canal boat trips chorley

Try an experience you won't forget!!

01257 480 825

[email protected]

• Welcome to Ellerbeck Narrowboats
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Daily canal boat hire near Chorley in Lancashire

Lucien, Adam and the team at Ellerbeck Narrowboats would like to wish all of our customers, old and new, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous 2024.

It has been a pleasure to welcome many of you here during the year and we very much look forward to welcoming you, your friends and family and many new customers in 2024..

Book a boat today and “ TRY AN EXPERIENCE YOU WON’T FORGET!! ”.

Please click here to check availability and make a reservation., got a question ask us here..

Lancashire Canal Cruises

Our canal cruises depart daily from The Slipway Bar & Restaurant, Burscough, L40 0RN .

Join us and take in the wonderful rural settings of the area. Our narrowboat’s are named ‘Alfie Bhoy’, ‘Gunthorpe Belle’ and ‘Gunthorpe Star’ and they all seat 12 passengers in comfort and safety. Our boats are centrally heated and have washroom facilities.

Our canal trips include a Breakfast Cruise, an Afternoon Tea Cruise and Evening Cruises (Tapas, Hotpot and Fish & Chips)

Our boats are also available for a Half Day or Full Day charter and is fully licensed to serve alcoholic beverages.

Most popular experiences

The ideas are endless! Please contact us to discuss your canal cruise requirements and we can tell you about some of the exciting days we have organised! We have undertaken many ‘tailor-made’ charters for occasions such as weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, school reunions and much, much more. Don’t forget we also offer a wide variety of corporate hospitality canal charters and Historical tours.

Tell us your idea and we will try to accommodate you with your very own canal cruise.

Holly, on the admin side was brilliant and was so accommodating. She helped me so much and understood that I needed to change my date. The overall experience was beyond brilliant. Thank you all so much!

A really nice assortment of cakes, chocolate, battenburg, fruit tart, scones cream and jam. plenty of fresh fruit, strawberries, raspberries, tangerine. Unlimited tea, with juice and a wine for the non driver. A very nice journey circa 2 hours, very informative about the area and it's history, learned so much.

Fabulous day out had by all..we will be returning very soon..x

Had a wonderful afternoon, the last trip before lock down 2. Greeted really well by our captain and host. Everything explained by really well. Plenty of food and really fresh. Beef chicken and cheese sandwiches, gerkins and tomatoes.

Fantastic experience plus I loved the hotpot loaded with mince and topped of with crisp baked crusty potato it's a slow look at what's on show that we miss in our cars it's a must do trip

Lovely afternoon tea cruise along the canal. Mark was very knowledgeable and friendly. Would definitely recommend this.

It helped that it was a beautiful sunny day. The skipper, Mark was very insightful giving us a talk on the local history of the canal as we made our way to Burscough Wharf and back again.

Nice way too spend a few hours took my mother for a mothers day treat great food fantastic host wish it hadn't been raining thanks very much

Just got back from an amazing cruise with afternoon tea with this company. The food was lovely and fresh! The skipper, Mark was lovely and professional! He was so naturally friendly and explained everything about the history of barges and the area. He was so knowledgeable. The cruise itself was beautiful and relaxing.

What a wonderful experience! Mark was such a great host, very kind and helpful. We miss our trip because of car crash on the road, he not only accommodate us on the next trip but he make us fresh afternoon tea and he place us in the best part of the boat! I can’t explain what a wonderful people and what a experience we had ! Truly amazing! Definitely try for yourself !!! Thank you Mark! See you soon!

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A fantastic fun day out for all. - Ellerbeck Narrowboats

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• Ellerbeck Narrowboats

First time moorers and Lucien was great and took time to explain safety and mooring with 2 small... read more

If you are a romantic who wants a day on your own with a partner or with friends or family then a... read more

A fantastic fun day out for all.

A fantastic fun day out for all. We had a great day celebrating a belated 30th birthday, something a little different. The staff were great and provided us with all the information we needed and then we set off. The boat had everything we needed for the trip and we stopped off and had a bite of lunch before jumping back on. Would definitley recommend!

Great day out. Staff very welcoming and explained everything really well about the boat, the canal etiquette, routes to take, etc.. We took the route up past Botany Bay to Malthouse Farm which took just over 2 hours, and fully intend to book again to go the other direction. Thank you for a great day out.

