The Bristol Packet is probably the best boat company to go with if you are looking for a trip up…read morethe Avon. They offer a variety of 'cruises' ranging from a short trip around the floating harbour, a trip under Clifton Suspension Bridge and back, and even all the way to Bath. The trips themselves up and down the river are really very pleasant. It is a very good way (especially for tourists) to get a good view of the slightly nicer parts of Bristol without too much exercise! Prices are fairly reasonable, with a trip to Bath costing £22 for an adult. Each boat offers a full bar and a toilet. Boats only seem to run weather permitting, and once you have arrived at the ferry it is a little unclear when the boats actually run. It would therefore be advisable to ring in advance.

If you want to hire a boat in Bristol, there are two options. Number 7 boats are the cheaper…read morechoice, but if you want a full-scale rave with decks, a bar and a dancefloor, there's only once place to come. These guys know what they're doing and supply the vessels for all the club nights who put on boat parties. If you fancy hiring one for yourself, they have a number of different sized options that come with a soundsystem installed plus they can supply decks too for an extra charge if you can't be bothered to lug yours down. I remember it being a tad pricey, but if you want to rock the boat, the Bristol Packet really is the only option.

Pulteney Cruisers run a 1 hour round trip up and down the Avon River. It goes under the Pulteney…read moreBridge and exits Bath quite quickly, and into more of a nature river cruise than a city cruise. You'll some lovely greenery, private back yards of the wealthy riverfront homeowners, and some beautiful majestic swans...and a few average looking ducks. While not a "must do" during your Bath explorations, it is very relaxing to take in a bit of nature, and sit for an hour if your legs and feet are exhausted after so much walking in Bath. £14/$19 seems just about right.

Review Title: Disappointing Cruise Experience - Not Worth the Money…read more We queued for 40 minutes with my child, only to be met with rudeness from staff who insisted he finish his ice cream before boarding. Once on the boat, the promised commentary was inaudible -- we couldn't hear a single word over the microphone. This was particularly frustrating as we had hoped to learn some history of Bath together. Instead, the focus seemed to be on selling drinks and snacks, with little care for the advertised experience. When several of us raised concerns afterwards, staff dismissed them and hurried us off. The seating was uncomfortable, and overall the short cruise felt poorly managed. Sadly, this was a complete waste of money. I would not recommend this company to anyone looking for an enjoyable or informative trip.

Besides fin cruises for kids the Island Voyage also do a 2 hour coastal adventure or the one I went…read moreon that is a 1 hour coastal cruise. The boats are a lot of fun and can reach up 60mph on a clear day, an adventure all on it's own! The driver also gives a good deal of information on the area and it's transformation, it is really good if your visiting the town or a newbie like myself. I wouldn't suggest going on this if your a bit dodgy on a boat as it can get quite rough. A special mention most be made about the gorgeous Labrador that frequents the stand where you pay. It's such a friendly little thing and is probably the reason I got roped into the trip, clever.

My nephew and I I went on a hour long trip whizzing around the bay with the bay water and the wind…read morerushing through our hair laughing as we went. Whenever you go to the bay you often see these distinctive yellow speedboats hammering it around the bay - it looks like fun because it is! I'd highly recommend it - on a busy bank holiday you're probably better off booking even though they leave pretty regularly. You can do a bay tour or actually go out to the channel through the barrage. The owners are lovely, chatty and full of information too! If I remember correctly it was £10 for an adult and £5 for kids but check the website and give them a call to make sure.

I've hired out boats for two different parties over the years and after doing my research, found…read morethat No 7 are cheaper than their bigger rivals. They have less choice but if the number of attendees suits their slightly smaller capacity, No 7 offer the best value. Be warned, however, that if you want something that can take decks and a provide a dancefloor, you need to speak to the Bristol Packet company. The on boat booze (cans of cider and lager) are cheap, allowing you to fuel up as you cruise from pub to pub in the Hotwells area, and the young staff are friendly, though the old guy who runs the show is a bit of a mentalist. When we turned up for our tour, he started shouting at me that he didn't take all male parties. I responded that he hadn't mentioned this at any point during the booking process, but he was insistent that it should have occurred to me to know this and tell him - even though it didn't occur to him to ask! We got our tour in the end when the staff intervened on our behalf, but I'm not sure I'd want to give him my business again.

well what can I say, excellent boat, fantastic trip. it…read morehappened that the driver was the owner, Richard who we all found to be the most charmng person you could ever hope to meet. Would I use No 7 again yes!!!

