“The outstanding thing about our somewhat re-arranged cruise (high water stopped us going through one of the locks that would have led on to the northern end of the route) was the excellence of the crew. Captain Conrad, in particular, was exceptional (not least because of the changed circumstances). The immediate way the company adapted the itinerary was impressive. Of course the cabins are a fairly tight squeeze but we knew they would be and made the best of it. The saloon is comfortable and lends itself to a sociable atmosphere. The small bar is attractively 'clubby'. Food overall was pretty good bearing in the mind the limitations of a small galley (it can't compare with the much larger cruise boats on the Continent). The excurions were enjoyable, with good guides (even though one always started talking long before all the party had caught up). The Morgan factory visit was fascinating. It was rather disappointing that the "boss" of the company didn't come to the final evening to apologise for the curtailment of some of the cruise (even though it was not the fault of the company). Would I recommend the holiday to others? Only after making sure they understood that the size of the vessel does not lend itself to relaxing cabin time and the food is more basic than on much larger vessels. The whole thing reminded me of the old Thomson Holidays "Small and Friendly" experiences.”
Thank you for your thoughtful review, Norman! We're delighted to hear that, despite the changes to your itinerary, you found our crew, especially Captain Conrad, to be exceptional. We pride ourselves on our ability to adapt and provide a memorable experience, and your kind words truly validate our efforts. We understand that our cabins can feel snug but I feel we have made the best of the cosy cabins with great storage solutions. It’s great to know you enjoyed the excursions, as well as your visit to the Morgan factory this one is becoming a firm favourite amongst passengers. We appreciate your feedback regarding the final evening and will certainly take it into consideration, Jay does attend whenever he can if a cruise itinerary is altered but is not always available on a Saturday evening at the end of our cruises. Thank you for recommending us, and we hope to welcome you aboard again for another unique adventure!
“Hail (NOT that sort!) to the weather gods. In spite of almost being fogbound one early morning and the narrowest of misses with a major electrical storm, we enjoyed the pleasure of cruising in sunshine on the open top deck on every one of our six days. Whilst there were no' Rhine Castles' to augment the view it was a most pleasant amble through verdant English countryside. The 'Elgar and their doughty crew ‘did everything, and more it said on the tin (including unexpectedly imported Draught Guinness) We struck gold with our table companions which enhanced the whole experience even more. Trips ashore were a delight. The notable exception to my mind ( and several fellow cruisers) being the last day which was a complete anti-climax governed as it was by the needs to prepare "Edward" for its next batch of 'Senior Sailors' however to misquote 'The Beatles' "A splendid time was guaranteed for all." (Albeit expensive!) Unlikely I will feel the need to want or indeed, live long enough to save up and do it all again but would recommend it to those inclined to taste the delights on offer of this unique sojourn”
Thank you for your detailed and insightful review, Michael! We're thrilled to hear that the weather gods were kind and that you enjoyed cruising through the beautiful English countryside. It sounds like you had a wonderful time with our crew and your table companions, which truly enhances the experience. I'm also pleased the Guinness was well recieved. We appreciate your feedback regarding the last day and will take it into consideration as we strive to create the best possible journey for our guests. Even if this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for you, we’re glad you would recommend us to others.
“Well organised. Staff helpful and friendly. Meals interesting and varied. Enjoyed the bar and wine with Meals. Visits were well organised with efficient transport. Well done everyone!”
Thank you so much for your fantastic review, Brenda! We're thrilled to hear you found everything well-organised and enjoyed the friendly atmosphere from our staff. It’s great to know you appreciated the variety of meals. Our team works hard to ensure smooth excursions, so your kind words mean a lot. We hope to see you again soon for another cruise sometime!
“Overall the cruise was most enjoyable, except for the last day. Cruising all morning and then a coach to Cheltenham where we had 3+hours free time. Other than shops there really wasn't much else. We tried walking to Pittville Pump Room but gave up after 35 minutes - it was too far. As shopping is never on the holiday agenda we settled for a pub. We decided to return to the coach early only to find nearly all the others there. Waste of a day. It seemed as though you wanted us off the boat so it could be made ready for the next cruise. I must say the crew - Conrad, Vicky and Dan - were absolutely delightful - no complaints at all. Joe, the chef, did an amazing job presenting appetising meals every time from such a small kitchen. All in all a wonderful cruise. Shame about the last day.”
Thank you for your feedback, Neil! We’re glad to hear you enjoyed most of your cruise and had a wonderful experience with our delightful crew. We appreciate your thoughts on the last day and understand your disappointment with the limited options in Cheltenham, we are working on providing a more comprehensive guide that our passengers can follow to get the most out of their time there, it really is a fascinating place to visit. Thank you for sharing your experience, and we hope to see you again on another cruise!
