless:
You have suitable cancellation insurance of your own, or
You pay the entire hire fee at the time of booking, and
In either case you accept that you can receive no refund from us if you have to cancel.
The charge for the CPS will be added to your booking deposit unless you indicate on your booking form that you are prepared to assume the full risk of cancellation. The CPS charge is not refundable.

Benefits
Where any of the qualifying circumstances arise, if you cancel:
More than 42 days before the start date: all hire monies paid will be refunded (less the CPS charge) and you will be absolved of all liability under the Conditions of Hire for any balance of charges due
42 days or less before the start date: as above, less a £50 administration charge and the CPS charge.

Conditions
CPS only covers complete cancellation before the start of the holiday. It does not give a partial refund in the event of one or more persons being unable to take their place in the crew, nor does it cover curtailment of the holiday.
Cover is only provided to those people whose names are shown on the booking form.
Any claim must be supported by suitable documentary evidence.
Any claim must be made at the earliest opportunity by telephone and be confirmed within seven days by Recorded Delivery mail.
If you cancel for a non-qualifying reason, or have declined our CPS, see Condition of Hire 4.
You can only join the CPS at the time of booking.
 

Qualifying Circumstances
1. Death, injury, illness, pregnancy complications or confinement immediately before holiday start (certified in all cases by a registered medical practitioner).
2. Death, injury, illness, pregnancy complications or confinement (certified in all cases by a registered medical practitioner) of a near relative (husband, wife, civil partner, father, mother, parent-in-law, sister, brother or child) or a close business associate immediately before holiday start.
3. Jury or witness service (in a court of law), or redundancy (qualifying for payment under the Redundancy Payment Act 1965).
4. Fire, storm, flood, subsidence or malicious damage making the home uninhabitable.
5. Police requiring the presence of any named member of the party following burglary at home or place of business.
6. Cancelled leave orders in respect of UK police and military personnel.
7. Unforeseen occupational posting in respect of present employment immediately before holiday start.

With the exception of maternity the above circumstances must occur after the holiday has been confirmed and the CPS charge paid.

How to claim
Telephone as soon as you know you want to claim. Confirm immediately by post, returning your booking confirmation. Send supporting documentary evidence within seven days.
The decision of the Company on all claims will be final.
No refund of CPS charges is allowed.

