Canal archive

Depends on your starting point but for the first time we’re trying couriered luggage and if it works that’s the way to go. Failing that I’d love to see the mix and match flow chart. I make one every time we go on any special trip.

I’ve done a quick recy on the U.K. site and yes the costs have risen but that you’d expect but no where near that amount. I will say there's no resemblance across the board it really seems quite random.

Oh yes I see, well all they’ve done is returned to how it was I think about ten years ago. When it first started it was offered to all customers as an enticement then after you’d done a few cruises as a bonus. There have been several changes with the frequent users perks hinted at recently along with the dropping of the luggage etc., I doubt it will be anything better and I’m old enough to remember when it was not all inclusive. I find it interesting what other nationalities see and experience on their cruises.

Over Easter it was the Devizes to Westminster canoe race on the Kennet & Avon Canal and because of the water levels on the Thames only 35 very experienced paddlers were allowed to take part evidentially the locks on the Thames had both top and bottom gates open. Usually the youngsters take two days and the speediest are SAS or SBS watching the experts is something special.

I’ve never been impressed with branding on a product. When did Scenic stop home to transport transfer.

What ships status? Hermod is on its way from Lyon.

A few couples we met on one of our cruises told us about and had used the chute and mentioned the lift lock now that is something else wow.

We overnighted on our narrowboat in Paddington basin once and that Bridge is definitely spooky. Okay not a bridge but how to get a boat up and down what used to be I think 11 locks it’s fashioned like a Celtic axe the only boat lift of its kind in the world and one of two boat lifts in the U.K. The Falkirk wheel is an absolute must to ride on.

Always to my mind short in time but we’ve never used a TA why haven’t they chased before now?

One of the biggest challenges the cruise companies have is that the date of Easter changes from year to year, next year it’s earlier, before the end of March. Hopefully next year they can sort out with the lock maintenance and keep everything crossed there’s no strikes.

Loved the bike barge. Depending on the water flow a duck race is one of the staples of a canal narrowboat water festival - so exciting!

Check on the website marine traffic

Pauillac dock is being worked on so that it can be used for the really large ocean cruisers. Evidently it takes two hours at the moment to transport tourists to Bordeaux and the powers that be want tourists to be able to visit there and wineries with ease. So glad I’ve done that cruise sounds like it could get over peopled.

It’s not the depth of water under the Napoleon bridge it’s the way the tides react with the many arches it causes swirling that changes directions the Captains need special and quite precise training for this navigation if yours at the time didn’t have that extra piece of paper then the passage was a no go. When we were on Scenic Diamond one of our captains was on a few days off and he returned to navigate us through. Mind you he looked so young most of the guys on board thought he should have still been at university.

Most times it’s not necessarily the equipment but the eye behind that equipment. ‘Bob Carlos Clark’ friend and photographer sadly missed.

Ohhh it’s a mere hop across the pond. Plus that was also our second trip.

Bubbulz wonderfully superb photography.

Still moving on her way to Riedenburg.

flviking careful that was our first Scenic cruise so long ago, before ‘all inclusive’ and ‘butler’ for all cabins. It got us hooked and DH decided it was too short a trip. Okay we’ve missed a few years daughters weddings, family holiday to USA and of course the dreaded C. We did the first Scenic Seine cruise and in July we do it again.

If you know the name of the vessel you are travelling on find out where it is by looking at the Marine Traffic website or name it here and we’ll look.

Regensburg must be open as Scenic Crystal is on the move and Scenic Gem is in Paris ready for her first cruise of the year. Looks like it’s off we go for the real all systems go start of the season, fingers, toes and everything crossed for a really really good one.

Our Easter celebrations really have nothing to do with the religious meaning but more of the Spring solstice but whichever way you celebrate enjoy your eggs the more chocolate in as many ways as possible the better.

Looks like they’re pushing there and back as it were on different continents. Interesting.

8 day trips there not offering 11 day for 2024 but here is the 8 day April dates. 3rd - 10th Scenic Jade. 17th - 24th Scenic Jade 22nd - 29th Scenic Crystal 24th - 01st Scenic Jade interesting flow.

Yup it’s gone on the U.K. site as well now.