Took my family today we hired the green boat We got there to be welcomed by Steve and his lovely dog he took us through all about safety and the boat then we set off for 8hrs on the canal we all had an amazing time and would highly recommend this company for your day boat hire will definitely be going again Thanks again Steve and his dog

With the weather on our side. A very enjoyable experience. We would highly recommend. A lovely day out on the canal. Dogs welcome

A friend and myself arranged a last minute trip on an Ellerbeck narrow boat yesterday (just the two of us although the boats can carry ten people). This was our third time hiring a boat from here and although the weather at times was lousy, we were well prepared and yet again had an absolute blast. For me, there's no better way to unwind than to spend the day on the canal. Yesterday must have been Kingfisher day too as we saw Kingfishers on seven separate occasions. That was outstanding. All three of Ellerbeck's boats are well maintained and include a full sized ceramic, flushing toilet, a fully working kitchenette with gas hobs, sink and hot and cold water. Cutlery and crockery are also provided, so what more could you want at a totally reasonable price too. The owner Lucien is also a absolute pleasure to deal with, so do yourself a favour and hire a boat from Ellerbeck, I doubt very much that you'll be disappointed

Amazing from Start to finish great help and advice Everything on board what was required All the family from age 8 to 64 loved the day Would highly recommend

Boatel Party Cruises

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BOATEL PARTY CRUISES (Chorley) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

The North West’s best floating venue!

The Royal Sovereign is located in Chorley, Lancashire and is the largest boat on the Leeds to Liverpool canal, capable of holding 60 guests. We are the one stop party venue who will run your entire cruise from food to entertainment, all under 1 price.

Cruises run 7 days a week, day or night starting from 1.5 hours to as long as you like

Hen Parties, Birthday, Anniversaries, Scenic Cruises, Corporate meetings. Children’s Parties, Cream Tea Cruises, Christmas Works Party. Just want a get together with friends? Whatever the occasion, we will transform your occasion into a truly memorable celebration.

Drinks & Snacks

Inside our central heated cabin you’ll find enough seating for 60 guests, a fully stocked bar serving draught, spirits, snacks and soft drinks. We have a dedicated hardwood dancefloor and DJ setup with full sound and lighting system.

Ideal for a party with a difference or meetings without distractions.

Please call our office on 01257 273269 for more information or contact us here. Please read through our simple Booking Procedure by clicking here.

Our full Terms & Conditions can be read here  .

Where Are We?

Boatel is located just off junction 8 of the M61 in Chorley, Lancashire. Boatel Party Cruises Botany Bay Boatyard Chorley PR6 9AE

We're not around right now. But you can send us an email and we'll get back to you, asap.

Skippered trips & boat charters

Skippered trip boats, charter boats

Canal trip boats & party charter boats

Skippered canal trip boats are great on a day out. Trip boats run short scheduled canal pleasure cruises, usually lasting an hour or two, that you can often just turn up and join.

• You get a cruise along a canal usually with a guide onboard pointing out interesting things to see.
• Trip boats have a skipper and crew and will often provide onboard food & refreshments.
• Some are based at popular visitor centres, others in town and city centres.
• Many canal trip boats also offer  chartered cruises  for just your party, which must be booked in advance. Some offer trips for school groups, business hire, party cruises & wedding receptions.
• Some charities run specially adapted accessible trip boats for people with disabilities.

Chesterfield Canal

Chesterfield Canal Trust,  Charter boat trips, children's pirate trips and Santa trips. Hot and cold drinks, toilet, central heating. 4 trip boats based at Retford, Worksop, Hollingwood and Chesterfield.

Montgomery Canal

Huelwen Trust  Day canal boat trips in Welshpool along the Monty with the Heulwen Trust (disabled people travel free). Visit our website for details.

Lancaster Canal

Kingfisher Cruises A two centre operation covering the Lancaster canal. Including the popular Lune aqueduct cruises from Lancaster and horse-drawn boats, evening entertainment and private hire from Barton Grange Marina.

Llangollen Canal

Lyneal Trust  provides day canal boat trips for people with disabilities, vulnerabilities, or illness, and their families and friends, on board the specially designed Shropshire Lady on the Llangollen Canal.

Shropshire Union Canal

Norbury Wharf . Enjoy the heart of the beautiful Shropshire Union Canal aboard our 42 seater trip boat, all year public & charter trips. Just 15 minutes from junction 14 M6, or junction 3 M54, a cruise to remember!

Leeds and Liverpool Canal

Enjoy a relaxing holiday with  Pennine Cruisers  of Skipton. Daily 30-minute trips on 'Leo' up Springs Branch to Skipton Castle. A unique experience in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales. Runs all year round.

