Canal boat holidays for groups

We offer narrowboat hire on boats for up to 12 people

If you’re planning a celebration, whether it’s an anniversary, birthday, reunion, stag or hen do, multi-generational holiday, or two families holidaying together, a canal boat holiday is a great option for groups.

Our larger boats are perfect for bringing friends and family together for special occasions. We offer narrowboats for up to 12 people from many of our bases. And wide beam boats for up to nine people from Silsden on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in West Yorkshire.

Choose from city breaks and rural retreats

On canal boat holidays for groups, you can moor up in exciting city centres, including Bath, Birmingham, Stratford-upon-Avon, Manchester, Chester, Leeds and Edinburgh.

Or you can cruise through some of Britain’s best loved countryside, including the Peak District, Pennines, Yorkshire Dales, Vale of Pewsey, Cannock Chase, Shropshire Lake District and the Welsh Mountains. You can choose from hundreds of rural retreats to moor up in.

Value for money

Our larger boats offer great value for money.  2025 holiday hire prices per person per night starting at £120 for a short break (three or four nights), or £163 for a week.

Our operators offer discounts on flotilla bookings

If you book more than one boat from the same base, travelling at the same time and for the same duration, you’ll benefit from a flotilla discount.

Lock sharing is caring

Two boats travelling together on broad canals means you can lock share and join forces to work the locks.  It’s a great way to travel round a cruising ring with lots of locks. And lock sharing helps to reduce water use on the canal network.

Tuition is included in all our holiday hire prices. All our operators and the Canal & River Trust provide lots of advice for first time boaters