“Relaxing, well planned and organised holiday with a mix of relaxation and outings. Undoubtedly the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff were a major contributory factor to the enjoyment of the week. And congratulations to the chef who never failed to turn out beautifully presented and well thought out dishes.
Thank you.”
Thank you so much for your fantastic review, Sheila! We're delighted to hear that you had a relaxing and well-organised holiday with us. Our team truly believes that friendliness and helpfulness are key to a great experience, and we’re thrilled that you felt that during your time on board. A big shoutout to our talented chef for consistently delivering beautifully presented dishes, we are so happy he is returning with us for next season! We hope to see you again for another memorable getaway!
“Excellent staff from Sam, Conrad - felt safe in his hands at all times, Chef Joe who worked tirelessly and produced excellent meals, Victoria super excellent, very hard working with a wonderful manner at all times, new boy Dan with his courteous manner, great fun and seeming pleasure to be onboard.
The Cleanliness onboard was fine.
Our reservations are the toilet facilities in the cabin - if ours had gone wrong, which we know a number did, we would have left the vessel almost immediately ending our holiday as there was no public toilet facility elsewhere onboard and at our age, particularly through the night a toilet facility is an essential requirement.. We would not risk repeating this holiday on the Edward Elgar.
We also felt the last day was a complete waste of our time being bussed to Cheltenham - a pretty village in the Cotswolds or back to Gloucester would have been much preferred. A Guided Tour would have helped to familiarise us. The Cathedral was closed and the Wilson Gallery only oartially open with two tours already in the very small gallery which was open.
Brian and Helen Hedley - Cabin 3”
“Severn Vale Discovery Cruise.
Even before the start of the cruise, I was impressed with the details received regarding the cruise, when to arrive and where to park, all communication was clear and timely.
It was obvious that English Holiday Cruises did not want all 22 people to arrive at the same time and hence an advised arrival time was given. We arrived as requested at 11:30. We entered the boathouse and were greeted by Sam and offered drinks. By 12:30 everyone had arrived and we sat down for lunch. After lunch we were introduced to the captain and his crew and the chef and then asked to board the boat where we found that our cases were already in our cabin. We then set sail on the first part of the cruise.
An excellent 3-course dinner was served at 6:30 by which time we were getting to know the other travellers and the crew. After dinner the captain told us what to expect the following day and all the details were written up on a white board for reference.
All week long, the food was prepared by Keith, who is an excellent chef, and although it was a set menu, if there was something that you didn’t like, he would endeavour to provide an alternative. The visits to places were all good, the Diglis Island and Fish-Pass was interesting and the guides at Gloucester docks and Worcester Cathedral were particularly good with their knowledge and presentations. Trevor, who talked to us at the Fox’s Kiln Gin distillery was very knowledgeable and personable and the gin was tasty too!
Evening entertainment varied and we had an excellent keyboard player on one evening and two fun quizzes on others.
Captain Conrad, his 1st mate George and the two stewardesses, Vicky and Kacey worked tirelessly to provide an exceptional experience. All were helpful, polite and willing to resolve any queries. We all got on well together, the weather was good which made for a super holiday. Many thanks to all concerned.”
Thank you so much for your fantastic review, Douglas! We’re thrilled to hear that you had such an enjoyable experience on the Severn Vale Discovery Cruise. It’s wonderful to know that our communication and planning made a positive impression right from the start. We're glad you found the food and excursions to be excellent and that our dedicated crew, including Captain Conrad and the rest of the team, contributed to your memorable holiday. We hope to see you on board again for another amazing journey in the future!
“We really enjoyed this trip, of course good weather helped, but Edward Elgar is a comfortable boat, albeit the cabins are inevitably small and the bathrooms even more so. The crew under the excellent Captain Conrad were all great, nothing was too much. The food was fabulous, tasty, varied and very well cooked.
Places visited were all as advertised, interesting and made for a very complete itinerary. From seeing a salmon in the fish pass to lusting over Morgan cars: all good.
We took the add-on pre cruise package. On the hottest day of the year air conditioning would have been good, the fan offered hardly moved the air. The view from our room which was restricted had a alleyway beneath the (restricted opening ) window that hadn’t seen a broom for a long time, disgusting. And the hotel ran out of bacon for breakfast: no more needs to be said. The Premier Inn would have been better and cheaper. We look back on this holiday fondly, we enjoyed the company of our fellow passengers, and the overall comfort and relaxation on the whole trip.”