Lee Navigation

River Lee Cruises  operate charter cruises on a beautiful stretch of the River Lee in Hertfordshire, offering catered party trips, discos, business lunches, wedding receptions, jazz cruises and outings.

Grand Union Canal

Stoke Bruerne Boat Co.  Skippered regular 'booking not needed' public trips from outside the famous Stoke Bruerne Museum, plus skippered charters and school trips. Also skippered evening cruises & day boat hire.

Regents Canal

The Pirate Castle  for Canal Boat Adventure on London's Canals. Fun for all ages. Work the locks - steer the boat - watch the world go by. Skippered trips for up to 12 passengers.

Waterways Experiences . Day or residential crewed boat trips from Hemel Hempstead, charter only. All 3 wide-beam boats designed for wheelchair access. New volunteers welcome to help with crewing, marketing, IT etc.

Canal Boat Steering - How to Move Your Boat

Tales from the Tillerman

Nicholson Boating Handbook

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Description

The Royal Sovereign is a party boat based at Botany Bay in Chorley Lancashire.

We are the largest boat on the Leeds Liverpool canal holding up to 60 guests on board, we have a fully stocked bar, DJ & dance floor. Serving meals including buffet, afternoon te, three course meals and many more.

We are the original North West party boat, operating for over 50 years and still going strong.

01257 273269

www.PartyBoat.co.uk

[email protected]

Botany Bay, Chorley PR6 9AE, UK

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Hotel Boat Holidays

Canal cruises yorkshire and lancashire, phone number: 07834 320 199.

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Hotel Boat Hire For Canal Cruises Skipton, Leeds, Chorley, Bridgewater, Liverpool

We welcome you on board our 5-star hotel boat for canal cruises through the beautiful waterways of Lancashire and Yorkshire. We have designed some amazing canal trips which offer the best of English waterways while you travel in comfort and luxury.

Panoramic Dales 

Reedley Marina Nr. Burnley to Skipton

With the Dales to Reedley Marina, this cruise has attractive trips of locks & scenic views for miles.Travelling through villages in the Dales we make our way as much as the top of the Leeds Liverpool with views worthy of the climb. We twist around with amazing separated scenery, with Oyster Catchers, Curlew & Kingfishers nearby.

 Cultural Wonders

Skipton to Leeds

Another remarkable canal cruise. All these waterways really are beautiful. There are several staircase locks consisting of the famous Bingley Five Rise. The eco-friendly corridor out of the City contrasts with the wide opens panoramas across Yorkshire. As with all Leeds and Liverpool cruises we are looking out over the exceptional scenery.

The Lancashire countryside is always a surprise with its rolling countryside, wildlife and lovely walks. 

Red & White Rose Glory

Skipton to Chorley

This cruise ship integrates the Panoramic Dales & Lancashire Gems cruises to reveal you the beauty of both regions.With history, wild animals & sights aplenty who might request for even more. From the gateway to the Dales to the top of Cheshire plain this cruise is a lot a journey via background as the countryside. This cruise inspires with its spectacular views & intrigues with its canal background. This really is not one to miss out on.

 Locks, History and Aqueducts

Chorley to Bridgewater Marina Nr. Manchester

Beginning near Chorley at the charming Johnson Hillock set of locks this cruise after that upright the Bridgewater canal. This cruise ship covers a great deal of history. This is an area of exactly what was going to be the Lancaster Canal and into the canal that started the canal marina period. The Lancashire countryside is always beautiful.  Enjoy its rolling countryside, wild animals and wonderful strolls. The cruise additionally has our most lock extensive day. We pass through the fantastic flight at Wigan, an additional surprise as it is a lovely flight, we also see Kingfishers there. After that its onto the Bridgewater Canal.

We travel the Northern canal and river system. This includes Leeds and Liverpool Canal, Bridgewater Canal, Selby Canal, River Aire, The Calder, Aire & Calder and South Yorkshire waterways. Destinations of our cruises include the following locations:

• Bridgewater Marina
• Preston Brook
• New Springs
• Reedley Marina

Are you looking for Hotel Boat Hire For Canal Cruises in Lancashire and Yorkshire? We offer luxurious 5-star hotel boat trips throughout the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and Northern canal and river system.

Contact us today on 07834 320 199 to book your hotel boat hire.

Boatel Party Cruises

Location & Hours

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Botany Bay Boatyard

Chorley PR6 9AE

United Kingdom

Amenities and More

About the business.