Just got back from a narrowboat holiday on the Kennet & Avon canal. We chartered the narrowboat…read morefrom Nikki at Moonraker Narrowboats. I cannot say enough good about how hard Nikki worked to make sure we were comfortable with our arrangements and with the boat. All my previous experience had been with sailboats (max 52ft) and a 65ft long wide-beam narrowboat was a bit intimidating to say the least. Nikki stayed with us for a bit while I got the hang of steering the boat and my crew passed us through one lock. Then it was off to Bath for a few days (Bonfire Night) and afterwards we worked our way back to Cain Hill Flight. Being in the center of Bath on the river Avon was a wonderful experience. Nikki currently has a fleet of 4 narrowboats. Ours for the week was Moondance. No issues with the boat at all. Being a sailboat owner I know how hard you must work to keep everything working on a boat. The only issue we had was a fuel gauge that doesn't like cold weather. Nikki arranged for a marina on our route to add an additional 100 liters of fuel and naturally the gauge worked perfectly after that. Moondance has a very open feel to her and the cabins are all very large for someone coming from sailboats. In spite of being about the size of "Rubeus Hagrid", I never found the space cramped or claustrophobic. The coal stove keeps the galley and living area nice and warm and there is always central heat if you need it. We were out during November, so at night we just snuggled in under the down comforters and enjoyed a peaceful sleep. I highly recommend Nikki and Moonraker! Cheers

We recently completed a week long narrow boat holiday on the Kennet & Avon canal. There were a…read moretotal of 14 of us...three generations, from age 7 to 84! After considering all the narrow boat rental companies, we chose Moonraker Canalboats. We are SO glad we did! Their boats are 10 feet wide (3' more than most) which makes a big difference in spaciousness. It also allows you to go through the locks alone (rather than pairing with another narrow boat) which is a big benefit. We rented two boats--each one was luxurious from stem to stern...very modern fully-equipped kitchens, fluffy linens, jacuzzi tubs, satellite television...all the amenities of a luxury hotel. I can tell you with great candor that, during the entire week, we never saw a boat that was superior to the ones we were on! Also, the staff could not be more helpful or accommodating. They made sure we were fully trained and comfortable with boat operation before we set off. Even when we experienced an unrelated family emergency, they stopped what they were doing and spent time with us to make sure we got the help we needed. Genuinely wonderful folks! If you decide on a K&A canalboat holiday, you will not regret choosing Moonraker.

A lovely way to spend an afternoon after a tour of the countryside as we had the wrong postcode. We…read morewere going to celebrate a friend's 70th birthday and were given the post code from website but this is the website for their office. We called and were given an alternative post code which took us to the centre of Evesham by the river. There is a small car park just at the edge of the park next to the river. We boarded the boat and greeted by the crew. It is a large barge with tables and seats for 24. Our party was 19 so we had the boat to ourselves. We had a quick safety briefing we set off. The skipper commentated as we cruised the Avon. We were served our food. There was a choice of fish & chips, chicken & chips & pie & chips which was preordered. I opted for fish & chips. It came in a box with mushy peas and there were sachets of tartare sauce on the table. The fish and chips were lovely with the scenery going past. We bought drinks at the bar they sold alcohol, soft drinks and hot drinks. £2 for a Coke and £2.10 for a J2O- I was drinking. £3.00 for a cuppa tea. The cruise last 2 hours and cost £16.50. It was a lovely few hours.

I'd been living in Bristol for more than a year before I got around to taking a trip on the ferry,…read morewhich is strange because I'd spent plenty of time around the Harbourside watching them drift up and down the water, thinking it looked like a pleasant way to pass an hour. Although the ferries are mainly aimed at commuters, with more services during the rush hours at each end of the day, they're also popular with tourists - and locals who want to get a fresh perspective on their city. You can choose from two round-trip routes: one around Hotwells, past the SS Great Britain (taking about 40 minutes), and another up to Temple Meads and back (about an hour). We decided to take both trips on the same day, and enjoyed seeing the city from a new angle and taking photographs of the colourful houses along the Hotwells route. There are various jumping on and hopping off points, but most tourists start and end their journeys at the stop by the fountains right in the city centre (near the Hippodrome). Some boats are open with a small canopied area, which is lovely in fine weather, while others have a proper, closed-in seating area. Tickets for a round trip cost £4.90 for adults or £3.30 for children, students or senior citizens - or you can spend £7 and enjoy 24 hours of ferry riding!

I like to think of myself as a bit of a champion of public transport - telling my car-driving…read morefriends how "wonderfully ethical it is", and how it gives you "such a sense of camaraderie with your fellow commuters". Nevertheless, there's only so many times a girl can wait for a delayed bus in the rain or stand on a packed train before turning to alternative methods of transportation. That's how I came to discover Bristol's Ferry Company. Designed primarily for commuters, with times to suit them, the best time for tourists like me is in summer. Apart from the weather being better, the journey is a lot more comfortable and the boats are more frequent. At £7 for a 24 hour adult ticket, it may not be the cheapest way to travel in Bristol but it certainly is the most fun. Check out the website for timetables and where you can jump onboard (buying tickets are cheaper here too).

This small company is run by a husband and wife team, and through them chartered yachts and boats…read morecan be hired almost anywhere in the world. I met a couple in New Zealand who hired a boat and sailed all the way to Fiji. I took them over two weeks and for six days they were sailing through storm. It was some of the worst weather that year. They battled through it hour after hours. And suddenly, they were out in the calm. They were in the eye of the storm with mile-high banks of clouds in all directions and sunlight gleaming in the evening light; rainbows everywhere. It was an experience to make a lifetime; one of those things that sets a never fading glitter of awe in the corner of someone's eye. These are the people who arrange these dreams. With private hire and working through other companies around the globe, if you have the time and opportunity, certainly very good people to speak to. Go and arrange an adventure!