English Hotel Barge MAGNA CARTA's Special Event weeks announced

The luxury, crewed, English Hotel Barge Magna Carta has announced dates for a few of their special events.

Barging in England - Hotel Barge Magna Carta

Barge Cruises on the Royal River Thames

These special weeks are currently open and available for private charter only:

• Chelsea Flower Show Garden Cruise: May 22-28, 2011
• Henley Regatta Cruise: June 26-July 2, 2011
• Hampton Court Palace Flower Show Garden Cruise: July 3-9, 2011

The all-inclusive, crewed, luxury, English Hotel Barge Magna Carta is approximately 120 feet in length and has two decks. The lower deck boasts four full-width luxurious staterooms each averaging 200 square feet with private ensuite bathrooms. The staterooms may be configured as Kings or Twins according to your preference. The upper deck comprises the main salon and dining areas with large picture windows and stylish furnishings. Outside you have the sundeck with comfortable seating and the spa pool/jacuzzi.





Check out our Regional Guide to learn more about the area where Magna Carta cruises.

The Magna Carta offers 6-night, all-inclusive private charters, as well as cabin cruises.

Magna Carta's standard cruise itinerary along the Royal River Thames from London to Henley-on-Thames is very interesting in itself, but Magna Carta also offers a selection of theme cruises: art, antiques, family, Chelsea flower show, Hampton Court Palace flower show, golf, tennis, walking tour, World War II, West End theatre, Christmas, New Years... or ask if you have any other special interest...

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Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book MAGNA CARTA 
View Magna Carta's online brochure
Visit our website for more info on our barges & barging: www.BargeCharters.com

 

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Hotel Barge SAVOIR FAIRE Early Bird Special for Spring 2011

The 12-passenger Hotel Barge SAVOIR FAIRE is offering a special rate for a few of their Spring 2011 cruises, for bookings confirmed by January 3, 2011.

Hotel Barge SAVOIR FAIRE - Barging in Holland (Dutch Tulip Cruises)

and Barging in France (New Route: Best of Burgundy)

The deluxe 12-passenger Hotel Barge Savoir Faire is offering a special price for bookings confirmed by January 3, 2011 for 8-passenger charters for the following departure dates:

Holland Tulip Cruise (2011):

• April 3-9
• April 10-16
• May 1-7
• May 8-14

Belgium France Cruise, Ghent-Paris (2011):

• May 22-28

SPECIAL RATE: OFFER HAS EXPIRED

The Hotel Barge Savoir Faire is fully air conditioned (central heat, too!) and accommodates up to 12 guests in 6 well-appointed staterooms. Each stateroom can be configured with two twin beds or with one queen bed, and has ensuite private bathrooms. Each guest stateroom has a DVD player with an LCD screen and 2 sets of wireless headphones. The salon, dining area, and bar are finished in mahogany, teak and brass, decorated with antiques and paintings collected over the years.

You can find Savoir Faire's itineraries in our eBrochure.

Our website has interesting supplementary information for Holland and Belgium.

And, remember our special offer... Paradise Connections is giving away iPods! Learn more...

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Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book SAVOIR FAIRE 
View Savoir Faire's online brochure
Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com

 

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French Hotel Barge AMARYLLIS - Southern Burgundy France

We would like to welcome French Hotel Barge AMARYLLIS into the fleet of crewed luxury hotel barges represented by Paradise Connections.

Barging in France - Cruise the region of Southern Burgundy aboard the French Hotel Barge AMARYLLIS

Barge Amaryllis cruises the southern Burgundy region of France, as does her sistership, Fleur de Lys, mentioned in the post below. Travel along the Canal du Bourgogne on the Dijon to Escommes route, and for the Dijon to St-Léger-sur-Dheune itinerary you will cruise along the Canal du Bourgogne, River Saône, and Canal du Centre.

(Click image to enlarge)

The 8-passenger, luxury hotel barge Amaryllis, cruises through some of the most picturesque waterways in France, exploring the Burgundy countryside in exceptional style. Visit ancient châteaux, follow the wine trail through Beaune, or luxuriate on deck in the heated swimming pool as you drift past premier cru vines.

Cruise Highlights:

• Visit the Château de Longecourt, owned by the same family since 1631
• Shop at a traditional Dijon market and taste freshly made local mustard
• Explore the barge port at St Jean de Losne
• Tasting at Beaune, the wine capital of Burgundy
• Tour Château de Germolles, residence of the Dukes of Burgundy

ATTENTION WINE LOVERS & CONNOISSEURS:

Amaryllis has two special weeks devoted to a Grand Cru Cruise. Taste the 33 Grand Crus of Burgundy, including Bonne Mares, Montrachet and Romanée Conti. No need to book the whole boat as it is open on an individual cabin, shared charter basis. July 17-23, 2011 and July 24-30, 2011

Amaryllis is available for private charters only, with the exception of the two Grand Cru cruises.

