Explore the Oxford Canal
Book a canal boat holiday for family, friends, and your pets, starting in historical Oxford exploring the English waterways.
Welcome to College Cruisers
Join us at College Cruisers for a canal boat holiday along the South Oxford Canal and the River Thames. Whether you prefer to call it a narrowboat, canal boat or a barge holiday, we’ve got the perfect escape for you. College Cruisers offers flexible booking options, including the ability to book by the week.
Experience the timeless beauty of Oxford and beyond as you embark on a journey with family, friends, and furry companions. At College Cruisers, we’re here to ensure your canal holiday is stress-free and enjoyable. Let us provide you with all the necessary information and guidance for a memorable voyage.Your adventure on the water begins right here. Welcome aboard!OXFORD CANAL BOAT HIRE
Enter your chosen check-in and check-out dates to see which of our boats are available. Please note: check-in is only possible on:- Saturdays (Sat-Tues short breaks and weekly hire)
- Mondays (Mon-Fri short breaks and weekly hire)
- Tuesdays (Tue-Sat short breaks and weekly hire)
- Fridays (Fri-Mon short breaks and weekly hire)
About Our Canal Boat Holidays
Escape the hustle and bustle of modern life and immerse yourself in the timeless charm of a canal boat holiday – the quintessential British getaway. Cruise along the tranquil waterways that weave through the picturesque countryside of England. From the stunning South Oxford Canal to the majestic River Thames, each route offers a unique blend of natural beauty, historic landmarks, and quaint villages waiting to be discovered. Trips can be booked by the week for those looking for an extended holiday experience.
With the freedom to set your own pace and explore lush greenery and wildlife, a canal boat holiday promises relaxation and adventure in equal measure. Gather your loved ones and furry friends for an unforgettable journey filled with cosy onboard living, scenic vistas, and the simple pleasures of life on the water.Our Customer Reviews
My wife and I recently had the experience of attending our daughter’s wedding ( in Somerset )and going on a narrowboat cruise on the South Oxford Canal. We chose ( upon our daughter’s researched recommendation) an outfit called College Cruisers out of Oxford.
Our dealings with them could not have been more pleasant. The owner was extremely accommodating and kind when we experienced an illness in the family that required adjusting our plans, and when we had a minor mechanical difficulty, they dispatched a gentleman (who had to make a long trip) to rectify the problem. He was so nice and interesting we almost asked him to join us on the trip!
The boats themselves were very well stocked with (in our case) the necessities of cooking and baking that we were quite happy to make our (gourmet )meals on the boat when no pub was available.The boats were clean and beds were comfy and we had a great training session and introduction on how to operate the boats efficiently. Everyone we dealt with was very friendly, helpful and accommodating and we would highly recommend using this family operated company for your Narrowboat experience. The Oxford canal was a beautiful and a less busy canal than others we have been on, and we never had any problems finding a beautiful and quiet spot to moor for the night.
Our dealings with them could not have been more pleasant. The owner was extremely accommodating and kind when we experienced an illness in the family that required adjusting our plans, and when we had a minor mechanical difficulty, they dispatched a gentleman (who had to make a long trip) to rectify the problem. He was so nice and interesting we almost asked him to join us on the trip!
The boats themselves were very well stocked with (in our case) the necessities of cooking and baking that we were quite happy to make our (gourmet )meals on the boat when no pub was available.The boats were clean and beds were comfy and we had a great training session and introduction on how to operate the boats efficiently. Everyone we dealt with was very friendly, helpful and accommodating and we would highly recommend using this family operated company for your Narrowboat experience. The Oxford canal was a beautiful and a less busy canal than others we have been on, and we never had any problems finding a beautiful and quiet spot to moor for the night.
I got to do a short narrowboat trip back in the late 70's in high school and loved it, so for our 30th wedding anniversary my husband and I wanted to do one together with our young adult children. We had a beautiful week boating out from Oxford to Cropredy and back. Carys, Wayne, Mike, Chris--everyone at College Cruisers was fantastic, so helpful, friendly, informative. We really enjoyed being on the Balliol, it worked really well for our group, and we had all the teaching and support we needed as new boaters. It's a beautiful route, as well. Watching the countryside and villages go by, working the locks and bridges, it never got old. We've been off the boat now two weeks and frankly still feeling pretty sad that it's over. It was a wonderful way to visit England and though we enjoyed a brief time of sightseeing in London after the boat, it was not nearly as enjoyable as being on the canal.
What an amazing family vacation this was. The boat was well appointed, super reliable, and the smallest details were thought out. Though I didn’t know it, this boat also has a heater and USB ports for charging electronics. Both came in super handy in keeping us topped off and warm and toasty. The boat handling training prior to departure was excellent. I wish I could’ve had more time. But next time, we will do a longer cruise.