Business owner information

Steve - Neil H.

Business Owner

The Royal Sovereign is the largest wide beam canal cruiser afloat on the Leeds - Liverpool Canal and can cater for up to 60 guests. It is also the only boat in the North West with a dedicated dance floor, full disco equipment and PA system, resident DJ & compere (dedicated to making your party) and a fully stocked licensed bar with draft beers. We have been running party cruises for over 30 years and have earned a fantastic reputation. The Royal Sovereign is the most unique events venue in the North West, and her crew are dedicated to entertaining and ensuring our guests have an amazing time! We specialise in providing your perfect party, well known for our tailor made cruises. We have standard hire parties with choice of menu's, but if you don't see what you want, please contact us and we will try our best to accommodate your requests. …

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Situated at Botany Bay in Chorley, this family run firm has been running the party boats for over 25 years.They run along several routes on the Leeds liverpool canal. Situated near junction 8 off the M61. They cater for all special occasions, and provide a full entertainment package, including, buffets, three course meals, DJ, disco and party games.All good value for money. Booking in advance for a fantastic night out. I have been on several of these and i have never been disappointed yet. parking facilities are good and you can enjoy a pre cruise drink in the local pub nearby The lock and quay. specialities in summer are Sunday cruises and also disabled cruises. The only downside is the toilets as they are Chemical ones, other than that you will find the boats are clean, warm, and festive.

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Georgetown canal boat tours face uncertain future after NPS ends partnership

Scott Gelman | [email protected]

April 11, 2024, 8:00 PM

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There are lingering questions about the future of Georgetown’s C&O canal boat tours, after the National Park Service announced it’s ending its philanthropic agreement with the nonprofit Georgetown Heritage .

Last month, NPS said the agreement is being terminated effective April 29. However, in a statement, the agency said the move doesn’t “change the operation of the canal boat in Georgetown.”

D.C.’s government paid for the construction of the canal boat and Georgetown Heritage, the nonprofit that works to improve National Parks in Georgetown, owns it. The organization operates the boat under a separate agreement with the Park Service.

Maggie Downing, Georgetown Heritage’s executive vice president, said the group’s ownership of the boat isn’t in jeopardy, “but what it will take for us to be able to raise the money and keep this organization going is certainly going to be challenging in the next couple of years,” she said.

“We do remain committed to owning and operating the boat,” Downing said. “But I think it may be a difficult path getting there.”

The nonprofit will have some time to work toward that goal. The boat won’t be operating for the next two years while repairs are made to the canal. The soonest the boat would be able to return to the canal is 2026, Downing said.

About 40,000 people have participated in the tours over the two seasons they were offered, according to Downing.

“It’s a really leisurely experience to look out and see Georgetown from a different vantage point, and to learn about the history, to hear the stories of the people who built the canal and who lived their lives along the canal,” Downing said.

Georgetown Heritage operates the boat under a cooperating agreement with the Park Service. The Philanthropic Partnership Agreement allowed the nonprofit to fundraise for projects in the park.

The group had plans to make accessibility improvements along the towpath, and to install “recreational opportunities down at the aqueduct, a dock for canoeing and kayaking along the canal,” Downing said.

“The cancellation of the Philanthropic Partnership Agreement really puts the future of any of those improvements to the park in danger,” Downing said.

In its March statement, the Park Service said terminating a philanthropic agreement is rare and happens “only after exhausting all other avenues to try to resolve the issues.”

“There have been multiple violations of the Philanthropic Partnership Agreement that have led to irreconcilable differences in the partnership, making it impossible to maintain the collaborative relationship necessary to accomplish mutually identified goals as required by the PPA,” the Park Service said in a statement to WTOP. “Georgetown Heritage has promoted actions that disregard the NPS mandate to protect park resources.”

The agreement, Downing said, was terminated because “current leadership at the park no longer wants to pursue these projects.”

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Scott Gelman is a digital editor and writer for WTOP. A South Florida native, Scott graduated from the University of Maryland in 2019. During his time in College Park, he worked for The Diamondback, the school’s student newspaper.

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Georgetown Heritage's partnership end raises concerns for DC's canal boat tours

T he National Cherry Blossom Festival brings thousands of tourists to D.C. every year. With spring in full swing, this is also the time of year the Georgetown C&O Canal Boat Tours get ready to operate. But the end of a philanthropic partnership between Georgetown Heritage and the National Park Service (NPS) could put that future in jeopardy. 

The philanthropic agreement is set to end on April 29. 

