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Late Booking Cruises
We show vacant cabins on the hotelboats, often offered at a special discount.
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How to Book Your Cruise
All hotelboat cruises are booked directly with their Crews and Operators - Simple!
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2026 Hotel Boat Cruises on the waterways of Southern England
The waterways of Southern England are a mixture of canals and rivers. Most can be cruised
by wide beam barges.
Most waterways link London with the north and west. The Grand Union Canal crosses the Chilterns and the narrow Oxford Canal has the Cotswolds to climb so there are plenty of locks. There's fine scenery too and interesting villages to explore. The Kennet and Avon, a canal and two rivers, links Bath with the Thames and London, crossing some of Southern England's finest countryside.
The River Thames is our 'premier' river, much of our history has been made on its banks. Above Oxford it winds through water meadows, below Oxford it is heavily wooded until it becomes the Thames of the Boat Race and the Houses of Parliament!
Hotelboat waterway cruises in Southern England in 2026
Just click on the company name to go to their website and see full details of cruise itineraries and boats, and to book your cruise. You can explore a different area from the menu on the left. You may need to scroll down or across to see the waterway or month you are interested in. As you can see most companies operate March to October, but The Piano Boat will be holding Christmas and New Year Musical Holiday cruises, see their website for more details.