We took the Narrowboat Nuffield for a weekend, absolutely wonderful experience. Staff were lovely, boat was clean and well equipped, they were flexible and helpful. It did help that the weather was fantastic but I thoroughly recommend this if you want a relaxing trip on the canal.
Small-scale family business. Extremely nice people and very helpful. Nice boat...well equipped...great sailing area on the Oxford Canal
A fantastic experience provided by a genuinely, lovely family business. Comms were great and we were made so welcome from the minute we arrived.
A thorough and friendly intro to the boat and off we went with top tips, detailed maps / guidebook and many thoughtful additional touches like firewood/coal, waterproofs for the inevitable rain and ice in the freezer for the equally inevitable G&Ts.
Such a beautiful part of the world to explore with herons, nesting swans, birds of prey above and ducklings below. Great pubs and restaurants along the way too.
Highly recommended - you won't be disappointed by Carys and her team at College Cruisers.
A thorough and friendly intro to the boat and off we went with top tips, detailed maps / guidebook and many thoughtful additional touches like firewood/coal, waterproofs for the inevitable rain and ice in the freezer for the equally inevitable G&Ts.
Such a beautiful part of the world to explore with herons, nesting swans, birds of prey above and ducklings below. Great pubs and restaurants along the way too.
Highly recommended - you won't be disappointed by Carys and her team at College Cruisers.
We went on a long weekend on Magdalen and had a lovely time!
A very special thank you to The College Cruisers team who were absolutely lovely to us, especially to my autistic, boat enthusiast, son Thomas.
A very special thank you to The College Cruisers team who were absolutely lovely to us, especially to my autistic, boat enthusiast, son Thomas.
I took a mid-week cruise on Oxford’s College Cruiser’s smallest boat (HMS Keble). It unexpectedly snowed on the first night but KEBLE kept me warm and toasty. The bed was comfortable and the little boat was well appointed. The price was very affordable!
The team at College Cruisers was friendly and helpful. The pre-brief was excellent and prepared a novice for navigating the locks and canal system.
Highly recommend this wonderful excursion to anyone, novice or pro, and recommend College Cruiser!
The team at College Cruisers was friendly and helpful. The pre-brief was excellent and prepared a novice for navigating the locks and canal system.
Highly recommend this wonderful excursion to anyone, novice or pro, and recommend College Cruiser!
Having hired from many different boat hire companies over the past 50 years I can honestly say that I have found College Cruisers to be one of the the very best. Standard of boats, yard location and exceptional customer service all make for a great experience and I do not hesitate in whole heartedly recommending them.
Thank you Carys and your team.
We look forward to returning again next year.
Thank you Carys and your team.
We look forward to returning again next year.
Had a wonderful time on the bank holiday weekend on the Nuffield boat and highly recommend this company. The boat was great perfect for a party of 5 one being 80 - kitchen had everything we pretty much needed, very clean and tidy - we would certainly be very happy to do use this company again!
Having recently completed our 3rd hire on the 20m EXETER, I can only praise College Cruisers for their services and standards. Always ready on time and the staff always friendly and helpful - the boat very clean and well equipped on collection. The accommodation was modified to include 4 bunk beds, which was ideal for the children, leaving 3 doubles as required. On this trip we returned from the Thames via Dukes Cut to join the Oxford canal, finally berthing 'bows south-east' at the yard as preferred by the Company.
4 of us ,plus 2 dogs have just returned from a lovely weeks holiday on board narrow boat Pembroke.
The team at the yard in Oxford showed us how to open and close locks and the basic handling of the boat .
We were very impressed with our boat,it had all we needed for a great break
The canal is very picturesque although its shallow in places and care must be taken near moored craft ..
All in all a lovely break on a very nice boat .
Highly recommend
The team at the yard in Oxford showed us how to open and close locks and the basic handling of the boat .
We were very impressed with our boat,it had all we needed for a great break
The canal is very picturesque although its shallow in places and care must be taken near moored craft ..
All in all a lovely break on a very nice boat .
Highly recommend
Great value narrowboat hire, the Oxford canal is really beautiful and the locks are easy, being just one gate. Thrupp is a lovely place to visit, the Boat pub there was the best one we went to!
We’ve just had an amazing weekend on one of the college cruises. We were a party of seven, everyone had a great time. The boat yard were really helpful and went out of their way for us. Would really recommend using college cruises, clean well maintained boats and very helpful staff. The kitchen was well equipped too, couldn’t fault anything
My partner and I just spent a week on Magdalen. It was clean, comfortable and well equipped. It was lovely having the log burner as it was late October. Cary’s and her team really looked after us and we can’t thank them enough for making this a wonderful week on the charming Oxfordshire canals. Good value for money and competitively priced. Highly recommended.
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