SEE ALSO | NPS will soon start $12.7M rehab project on historic Georgetown canal this month

Maggie Downing is the EVP of Georgetown Heritage. She said when people think of Georgetown, “They think of the Kennedys and the fancy beautiful architecture of the residential neighborhood. But a huge piece of the neighborhood’s history is this industrial area and the canal is the spine of lower Georgetown.”

The canal was built in the 1830s and went out of operation almost a hundred years later. During that time there were even plans to pave it over and turn it into a roadway, but community members rallied together.

“It became a National Historical Park in 1971,” said Downing.

In 2014, this community came together again to create Georgetown Heritage. The non-profit organization would work with the NPS to preserve the canal and bring back the boat.

“The park service had taken their old boat out of service in 2011 because they didn’t have the funds to repair their boat,” explained Downing. “So Georgetown Heritage got the funding from the city to design and build and launch a new canal boat.”

More than 30,000 visitors have taken a tour on that boat since. Through two agreements, Georgetown Heritage could operate the boat and fundraise for the park service.

But in late February, “we were given a 60-day notice of that partnership being terminated,” said Downing.

Georgetown Heritage can still operate the boat but won’t be able to fundraise for the park service.

“The canal boat program, it's not a big moneymaker,” said Downing. “So we've always had to subsidize the program through philanthropic support.”

When asked if the end of the philanthropic partnership meant the end of the canal boat tours, Downing said “We hope not. But that’s something we’re actively in the process of determining right now."

The change also puts some of their other planned projects on hold like making the popular towpath safer.

“After it rains, it becomes basically a mud pit,” described Downing. “I want people to understand that without Georgetown Heritage, the canal would be in even worse shape than it is.”

NPS said there were “fundamental differences in the vision and values between the National Park Service and Georgetown Heritage. NPS said it will expand its work in Georgetown with the C&O Canal Trust. 

You can read their full statement here:

"On February 28, 2024, the National Park Service (NPS) notified Georgetown Heritage of the termination of its philanthropic partnership agreement effective April 29, 2024. While this philanthropic agreement is ending, the NPS remains firmly committed to our mission in Georgetown and all along the canal’s 184.5 miles. The NPS will begin a $12.7 million NPS-funded project in Georgetown in the coming weeks. This does not change the operation of the canal boat in Georgetown. The District of Columbia government funded the construction of the canal boat and Georgetown Heritage owns the boat, which it operates under a different agreement with the NPS.

The philanthropic agreement with Georgetown Heritage, signed in 2019 with the goal of enhancing rehabilitation efforts, environmental and historic education, and community engagement along a 1-mile stretch of Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park and Rock Creek Park in Georgetown, has been severed because of fundamental differences in the vision and values between the NPS and Georgetown Heritage.

Terminating the philanthropic agreement with Georgetown Heritage means that Georgetown Heritage’s activities intended to generate philanthropic support for the NPS including fundraising events, donor cultivation, and electronic giving will halt.

As we move forward, the NPS will expand its work in Georgetown with longstanding park philanthropic partner C&O Canal Trust and will continue to foster partnerships with organizations that share similar missions, values, and goals. The NPS remains steadfast in its dedication to the American people, ensuring that their national parks continue to be places of wonder, education, and inspiration."

• Guided tour

River Cruise on Luxurious Radisson Boat

• Description
• Choose date

Equipped with ice-breaking technology, these huge fancy yachts are the only river cruisers running all year around. The round trip journey takes two and a half hours and floats past all the big sights like the White House, Novodevichy monastery and the Kremlin. There’s a large open air observation deck up top, while the main body of the ship houses a restaurant with a dance floor for a romantic post dinner dance. For a particularly romantic experience take one of the evening boats and admire the bright lights of the city skyline at night.

The most relaxing and picturesque tour that Moscow can offer: a great way to see the city center and its main attractions. This is a perfect alternative to exploring the city by car, if you only have time to do sightseeing during weekday rush hours.

Your English-speaking guide is eager to share every bit of their knowledge about the surrounding landscape, the architecture and historical details.

We conduct Moscow river tour on Radisson Flotilla boats all year around!  It’s warm inside during winter months, while there’s air conditioning during hot summer days. You may also treat yourself to drinks, lunch or dinner on board (drinks and food are not included in tour price).

The cost of an excursion with a personal guide for 1 person

Quay at Radisson Collection Hotel

Government Headquarters ("the White House")

Kievsky Railway Central

Novodevichy Convent

Luzhniki Stadium

Academy of Sciences

Monument to Peter I

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

Moscow Kremlin

St.Basil's Cathedral

Novospassky Monastery

U-turn and back to Quay at Radisson Royal Hotel

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Who's going.

