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.

If someone asked me to describe the one hour Aquabus ride and tour I took during my last trip to…read moreCardiff, I would have to answer with one word: "meh." For context, a travel buddy and I opted to board an Aquabus for a quick ride around the bay area only - we figured it would provide some beautiful views of the area and hoped that since it was advertised as a tour, we'd learn a thing or two. The biggest perk during the ride was that I got to spend a relaxing hour or so off of my feet, on the water, enjoying beautiful blue skies during a fall day in Wales. This is admittedly a pretty big perk. But the experience wasn't perfect, sadly. For starters, the boat left a bit later than we were told it would (almost 20 minutes later, in fact) - so it was a good thing my travel buddy and I had already attended our time-sensitive plans in the Bay area that day. Secondly, there really wasn't a lot of information during our "tour". Plus, even when they did try to give you information during the tour/cruise/ride/etc., the recording they occasionally played tended to malfunction. I can't even remember how many times it stopped or repeated itself. It didn't help that we couldn't always hear the recording very clearly, even though we were sitting pretty close to the speakers... So as you've probably guessed, I was ultimately pretty underwhelmed with my Aquabus "tour." I did at least get to enjoy a beautiful ride around the bay. Something tells me that's their primary aim, too. So if that's what you're looking for, that's what I can recommend an Aquabus ride for. But after my experience, I'll remember Aquabus as a sightseeing option only. 2.5 stars from this traveler.

As far as adrenaline rushes and "been there done it" experiences are concerned, Cardiff bay's…read morelittle Aquabus tour probably doesn't compare well to The Lady of the Mist boat that takes you to the base of Niagara Falls. Having said that - if you happen to be in Cardiff Bay of a lovely blue skyed day and are in no particular rush plus you fancy getting from the Bay to the City Centre then there is no better way than this. I did it with my partner and my child and its a lovely way to while away half an hour (I think that's how long it took). There is something timeless about chugging over gently rippling water towards a destination whilst watching a familiar landscape from an unfamiliar angle. Anyhow - if this appeals to you why not hop about they leave pretty regularly and do not cost the earth (it was under £5 for an adult).

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.

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'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!!!