“Very easy to book although the website stated our boat was £138 for a full day but we were charged £150 . And also noticed on your boards outside the office is said Brinklet £138 for full day
But other than that is was an easy process , and we had a brilliant day -”
“Great once we finally got going. We had a 2pm booking, arrived at the desk around 1:40, and were told to wait outside on the quay. When all the boats came in at 2pm the small team on duty were clearly overwhelmed, and were too busy even to acknowledge us. Around 2:20 someone asked whether we’d checked in for life jackets — which is when I realised we should have gone back into the office. By then a long queue had formed.
We eventually boarded at 2:40 and were told we’d still get our full four hours, so the end result wasn’t terrible. The handover was excellent, the boat was in great condition, and the whole experience was a lot of fun. I’d just drop a star for the initial disorganised wait.
Could the rental times be staggered so everything doesn’t happen at once? If not, clearer instructions would really help so customers aren’t left wondering what’s going on.”
“Easy to book online. There's parking spaces near the office which is helpful as its right by the boats. The boat was easy to drive with instrcutions provided by the staff. It would also be helpful if there is information on the boat itself that provides information of where to go (pubs / cafes), mooring, and directions as the internet connection wasn't very good along the waterways so was hard to search information while on the boat if need to. All in all, good experience.”
“Outwardly, the boat looked amazing and was well equipped. The cubard door under the sink was hanging off, and the salloon sofa was very uncomfortable. The staff at the boatyard were both polite and helpful”
“We had a problem with a failed starter motor which was resolved very quickly - within the hour. Handover was efficient and return of fuel deposit was very quick. The cruiser we chose was a slightly older vessel (we hadn’t realised this when we booked it) otherwise we would have scored a 5. Barnes Brinkcraft is a reliable operator and we would definitely recommend them.”
Glen, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We're pleased the team was able to get you back on the move quickly when the starter motor let you down, and that everything else, from the handover to the fuel refund, went smoothly.
We really appreciate the recommendation and hope to welcome you back to the Broads again soon.
All the best,
The Team at Barnes Brinkcraft
“Staff excellent, Boat Fridge door would not shut properly, Canopy twisted big fat around right hand side roof lets water in. Bedroom door would not shut properly. Pulled bed out and could not open fridge door. And the underside of the cushions that you take out hade sharp objects that cut my finger. The boat is ready for some tidying up. We would go with you again but never on that boat .”
“Thank you for the wonderful boat trip! We had a great time and really enjoyed the experience. The staff were friendly and helpful, the boat was comfortable, and the scenery was beautiful throughout the journey.”
“The apartment was excellent, very well appointed and extremely clean, and perfect for our party of eight. The only reason that I haven't given it 5 stars is that the apartment is not really suitable for people with limited mobility (due to the height of the step up to the decking in front of the apartment and the incline of the newly tarmac'd ramp up to the deck). Having a boat was wonderful and everybody in our party enjoyed their stay.”
Thank you for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful review, Geoffrey. We're delighted the apartment worked so well for your group and that everyone enjoyed having the day boat to explore the Broads.
We also appreciate your comments about accessibility. Every guest's needs are different, so feedback like yours is really helpful and gives future guests a better idea of what to expect.
All the best,
The Team at Barnes Brinkcraft
“A pleasant day cruising the Broads. Unfortunately the pubs we were aiming for for lunch had no available moorings.
I think it would be beneficial if a larger scale map could be provided for day boats. We didn't need a map of the whole of The Broads at such a small scale.
Enjoyed the day though.”
“The house was incredibly clean and the whole operation was very well organised. We loved the complementary day boat hire too.
The top floor bedrooms were very hot and only limited ventillation was possible.”
We're so pleased you enjoyed your stay and found everything clean and well organised. It's great to hear the complimentary day boat was a welcome bonus too.
The recent spell of hot weather was certainly warmer than we're used to, so we completely understand your comments about the upstairs bedrooms. We hope to welcome you back again soon.
All the best,
The Team at Barnes Brinkcraft
“The service and overall experience was excellent. I have three comments on the Electra. Firstly, our boat made a fairly nasty graunching noise at full throttle. Secondly, the enclosed cabin lacka any ventilation which on a super-hot sunny day like today makes it very uncomfortable for the driver. Thirdly the plastic sheet that folds over the instrument panel, when folded back, reflects the sun in a way that it can make it quite difficult to see where you are going. It needs an anti-reflective surface on the under side.”
Thank you for the review, Julian. We're really pleased you enjoyed your day overall, and we appreciate you taking the time to share such helpful feedback.
We'll pass your comments about the noise, ventilation and dashboard cover on to our engineering team. The recent hot weather certainly highlighted a few things that aren't normally so noticeable, and feedback like yours helps us continue to improve.
All the best,
The Team at Barnes Brinkcraft
“Loved the boat layout but was disappointed with the clearness and information provide. We were lucky we had boating experience.
Felt more information on pick up is essential especially tide times and phone numbers. Felt the kids hanging around , chatting and cleaning was not representative of the company. They looked feed up and even a manger was moaning at the them in front of us.
Overall could experience but cleanliness and information let you down.”
“The service from all concerned is, as always, 10/10. I have to say that this year’s boat was really showing its age and mileage at the hands of The Public. I feel she may be in need of a full refit. We didn’t appreciate fully the access issues we’d be presented with. I have an injured knee and my wife is also challenged having just received news she is in remission from cancer.
The steps in and out are apx 1.5x the height of normal steps as are the ones to The Flying Bridge. This access is also very narrow and you must turn sideways to get your shoulders through. Had I been a teenager I’d have shrugged these inconveniences off but I’m not so it was a constant problem. You live and learn.
Nevertheless, I have little doubt that we will be booking again!”
“Generally we were happy with the boat and the booking process.
My only minor piece of feedback would be on communication when arriving and departing the boat yard. An explanation on the process would have been really useful. We were left a little bit in limbo trying understand where to go and who to see. When returning I visited the reception 3x to finalise the boats return, deposit return etc.
A simple explanation with clear direction or even a staff member allocated to our party for 15 minutes would have resolved this.
Great trip and generally really satisfied. Thank you”
Thanks for the review. We're really pleased you enjoyed your trip overall, and we appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback.
Your comments about arriving and returning are really helpful, and we'll pass them on to the team. A clearer explanation can make all the difference, especially at the start and end of a holiday.
All the best,
The Team at Barnes Brinkcraft
“1st time on the boats, we had a great time would highly recommend , arrived earlier than what I had booked so was aloud to go out earlier which was good as we travelled for an hour
Thank you”