• Excursion River Cruise on Luxurious Radisson Boat
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See photo of the meeting point

Cruising the Moskva River: A short guide to boat trips in Russia’s capital

There’s hardly a better way to absorb Moscow’s atmosphere than on a ship sailing up and down the Moskva River. While complicated ticketing, loud music and chilling winds might dampen the anticipated fun, this checklist will help you to enjoy the scenic views and not fall into common tourist traps.

How to find the right boat?

There are plenty of boats and selecting the right one might be challenging. The size of the boat should be your main criteria.

Plenty of small boats cruise the Moskva River, and the most vivid one is this yellow Lay’s-branded boat. Everyone who has ever visited Moscow probably has seen it.

This option might leave a passenger disembarking partially deaf as the merciless Russian pop music blasts onboard. A free spirit, however, will find partying on such a vessel to be an unforgettable and authentic experience that’s almost a metaphor for life in modern Russia: too loud, and sometimes too welcoming. Tickets start at $13 (800 rubles) per person.

Bigger boats offer smoother sailing and tend to attract foreign visitors because of their distinct Soviet aura. Indeed, many of the older vessels must have seen better days. They are still afloat, however, and getting aboard is a unique ‘cultural’ experience. Sometimes the crew might offer lunch or dinner to passengers, but this option must be purchased with the ticket. Here is one such  option  offering dinner for $24 (1,490 rubles).

If you want to travel in style, consider Flotilla Radisson. These large, modern vessels are quite posh, with a cozy restaurant and an attentive crew at your service. Even though the selection of wines and food is modest, these vessels are still much better than other boats.

Surprisingly, the luxurious boats are priced rather modestly, and a single ticket goes for $17-$32 (1,100-2,000 rubles); also expect a reasonable restaurant bill on top.

How to buy tickets?

Women holding photos of ships promise huge discounts to “the young and beautiful,” and give personal invitations for river tours. They sound and look nice, but there’s a small catch: their ticket prices are usually more than those purchased online.

“We bought tickets from street hawkers for 900 rubles each, only to later discover that the other passengers bought their tickets twice as cheap!”  wrote  (in Russian) a disappointed Rostislav on a travel company website.

Nevertheless, buying from street hawkers has one considerable advantage: they personally escort you to the vessel so that you don’t waste time looking for the boat on your own.

Prices start at $13 (800 rubles) for one ride, and for an additional $6.5 (400 rubles) you can purchase an unlimited number of tours on the same boat on any given day.

Flotilla Radisson has official ticket offices at Gorky Park and Hotel Ukraine, but they’re often sold out.

Buying online is an option that might save some cash. Websites such as  this   offer considerable discounts for tickets sold online. On a busy Friday night an online purchase might be the only chance to get a ticket on a Flotilla Radisson boat.

This  website  (in Russian) offers multiple options for short river cruises in and around the city center, including offbeat options such as ‘disco cruises’ and ‘children cruises.’ This other  website  sells tickets online, but doesn’t have an English version. The interface is intuitive, however.

Buying tickets online has its bad points, however. The most common is confusing which pier you should go to and missing your river tour.

“I once bought tickets online to save with the discount that the website offered,” said Igor Shvarkin from Moscow. “The pier was initially marked as ‘Park Kultury,’ but when I arrived it wasn’t easy to find my boat because there were too many there. My guests had to walk a considerable distance before I finally found the vessel that accepted my tickets purchased online,” said the man.

There are two main boarding piers in the city center:  Hotel Ukraine  and  Park Kultury . Always take note of your particular berth when buying tickets online.

Where to sit onboard?

Even on a warm day, the headwind might be chilly for passengers on deck. Make sure you have warm clothes, or that the crew has blankets ready upon request.

The glass-encased hold makes the tour much more comfortable, but not at the expense of having an enjoyable experience.

Getting off the boat requires preparation as well. Ideally, you should be able to disembark on any pier along the way. In reality, passengers never know where the boat’s captain will make the next stop. Street hawkers often tell passengers in advance where they’ll be able to disembark. If you buy tickets online then you’ll have to research it yourself.

There’s a chance that the captain won’t make any stops at all and will take you back to where the tour began, which is the case with Flotilla Radisson. The safest option is to automatically expect that you’ll return to the pier where you started.

If using any of Russia Beyond's content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.

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