“We had an issue with the drivers seat on the serenade - it had got stuck in the forward position. We had to call the engineer and it took over an hour for it to be sorted. We were then told not to move it,as it would be temperamental, this then caused an issue with the cabin space as we couldn’t get round if the table was unfolded. It then impacted our journey out of Yarmouth that evening, which caused us to mud weight due to lack of moorings and as a result, we then couldn’t raise the mud weight the next day, so had to call the engineer again. No one had told us where the crank was - which would have been helpful as part of the induction. When I was telling the reception staff about this on checking out, I found them quite rude and dismissive about the impact it had. Also the radio didn’t work as it was stuck in demo mode. Considering it was our first time and we had an “elite” boat, it wasn’t great.”
Hi Donna,
Thank you for your feedback and for bringing these issues to our attention. We’re truly sorry to hear about the troubles you experienced with the driver's seat and the radio, as well as the impact it had on your journey. We understand how frustrating it must have been and appreciate your patience while we resolved the issues.
Your comments regarding the reception staff and the induction process are noted, and we will ensure to address these concerns with our team. We aim to provide a warm and helpful experience for all our guests, and it’s disappointing to learn we missed the mark during your stay.
We value your suggestions, and we’ll take them into consideration to improve the experience for our future guests.
We hope you’ll consider visiting us again for another boating experience.
Warm wishes,
Team Barnes Brinkcraft
“We had a lovely day on the Broads in our Picnic boat, however there were a couple of things that prevented this from being perfect.
1) the briefing on how to drive the boat was very brief and there was no explanation as to how to put up the awning. Considering it was a very hot and sunny day, the awning would have provided some much needed shelter. We attempted and failed to put this up and ended up with the cover in the inside cabin, because we couldn't reattach it.
2) About 90 mins into our hire the boat lost power. The throttle lever was loose, with little to no power or steering possible. We were able to drift to a mooring at The Swan Inn with the help of some boat owners and tie up whilst we waited for an engineer to arrive around 1hr later. The issue was remedied quickly, however this lost us around 1.5hrs of hire time.
3) We were warned upon taking the craft out that the gas stove did not work properly and we accepted that.
On the whole the boat was fit for purpose, however the loss of power and lack of shade did detract for our enjoyment somewhat, hence only 3 stars.”
Thank you for your review. We’re glad you enjoyed your day on the Broads overall, but very sorry for the issues you encountered. Losing time on the water due to the throttle fault must have been frustrating, and we appreciate your patience while our engineer came out to you. We also take on board your comments about the briefing and the awning instructions – we’ll make sure our handover team gives clearer guidance in future. Thank you as well for your understanding regarding the stove. Your feedback helps us improve, and we hope you’ll consider coming back to give us the chance to provide the full experience we aim for.
“Thev condition of the boat (Quartet 1)was not up to the expected standard and had many issues. We selected what we thought from the photos was a modern high quality boat but we found it had significant damage and in particular the canopy right hand front corner was broken off and the canopy and screen frame did not meet properly maning we had issues every time we tried to get the canopy closed. The damage was temporarily repaired when we complainedas there was a gap where raiwater could enter and pour over the hob. This broke away later and we had to use duct tape to cover the gap. Every time it took 3 people to get the canopy to fully close. I was amazed that there was no mechanical winch system as on boats I hired 40 years ago.
The make up lounge bed collapsed under our grandson on first use as the securing bolt housing was broken.
The lounge lighting only worked intermittently (apparently conducted through the canopy track).
The oil pressure guage fell out of the dash.
The rev counter sometimes did not work.
The waste tank guage didn't work and when we paid for a pump out we were told that there wasn't much in there.
The shower tray flooded when first used as we hadn't been told about the need to use the drain pump.
When we had to travel in the rain we realised there was only one wiper on the left and the second on the centre screen was missing (completely removed and not replaced). This made it very difficult to see clearly the right hand bank and was potentially dangerous. Other Quartet boats we saw had the full complement of two.
A 2 ring hob wasn't adequate to cook for 4 people and if we had been 6 it would have been a nightmare.
Some of the sheets/duvet covers were threadbare with holes and rips.
Fortunately the weather was largely good and we tried to forget the boat issues and enjoy the Broads.
Sorry, you were nice people but the quality of the boat was disappointing.”
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience twice, and we’re so sorry your special family weekend celebrating your son’s birthday started off on such a disappointing note. We try our very best to have boats ready on time and to make the handover a smooth and enjoyable part of the holiday, so we’re really sorry the phone call didn’t connect and that your trial run felt rushed – this is something we’ll address with the team, as it’s such an important part of the experience.
We’re glad to hear you found Serenade 1 clean, well-equipped, and easy to handle, though we apologise again for the smelly bathrooms and the issue with the bedroom lights. For others, please do let us know during your holiday so we are able to remedy this as soon as possible
Your comments about the reception you received in our office are concerning, and we’re sorry if you felt unwelcome. Most of the time our office team are praised for being friendly and helpful, so we’ll take this feedback on board to make sure we consistently provide that same warm welcome to every customer.
Hi Catherine,
Thank you for your feedback! We’re glad to hear you enjoyed the electric boat. We're sorry to learn that you faced challenges with the picnic and reversing, as well as the issue with turning the gas on. Your insights are really helpful, and we’ll certainly look into these matters to improve the experience for future guests.
We hope to see you again!
Warm wishes,
Team Barnes Brinkcraft
“Ok experience overall. Initial handover less than great, received the phone call to say our boat was available at 16.21, we were in the boatyard within 5 minutes, but then repeatedly reminded that closing time was 17.00. It's not reasonable to expect guests to arrive at the boatyard, load a boat, do the paperwork, do the life jackets and do the on-the-water familiarisation in 34 minutes. Whilst appreciating that someone will be last boat out of the yard, handover is the starting point for a holiday, it gives a first impression, and i think a customer reasonably deserves an hour to complete the process.”
Thank you for your feedback. You make a very fair point – the handover is the true start of your holiday, and it should never feel rushed. We’re sorry that your experience was compressed into such a short timeframe; that’s not how we want guests to begin their time on the water. While there will always be a “last boat out,” you’re absolutely right that it’s important we allow proper time for loading, paperwork, safety checks, and the all-important familiarisation run. We’ll be reviewing our processes to ensure future handovers feel more relaxed and welcoming. We do appreciate you sharing this, as it helps us improve.