CPS charges

1. Definitions
In these conditions and the agreement:-"the Company" means Britannia Narrow Boats Ltd trading as Shire Cruisers.
"the Hirer" means the person or persons named in the booking confirmation. Where there is more than one Hirer they shall all be individually responsible and liable under the agreement
"the Conditions" means the conditions set out in this form
"the price" means the price for the booking set out in the booking confirmation
"the start date" means the date when the booking starts, as set out in the booking confirmation
"the end date" means the date when the booking ends, as set out in the booking confirmation.
2. Booking Agreement
A booking is a legal agreement. Submission of a completed booking form is an offer by the Hirer to hire and the booking agreement is made only if and when the Company gives a written booking confirmation. Telephone or Email bookings do not create legal agreements and any offer by the Company to hold a reservation is not legally binding except where the booking deposit is authorised by the Hirer by credit or debit card when acceptance by the Company shall create the booking agreement though the Hirer shall also complete a booking form. The agreement includes these Conditions which the client accepts having read and agreed them. The entire contract between the Company and the Hirer is contained in these Conditions and the booking form and to the extent permitted by law no representations, terms, warranty or condition expressed or implied shall be deemed to be or have been made or agreed or imported by reference to any other writing, advertisement or conversation. No agent, servant or representative of the Company has any right to alter or vary or waive any of these Conditions. Nor is any such person authorised to undertake any liability whatsoever on behalf of the Company. These Conditions can only be varied with written permission of the Company signed by a director of the Company. The Hirer acknowledges that no statement or representation which may have been made by or on behalf of the Company induced the Hirer to enter into the contract and that any such statements or representations do not form part of the contract or the Agreement. Any liability of the Company and any remedy of the Hirer in respect of any such statement or representation is excluded save insofar as liability in respect of any particular statement or representation may not be excluded by law. Bookings for optional extras are taken subject to availability on the start date.
3. Group Bookings, Age Limits and Unsuitable Hirers
The Hirer must be aged 18 years or over. Though there is no age limit for driving the boat, the Hirer warrants that any person under 18 years handling the boat, locks or other equipment will be at all times under the close supervision of a competent adult. The full names of all members of the Hirer's party and ages of children must be entered on the booking form. Any changes before the start date or during the hire period must be authorised by the Company.
The Company’s prior written consent is required for bookings by groups mainly comprising young persons. A Hirer who wants to make such a booking must provide full details on the booking form and be prepared to give further information. The Company may at its discretion cancel any booking made in contravention of this condition before or at the start date. In this event any money paid will be forfeit and any balance payment will remain due unless the Company is able to re-let. If the Company is able to re-let the Hirer will remain liable for 15% of the Price to cover administration expenses.
The Company may at its discretion cancel the booking and refuse to hand over the boat to any person or group who in its opinion is not suitable to take charge on the grounds of infirmity, ill health, disability, suspected influence of alcohol or drugs or who have failed to demonstrate a reasonable standard of competence following appropriate instruction in boat handling. In this event the Company will refund any monies paid for boat hire and the contract shall be discharged without further liability on either party.
The Company may repossess the boat at any time if in the opinion of the Company the Hirer is unsuitable for any of the reasons given above or if the Hirer is not behaving responsibly or if the boat or any persons are at risk. In this event the Hirer shall remain liable to pay the hire price and no refund shall be due or expenses met.
4. Cancellations and Changes
The agreement (including payment terms) is a legally binding contract and may not be amended or cancelled except as provided in the Conditions.
A hirer who wants to change or cancel a booking must notify the Company immediately by telephone and at the same time confirm in writing and return the booking confirmation.
Bookings may be transferred at the Company's discretion and subject to availability up to 42 days before the start date. A fee of £20 will be charged for any necessary re-invoicing.
Notice of cancellation, confirmed in writing, will be accepted by the Company if received not less than 42 days before the Start Date. The deposit will then be forfeit.
If a holiday is cancelled less than 42 days before the start date the amount already paid will be forfeit and the Hirer will remain liable for any balance price on the due date. The Company may at its discretion waive the price (or part of it) less 15% administration charges and any CPS charge if the boat is re-let for the whole of the hire period. In the event of the Company being unable to re-let the boat for the full Price, the Hirer will remain responsible for the full Price.
THE HIRER IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED TO PROTECT AGAINST CANCELLATION LIABILITIES BY TAKING OUT CANCELLATION PROTECTION. Details of our optional scheme are shown under Cancellation Protection Scheme.
Any holiday may be cancelled for any reason before 31 December the previous year and the Company will refund all monies paid.
5. Hire Period, Collection and Return of Boat
Boats will normally be available between 2.00pm and 5.00pm on the start date and will be returned by 9.00am at the latest on the end date or as otherwise shown in the booking confirmation.
The Hirer must notify the Company of any likely delay in arrival as soon as possible by letter or if this is not practicable by fax or telephone. If the Hirer does not arrive to collect the boat by 6.00pm the Company may make an additional charge of £50 for out-of-hours handover, and may not complete the handover till the following day.
Before the Hirer takes the boat over the Company may give the Hirer such instructions, demonstrations and trials as it thinks fit, and require the hirer to sign the Boat Handover Certificate to indicate that these instructions and demonstrations have been understood.
In the event that the boat is not available because of circumstances beyond the Company's control (for example damage, mechanical breakdown, late return) the Company may substitute a boat of similar accommodation but if no such boat is available the Company shall refund any payments made but shall not otherwise be liable and the contract shall be discharged.
The boat must be returned to base and vacated by the Hirer in a clean and tidy condition by 9.30am on the end date. The Hirer is responsible for allowing enough time for unforeseen contingencies so as to ensure prompt return. In the event of delay the Hirer shall be liable to pay the sum of £50 per hour or part hour of the delay in returning the boat or giving possession and to indemnify the Company in respect of all other expenses and losses it may sustain by reason of such delay including any loss of or claim under subsequent booking.
The hirer is responsible to return the boat to the base instructed by the Company. If the Hirer fails to do so except for unavoidable cause the Hirer will be liable to pay to the Company the cost of recovering the boat.
The Company reserves the right without liability to hand the boat over at and/or to require the boat to be returned to a site other than its normal base if operational circumstances make this necessary. In such cases the Company will provide transport to or from the original base.
6. Prices and Payment.
Prices are inclusive of VAT and are subject to changes in tax rates before the Hirer pays the price in full. The booking confirmation and booking invoice are not VAT invoices.
Prices are in pounds sterling. The Hirer shall reimburse the Company on demand for any expenses incurred in the conversion of foreign currency, bank charges, special clearance, re-presenting cheques, processing payments or otherwise in obtaining cleared sterling funds of the amount due on the due date. Payment is not made until cash or cleared funds have been received by the Company.
The booking deposit must be sent with the booking application. The deposit is 20% of the hire fee excluding extras, minimum £100.
The balance of the price is due not less than 42 days before hire start date as shown in the booking confirmation. Time of payment shall be of the essence of the contract.
For bookings made within 42 days before hire start date the Hirer must pay the full price with the booking form.
Without prejudice to any other rights of the Company it may charge interest (both before and after any judgement) at the rate of 3 per cent over the company’s bankers base lending rate on any monies due from the due payment date until date of payment and interest shall accrue from day to day.
7. Insurance and Damage Waiver
The Company insures the boat and equipment and against public liability risks. The policy does not cover personal accident or the Hirer's personal belongings. Hirers and their crews are strongly advised to take out their own personal insurance cover.
The Company's policy does not cover the first £500 of any claim.
The Hirer will indemnify the Company from and against all costs, damage, expenses, liability and claims howsoever arising from the negligence, neglect or default of the Hirer to the extent that they are not covered by the Company's policy of insurance. The Hirer will pay a non-refundable Damage Waiver at the same time as payment of the balance price to cover the Company’s policy excess and any uninsured risks except where any loss or damage is caused by the deliberate or negligent act or omission of the Hirer or any member of his party (including where the person concerned is under the influence of alcohol drugs or any similar substance) or any failure by the Hirer to comply with these Conditions of Hire. In this case the Company has the right to make an additional charge to cover the loss or damage.
Neither the insurance policy nor damage waiver cover damage arising from late return of boat or return of boat in unclean condition.
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