Amaryllis is fully air conditioned (with central heat, too!) and accommodates up to 8 guests in 4 large staterooms, each with private ensuite bathrooms. The interior of Amaryllis is traditionally French with contemporary touches, set off by Louis XVI and XV antiques. She has been decorated by some of the most respected names in France and Italy. Settle into the comfortable lounge with a drink from the open bar, take a dip in the pool, linger over dishes cooked by the cordon bleu chef, or simply watch the magical French countryside unfold all around. If you are feeling energetic, cycle along the tow path!

(Click on image to enlarge)

Learn more! See our online eBrochure for the French Hotel Barge AMARYLLIS.

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Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book AMARYLLIS 
View Amaryllis's online brochure
Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com

 

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French Hotel Barge FLEUR DE LYS - Southern Burgundy France

We would like to welcome French Hotel Barge FLEUR DE LYS into the fleet of crewed luxury hotel barges represented by Paradise Connections.

Barging in France aboard the French Hotel Barge FLEUR DE LYS

Barge Fleur de Lys cruises the southern Burgundy region of France. Travel along the Canal du Bourgogne on the Dijon to Escommes route, and for the Dijon to St-Léger-sur-Dheune itinerary you will cruise along the Canal du Bourgogne, River Saône, and Canal du Centre.

Depending upon your chosen itinerary, these are some things that you might do:

• Visit Clos de Vougeot, headquarters of the Chevaliers du Tastevin
• Tour the 11th-century Châteaux Marguerite
• Taste wine in Beaune
• Visit to Noyers-sur-Serein, one of the most beautiful villages in Burgundy
• Explore Château de Rully
• Shop at a traditional Dijon market and taste freshly-made local mustard

Available for private charters only, but Fleur de Lys will accept individual cabin bookings (shared barging cruise) during the months of April and May.

Fleur de Lys accommodates up to 6 guests in comfort. The air conditioned (and centrally heated) interior boasts a stately lounge with a grand piano, open bar and large windows that panoramically frame the passing countryside. The separate dining room accommodates the most elegant candlelit dinners. The furnishings are authentic pieces which were collected on a trip to India over 30 years ago. Fleur de Lys also has a large heated pool on its upper deck and 6 bikes for passengers to use at their leisure.

( Click photos to enlarge )

Learn more about the French Hotel Barge FLEUR DE LYS in our online eBrochure.

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Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book FLEUR DE LYS 
View Fleur de Lys's online brochure
Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com

 

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SPECIAL GIFT for New Barge Bookings from Paradise Connections

Christmas is coming and Paradise Connections would like to send you a gift! 

Confirm your new 2011 barging cruise between now and December 15, 2010 and get a FREE 2GB iPod Shuffle... or two... or three... or four... or more...

HAVE YOU BEEN NAUGHTY OR NICE ???

We'll send each person in your party (whether a cabin booking of 2, or a private charter booking of 12, for example) a handy gift to enjoy on your barging vacation...

Don't let its tiny size fool you. With this 2GB player, you can pack up to 500 songs... That should do you for a week!

The latest generation of iPod Shuffle allows you to use playlists so you can use this feature to organize your French language lessons, and French music from A to Z, such as:

Antoine, Charles Aznavour, Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg, Jacques Brel, Patrick Bruel, Maurice Chevalier, Mylène Farmer, Claude François, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Serge Gainsbourg, Johnny Hallyday, Indochine, Kassav, Claudine Longet, Eddy Mitchell, Vanessa Paradis, Édith Piaf, Sheila, Téléphone, Zouzou.

What did you say? You're cruising someplace other than France... perhaps Great Britain? No problem, this offer is for all of our barging regions. We're not francosnobs :) Personally though, I can't see filling up my iPod with bagpipes (though different strokes for different folks!) but there's plenty of good Anglo & celtic folk music about, as well as rock starting with the British Invasion, Punk and whatever you like nowadays... and what about audiobooks!

It's your vacation and it's your iPod so ENJOY!

Pop off an email to us and let's get started on planning your next hotel barge vacation so we can send your Christmas gift.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Paradise Connections!

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Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book your barging holiday
For more information on our barges and barging, visit our website : www.BargeCharters.com

 

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French Hotel Barge EMMA crew go on vacation!

With another successful charter season completed, Liz & Rene, owner-operators of the French Hotel Barge EMMA, are heading to Tunisia this weekend for a bit of well-deserved vacation time for themselves!

EMMA's trusty Land Rover 4x4 - Tunisia bound!

