When we tell people that we run most of our European tours on barges, those who are not familiar with this delightfully addicting form of travel look at us with what would translate into an emoji as 
and we immediately know what they are picturing in their heads:a flatbed ship full of cargo containers or even worse- garbage! Unfortunately, despite their rising popularity as upscale leisure vessels, media coverage of the “gar-barge” in 1987 is the only exposure many folks have had to barges.Nothing could be farther from the reality of passenger barges though and those who have experienced the joys of Beercation barging and are hooked- as evidenced by the high repeat guest rate on these exclusive beer tours.
Bon Beer Voyage’s Beercation barge cruises currently sail in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany. Guests are treated to a truly unique way to savor all of the fabulous beer, food and sightseeing options of a European Beercation- with a few added benefits that you just don’t get with typical hotel-stay tours.
Here are the top 5 reasons guests love barge cruise Beercations:
- No Packing and Unpacking
One of the top reasons our guests love to barge so much is the fact that they get to unpack and settle in to our floating hotel for the week. No packing and unpacking is necessary as we move from town to town.Just get up, enjoy a hearty breakfast and head off for the day’s adventures.When you return from touring later in the day, your cabin will be tidied up and often, the scent of a delicious dinner in the works is wafting up from the kitchen.
- The Cabins
Our barges are designed for passenger comfort, not cargo. All of our cabins have comfortable beds, in room private bathrooms with showers and individual climate control.Since the ships are narrow enough to sail down the canals, there are no “inside cabins” like on larger cruise ships and all have a porthole/small window.
- The Food
Having your own private chef onboard is another reason that guests love to travel by barge.The 3-course dinners are prepared fresh daily with items purchased from the local markets. Dietary restrictions are taken into consideration so that you can relax and indulge. Breakfasts are European Buffet style with a nice variety – and the dining room is right downstairs from your cabin- convenient enough to wear your bunny slippers to breakfast!
- The Relaxed Atmosphere
While barges are often described as floating hotels, we like to compare it to being at a friend’s vacation home on the water. There is a comfortable lounge area and decks front and back where guests can relax on sail days and evenings after a day of touring.When we are onboard for cruising, it is at a leisurely pace of about 4 miles per hour, allowing you to enjoy the scenery and smooth sailing. There is an honor bar stocked with great beer as well as wine and liquor at reasonable prices waiting for you when you are looking for a night cap or maybe a little something to relax with on deck before dinner. Coffee and tea are available 24/7 as well.
- A Personalized Trip with Like-Minded Folk
We charter the entire barge for our Beercation cruises and curate each itinerary personally.The small group size allows us to offer intimate touring and events that we would not be able to experience otherwise. These exclusive experiences, our private accommodations and relaxed atmosphere onboard as well as during our tours naturally leads to new friendships amongst our like-minded guests.
These are just some of the reasons guests love barge Beercations. Check out our guestbook and our YouTube videos for more guest comments about our floating beer tours.Hope to see you on board soon! Cheers!
