1) The following are not allowed. Pets (unless by specific arrangement, in which case a charge of £35 per pet will be made), bicycles, electrical/gas items, live bait.
2) Towels are available at extra cost of £5 per head for 2 towels.
3) Car parking is free of charge (up to a maximum of 1 car per 4 people). Additional cars can be parked @ £20 per car. (All cars are left under the strict agreement that they are left entirely at your own risk. We do, of course, take all reasonable precautions.)
4) If for any reason the hirer is forced to cancel the booking, you must inform us in writing immediately and we will acknowledge receipt of this which confirms the cancellation. If this is before the balance of hire is due (i.e. one month beforehand) you will forfeit only your deposit. If it is within one month of your start date, we will endeavour to re-book but, unfortunately, you will remain liable for the full payment.
5) We cannot accept liability for the loss of or damage to your own personal belongings. The boat and its contents are, of course, fully insured against any accidental damage or loss to it or a third party. Any damage or loss caused by irresponsible behaviour, negligence, speeding or failing to adhere to the instructions given in the handover will be charged for.
6) We will retain credit or debit card details, while you are out on the boat we will use this to charge for any unreasonable damage to the boat, its interior or to any third party boats that may occur while the boat is out on hire.
7) The boat should not be navigated by anyone under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The Company may cancel your booking and refuse to hand the boat over to you or repossess at any time during the hire if any member of the party appears to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In such a case the Company will be entitled to recover any loss, expense or damage from the monies paid by the hirer. Should this be insufficient to recover its loss it shall be entitled to bring a claim against the hirer for any outstanding balance.
8) The Company may repossess the boat at any time if in the reasonable opinion of the Company you are unsuitable to be in charge of the boat for any reason affecting the safety of any person, the boat , any other property or your irresponsible behaviour is causing unreasonable disturbance to other people.
9) The boat is licensed for BW canals; those wishing to take the boat on the Thames must obtain permission from the boatyard prior to booking (this will not be given to novice hirers and it should be noted that an additional licence will be required).
10) The Hirer is liable for any charges made by Navigation authorities for damage to the waterway or its property.
11) Dogs or Minors MUST NOT be left alone on the boat OR steering the boat!
12) The Hirer is in complete charge of the boat and MUST, in the case of any accident, inform us immediately and make a note of any third parties involved together with the details of the event.
13) The pickup time is 14.30 and drop off time is 09.30 (unless otherwise agreed). We reserve the right to charge £100 per hour for late arrival or drop off.
14) A charge of £100 will be made for a boat returned in an unreasonably dirty condition.
Our Customer Reviews
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.
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 very special thank you to The College Cruisers team who were absolutely lovely to us, especially to my autistic, boat enthusiast, son Thomas.
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!
Thank you Carys and your team.
We look forward to returning again next year.
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

Funafloat Ltd trading as College Cruisers Registered in England and Wales
No: 03469314
VAT: 685699260