How does one drive to Tunisia?  Take the ferry out of Marseille. They will be doing some "off-roading" on the dunes which will be a bit different to meandering along the canals.  Liz & Rene will also be attending a wedding there, so it's not all fun & sun :)

EMMA's 2011 calendar is off to a good start and they have a couple of cabin cruise weeks that they'd like to fill up:

• April 23-29: Carcassonne to Beziers, 2 cabins open
• October 1-7: Beziers to Carcassonne, 2 cabins open

If these dates don't fit your schedule, we can always inquire if Liz will open up your preferred week for a cabin cruise... Doesn't hurt to ask!

EMMA's rates for 2011 remain the same as for the previous season.  In fact, they have not increased their prices for 3 years! (How much has a loaf of bread or cup of coffee gone up during that time?)

The French Hotel Barge Emma cruises on the canal du midi in the south of France between Beziers & Carcassonne and Carcassonne to Toulouse. You will find other possible itineraries on our eBrochure that they might be able to work into their schedule with some advance notice.

Liz & Rene are owner-operators and have two additional crew members. Emma has both air conditioning and central heating so climate control is not an issue whether you cruise during the height of summer or on cool days of spring or autumn. Emma accommodates up to 6 guests in 3 cabins each with ensuite, private bathrooms. One cabin is a Queen, while the other two can be configured as either as a Queen or two Twins according to your request.

Remember that EMMA can tailor your charter to your interests... wine tastings & vineyard visits, cooking, golf, tennis, walking tours, cycling tours, or just time out to relax and enjoy a side of France that most travellers don't experience.

Here's a song to get you in the mood... La Mer, by Charles Trénet

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Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book EMMA 
View Emma's online brochure
Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com

 

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Springtime Holland-Belgium-France Barge Cruise: Cabins available

Chris from the Hotel Barge SAVOIR FAIRE tells us that they have cabin bookings available for their 2011 Springtime 3-Country Cruise. This cruise is rarely open to cabin bookings so this is the ideal opportunity to experience a once in a lifetime journey for a couple or with a few friends.

Hotel Barge Savoir Faire - Canal & River Cruises in Holland, Belgium, France

The two-week, three-country cruise can be booked as one trip or in individual legs.  Three cabins are necessary to guarantee the cruise.

May 15-21, 2011, week #1:  Cruising from Haarlem (Holland) to Ghent (Belgium)

• 2 cabins booked... LOOKING for ONE more cabin booking to guarantee cruise

May 22-28, 2011, week #2: Cruising from Ghent (Belgium) to Paris (France)

• 1 cabin booked... LOOKING for TWO more cabin bookings to guarantee cruise

Look at the REGIONS section on our website for more information on Holland and Belgium.

Savoir Faire's eBrochure has a sample itinerary for this special 3-country cruise.

The Hotel Barge Savoir Faire is fully air conditioned (central heat, too!) and accommodates up to 12 guests in 6 well-appointed staterooms. Each stateroom can be configured with two twin beds or with one queen bed, and has ensuite private bathrooms. Each guest stateroom has a DVD player with an LCD screen and 2 sets of wireless headphones. The salon, dining area, and bar are finished in mahogany, teak and brass, decorated with antiques and paintings collected over the years.

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Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book SAVOIR FAIRE
View SAVOIR FAIRE's online brochure
Visit our website for more info on our barges & barging: www.BargeCharters.com

 

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2011 Barging Cruises: Hotel Barges Early Bird Special Discounts

Book your 2011 barging vacation now and benefit from the following special discounted charter rates.

Scottish Highlander moored at Urquhart Castle - Barging in Scotland

• Early-Bird Specials for 2011 Barging Season

THIS SPECIAL OFFER HAS EXPIRED.
Check current Monthly Barging Newsletter Blog for possible specials

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Imagine the sense of relaxation and enjoyment as your floating hotel carries you from one peaceful mooring to the next with more than enough opportunity to explore little villages, shops, the delightful countryside and much, much more, without the need to pack and repack every day. Paradise Connections represents luxury hotel barges that accommodate private charter groups from 4 to 14 guests (if you're a larger group, we can arrange for a tandem cruise). The attentive crew will pamper you with personalized service to ensure your enjoyment of this unique vacation. The cuisine is superb with carefully selected cheese and wines to accompany your meals aboard. Every day offers interesting local guided excursions, or you may choose to stay "home" with a good book and listen to some tunes... the choice is up to you. With a private charter, the week may be fine tuned to your preferences for tours, activities, meals & wines.  Some barges offer special themed itineraries such as golfing, antiques, family, tennis, cookery, guided walking tours, cycling, etc.  If you have us special request, let us know! A barging vacation is a wonderful way to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, family reunions, a corporate incentive, or one of the best reasons of all... just to have a good time!  Don't you deserve a treat?

Speaking of treat-deserving clients... Remember that Paradise Connections has a special offer for those of you who book a barging cruise by December 15, 2010.  Learn more!

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Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book your barging holiday
For more information on our barges and barging, visit our website : www.BargeCharters.com

 

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